Produce prices – How much is too much to pay?


With summer just round the corner it’s time to start visiting Farmer’s Markets for fresh local produce. I can’t wait!

If you’re like me and cringe when you see the “out of season” produce prices at the grocery store you, too, can’t wait for “decent” produce prices. Right?

What is your “limit” for buying grapes, oranges, bananas? For me, I created this artificial upper limit on grapes. I decided that paying more than $2.00 a pound for grapes was crazy. I’m not talking organic, I’m talking just plain red or green grapes. I wouldn’t look at watermelon if it was over 40 cents a pound.

How much is an average candy bar?

“Whoa, Stef, candy bar? What brought a candy bar up?”, you ask.

Bear with me…

So, how much is an average candy bar? About a $1.00, right? OK, at the movie theatre it may cost more than the movie ticket. 😉

Well, last week I read a post that really put things in perspective (sorry, I can’t remember where – if it was yours, please let me know). As soon as I read it, my view on produce prices changed a bit.

How many people won’t think twice about spending $1.00 for a candy bar or half-full small bag of chips, but those same people won’t spend $1.00 for an piece of fruit and then there’s me who balked at over $2.00 a pound for grapes. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t buy a lot of candy bars… actually I rarely buy a candy bar, but I do cringe at produce prices.

I’m not saying that the markets and stores should raise their prices because let’s be realistic… prices do matter, but let’s put things into perspective.

Hubby had bought pre-cutup watermelon for The Offspring last week. Ohhhhhh… it tasted so good. It was $6.00 for about 3.25 pounds. Last night I bought a seedless watermelon for 59 cents a pound… I spend almost $10.00 for a watermelon! I was in shock… Then I went home and cut it up and had a TON of it. FAR more than 3.25 pounds. You know what… it was YUMMY! I also bought grapes… they, too, are yummy.

You know what? This new perspective is going to make going to the Farmer’s Market on Saturday expensive, but you know what? The greens and rhubarb I plan on picking up is going to be WAY WAY WAY more fresher than anything I pickup at the grocery store… and it’s far better than buying a candy bar.

Has your perspective changed? What are your thoughts on this?
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