Aphil, that last part is SO true! I think it also ties into Sunnigummi's post
(#12) on page 1.

Grapes are frequently on sale in the stores here... one of the items they often put on sale to draw in customers. This year I notice though that it is hard to find the 99 cents a pound ones like usual; they are generally $1.99 instead.

And Jill, I too go ahead and buy the fresh produce I want, within reason. I wouldn't pay $8.99 a pound for fresh cherries when I can get them so much cheaper elsewhere and if I waited a couple of weeks until more came in... but for the most part I just pay it. I'm putting too much effort into getting healthy not to carry that into buying the freshest, most healthful foods I can find.

hehe, we do have the on sale here for 99 cents/lb, but they're at the chain with the icky produce. I did go and look because I like to buy seedless red grapes and freeze them in little snack-size ziploc baggies (don't take up much freezer space that way). However, I got there, and all the grapes had a bunch of gross smushed ones at the bottoms of the bags, the bags were all dirty with some sort of grayish-brownish film (leading me to believe that I'd have to wash those grapes for FOREVER just to get to the actual grape ), and they were all tiny little grapes (think peanut M&M size), whereas the place with better produce has normal-sized (about the size of a nickel?) grapes that aren't all squished for a higher price. So yeah, I pay the higher price because I know I'd be more likely to eat the juicy, healthier-looking ones rather than just let the tiny, gray film-covered ones go bad

One of my grocery stores here had a sign posted with their strawberries that said something to the matter of, "Due to the flooding in California, the strawberry crops are not as high quality as normal. We are doing our best to provide you with the best produce possible." So maybe that has something to do with why I don't see as many low prices on things like strawberries and why so much of the produce around here looks, umm, unappealing

I have small freezer syndrome too I wish I had a chest freezer!!

I just skimmed a bit of this thread, so it might have been said already, but...

I pay more for a bag of apples than a bag of chips.

I can NOT eat a bag of apples in one sitting. I CAN a bag a chips.

Now which one costs more?

Now I'm all for advocating people to buy a bag of apples rather than a bag of chips, but for those of us who are in the process of weaning ourselves from junk food and easing into a healthier lifestyle, there is an alternative to potato chips. It's called SunChips, I'm sure many of you have heard of this brand and they're TO DIE FOR delish! They're expensive - $3.00/bag - and I can scarf down a bag in two days, but for someone transitioning or someone who wants a "bad" treat from the old days, it's a better choice. Not THE choice, a better one.

I would have to change a lot of things without my freezer. It helps when purchasing items but moreso when preparing meals. I make large batches of soups, stocks, etc etc to freeze. Certain leftovers that you know would just go bad in the frig can be put in individual pyrex containers and frozen. I'm sure the money I spend in electricity is negligible compared to what I save.

I would be lost without it.

Rather than having a regular sized bag of SunChips, or Baked Lays or what have you in the house (because even though they are baked, etc. I still tend to overeat them-even if I stay in my calorie range.) I like to get the "single serving" size of a low fat chip and that way, when it is gone, it's GONE. If I only buy one serving...it is all I can eat. They sell the single serving size bags at any Subway restaurant.

It often seems like I pay more for food than I ever did, but it can be a bit misleading just looking at how much I pay at the supermarket. Yes, the bill is more, but because I plan my food carefully that's pretty much the only money I spend on food each week. I take my breakfast and lunch into work (and an evening meal if I'm going out after work), and I buy everything in one shop rather than stocking up every day or so and risking temptation when I go in there.

It probably does cost more than if I took the same approach with unhealthy food, but it costs less than the way I used to eat unhealthy food. And anyway, the results are definitely worth it

For those who crave chips... a coworker brought in a bag of GenSoy chips lately and they are wonderful! There were different flavors.

Thought about this thread last night at the QFC - awesome sales. Big bags of spinach were buy one get one free, blueberries were buy one get one free, yellow peppers were 3 for 1.50 (usually 1.99 EACH). Mangos were 5 for 5.00. Copper river salmon was on sale too I looked at my receipt and I saved over 14.00 from my total bill. Gotta love summer

Speaking for myself, although I do spend more in the supermarket when I eat healthy, OVERALL I spend a lot less money because I am not constantly grabbing take-out which adds up very quickly. I go to the supermarket, buy food and don't spend money on food until the next time I need to buy food for the house. When I eat crap, I stock up, usually binge on it the entire day and am right back at the store a day or two later to get more. So yes, if I'm doing major food shopping the bill is higher when I eat healthier. But when I eat crap, I make more trips to the supermarket plus I eat take-out on top of that and I find that I my money stretches longer when I eat better.

Yeah, QFC (Quality Food Center) is a NW chain, it's just a regular grocery store, nothing fancy like a farmer's market. I know I can use my QFC shopper card at Ralph's in California and Kroger's in North Carolina, so it must all be owned by the same company.

What about wilting spinach? I put about half a bag in a saucepan with a tiny bit of oil, garlic and lemon juice until it reduces. I love wilted spinach Raw spinach is good for you, but cooking spinach gives it different nutritional qualities.