6packofun Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 (edited) How much do you pay for these (include or adjust the quantities in which you buy them) in ORGANIC? apples peaches and/or nectarines strawberries (1 lb. clamshell pkg) grapes celery spinach sweet bell peppers cucumbers cherry tomatoes potatoes *These are from one of those "dirty dozen" type lists. Our regular chain grocery store had the regular clamshell organic strawberries for $6 and I almost peed myself. I have NO idea what decent prices for these items are, but we're going to be eating a lot of these so I'd better find out! Thank you! Edited March 29, 2016 by 6packofun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lifeoftheparty* Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 (edited) .. Edited February 13, 2017 by *lifeoftheparty* 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 I tend to buy some of this stuff on sale. Apples I will get at Whole Foods when they're on sale for $1.99/lb, sometimes $2.49, but I usually wait till they go down. Spinach is much cheaper if you get it in bulk by the pound; it's $7.99/lb, but usually you buy waaaay less. Those big tubs are way less than a pound, and I usually don't even need that much at a time Grapes and strawberries I also wait for sales. Ouch, expensive. When apples aren't on sale at WF, I often buy them at TJ's where the bags of smaller organic apples are much less $$. Just tiny apples. I also tend to buy the organic peppers at TJ's, the three-pack multicolor. Can't remember the price at the moment, but I'm pretty sure it's less than WF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xixstar Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 apples 2.00/lb peaches and/or nectarines $2.50/lb - guessing strawberries (1 lb. clamshell ) $4.00 grapes - rarely available from 4-8/pound I buy at lower price celery $2.99 bunch spinach 3.99 for large container sweet bell peppers 3.99/each !! cucumbers $2.00 each !! cherry tomatoes - $4 small box potatoes $4-6 for 3lbs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 How much do you pay for these (include or adjust the quantities in which you buy them) in ORGANIC? So much of this depends on the season, so I'll give you the prices that are in my stores currently. apples $2.99/lb. peaches and/or nectarines unavailable strawberries (1 lb. clamshell pkg) $3.99/lb. grapes $6/lb., if you can find them celery spinach $4 for a 1lb box sweet bell peppers about $3 each cucumbers about $2 each cherry tomatoes--I think these were just under $5 this week potatoes---for golds, which are the least expensive, I think it was around $10 for a 5# bag *These are from one of those "dirty dozen" type lists. Our regular chain grocery store had the regular clamshell organic strawberries for $6 and I almost peed myself. I have NO idea what decent prices for these items are, but we're going to be eating a lot of these so I'd better find out! Thank you! I had a long discussion about organics with a research oncologist about pesticide use. Her perspective was that it was much better simply to consume large amounts of nutrient rich produce (well-washed) than to buy what few organic things you could and limit yourself on the amount of produce you consume. I buy organic spinach and a few other things where there's not much cost differential, but I throw my limited grocery dollars at buying as much as I can. So, tonight, we will have 2 lbs. of strawberries and 8 oz. of blueberries and a ton of organic bananas mixed up into a fruit salad to go as a side with our chickpea/quinoa/avocado main course salad. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 I had a long discussion about organics with a research oncologist about pesticide use. Her perspective was that it was much better simply to consume large amounts of nutrient rich produce (well-washed) than to buy what few organic things you could and limit yourself on the amount of produce you consume. I buy organic spinach and a few other things where there's not much cost differential, but I throw my limited grocery dollars at buying as much as I can. So, tonight, we will have 2 lbs. of strawberries and 8 oz. of blueberries and a ton of organic bananas mixed up into a fruit salad to go as a side with our chickpea/quinoa/avocado main course salad. Mmmm! You just made that sound so good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalmia Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 In New England apples 2.99 strawberries 4.99 to 5.99 celery 5.00 (large bunch not just package of hearts) spinach 3.99/lb 2 small green bell peppers 3.99 English cucumbers (half the size of conventional) 1.99 cherry tomatoes (plastic clam shell pack) 3.99 5 lb potatoes 5.99/lb You'll do better at the farm markets once they start up in your area. Also consider growing your own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 (edited) These are local grocery store prices. Often I get stuff cheaper if it's getting old or they have a big sale or I go to a produce stand. apples - BAGGED these are usually about $5-6 for a 3 pound bag compared to $3-4 for conventional; LOOSE Organic coulee be anywhere from $3-5 a pound. Conventional anywhere from $2-4 pound. depends on variety. peaches and/or nectarines- these are usually around $4+ a pound compared to $2-3 for conventional (only available in season) strawberries (1 lb. clamshell pkg- $5-6 for 1 pound compared to 2 pounds for $4-5 for conventional That's in season. Out of season, I rarely see organic and conventional ones are $5 a pound. grapes- I honestly don't know off hand. Our stores often don't offer organic grapes and I don't go to the co-op or Whole Foods often enough to know. celery- this is usually $3 organic and maybe 1/2 that conventional. spinach- A one pound plastic container of organic baby spinach is $5. the same conventional is $4. sweet bell peppers- $3 each compared to $1-1.50 for conventional cucumbers- don't know. I loathe cucumbers. Rarely buy them. cherry tomatoes- I rarely buy these either. Organic tomatoes are generally 2x as much as conventional. In the summer time at the farmer markets a little carton of organic yellow or mixed color tomatoes (which I do buy) is, IIRC ~$5. potatoes- I can't say I know. I always buy conventional for a few bucks. I used to buy all organic or local (local being the preferred option) but we used to have more than 2x as much income. So we rarely buy anything organic except if we hit up the farmer's market or if it's nominally more expensive. The only thing from the first dozen list I basically always buy organic is spinach. Conventional produce is better for you than no produce so that's one of the things we figured into our temporary lower budget. Edited March 29, 2016 by LucyStoner 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 (edited) I don't buy organic. The marketing practices are highly deceptive and fear based, organic foods are not more nutritious, and they contain as many or more pesticides as conventionally grown produce. "Natural" pesticides are not better, they just feed into the Appeal to Nature fallacy. In fact, natural pesticides and fertilizers are sometimes more harmful than the modern synthetic ones that have been specifically designed to have the least impact on humans. Organic farming is also harder on the environment both in terms of soil nutrient depletion and water use. http://www.realclearscience.com/blog/2014/06/the_biggest_myth_about_organic_farming.html https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/henry-i--miller-exposes-the-disappointing-truth-about-organic-agriculture http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2006-10-15/the-organic-myth http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/2014/05/15/organic-marketing-often-misleading/9110319/ http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2012/03/20/greenwashing-deceptive-business-claims-of-eco-friendliness/#4143fa7158b1 As much as possible I prefer to buy locally grown in-season produce, and locally, ethically raised meat. Sometimes that means organic. Mostly not. Edited March 29, 2016 by Lady Florida 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 I can't remember prices, but... --I look for stuff that I know is in season locally (I can tell by looking at the list of when things are available on my former CSA's page) --I eat it in the order of delicacy. So strawberries before bananas, since bananas tend to last longer for instance. --I plant fruit trees, little by little. They are completely organic. Right now I'm eating oranges and lemons off of my fruit trees. In another couple of months I will have more fresh apricots than I know what to do with. After that I'll have some peaches, hopefully, and then in the fall fresh Fuyu persimmons and Wonderful pomegranates. I started eating kumquats in December and had a little tree full of Bearss' limes in January or February. I eat a LOT of my own stuff, and supplement with purchases of other things. That keeps the costs way down. All I pay for fruit I grow myself is a little water, and annual fertilizer if I get around to it. Mostly instead of buying fertilizer I pour the water from cooking asparagus or artichokes near the drip line of the trees as it becomes available. --I take produce when people leave bags of it out at choir practice or at church. --I have a few little pots of fresh herbs--rosemary, Italian parsley, basil, mint. --Sometimes I put in a couple of tomato plants if I feel ambitious. This will probably be one of those years. I am too lazy to do serious gardening, but over the years these plantings have given me a really easy source of very good food, and quite a bit of it to eat and to share with neighbors and friends. I gravitate toward planting the stuff that is easiest to grow/has the most cost savings/tastes far better from the garden than from the store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethel Mertz Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 As luck would have it, I just got home from grocery shopping, so will give you prices from my receipts for the items I bought today. Answers are in red. How much do you pay for these (include or adjust the quantities in which you buy them) in ORGANIC? apples - 2 lbs of organic apples $2.99 at Trader Joes peaches and/or nectarines strawberries (1 lb. clamshell pkg) - $3.99 at Whole Foods grapes celery spinach - $3.00 a bag at a local organic farmstand sweet bell peppers cucumbers cherry tomatoes potatoes - *These are from one of those "dirty dozen" type lists. Our regular chain grocery store had the regular clamshell organic strawberries for $6 and I almost peed myself. I have NO idea what decent prices for these items are, but we're going to be eating a lot of these so I'd better find out! Thank you! Other organic items from today's shopping in case anyone is interested: From Trader Joes: 1 lb of butter - $4.99 3 lbs of sweet potatoes - $4.49 Peanut Butter - $3.49 12 oz raspberries - $6.99 2 lb bag of pears - $2.69 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCMom Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 How much do you pay for these (include or adjust the quantities in which you buy them) in ORGANIC? apples peaches and/or nectarines strawberries (1 lb. clamshell pkg) grapes celery spinach sweet bell peppers cucumbers cherry tomatoes potatoes *These are from one of those "dirty dozen" type lists. Our regular chain grocery store had the regular clamshell organic strawberries for $6 and I almost peed myself. I have NO idea what decent prices for these items are, but we're going to be eating a lot of these so I'd better find out! Thank you! I am so not good with remembering prices, lol. We used to eat a lot of organic stuff, but most big organic farms use a lot of organic pesticides. I buy from local/not certified organic yet using organic practices people a lot, but I do not remember prices for those things. In the stores - Apples - $4 for a bag (i think the bags are 3 lb?) Strawberries/Grapes - I never look at the price; it makes me woozy. And we don't get them often. We grow our own berries. Bell peppers - $1.50 to $2 per pepper Cherry tomatoes - about $3.50 per little clamshell thingy Spinach - about $4 a bag? Organic bananas are cheap...usually only a little more than conventional. A friend runs an organic food co-op and many months gets a lot of the same exact organic stuff that Aldi has. And she pays quite a bit more. Georgia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalsummer Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 In general I try not to buy fruit/vegetables out of season (except frozen), because it seems like a waste of $. My absolute favorite fruit is starfruit - there's a 2 week period every year when it's $1/fruit or less. The rest of the year they're $3-4/fruit, which I just can't quite do. So I only buy strawberries (we buy the dirty dozen organic) in mid/late summer, when they're normally $2-3/lb. In the winter we mostly buy clementines and mandarins for $1-$2/lb; we buy bananas all year. We eat frozen wild organic blueberries all year, the Whole Foods brand, for I think $4 a package. Fresh blueberries, almost never. I buy grapes when they go down to $2/lb or less; right now they're $3-4/lb so we haven't had any in months. Potatoes I buy year round in the big bags; I'm not sure how much they are as they're a staple for us so I don't really price shop. Tomatoes are always expensive, sigh - maybe $4-5 for a clamshell? Cucumbers we buy in summer, ideally from farmer's markets as they're plentiful then and super cheap. Right now it would be $2/cucumber, which I occasionally do as the kids and DH love them. Fruit and veg. out of season aren't as tasty as in season anyway :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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