Grocery Prices to Meet or Beat {Summer 2012}

Thrifty Thinking

I shared the first Grocery Prices to Meet or Beat in February 2012.  I figured every six months is a great time to update since circumstances change, and finances are affected by a variety of issues like drought, a bad crop, a change in gas prices, and the like.

When you are at the grocery store, farmers market or co-op, do you buy whatever you need or want without any regard to the prices of the items?  In general are you aware of the prices for the same item at different places?  By the way, there are times I would pay higher prices on purpose, to support local businesses, to get organic, to support local farms, etc…

So, I challenge you, if you don’t already know, to really get to know the target prices of the food items you buy most.  All of these prices I have listed below are approximate and come from Snohomish County, WA, reflecting prices that I have seen in the last 6 months.   I HARDLY EVER need to buy above these given prices.

It is interesting as I am updating these prices how I have had to raise the prices in my head giving myself allowance to spend a certain amount on certain items.  I remember about a decade ago I was consistently buying ground beef at $0.99/lb.  Then the prices went up, and I stopped buying ground beef for a whole year waiting for the prices to go down.  I did have enough stocked in the freeze to get through the year.  Then I had to resign myself to buy it at $1.99/lb.  I am definitely being more flexible these days, especially as we stock lots of nuts, and their prices seem to consistently fluctuate.

Grocery Prices to Meet or Beat

Baking & Bulk Section

• Almonds, Whole Raw    $3.98/lb. (I get them at Costco $11 for 3 lbs. making them $3.67/lb.)
• Baking Soda $0.52/lb. (I buy the big Costco Sized one making it less.)
• Bread $1.25/loaf w/o high fructose corn syrup (now I make sourdough bread, so I haven’t bought bread in 8 months or so)
• Cashews, Pieces Raw    $7/lb. (Trader Joe’s has the best regular prices I’ve seen, I think $6.99/lb.)
• Coconut, Unsweetened     $2.74/lb.
• Cranberries, Dried     $3.67/lb. (I get it at Costco for less than $3/lb.)
• Dates, Whole, Pitted    $2.57/lb.!! (if you don’t have a WinCo in your area, aim for under $5 like Trader Joe’s)
• Flax Seed    $0.80/lb.
• Flour, Whole Wheat Unbl    $0.45/lb.
• Honey $13/5 lbs. (I buy it at Costco or BUY LOCAL and pay more!)
• Oat Bran    $0.89/lb.
• Oats, Old Fashioned     $0.60/lb.
• Oats, Organic Rolled     $0.87/lb.
• Oats, Steel Cut    $0.54/lb.
• Peanuts, Dry Roasted    $2.38/lb.
• Pecan Halves    $10/lb. (I get it at Costco for about $8/lb. in a 2 lb. pack)
• Quinoa    $3.61/lb.
• Quinoa, Organic Red    $5.38/lb.
• Raisins    $1.88/lb.
• Rice, Long Grain Brown Rice     $0.56/lb.
• Rice, Brown Organic    $1.76/lb.
• Salt, Sea    $0.26/lb.
• Sugar, Organic Cane    $1.36/lb.
• Tortillas $1.99/10 ct. package (I like Trader Joe’s)
• Walnuts   $6/lb. (You may see around the holidays for less. I am buying my walnuts at Costco now for $18/3lb.)
• Wheat Berry Kernels $0.59/lb. to ground in the Vitamix for Wheat Flour
• Wheat Bran    $0.39/lb.
• Wheat Germ    $0.89/lb.

Dairy/Meat

If I bought conventional meat, these are the prices I would pay.  We are using what’s in our freezer now to make room to buy grass fed beef and cage free chicken.

• Beef, Ground Lean 20 Percent Fat    $2.99/lb.
• Butter    $2/ lb. (buy and freeze around the holidays-can get it for $1.67 like this week at Fred Meyer)
• Cheese, Med. Cheddar   $4.98/32 oz. (or better)
• Chicken, Fresh Jumbo Thighs or Drumsticks    $0.99/lb. (We buy these in the BBQ season and freeze.)
• Chicken, Whole Fryers    $0.89/lb. (I aim for $0.79/lb., but I’m getting myself mentally prepared to buy an organic chicken from Costco for $2.29/lb.)
• Eggs, Large     $1.50/dozen
• Ham All Natural Deli No Nitrates    $4.98/lb.
• Ham $1.19/lb. (freeze around Christmas and Easter)
• Milk $2.50/gallon
• Pork Ribs $1.99/lb.
• Shrimp/Prawns $4.99/lb.
• Steaks, NY Boneless    $4.98/lb.
• Turkey $0.99/lb. or WAY better around Thanksgiving and Christmas
• Turkey, Ground $2.99/lb.
• Yogurt  $2.50/32 oz. container
• Yogurt   $0.50/6oz. (I mostly make our own yogurt)

Fruit and Veggies

• Apple $0.98/lb.
• Asparagus  $2.99/lb.
• Avocado, Hass    $1 ea (we have still been seeing them for about $0.78 ea)
• Bananas    $0.60/lb
• Beans, Green    $1.50/lb
• Bell Pepper, Green    $1 (we have been seeing them for a lot less lately like $0.58 ea)
• Bell Pepper, Red   $1 (we have been seeing them for a lot less lately like $0.68 ea)
• Blueberries    $4.98/32 oz. (depends on the time of year)
• Broccoli    $1-$1.50lb. depending on the week (we have been seeing them for a lot less lately like $0.78/lb.)
• Cabbage, Red & Green    $0.58/lb.
• Cantaloupe    $0.78/lb
• Carrots, Baby    $1/lb (I now get the Organic Baby Carrots @ Costco.)
• Cauliflower    $1-$1.50lb. depending on the week (we have been seeing them for a lot less lately like $0.78/lb.)
• Celery    $0.58/lb
• Cucumbers    $0.50 ea.
• Ginger Root    $0.98/lb.!
• Grapefruit    $4.98/5 lb. bag
• Grapes, Red or Green Seedless    $1.48/lb depending on time of year
• Kale     $1.38/bunch
• Kiwi    $1.78/1 lb. bag
• Lemon    $0.28 ea.
• Lettuce, Romaine Hearts    $2/3 Ct. Package
• Lime    $0.28 ea.
• Mango    $0.78 ea!
• Onion, Red     $0.98/lb
• Onion, Yellow    $0.46/lb
• Oranges    $0.98/lb. (depending on the time of year you can get them closer to $0.70/lb.)
• Potatoes    $2.98/15 lb. bag
• Pears, Bartlett    $0.98/lb.
• Pineapple    $2.98 ea (depending on the time of year you can get them a lot cheaper)
• Salad Green, Organic $4/16 oz. (I get it at Costco)
• Spinach    $1.78/10 oz. bag
• Spinach, Organic $4/16 oz. (I get it at Costco)
• Strawberries    $1.78/lb. (I’ve seen $1.25 the last two weeks!)
• Tomatoes, any type  $1/lb. (sometimes you can get them close to $0.88/lb.)
• Zucchini Squash    $0.68/lb.

Other Grocery Items

• Beans, Refried    $0.78/16 oz. can
• Beans, Kidney, Black, Red, Chickpeas $0.50/16 oz. can (stocking up at Fred Meyer)
• BBQ Sauce (no HFCS!)    $0.98/18 oz.
• Cereal, Natural $2/box
• Cereal, Organic $2.50/box
• Juice Concentrate $1.18/12oz. can (not buying this anymore)
• Pasta, Farmhouse All Natural boxed     $0.88/box (for babysitters)
• Spaghetti Sauce    $1.25/24 oz. GLASS JAR
• Spaghetti Sauce    $0.89/24 oz. CAN
• Salsa, Organic    $7.75/76 oz. (Costco)

Have you seen lower prices than these?  Please let us know where!  Did we miss something major?  We’d love you to share and for us to learn from you!!

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Sonja

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