Thursday, May 26, 2011

Are You Paying Too Much for Groceries?

Awhile back I told you I was working on doing a price comparison chart for a bunch of different grocery stores in the Twin Cities area. I wanted to make sure I wasn't paying too much for groceries. I had an idea in my head on what the results would be, but I was shocked on certain things! While I wasn't able to price out every item at every store, I think I got enough information to make an informed consumer decision on where I'll shop from now on! When reading this information, keep in mind that these prices can change from week to week (all prices shown were seen within a week or two of each other) and from location to location. Please let me know if you have any questions! Happy Grocery Shopping! (P.S. Another store you can price out is Whole Foods, but there isn't one close to us, or at least not in an area that we go to very often.) Lastly, sorry for the formatting...I can't figure out how to get the gridlines to show up in the Numbers program on my Mac. :( Hopefully, you can still all read this ok.




Costco
Cub Foods
Trader Joe’s
Fresh & Natural
Kowalski’s
UNREFINED OILS





Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Unfiltered, 1 Ltr
5.50 (cold-pressed, not organic)

5.49 (not Organic)


Organic Flaxseed Oil





Organic Macadamia Nut Oil





Organic Pumpkin Seed Oil





Organic Toasted Sesame Oil





Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, 14 oz



10.55

Organic Walnut Oil











VINEGARS





Organic Balsamic Vinegar





Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar





Organic Red Wine Vinegar





Organic Seasoned Brown Rice Vinegar





Organic White Wine Vinegar





Sherry Vinegar





Ume Plum Vinegar











SALT & SALT SEASONINGS





Herbamare





Unrefined Sea Salt (Redmond’s RealSalt)











CONDIMENTS





Organic Dijon Mustard
4.59/60 oz (not organic or dijon)




Organic Ketchup, agave nectar sweetened


n/a
n/a

Wasabi











NATURAL SWEETENERS





Agave Nectar





Medjool Dates





Stevia, dry


6.99/9.73 oz
73.79/lb

Stevia, liquid


n/a
4.59-8.55

Unsweetened Apple Juice (NOT from concentrate)











HERBS & SPICES





Bay Leaves





Black Peppercorns, whole
4.49/6.3 oz




Cardamom, whole





Cayenne Pepper





Chili Powder





Chives, fresh

4.08 freeze-dried, glass btl)



Cilantro, fresh





Cinnamon, ground
2.69 (10.7 oz)




Coriander, ground





Cumin, ground





Cumin, whole





Curry Powder





Garam Masala





Garlic, powder





Ginger, powder





Italian Seasoning





Mexican Seasoning





Mint, fresh


1.79


Oregano, dried, 2.5 oz
3.69 (organic)




Paprika, glass container

5.99

4.29
5.19
Parsley, fresh
3.59 (dried, 2 oz)




Rosemary, dried





Thyme, dried





Tumeric











RAW NUTS & SEEDS





Almonds, lb
3.26


4.99

Brazil Nuts





Cashews, 16 oz
5.60 (salted)

5.99


Cashews, roasted, unsalted, lb


5.99


Flax Seeds
6.99/40 oz (fine milled)




Hazelnuts





Macadamia





Mixed Nuts
6.00 (salted)




Peanuts





Pecans, lb
7.50

9.98


Pepitas/Pumpkin Seeds


5.49


Pine Nuts
15.33




Pistachio, lb
9.85 (salted)




Sesame Seeds





Sunflower Seeds





Walnuts, lb
4.53










NUT & SEED BUTTERS





Almond Butter
5.79/26 oz




Apricot Jam, fruit juice sweetened??? (Bionaturae)





Cashew Butter





Peanut Butter, unsalted
5.49/54 oz (salted)

1.79 (salted)
4.45 (salted)

Sesame Tahini





Sunflower Seed Butter


3.99
6.85







WHOLE GRAINS





Amaranth





Basmati Rice, brown
0.75




Brown Rice, short grained
1.08 (organic)




Brown Rice Pasta Fusilli, 16 oz


1.99


Brown Rice Pasta Spaghetti, 16 oz


1.99


Buckwheat Groats, lb



1.79

Buckwheat, noodles





Jasmine Rice, brown





Millet, lb



0.99 (organic)

Quinoa, lb
2.25 (organic)


3.59 (organic)

Quinoa, noodles





Rolled Oats, thick
6.89/10 lbs (instant)
0.99

1.49

Sprouted Grains





Sweet Brown Rice
0.80




Teff (White, Red, Brown)





Wild Rice
2.96










WHOLE GRAIN FLOURS





Amaranth Flour





Barley Flour, lb



1.29

Brown Rice Flour, 2 lbs



3.95

Buckwheat Flour, 22 oz




4.69
Millet Flour, 20 oz



4.95

Quinoa Flour





Spelt Flour





Tapioca Flour???, 20 oz



3.85

Teff Flour











BEANS





Garbanzo Beans, dried





Garbanzo Beans, canned


1.19 (organic)


Kidney Beans, dried





Kidney Beans, canned


1.19 (organic)


Lentils (Red, Green & French), dried





Lentils (Red, Green & French), canned





Pink Beans, dried





Pink Beans, canned





Pinto Beans, dried





Pinto Beans, canned





Split Peas (Yellow & Green)





White Beans, dried





White Beans, canned


0.89








ORGANIC CANNED TOMATO PRODUCTS





Crushed Tomatoes





Crushed Tomatoes, fire roasted





Diced Tomatoes, 14.5 oz can
0.97




Diced Tomatoes, fire roasted





Tomato Paste





Tomato Sauce, 15 oz can
0.58










FRESH/FROZEN FRUITS & VEGETABLES





Artichoke


1.99 (can hearts)


Arugula, organic





Apples, organics, 3 lbs

4.99

4.99

Apples, organic, 2 lbs


2.49


Apricots, organic





Asparagus





Avocado, each



2.69 (organic)

Baby Carrots, organic, lb
0.91
1.99
1.69
1.99

Bananas, each


0.19


Beets





Bell Peppers, organic, 2

6.99
3.79 (not organic, 3)
3.59/lb

Blackberries, organic





Blueberries, organic, fresh, 6 oz

2.99
3.49
5.69

Blueberries, organic, frozen, 12 oz


3.99
2.79 (All-Natural, 10 oz)

Bok Choy, organic





Broccoli, head

3.99 (organic)
2.99 (organic)


Brussel Sprouts





Cabbage





Cantaloupe





Carrots, organic, lb


0.89


Cauliflower, head


2.29


Cauliflower, Frozen



2.39

Celery, organic

2.29


4.99
Chard, organic





Cherries, organic


2.99 (not organic, frozen, 16 oz)


Coconut





Cranberries





Cucumbers, 2

3.99 (organic)
2.99 (organic)


Eggplant





Fennel





Figs, fresh





Garlic, cloves


1.49 (organic)


Ginger, fresh





Grapes, organic





Honeydew





Jicama





Kale, organic, 10 oz


2.29 (not organic)


Kiwi





Kohlrabi





Leek





Lemon (organic, if using zest), lb


1.99 (organic)


Lime (organic, if using zest)





Mango





Mushrooms, organic

3.99
n/a
4.59
4.49
Nectarines, organic





Okra





Onion, each


0.69


Oranges, organic, 4 lbs


3.99


Parsnip





Peaches, organic





Pears, organic 3 lbs

4.99
.79 (each)


Peas





Pineapple





Plums





Potatoes, organic, 5 lbs

5.99
3.99
4.39

Pumpkin



3.15 (can, organic)
3.49 (can, organic)
Raddichio





Radish





Raspberries, organic

4.99



Romaine, organic, head
3.79/6 heads

2.69/3, organic
4.99

Rutabega





Scallion

1.99 (organic)
n/a


Shallots


0.99


Spaghetti Squash





Spinach, organic
3.99/lb

6.64/lb


Spring Mix, organic
4.49/lb

6.64/lb


Strawberries, organic, lb
2.50
5.99
2.99


String Beans
$5.99 (organic, frzn, 5 lbs)




Sweet Potatoes, 3 lbs


3.99 (organic)


Tangerines, organic





Turnip





Yam





Yellow Squash





Watermelon





Winter Squash





Zucchini, organic, lb

3.99
2.99
1.39
2.49






MILKS/DAIRY





Almond Milk, unsweetened, 1/2 gallon

3.19
2.99 (TJ’s)
4.49
3.89
Butter, organic
6.89 (salted, 2 lbs)




Cheese, grated, parmesan
7.39/24 oz




Cheese, organic, block

5.09



Cheese, organic, shredded, 6 oz



5.29
4.39
Cheese, organic, string, per oz
0.18 (not organic)

0.55


Coconut Milk (regular), canned





Cottage Cheese, whole milk, organic, lb

4.84
n/a
5.75

Cream (regular or half&half), organic, 32 oz
2.99

2.79

4.49
Eggs, organic, dozen
2.86
4.49
3.99

4.59
Feta Crumbles, organic


2.49 (not organic)
3.49 (not organic)

Goat Cheese

4.79
2.49


Hemp Milk





Kefir
9.99 (12/8 oz btls)




Rice Milk





Whole Milk, organic, gallon
7.13
5.59
5.99
6.99
5.99
Yogurt, organic
3.99/4 lbs




Yogurt, plain, Greek, 32 oz (Chobani)
10.18 (12/6 oz cups)

n/a

5.99
Yogurt, plain, Greek, lb
2.90


6.09







ORGANIC DRIED-FRUIT





Apples
12.99/20 pk (freeze-dried)




Apricots





Cherries, unsweetened





Cranberries, fruit juice sweetened





Figs





Goji Berries





Pears





Prunes/Plums





Raisins, sun-dried
7.29/72 oz (not sun-dried)










SPECIALTY ITEMS





Capers





Sun-Dried Tomatoes, sulfur dioxide free (Mediterranean Organic)
7.99 (not organic)/32 oz










OTHER ITEMS





Almond Extract, non-alcoholic/glycerine





Arrowroot, 2.5 oz, glass container???



6.59/lb
7.29
Carob Powder, raw





Cocoa Powder, organic, raw???





Guar Gum, 8 oz



4.75

Kudzu Powder





Lemon Flavoring (Simply Organic)





Vanilla Extract, organic, non-alcoholic/glycerine





Whey Protein





Yeast
3.99 (32 oz)










HORMONE-FREE, GRASS-FED MEATS





Bacon, organic


n/a
4.69 (turkey)

Beef, ground, lb
4.33 (not grass-fed)

5.99
6.99 (not grass-fed)
4.99
Beef, steak, lb


n/a
9.99
9.99
Chicken, breasts, lb
6.49
n/a
6.99 (not grass-fed)
5.49
5.99
Ham





Pork Chop





Turkey