Target Grocery Prices to Meet or Beat

Target Grocery Prices to Meet or Beat 

How much do you spend on your bananas? How about apples? Spinach? Knowing the cost of food helps keep in the reigns of the grocery budget. Do you know how much you spend on different foods?

 Thrifty Thinking

Well, if you don’t know the target prices, it’s time to start paying attention. Some people like to keep a notebook and update it as they shop. You can use my list here as a starting point. Here are the prices that I look for in the Pacific Northwest of Washington State. These are some of our favorite foods and staples. I also included some prices of foods I no longer buy like whole chickens (I buy organic drumsticks now).

If you don’t know the costs of the groceries you buy and just mindlessly purchase, I want to strongly urge you to learn the target prices of the food items you buy most.

All of the grocery prices I have listed below are approximate and come from Snohomish County, Washington, reflecting prices that I have seen in the last 6 months.   I VERY RARELY buy these groceries above these given prices.

Since some of you may want to know exactly where I find these prices, I have indicated the stores where I buy the particular food.

• “C” indicates Costco
• “W” indicates Winco
• “TJs” indicates Trader Joe’s (go here to see how to start the process of bringing a Trader Joe’s to your area)

Grocery Prices to Meet or Beat

Baking & Bulk Section

• Almond Butter $5.23/lb.-C
• Almonds, Whole Raw   $5.23/lb.-C
• Baking Soda $0.48/lb.-C
• Beans, Pinto $0.91/lb.-W (or organic at our local co-op for about $1.50/lb. or so)
• Beans, Black Turtle $0.99/lb.-W (or organic at our local co-op for about $1.50/lb. or so)
• Bread $2.945/loaf (organic and sprouted!)-C (I make sourdough bread, since I can make it for $0.61/loaf and it’s soaked.  It’s a total bargain!)
• Cashews, Pieces Raw $3.56/lb.-W
• Chocolate Chip $2/lb.-C
• Coconut, Unsweetened $2.77/lb.-W
• Craisins, Dried $2.23/lb.-C
• Dates, Whole, Pitted $3.04/lb.
• Flax Seed $0.83/lb.
• Flour, Whole Wheat Unbl $0.39/lb. (TJs-I buy the white whole wheat, which is completely whole wheat, for .50/lb. since it’s a little lighter)
• Honey $13.89/5 lbs.-C (I buy it BUY LOCAL when I can and pay more!)
• Oats, Old Fashioned $0.61/lb.
• Oats, Organic Rolled $1.10/lb.-W
• Oats, Steel Cut $0.61/lb.-W
• Olive Oil, Organic Extra Virgin $6.99/liter-C
• Peanut Butter, Natural $2.19/lb.-C
• Peanut Butter, Organic $3.14/lb.-C
• Peanuts, Dry Roasted $1.58/lb.-W
• Pecans $6.25/lb.-C
• Popcorn, Organic $1.50-$2/lb. or less-local co-op
• Quinoa, Organic $5/lb.-C
• Quinoa, Organic Red $5.15/lb.-W (a dramatic price drop)
• Raisins, Organic $2.13/lb.-C
• Rice, Long Grain Brown Rice $0.63/lb.
• Rice, Brown Short Grain Organic $1.17/lb.-C
• Salt, Sea $0.24/lb.-W
• Salt, Himalayan Pink $1.27/lb.-W
• Sugar, Organic Cane $1/lb.-C
• Tortillas, Organic $1.99/10 ct. package-Trader Joe’s (go here to see how to start bringing a Trader Joe’s to your area)
• Walnuts $6.16/lb.-C
• Wheat Berry Kernels $0.57/lb. to ground in the Vitamix for Wheat Flour

Dairy/Meat

Our beef and dairy consumption keeps diminishing.  We still believe in eating it; we just think it’s good to eat a little less.  Plus meat and dairy are expensive.  If I bought conventional meat, these are the prices I would pay.

• Beef, Ground, Organic, Kirkland Signature $4.50/lb.
• Butter $2/lb.
• Butter, Organic $3.85/lb.-C
• Cheese, Med. Cheddar $5.99/32 oz. (or better)
• Chicken, Whole Fryers $0.99/lb.
• Chicken, Whole Fryers Organic $2.49/lb.-C 
• Chicken, Legs Organic $1.99/lb.-C
• Eggs, Large $1.50/dozen
• Eggs, Cage-Free $2.50/dozen-Fred Meyer
• Ham All Natural Deli No Nitrates $4.98/lb. W
• Ham $1.19/lb. (freeze around Christmas and Easter)
• Milk $2.50/gallon
• Milk, Organic $2.99/half gallon-Fred Meyer
• Milk, Raw $10/gallon
• Shrimp/Prawns $5.99/lb.
• Turkey $0.99/lb. or WAY better around Thanksgiving and Christmas
• Turkey, Ground $2.79/lb.-C
• Yogurt, Organic  $2.99/32 oz. container-Fred Meyer
• Yogurt $0.40/6oz. (I mostly make our own yogurt, but when I see this price, I will buy it for a special treat.)

Fruit and Veggies

• Apple $0.98/lb.
• Apple, Organic $1.98/lb.-better than $2 at Trader Joe’s
• Asparagus $2.99/lb.
• Avocado, Hass $.88 ea-I buy organic at Trader Joe’s when I am there which is about $1-$1.25 each.
• Bananas $0.54/lb.
• Bananas, Organic $0.89/lb.-Fred Meyer
• Bell Pepper, Green $0.78 ea
• Bell Pepper, Red $1
• Blueberries, Frozen $1.78/lb.-C
• Blueberries, Frozen Organic $3.20/lb.-C
• Broccoli $1-$1.50/lb. depending on the week-a lot of times Fred Meyer has their organic at prices under $2/lb.
• Cabbage, Red & Green $0.78/lb.
• Cantaloupe $0.99/lb. (depends if it’s in season)
• Carrots, Whole Organic $0.60/lb.-C
• Cauliflower $1-$1.50/lb., depending on the week-a lot of times Fred Meyer has their organic at prices under $2/lb.
• Celery $0.58/lb.
• Celery, Organic $0.99/lb.
• Cucumbers $0.58 ea.
• Ginger Root $1.50/lb. or less-W or Trader Joe’s
• Grapefruit $4.98/5 lb. bag
• Grapes, Red or Green Seedless Organic $2.48/lb depending on time of year 
• Kale $1.38/bunch
• Kale, Organic $2/bunch-Fred Meyer
• Kiwi $1.78/1 lb. bag
• Kiwi, Organic $2.50/1 lb. bag
• Lemon $0.28 ea.-W I buy organic at Trader Joe’s when I am there about $2 for a pound.
• Lettuce, Romaine Hearts $2/3 Ct. Package
• Lettuce, Romaine Organic $2/bunch-Fred Meyer
• Lime $0.28 ea.-I buy organic at Trader Joe’s when I am there about $2.50 for a pound.
• Mango $1.50 ea. or less
• Onion, Red $0.98/lb.-I buy organic at Trader Joe’s
• Onion, Yellow $0.46/lb.-I buy organic at Trader Joe’s
• Oranges $0.98/lb. –I buy organic at Trader Joe’s
• Potatoes $2.98/15 lb. bag.-I buy organic at Trader Joe’s or Fred Meyer ($1/lb.)
• 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.-C
• Spinach, Organic $4/16 oz.-C
• Tomatoes, any type $1/lb. (sometimes you can get them close to $0.88/lb.)
• Zucchini Squash $1/lb.

Other Grocery Items

• Beans, Refried $0.88/16 oz. can
• Beans, Kidney, Black, Red, Chickpeas $0.50/15-16 oz. can-stocking up at Fred Meyer
• Beans, Canned  Kidney, Black, Red, Chickpeas, Organic $1/15-16 oz. can 
• BBQ Sauce (no HFCS!) $1.25/18 oz.-or I go to Trader Joe’s which is non-GMO $2.50/18 oz.
• Cereal, Natural $2/box-Fred Meyer
• Cereal, Organic $2.50/box (when their Simple Truth brand goes on sale at Fred Meyer)
• Coconut Oil, Organic $23/78 oz.-C still wins by a landslide!!
• Spaghetti Sauce $1.25/24 oz. GLASS JAR (or I make my own marinara sauce when tomatoes are in season like they are now)
• Spaghetti Sauce $0.99/24 oz. CAN
• Salsa, Organic  $7.79/76 oz.-C (or I make my own salsa when tomatoes are in season like they are now)

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!!

• Go here to see the 150 + Grocery Item prices for Costco.
• Go here to see the 100 + Bulk Item prices for Winco.

Have you read…?

• What Does Your Checkbook Say About Your Heart?
• Organizing Coupons
• Couponing and Extreme Couponing or Not
• THREE PRACTICAL MONEY-SAVING TIPS & MORE