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DEL.ICIO.USHoly moly -those cherries cost how much?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I admit it. I was totally seduced by those bags of glistening garnet cherries lining the produce department shelves. “Oh look! Lucky me, they’re on sale!” I thought, nonchalantly dropping a bag or two into my cart. After all, they’re so tiny, how much could they weigh?
Imagine my shock when I got to the checkout counter and my bill was about four times what I expected it to be. I had that moment of panic - do I take them back or suck it up? I confess I caved, meekly handing over my credit card. I justified their astronomical cost as a seasonal treat that, for me, was worth more than pretty much any other food that I could think of right then.
I’m sure I am not alone. Have you experienced the same sticker shock? Did you keep them, or sheepishly ask for a refund? Have you gotten burned buying anything else that ended up costing way more than you thought?
Comments
By JJ
July 10, 2008 1:34 PM | Link to this
OH yea, I’m going through a Pine Nut phase right now. I’ve been experimenting with them, throwing them into various dishes, mostly with an Italian Flair, roasting them and tossing them into salads, etc.
I had them on my mind, but not on my grocery list while at Publix the other day. When I was in the produce section, I noticed a bag of “Organic” pine nuts. (I’m also buying more Organic produce and meat - LOVE the organic meat). I had no idea they were $5.98 for a small re-sealable bag!!!!!! OMG, I nearly had a heart attack. I asked the cashier to take them off. She was very nice, and said she didn’t blame me……
By Fred
July 11, 2008 1:52 PM | Link to this
I went through sticker shock last weekend at the local Kroger. I puchased tow large red ripe tomatoes. They were just ordinary tomatoes but were $4.09 plus taxes. It stunned me. They would have gone back to the shelf but I could not return them for two reason. I was using self checkout and there was a line of people waiting for the registar. I will check the price of pruduce like this in the future.
By Jodi
July 11, 2008 2:40 PM | Link to this
Fred - you could have kept ringing up your order and after paying, just head to the self checkout kiosk where the team member stands. They could have handled the return for you. $4.09 is a gallon of gas so I don’t blame you. 2 tomatoes vs. gallon of gas…I am going with the gas :)
Bag of Grapes at Kroger were almost $6 recently and I just sucked it up…making myself believe that it was a healthy snack that I needed. Never again…
By K.
July 11, 2008 2:49 PM | Link to this
I am considering buying the Green bags for my produce. I enjoy going to the Dekalb Farmer’s Market, but buying produce in bulk only makes sense if you eat it before the food starts to go bad. If I get shocked at the cash register, I will ask the cashier to remove the item. I recently attempted to buy some grapes at Kroger. I didn’t think I had a full pound, but the total was $5 and some change. I promptly asked the cashier to remove them from my order.
By Steeeeeev
July 11, 2008 4:03 PM | Link to this
Hey folks: Until 7/31 you can buy up to four $300.00 Kroger gift cards which will get $330.00 put on them - $30.00 for free! I plan to buy the full $1200.00 worth… counts as an instant 10% off everything I buy! If you haven;t got $1200.00 to tie up in gift cards, just scrape together $300.00… every little bit helps. : ) S
By O
July 12, 2008 3:49 PM | Link to this
I love those rainer cherries - but they always come up to over $10 per bag. Once I paid $15 for a bag. I promise i won’t buy them again.. but they always seduce me. I’ve had about 10lbs since they’ve been in season.
By Joe
July 12, 2008 6:00 PM | Link to this
I’m stunned..how could you NOT know how much they were going to cost?? They had a price per pound sign by the cherries and a scale in the produce section to put your bags in so you’d know how many pounds you were buying. Sounds to me like it’s time for a shopper training course. Secondly spring for the two bucks and get the grocery ads in the sunday paper…or go on line and read the Kroger/Publix/your favorite grocer ads…and pick the store that has the things you want on sale that week. With ten mins a week to scan the ads and a shopping LIST… you can probably cut your grocery bill by half. I was stunned recently when Kroger had HALF gallons of milk on sale at 2/$3 at how many people were still putting $4 gallons in their cart out of habit even tho the sale sign was RIGHT THERE. Dumb dumb and dumber…. Remember, it’s YOUR money. Spend it wisely… and you won’t have to worry where your NEXT weeks gas money is coming from.
By FCM
July 13, 2008 9:59 AM | Link to this
Kroger and Publix both have been running more ads on store brands than on brands…unless its ‘junk’ food. :o(
I got bread at Trader Joe’s last week…It was in the fridge but got mold very quickly…..anyone have ideas on how to make the bread last longer?
I stopped buying the cherries…we didn’t at them fast enough…they would mold or sour within 3 days….I cannot do a shop daily—no time—-but doing a week of produce is hitting my bottom line hard (with what I end up tossing). Looking for good ideas to get the food to stretch.
Big bonus this week for us: Publix had their precut fruit bowl (Largest one) at 2.39/pound. I didn’t have to cut it up, we got more variety and the kids sit in the floor gorging on Sat morning….It’s the one way it doesn’t go bad. I don’t mind doing the cut up once a week myself…but even then it seems to go bad fast. HELP!