The offending soy milk and raspberries.
I’ve bragged many times after scoring great deals at a small, independent grocery store near my house, but after my last visit I’m not sure I’ll ever shop there again.
I was drawn to this store because the produce prices are especially low. The cost of meat, canned goods, and staples are pretty snappy, too. I’ve bought two pounds of sweet, crisp snap peas for $.99, a whole pineapple for $1.99, and prime pork chops for $1.99/lb. The store is a little funky and caters to Asians, but it is rarely crowded and the cashiers are fast. I can get almost everything on my list (except hummus and avocados) in one place at fabulous prices.
On my last trip I scored a bag of 15 limes for $.99, a 60-ounce pack of raspberries for $1.69, and three liter cartons of soy milk for $.99 each.
Well the limes are dry, the raspberries taste like nothing, and after two bowls of cereal I poured the soy milk down the drain. None of the food is past expiration date and everything looks fresh. It just doesn’t taste very good.
I’m less concerned with getting a refund or slamming this particular store, which I’ve been very happy with in the past, than with figuring out at what point it makes sense to pay more for food. I’ve bought plenty of produce at mainstream grocery stores that was mealy or plain tasting. I bet even organic produce hits the mark.
Is it worth it to pay for premium produce? Or do super low prices save me more in the long run, even if I occasionally have to toss something?
Welcome to Bargain Babe! I’m Mara, and I’m so glad you’re here. I am an obsessive bargain hunter and penny pincher, and I am determined to live a full life without EVER paying full price. 
Was this the first time this happened to you at with this store?
Steve
@Steve No, it happened once before when I bought a big bag of snow peas. One week the snow peas were to die for, the next week they tasted like string.
I love a good cheap-food find. I think the key is to identify places that sell food at low prices AND are consistent in the quality of their products. For example, you can get good soy milk for about the same price at 99 Ranch market, and their produce prices are good, too.
I believe it is always good to err on the side of quality – especially when it comes to produce. The local farmer’s markets are great for organic produce that doesn’t cost that much more than the grocery store. What you get is organic produce that doesn’t contain all the pesticide residue. It is amazing how fabulous fruits and vegetables taste when they aren’t drowned in pesticides. It will also save you from developing cancer from the pesticide residue that stays in your cells.
Fruit and vegetables out of season rarely taste like they do in season. Wait until July or August and try the raspberries again! I just bought some beautiful berries at Berkeley Bowl, and they had no flavor.
@sarah Good point! Out-of-season produce usually tastes awful. Should have checked the list of in-season summer fruits and vegetables first: http://www.bargainbabe.com/2010/06/02/reduce-grocery-bill-with-in-season-fruit-vegetables/
i love farmers markets i went to the one in santa monica on the weekend and if you get a stamp and leave by 130 you can park for free and all the fruit is frest well i have gotten bad food before i stoped shopping at that store and went to a nother one and its fine so sometimes it might be bad shipment good luck
I’m hoping that’s a 6-ounce box of raspberries and not 60 as stated. Otherwise you’re gonna have a lot of tasteless raspberries on your hands! Have you tried Trader Joes? The produce is pretty reasonably priced and tastes better than supermarket fare. Nineteen cents for a banana … can’t beat that.
Your last comment [the 1st week, the snow peas were great/the 2nd they were tasteless] brings up one point to remember when you get inexpensicve produce. Usually the cheap stuff is near the end of it’s shelf life. As such, buy what you can use that week. And only that week.
My wife shops at stores exactly like that and I really don’t like the food. I really enjoy your money-saving tips, but food is one area where I feel it’s worth paying a little extra to ensure good quality. That doesn’t mean overpaying = better, but I do believe that underpaying usually sacrafices quality. This stuff goes into our bodies and like Diane said, I would rather err on the side of quality. One way to look at it is that food from an overpriced grocery store still costs less than eating the same meal at a restaurant.
By the way you have an *awesome* website here!
This IS a bargainista dilemma. After much trial and error, I found that it is better to pay for excellent meat (grass fed) and organic fruits and veggies from a local farmer than to save a bit on the cheap stuff. The reason is that there is actually more nutrition in the quality stuff. It is not just the taste. Paying extra for the pesticide and hormone free food keeps my family healthier.
When it comes to processed foods like crackers or jelly, then I will see if I can score some deals at the local Odd Lot or 99cent store.
But in general, I stay away from super cheap food unless it is the great price found on a food during the peak of its growing season.
I buy the best I can afford, because I find that it doesn’t go to waste as it did when I tried to be more of a bargain hunter (like shopping at the less than a dollar store). Throwing out food is the same as opening your wallet and tossing the bills and coins into the trash. I think it’s worthwhile to return to the store for a refund any product that isn’t fresh or good-tasting.
i have had that soy milk before and it does taste like nothing. i would buy most of my produce from indy stores like yours because it’s cheap! rarely, i’ve had to throw anything out. and when i do, the amount i paid was near to nothing.
i say keep shopping there!!
I have also tried getting produce at a “cheap market” and, after two miserable results, I didn’t go back. Now, I only buy what is in season and from whomever has the lowest price (lately that has been Sprouts).
check out Abundant Harvest Organics, a farmer’s co-op with great,organic, LOCAL products that are reasonably priced. Go to Abundant Harvest Organics to find a delivery site next to you!
I often pay more for foods that are local, organic, and sustainably harvested… but go out of my way to find my pantry “staples” on sale (tuna, sandwich bread, cereals, rice, etc.). SO… I work harder and pay more for things that need to be fresh and taste good as well as having fewer chemicals sprayed on them. 😉
I’ve found that I do take a chance going to some of the local “bargain” stores, and am always careful to check the condition of the produce, expiration dates, etc.
As for the dry limes… Citrus fruit, esp. limes and lemons, often go through a dry production period. One way to “goose” the fruit’s juiciness is to roll it on the counter with the palm of your hand, then “nuke” it in the microwave for 7-10 seconds, depending on the size of the fruit. I have both lime and lemon trees, and have been successful doing this at various times, and the fruit on both trees is usually juicy… but not always.
When shopping for with produce shop with your NOSE!! If strawberries and raspberries have no smell then they’ll have no taste. The same goes for peaches, apricots, melons, pineapples and other fruits.
Citrus should feel heavy for its size to be juicy. I usually roll mine on the counter with a slight pressure prior to cutting and squeezing to loosen up the juice.
I also like indie markets for the prices but you still need to be careful.
I have learned to be picky in what I buy at the local ethnic markets. I will buy things like dairy, meats, canned goods, staple produce only like onions/tomatoes. Then I think it’s good to pay a higher price for better tasting and higher quality food such as side dish vegetables, fish, prime steak, etc.
I’ve had the same problem at the 99 cent store where their bottled products are on the verge of expiry. It helps if you buy one as a tester and then come back for more. Less guilt, less waste.
Have you tried salvaging your soy milk with vanilla extract or vanilla syrup? Otherwise you can save it for oatmeal, pudding, soy lattes. I hate to waste perfectly good food.
I bought some great looking big round perfect blueberries recently except they had NO taste. Next time I’m checking for genetically engineered produce (bigger and perfect) and staying away from perfection.
I regularly shop at the 99cent store for produce and a few other food items and generally don’t have any complaints. You have to get there when the food is fresh/the day it is delivered, which is almost every day lately. If it looks bad don’t buy it. The best bet is their organic lettuce in the plastic tubs – 99cents vs. $3-6 at the grocery store. Perhaps stores differ from one another in the way they handle their fresh items. I stay away from tomatoes – I think they get them too cold and then they get mushy and rot. I find for the price it is definately worth my while, then I can spend more on other items and not feel so bad.
A friend of mine who considers herself something of a shopping expert always buys her milk and dairy products at TJ’s, her bell peppers and select produce at the 99 cent store (because of the fact that the turnover rate on their stock is fast), and at select supermarkets for other items. I do like to shop for produce at Jons (at Sherman Way and Sepulveda) for their prices, but always buy what I will use up in the week, as I’ve noticed that their produce tends to go downhill a bit fast. I shopped at Valley Produce with a friend yesterday, and found good prices on a variety of produce (cherries, bananas, grapes, fennel bulb, etc.), as well as breadsticks. It’s located across the street from Jons on the west side of Sepulveda.