Food prices are expected to increase by as much as 3.5 percent in 2013, according to the government, and in recent months the price of fruits and vegetables has increased over last year. But retailers are responding to demand for fresh, locally-grown produce at affordable prices.
Walmart — which claims about 28 percent of total supermarket sales, according to 2011 data from the CDFI Fund, an arm of the U.S. Treasury — now offers customers a money back guarantee on produce. Kroger, Walmart’s closest competitor with 11 percent sales, has expanded its Fresh Fare markets which feature larger produce sections.
Meanwhile, farmers markets in the metro area have grown from nine in 2003 to 150 this year, says Michael Wall, spokesman for Georgia Organics.
“You can go a lot of different ways,” says Marisa Moore, a registered dietitian and nutritionist in Atlanta who spends a lot of time shopping for produce.
“You have to be a bit of a sleuth when you are trying to find the best quality and value for your family.”
It helps to know what quality produce is, she says. A visit to a farmers market or websites such as Fruitandveggiesmorematters.org can help you learn how to identify and choose the freshest produce.
But how do you find the best value? It depends on where you shop.
Supermarkets: Produce from chain grocers and supercenters can be two to four days old before it gets to you. "The longer fruits and vegetables are away from the vine or stem, the more nutritional value they lose," says Moore. So you may find low prices, but you may also be getting lower quality produce. The exception says Moore, is when you make an effort to shop seasonally. "Seasonal produce from regular supermarkets and big-box retailers is going to be the best priced," she says.
Local Farmers Markets: Farmers markets are criticized for being elitist and high-priced, but a few recent studies show that perception may not be accurate. In Nov. 2011, a study from SCALE Inc., compared prices at farmers markets and supermarkets in 19 communities in the Southeast (none in Georgia). Identical items at farmers markets cost the same or less than at supermarkets 74 percent of the time, with an average of 12 percent lower cost. Moore says a lot of factors affect how much you pay for produce at local farmers markets, such as the neighborhood and the size of the market. Larger ones may have more competitive pricing.
CSA programs: Community Supported Agriculture programs allow consumers to share a farm's bounty for about $25 - $30 per box of produce. You pick up your produce at specified locations or directly from the farm. You'll get a lot, but you won't know exactly what until you pick it up. Moore suggests splitting a share with another family to spread the cost and the produce. Wall, of Georgia Organics, notes that new CSA models — such as locallygrown.net — let consumers choose the produce they want delivered.
Specialty stores: One example, Your Dekalb Farmers Market, is routinely praised for price and quality of produce. Moore believes it is one of the best deals in town. "In a supermarket you find kale for $2.99 per bunch. Dekalb Farmers Market has the same bunch for 99 cents," she says. Okra can be hard to find in traditional supermarkets and can cost up to $3.99 per pound, Moore says. At Dekalb Farmers Market the price is closer to $1.99 per pound. Organic berries, she says, cost about $4.99 in the supermarket, but $2.99 at Dekalb Farmers Market. The drawback? "It is a bit of a hike for people who don't live there," Moore says.
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