Apple prices

[Glo]

I went to Aldis the other day for a bag of red delicious apples--$3.49! I thought something was off, but I checked the price at Walmart and they were $4.44. When did this hapen? Before the holidays I was paying between $2.29-$2.49. Big diference now!

[HomemadeChange]

I went to Aldis the other day for a bag of red delicious apples--$3.49! I thought something was off, but I checked the price at Walmart and they were $4.44. When did this hapen? Before the holidays I was paying between $2.29-$2.49. Big diference now!

I have noticed other items going up and up and up as well. I think it may be due to the fuel prices increasing again. Best luck I have had is our local farmer's market. Usually great prices on produce and better quality as well.

[CeciliaW]

We live where they GROW the apples and the prices are ridiculous. Red delicious on 'sale' at $1.29/lb. Honeycrisp apples for $2.99/lb. Hell, steak is on sale for $2.99/lb everynow and then.

[SiouzQ.]

Michigan's apple crop (and many other fruit crops) were all but destroyed by the heat wave we had in last March of 2012; it got up to the mid '70's for more than a few days and forced the trees to start budding only to get frozen a few weeks later. I can't find good apples in the stores; we had to import them from other states.
Speaking of weather, it's supposed to get into the 50's this weekend, mid-January in Michigan. Weird...

[Rosemary]

Minnesota's apple crop had the same misfortune. I think there just aren't as many apples this year.

[awakenedsoul]

I buy organic apples. In CA, under $2.00 a lb. for organic produce is a good buy. I just bought a bag of granny smith apples at Sprouts. I think I paid $3.50 for a five lb. bag. They're grown in Washington.
Now that I grow my own food, I have a different appreciation for what it takes to produce a crop. Prices seem cheap to me!

[Square Peg]

I paid 69 cents a pound for gala yesterday

[redfox]

I buy organic apples. In CA, under $2.00 a lb. for organic produce is a good buy. I just bought a bag of granny smith apples at Sprouts. I think I paid $3.50 for a five lb. bag. They're grown in Washington.
Now that I grow my own food, I have a different appreciation for what it takes to produce a crop. Prices seem cheap to me!

+1!!!
Cheap food is misleading. The cheapness is subsidized by suppressed fuel prices & Gov't subsidies. And poor land management, for short term gain vs. long term care. Good food is expensive.

I imagine the price differences are fuel cost related.

[Gregg]

Cheap food is misleading. The cheapness is subsidized by suppressed fuel prices & Gov't subsidies. And poor land management, for short term gain vs. long term care. Good food is expensive.

+1 So very true redfox. A few varities here are on sale weekly for around $1.29/lb. The rest are $2 to $3. All are imported from other places.

[puglogic]

I buy organic apples grown in the U.S. only.....and I'm willing to spend a little more for the privilege. I haven't noticed much of a price difference this year; perhaps the organic ones are always a little more pricey? And I detest red delicious and golden delicious, so never really get the cheapest deals everyone else does :) I spent about 1.99/lb for organic galas yesterday.

[Rosemary]

We buy organic apples as well, and have noticed that they were slightly more costly this year than last -- but the main thing I'm noticing is that there just aren't as many of them. I was at TJ's this week and they only had Fujis, whereas they usually have 3 varieties of organic apples. And these particular apples had clearly been in storage too long, or storage that was too warm, as there was mildew growing around the stem (a certain amount is typical - this was more than that).

Surprisingly, Aldi's had organic galas this week, for $4.50/3#. Galas are far from my favorite but when that's all I can get organically, they'll do.

[pinkytoe]

I bought some very nice Hotchkiss Colorado organic apples early in the season for $3.50 3 lb bag. Yesterday, I paid almost $5.00 for Fujis from WA. We no longer have chips etc in the house to snack on so I consider it an investment in better health.

[Rosemary]

Now that I grow my own food, I have a different appreciation for what it takes to produce a crop. Prices seem cheap to me!

I agree with this as well - I have a lot of respect for the growers at our farmers markets.

Also, to use organic apples as an example, they are almost always < $2/pound. Very little is lost if you carefully pare out the core. At $2/lb, a food with healthful properties and wonderful taste, organically grown, is a bargain. Compare these far-less-healthy foods at a cost-per-pound basis (for non-organic):

potato chips - usually $3 for 10 oz = $4.80/lb
breakfast cereal - cheapest might be the same price, and others could easily be double or $4/lb. But it's just flour and sugar.
crackers - aka oil and flour - about $3 for 9 oz = $5.30/lb
cheese - about $4/lb for the cheaper cheeses

I'll take the apple - it's a delicious treat, healthy, and a bargain. Plus, one medium apple is pretty satiating.

[Bootsie]

I spent $1.99/lb for organic apples yesterday. The non-sale organic apples were up to $2.99/lb.

[Tiam]

Non organic Braeburn apples were .69 a pound. A 3 pound bag of organics was about 1.19, so we don't seem to be getting hit by high apple prices. But lettuce? That's a different story.