I was thinking about it the other day how a box of cheap, sugary cereal costs around $2 for 10-13oz, right? I don't know. It's been a long time since I've checked in to it but we'll assume I am correct. So that's a pound of cheap, sugary cereal for about $2.50 (obviously I am not looking to be exact here, just trying to make a point).
Or a pound of organic nectarines for $1. A pound of organic apples for $.75. A pound of organic bananas for $.44. A pound of organic peaches for $1.20.
You get the point.
I do not understand why so many people think fresh fruit is expensive. Especially organic fresh fruit. You just have to know where to shop!!
Here are my recent finds - all organic, all the prices listed above. Celery is in here too. Right now Aldi has celery for $1.29 a stalk. It's small and not very impressive. The health food store had beautiful stalks of organic celery for $2.29. Their weight was probably double or more of what is at Aldi, which of course brings the price of the Aldi celery way up.
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| Organic nectarines and peaches from Azure |
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| Organic nectarines from Azure Standard |
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| Organic 'overripe' bananas and apples and organic celery |
The peaches and nectarines are REALLY REALLY REALLY GOOD. The local stores have sales right now for around a dollar a pound but seriously, there is NO WAY the quality and taste could compare to these organic fruits from Azure Standard!!
And as you can see, I got the bananas and apples off the discount shelf at the local health food store (Mama Jean's in Springfield). A few of the apples are a little soft/wrinkled but they look and taste great. The bananas are still firm; it's just the peel that looks a little 'rough'.
Thy key is: be on the look out for these deals! If you do not find any such deals in the local hfs, ask someone. Check the farmers markets too - often towards the end of the market day vendors are willing to reduce the price so they do not have to take all their stuff home and feed it to the chickens. When you do find a good deal, be prepared to stock up. These bananas and apples are going to be used for my green smoothies. I'll use as many as I can fresh and then cut and freeze the rest so they are ready to go when I am.
So there you have it. Please don't tell me produce is too expensive. I'd much rather eat a pound of organic peaches for $1.20 than a pound of sugary cereal for $2.50. The peaches are sweet, juicy and I am sure they are filled with vitamins and minerals. The sugary cereal on the other hand ... blah. What a waste of money and health.
But that's just me. My opinion. Take it or leave it.
Thanks for taking the time to write about this. I don't eat junky cereal, but it was a help to me that you made the comparison. I think there are a lot of people that don't think things through like you did here. Thanks for the info.
ReplyDelete~P.F.
IF I could find organic produce for even 2x that price I'd be one happy shopper! So my family eats good old old fashioned oats and I eat eggs because I can't eat any grains. BUT Thanks so much for helping me to think. We are trying to find a way to afford nutrient dense food. I will see what other things we may get thinking they are cheap but are actually more expensive then something wholesome. I recently realized this with eggs. A dozen organic pasture eggs (about 1lbs in weight) is MUCH cheaper than a pound of organic pasture meat... in fact it cost only a little more than a pound of cheap meat. Now I'm going to go look in my cabinets and start comparing more....
ReplyDeletePF - you are welcome :)
ReplyDeleteAmi - you are right ... it all really depends on where you live and what's available in YOUR particular area.
I have always enjoyed price comparing and have seen it as a fun game (for lack of a better term I guess?!). While I was like this as far back as I can remember, I know I was greatly influenced by Amy Dacyczyn in the Tightwad Gazette :) :) :) I picked those books up well over 10 years ago and at the time I thought I had found my frugal thinking twin :) Of course there are many things in the book that are just plain silly and 'nit picky' but there are also many things in the book that are great ideas and serve as a springboard for other ideas to suit individual needs. I hope that all made sense.
Thanks to both of you for commenting! God bless you both.
This is a question for Ami! Where in Alaska do you live? I wonder if we are neighbors!
ReplyDeletePaula