American Grocery Prices: can you help?

[Heather in Neverland]

Our grocery bill here is out of control! I come home fuming each week at the cost of things. But part of me is wondering if maybe I have just forgotten how much things actually cost in America? So here is a list of a few items and their price (in U.S. dollars). Can you tell me how much they are at your grocery store?

 

Honey Nut Cheerios- $8

1 package of baby wipes- $3.50

1 container of coffee- $4.50

1 gallon of milk- $12

1 can of black beans- $3

1 bottle of ranch dressing- $5

1 can of corn- $1.50

1 package of taco seasoning- $3

1 can of diced tomatoes- $3

1 jar of Jiffy peanut butter- $4

1 small jar of smuckers strawberry jam- $3

1 pound of grouond beef- $10

 

 

So how do these compare with what you pay? Am I paying a lot or am I being a big baby? :D

[Starr]

I think you need to change your diet. ;) No you aren't remembering wrong, you are paying a lot.

[Osmosis Mom]

Why are you paying prices like this? And why are you not eating more local kinds of food? Just wondering, not trying to be snarky!! Do you not shop in local stores (not for Americans)?

[Slartibartfast]

Honey Nut Cheerios- $8 (but $8 for a Costco size box, which is huge)

1 package of baby wipes- $3.50 (We don't buy unless traveling)

1 container of coffee- $4.50 (about the same)

1 gallon of milk- $12 (I don't pay more than $4 for hormone free)

1 can of black beans- $3 ($1 for organic)

1 bottle of ranch dressing- $5 (I don't buy)

1 can of corn- $1.50 (I pay about the same for frozen organic)

1 package of taco seasoning- $3 (I make my own, paprika, cumin, garlic, chili powder)

1 can of diced tomatoes- $3 (less than $1 for organic)

1 jar of Jiffy peanut butter- $4 (about $8 for two big jars from costco)

1 small jar of smuckers strawberry jam- $3 (I buy from mennonites for $4 a jar at farmer's market)

1 pound of grouond beef- $10 (I pay $3 for 92% from costco)

 

I agree you could probably get local foods for much cheaper...

[edithcrawley]

Our grocery bill here is out of control! I come home fuming each week at the cost of things. But part of me is wondering if maybe I have just forgotten how much things actually cost in America? So here is a list of a few items and their price (in U.S. dollars). Can you tell me how much they are at your grocery store?

 

Honey Nut Cheerios- $8 (about 3.50 or 4 here)

1 package of baby wipes- $3.50

1 container of coffee- $4.50

1 gallon of milk- $12 (about $2-3 here)

1 can of black beans- $3 (about .68)

1 bottle of ranch dressing- $5 ($1-2)

1 can of corn- $1.50 ($.50?)

1 package of taco seasoning- $3 (.50)

1 can of diced tomatoes- $3 (1-1.50)

1 jar of Jiffy peanut butter- $4

1 small jar of smuckers strawberry jam- $3

1 pound of grouond beef- $10 (2.50)

 

 

So how do these compare with what you pay? Am I paying a lot or am I being a big baby? :D

 

 

Indiana prices in red (for stuff I know) Your prices are really really high.

[Mom-ninja.]

All those foods have to imported so they're going to be pricey.

 

Cheerios with milk would become a special rare treat in my house at those prices.

[OrganicAnn]

Can you buy local or regional brands?

[phathui5]

All those foods have to imported so they're going to be pricey.

 

Ah, that makes sense.

[Mergath]

Here's about what we pay for this stuff in central, rural Minnesota.

 

Honey Nut Cheerios- $3.50

1 package of baby wipes- $3.50

1 container of coffee- $12 for a big thing of Folgers, $7 for a smaller bag

1 gallon of milk- $4.29

1 can of black beans- $1.50

1 bottle of ranch dressing- $3

1 can of corn- $1

1 package of taco seasoning- $1

1 can of diced tomatoes- $1.50

1 jar of Jiffy peanut butter- $3

1 small jar of smuckers strawberry jam- $3

1 pound of grouond beef- $4.50

[8circles]

Why are you paying prices like this? And why are you not eating more local kinds of food? Just wondering, not trying to be snarky!! Do you not shop in local stores (not for Americans)?

:iagree:Those are high prices.

[Sandra in FL]

Our grocery bill here is out of control! I come home fuming each week at the cost of things. But part of me is wondering if maybe I have just forgotten how much things actually cost in America? So here is a list of a few items and their price (in U.S. dollars). Can you tell me how much they are at your grocery store?

 

Honey Nut Cheerios- $8

1 package of baby wipes- $3.50

1 container of coffee- $4.50

1 gallon of milk- $12

1 can of black beans- $3

1 bottle of ranch dressing- $5

1 can of corn- $1.50

1 package of taco seasoning- $3

1 can of diced tomatoes- $3

1 jar of Jiffy peanut butter- $4

1 small jar of smuckers strawberry jam- $3

1 pound of grouond beef- $10

 

So how do these compare with what you pay? Am I paying a lot or am I being a big baby? :D

 

Yikes! I can get grass-fed, hormone-free 90/10 ground beef shipped to my door for less than $10/lb.

[LibraryLover]

We pay $8/lb for grass fed beef.

Edited September 7, 2011 by LibraryLover

[Heather in Neverland]

We DO buy local all the time. We buy fruits, veggies, chicken, bread, etc.... all local.

 

But there is just not a local equivalent of Cheerios (none that my kids would eat) and some items (like black beans and pinto beans) are not grown locally so you have to buy them canned. I can only get corn on the cob and I do not have the time to hand slice it all off the cob to put it in a recipe.

 

We can only eat Indian food so many times a week before my kids want me to cook a "western" meal.

 

And this IS the grocery store that the locals shop at (when they buy these kinds of items).

[justamouse]

Wow, those prices suck.

[Cammie]

These prices are exactly what I would expect to pay in Bangalore for the same items. We have switched to local cereal (for obvious reasons) and any visitors are asked to bring cereal! We do get great local coffee.

 

I am with you. When you live abroad with American children there are times you just want to make pasta or have a bean burrito. We indulge on these pricey items because it tastes like home! We eat Indian food the rest of the time.

 

Our weekly bill is about $100 - including the imported items.

 

- Cammie

 

 

Our grocery bill here is out of control! I come home fuming each week at the cost of things. But part of me is wondering if maybe I have just forgotten how much things actually cost in America? So here is a list of a few items and their price (in U.S. dollars). Can you tell me how much they are at your grocery store?

 

Honey Nut Cheerios- $8

1 package of baby wipes- $3.50

1 container of coffee- $4.50

1 gallon of milk- $12

1 can of black beans- $3

1 bottle of ranch dressing- $5

1 can of corn- $1.50

1 package of taco seasoning- $3

1 can of diced tomatoes- $3

1 jar of Jiffy peanut butter- $4

1 small jar of smuckers strawberry jam- $3

1 pound of grouond beef- $10

 

 

So how do these compare with what you pay? Am I paying a lot or am I being a big baby? :D

[LibraryLover]

If you steam the corn (cobs) first and let it cool, it comes off the stalk easily, without the splash of losing the sugar/starches.

 

I can get canned beans for about $1, but I buy the bags and cook them up.

 

I have bought plain Cheerios, and they average about 2.99.

 

You are paying a lot, but you probably make up for it in resturant food, or other local foods.

 

I am sure imported foods are often costly!

[Heather in Neverland]

I am with you. When you live abroad with American children there are times you just want to make pasta or have a bean burrito. We indulge on these pricey items because it tastes like home! We eat Indian food the rest of the time.

 

Our weekly bill is about $100 - including the imported items.

 

- Cammie

 

Exactly. My kids aren't picky thank goodness or the bill would be worse. They are pretty content to eat at the local stalls most of the time. But the one night they begged me for tacos... HOLY MOLY... that was an expensive dinner!

 

I won't even mention how much it cost to buy the cheddar cheese and sour cream! :tongue_smilie:

[Starr]

I know you crave some western food but I'm so jealous of that Indian food option you have! :D

[LibraryLover]

Exactly. My kids aren't picky thank goodness or the bill would be worse. They are pretty content to eat at the local stalls most of the time. But the one night they begged me for tacos... HOLY MOLY... that was an expensive dinner!

 

I won't even mention how much it cost to buy the cheddar cheese and sour cream! :tongue_smilie:

 

 

It sounds like it evens out!:001_smile:

[Kirch]

:svengo: Most of those prices are *at least* three times what we pay. They're even waaaay more than our arm-and-a-leg small-town convenience store.

 

This is about what I'd be paying:

 

Honey Nut Cheerios- $8 $4, for the largest box

1 package of baby wipes- $3.50 $2 for generic (although we'd buy in bulk)

1 container of coffee- $4.50 $6.50 for large 2 lb container of Maxwell House

1 gallon of milk- $12 $2.30 store brand

1 can of black beans- $3 $0.66 store brand, still less than $1 for name brand

1 bottle of ranch dressing- $5 $2.50 - $3 for Kraft

1 can of corn- $1.50 $0.70 store brand, around $1 - $1.20 name brand

1 package of taco seasoning- $3 $0.52 McCormick, $0.75 Old El Paso

1 can of diced tomatoes- $3 less than $1 store brand

1 jar of Jiffy peanut butter- $4 around $3 for Jif

1 small jar of smuckers strawberry jam- $3 $2.00 - $2.50, maybe

1 pound of grouond beef- $10 up to $2.60/lb for the cheap stuff

 

I'd be a little whiny too, although it's understandable considering where you are. That's an expensive taste of home!!

[Margo out of lurking]

Our grocery bill here is out of control! I come home fuming each week at the cost of things. But part of me is wondering if maybe I have just forgotten how much things actually cost in America? So here is a list of a few items and their price (in U.S. dollars). Can you tell me how much they are at your grocery store?

 

Honey Nut Cheerios- $8 ~$3.00/Walmart

1 package of baby wipes- $3.50

1 container of coffee- $4.50 8 O'Clock Coffee, $4.98/Walmart (was cheaper than Walmart brand!)

1 gallon of milk- $12 $3.12/Kroger

1 can of black beans- $3 under $1/Walmart & Kroger

1 bottle of ranch dressing- $5 ~$1.50 storebrand/Walmart & Kroger

1 can of corn- $1.50 under $1/Walmart & Kroger

1 package of taco seasoning- $3 under $1, I think, now I make my own

1 can of diced tomatoes- $3 oh, must be under $1.50

1 jar of Jiffy peanut butter- $4

1 small jar of smuckers strawberry jam- $3

1 pound of grouond beef- $10 Laura's, the fancy stuff, is $6.99; I buy the stuff that's about $4/lb.

 

So how do these compare with what you pay? Am I paying a lot or am I being a big baby? :D

 

With the exception of the cereal, tomatoes and taco seasoning, I've bought all of these in the past two weeks.

[AdamsFamily]

Are you shopping in KL? If not, there is an American grocery store near the Embassy that might have better prices. I think it is in Ampang or called Ampang. It has been a while since I lived in Malaysia.

 

I do remember buying Cheerios for about $6 a box ten years ago.

 

Are you shopping in the non-halal part of a regular grocery store? Do you know any locals that will help shop for you?

 

Can you buy bulk spices and have them shipped to you or buy them locally to make your own taco seasoning? Can you buy strawberries and make freezer jam or some runny equivalent (without the Certo, I mean).

 

I completely understand the need for an American fix! I enjoyed many of the local foods, but every once in a while I needed a taste from home! :) BTW, I was pregnant, too!

 

I bought American cheese in Singapore, froze it, wrapped it in newspaper, and flew it back with us.

[Heather in Neverland]

Are you shopping in KL? If not, there is an American grocery store near the Embassy that might have better prices. I think it is in Ampang or called Ampang. It has been a while since I lived in Malaysia.

 

 

That tiny little store in Ampang is still there!!! That is THE place to get rare American items. We live about 4 hours from KL (on the island) but if we or anyone from here goes to KL everyone starts making a list for them. We call it being a pack mule and everyone gets a turn! :D

[weddell]

That's about what we would pay in Pune, India. Some things I just don't buy and other things I'm making myself. Like chocolate syrup. A bottle of hershey's syrup is around $5. I found a recipe online with cocoa powder, sugar, and water, and now just make it myself (which is actually quite funny because it's one of those things I didn't buy in the US, but it gives the kids a taste of America while we are here). There is now an Indian made peanut butter that is a little cheaper than what we were paying before and I got really excited to see it!

 

We have a nanny/cook who makes quite a bit of food for us. My kids aren't very excited about Indian food but will eat some things. We also modify food for them. I have the nanny cook a big batch of dry beans and I'll freeze it so we can easily cook them up for burritos. There are no tortillas here, but everyone eats a flat bread called chapati which is quite similar. So we make burritos out of chapati and beans. It really helps that I have someone who can help me make a lot of the basics (like beans and chapati) from scratch and then meals come together quickly and cheaply.

 

Frozen peas are quite expensive here but there are peas in many dishes. It took me months to figure out that it was actually cheaper to buy peas in the pods and have the nanny shell them and then freeze them than to buy already frozen peas. I didn't even ask her to the first time (it never occurred to me) when I brought peas in the pods home from the market. But she just took them and shelled them without a second thought. It's just how things are here that "of course" that is how you do it. I guess she thought it was weird that I was buying frozen peas.

 

Do you have someone cooking for you? I don't know what the price of labor is like in Malaysia compared to India, but things like corn, beans, and diced tomatoes it is cheaper for me to buy the fresh (or in the case of beans, dried) versions and have someone cook them for me than it is to buy the canned version. Even something like ranch dressing or taco seasoning if you could find a recipe online, you could probably make cheaply. I know you are busy with work, so I don't suggest you do it yourself, but if you have someone who helps around the house, they may be able to do it for you and still have it be cheaper than buying it readymade. Crazy isn't it! (But I'm still paying a scary amount for coffee :))

[AdamsFamily]

Yay! That place was great! And it gets the most random stuff from time to time. My shopping motto in Malaysia was, "When you see it, buy it. It probably won't be there the next time."

 

And... It took my shower to realize that non-halal would have been for pork products, not beef. Sorry for my lapse in common sense.

 

We had a good local friend that introduced us to a market near our apartment. He also lived near us, but he would not take us to the one where he shopped. He said that if he took us, being Americans, to his regular market, then his prices would go up - even if we weren't with him!

 

Does Amazon ship to Malaysia? I remember book prices being awful - always full price, never on sale.

Edited September 7, 2011 by AdamsFamily

[KidsHappen]

Our grocery bill here is out of control! I come home fuming each week at the cost of things. But part of me is wondering if maybe I have just forgotten how much things actually cost in America? So here is a list of a few items and their price (in U.S. dollars). Can you tell me how much they are at your grocery store?

 

Honey Nut Cheerios- $8 - $5

1 package of baby wipes- $3.50

1 container of coffee- $4.50 - $9

1 gallon of milk- $12 - $5

1 can of black beans- $3

1 bottle of ranch dressing- $5

1 can of corn- $1.50

1 package of taco seasoning- $3

1 can of diced tomatoes- $3

1 jar of Jiffy peanut butter- $4- $6-$7

1 small jar of smuckers strawberry jam- $3

1 pound of grouond beef- $10 - $6-$7

 

 

So how do these compare with what you pay? Am I paying a lot or am I being a big baby? :D

 

I have noticed a dramatic increase in the COL lately. Groceries, gasoline, utilities, just about everything. Our pay hasn't increased in real dollar in 12 years but prices have soared to the point that where we used to be considered comfortably middle class we are just barely making ends meet now.

[Rose in BC]

Small town northern Canada:

 

Honey Nut Cheerios- $8 (large box)

1 package of baby wipes- $5.00

1 container of coffee- $10/lb

1 gallon of milk- $4.5

1 can of black beans- $1 (on sale)

1 bottle of ranch dressing- $3

1 can of corn- $1.50

1 package of taco seasoning- $2

1 can of diced tomatoes- $2

1 jar of Jiffy peanut butter- $3 (500 g)

1 small jar of smuckers strawberry jam- $4 (5oo ml)

1 pound of grouond beef- $5

[Sputterduck]

Dang, I'm sorry.

 

I won't list prices here because I'm not in America. But I will say that watermelon is 11 cents a pound right now. And I think mangoes are about 15 cents a pound.

Edited September 7, 2011 by Sputterduck

[Amira]

Dang, I'm sorry.

 

I won't list prices here because I'm not in America. But I will say that watermelon is 11 cents a pound right now. And I think mangoes are about 15 cents a pound.

 

I don't have mangoes here, but melons are about 20-30 cents each and I can buy 10 pounds of eggplant, cucumbers, and tomatoes, and peppers for less than 2 dollars. My grocery budget is much less here than it was in the US.

 

But I never buy most of the things on the OP's list- just milk which is widely available here because this is a milk-drinking country. A small jar of not-American-name-brand peanut butter is five dollars and most of the other stuff on the list isn't available here or it's at least as expensive as it is in Malaysia.

 

I do have to spend more time preparing food though. I might not buy jam and sour cream and cheddar cheese, but I make jam and yogurt and paneer and slice corn off the cob and chop up piles of vegetables. I also make Indian or Mexican or Thai or Central Asian dishes almost every night. I think cooking like an typical American is usually too expensive in the US, not to mention in the rest of the world.

[creekland]

Rural PA prices

 

Honey Nut Cheerios- 3.50 or so pending what size box

1 package of baby wipes- $2 when we bought some for a mission trip last summer

1 container of coffee- Don't buy, don't look, so I don't know.

1 gallon of milk- $4

1 can of black beans- $1 or $1.39 for a 16 oz bag of dried - cheaper on sale

1 bottle of ranch dressing- $2

1 can of corn- Don't buy canned. One bag of frozen is $1.29.

1 package of taco seasoning- Don't buy, don't look, so I don't know.

1 can of diced tomatoes- 75 cents for a small can (14.5 oz), $1.29 for a large can (32 oz)

1 jar of Jiffy peanut butter- $2 for a smaller jar

1 small jar of smuckers strawberry jam- Don't buy.

1 pound of grouond beef- $2.29 I think. I haven't bought any in years, but I believe that's what I saw on a sign last week.

[Cammie]

OMG - cheese is just outrageous here! Luckily India has started developing some local brands. Philadelphia Cream Cheese used to cost me $10 (I never bought it.) A new Indian cream cheese is really good and costs about a dollar. There are a few things we simply don't buy because the import cost is so high! Luckily we get cans of refried beans now for about $5. Sometimes you just have to splurge!

 

 

Exactly. My kids aren't picky thank goodness or the bill would be worse. They are pretty content to eat at the local stalls most of the time. But the one night they begged me for tacos... HOLY MOLY... that was an expensive dinner!

 

I won't even mention how much it cost to buy the cheddar cheese and sour cream! :tongue_smilie:

[JFSinIL]

Our grocery bill here is out of control! I come home fuming each week at the cost of things. But part of me is wondering if maybe I have just forgotten how much things actually cost in America? So here is a list of a few items and their price (in U.S. dollars). Can you tell me how much they are at your grocery store?

 

Honey Nut Cheerios- $8 - cut the price in half, here.

1 package of baby wipes- $3.50 - no idea (baby is 15)

1 container of coffee- $4.50 - how many ounces? Could be spot-on.

1 gallon of milk- $12 = $3 - 4 here, less on sale (I live in Dairyland)

1 can of black beans- $3 - twice our price

1 bottle of ranch dressing- $5 - twice our price

1 can of corn- $1.50 - tup

1 package of taco seasoning- $3 - ? no idea, don't use it.

1 can of diced tomatoes- $3 - tup

1 jar of Jiffy peanut butter- $4 - close - depends on size of jar.

1 small jar of smuckers strawberry jam- $3 - close.

1 pound of grouond beef- $10 - depends on fat %. but about tup.

 

 

So how do these compare with what you pay? Am I paying a lot or am I being a big baby? :D

 

Would life be cheaper if you ate more of a local-type diet? And saved American-eating for special occasions? Oops - never mind, now that i have the above thread I see that is what you are already doing. Oh, well.

Edited September 7, 2011 by JFSinIL

[Pretty in Pink]

Honey Nut Cheerios- $3.50

1 package of baby wipes- $6.00 (this is the mega pack though, 540 wipes)

1 container of coffee- $6.00 (Dunkin Donuts brand)

1 gallon of milk- $3.75 (6.80 for organic)

1 can of black beans- $0.89

1 bottle of ranch dressing- $2.00

1 can of corn- $0.50

1 package of taco seasoning- $.45

1 can of diced tomatoes- $.89

1 jar of Jiffy peanut butter- $1.89

1 small jar of smuckers strawberry jam- $1.39

1 pound of grouond beef- $3.39 (93/7)

 

 

Your prices are really, really high!

[Osmosis Mom]

It occurred to me that living here in the States we pay outrageous prices for a lot of items that used to be pennies in Syria!! This explains why dh often refuses to buy items such as over-priced baklava or halawa (which I then sneak in myself, hahah!).

 

I was thinking if there might be a more economical grocery store with these items, one a bit out of the way, where you could stock up on Ceerios etc. if their prices were better.

[stripe]

With all due respect, the stuff you've listed, Heather, is all exotic and imported American brand name goods. So...yes, it will be expensive. (Yes, those are very expensive!) But I don't think it reflects the cost of living there. I'd imagine it's more fair to compare the beef. But also milk, fresh tomatoes, and so on.

 

Also, tell us the cost of bananas, wheat flour, fresh coconuts, and the common foods eaten there including fish. That might be interesting.

 

If it were me, I'd buy less imported stuff. Are there any other brands of jam, or could you adjust your diet? I don't buy cold cereal when I'm overseas. And I'd substitute something else for the baby wipes. I'd make my own beans.

 

That being said, my in laws report ever increasing prices for staples like sugar. Milk is about the same as what I pay, or more, and I often get it on sale here. So I do think people think food in "poor countries" is dirt cheap, when it's not!

Edited September 7, 2011 by stripe

[Jenny in Florida]

Honey Nut Cheerios- $8

1 package of baby wipes- $3.50

1 container of coffee- $4.50

1 gallon of milk- $12

1 can of black beans- $3

1 bottle of ranch dressing- $5

1 can of corn- $1.50

1 package of taco seasoning- $3

1 can of diced tomatoes- $3

1 jar of Jiffy peanut butter- $4

1 small jar of smuckers strawberry jam- $3

1 pound of grouond beef- $10

 

I don't buy most of those products. So, I can be of limited help.

 

But I don't pay more than $1 for a can of black beans. And lately I've been getting my diced tomatoes buy one-get one, meaning I'm paying about .75 per can. I buy a different brand of jam (Polaner's fruit spread), but I think it's a similar price. Same thing with the peanut butter. I buy store-brand all-natural stuff, but it's about the same price you're paying for the name brand.

[Heather in Neverland]

 

It's pretty funny to think that Stove Top Stuffing is "exotic". :lol:

 

:D. I know. Boxed macaroni cheese is considered exotic too. :lol:

[jennsmile]

Just some thoughts. Taco meat can be beef, goat, pork, or even lentils. You can easily find and make the seasoning from spices.

 

For sour cream go with plain yogurt. Make your own if needed. Can you get dry milk for making yogurt?

 

What milk is common over there? I am assuming not cows milk...

 

Sounds like an adventure.

 

Enjoy it.

[stripe]

It occurred to me that living here in the States we pay outrageous prices for a lot of items that used to be pennies in Syria!! This explains why dh often refuses to buy items such as over-priced baklava or halawa (which I then sneak in myself, hahah!).

 

Even ethnic stores sell some things for way cheaper than regular grocery stores. Like parsley and cumin. Or rice.