Why are grapes so expensive!!

[garden granny]

I was in my local grocery store Saturday and I saw a sign for grapes $1.99, I thought that sounds good, cause I thought it was for a bag, it didn't say per pound or anything else. (red seedless grapes) These were not organic grapes. When they rang up the grapes they came to $8.00, I couldn't believe it and I told the cashier to take them off. I can't afford organic grapes - their about $10.00. I finally found some a little cheaper at Aldi, but still paid about $5.00. (not organic). I just had to have some red grapes!

[herbalgirl]

I know what you mean. I haven't purchased grapes in ages... :( Unfortunately, I don't think you'll ever see them for sale as a bag. The price listed is always per pound and it really can add up!

[Marcus]

Have you thought about starting some vines? You're down south where many native American varieties will grow like weeds!

[NYbutterfly]

I am actually eating grapes right now!
They were $2.99 here a few weeks ago (per pound) but now only .97 cents :) I can't wait to indulge. I have never seen grapes sold by the bag... unfortunately the sign's price is always per pound.

[Riiiya]

the big seedless grapes they sell are way too sweet... i mean, that's nice and all but i try to stay away from hybrid foods now. and they Are expensive- it's crazy!

actually i've been eating real grapes (with seeds and all :D ) and i ehmm.."borrowed" from my friend's garden hihihihi... they're too good!

[juliebove]

I think grapes really only do well in certain area and they have a short growing season. Then you have to worry about things like birds who get to them and eat them before you get them picked. These things add to the cost.

[luckitri]

Last week my closest HFS had green grapes for 49 cents a pound. (?)

I really miss the concord grapes that I only see at high prices for a couple of weeks per year and never in fresh enough condition to buy.

[Rawzula]

At my local supermarket, seedless grapes have been as high as $2.99/lb and as low as $0.99/lb.

I actually like seedless grapes. I love their sweetness. Constantly having to pick out seeds is not fun:eek:.

Hopefully, I can find another place where they sell organic grapes.

[ladypeace82]

I just bought some organic grapes. the bag was $6.00. I don't know what the pound amount was. I never care to look. i know what I want and there isn't any other place to get it so I buy them. :(

[garden granny]

Have you thought about starting some vines? You're down south where many native American varieties will grow like weeds!

I need to do that!

[tinystrawberry]

concord grapes are very easily grown in PA, it seems. we have a lot of birds around our house and haven't had problems with them eating the grapes.
idon't think regular grapes would grow good here?

[trinity082482]

Whoa 8.00$

I'm kinda of lucky because my grandmother grows grapes along her drive way which is awesome. They are wine grapes, yes we are Portuguese lol.. :p
But they are sooo good to pop into your mouth and filling! Lucky me :D But at our grocery stores I have never paid more than $4.00 for grapes and if I ever paid that much they were SUPER fresh, crisp and probably sold during a strange season. I usually pay $1.49 for a bag of green grapes :D

[youraw]

So since we are on the topic of grapes...are seedless grapes genetically engineered? I thought most grapes naturally had seeds. If seedless grapes have been altered, then how can they be called organic. Maybe my definition of things needs to be clarified.:D

[blueberries]

I hear ya! I havent been buying grapes here in Michigan either, they are so expensive! The green seedless (not organic) are running 2.99 a lb. and I just talked with a relative that paid 3.99 lb for grapes! :eek: I should have listened to my aunt who said she was freezing them while they were on sale. I'm just not sure how they come out but worth a try I guess. Probably would be great for smoothies anyhow.

I am interested in youraw's question about are seedless grapes genetically engineered. I am getting ready to put in our own orchard this year and I'm so excited!!! :D Grapes is definately one of the things on our list. But I am concerned about all these seed catalogs I am getting with all these hybrid things. I want to make sure I am planting something good for us. So I look forward to anyone that can answer youraw's question. Thanks!

[RawSweetie]

I have been wondering this, too, about grapes and about produce in general in my area. I pay $3.99/lb for conventional red seedless grapes, $3.99/lb for a conventional red bell pepper, $1.99 ea. for a conventional avocado. I'm still baffled as to how this is supposed to be significantly less expensive way to eat! :eek: Not that the cost is gonna stop me...I'd rather wear the same boring clothes and look better in them and spend the $$ on healthy food. Just wondering if it's the town I live in or if I'm just spending too much. I easily spend $100/week on food, and I don't use a dehydrator or make fancy stuff. ?? :rolleyes:

[chilove]

Unfortunately they are not in season now. The best thing to do is to keep an eye on the newspaper grocery store ads and look for good sales. Also, make friends with produce managers and ask them to tell you about upcoming great deals. Also, seek out ethnic markets and stores, particularly latino and asian markets, for great deals on produce. Also look for produce stores. I rarely shop in actual chain grocery stores. They are way too expensive.

Blessings,

Audrey
www.rawhealing.com

[Carlsbad]

RawSweetie,

I doubt anyone would say this is a less expensive way to eat (unless you ate out at restaurants a lot before raw). There are ways to make it cheaper, and lots of people have posted about making it work on a budget (co-ops, farmer's markets, etc). It will save you money in terms of health care, which can be crazy expensive. The most expensive part for me so far has been the fact that I have to buy smaller clothes every few months, and that's money I don't mind spending! :D

[EZ rider]

I'm still baffled as to how this is supposed to be significantly less expensive way to eat!A lot of it is seasonal. When its harvest season fresh foods cost less.

[kaybee]

re: genetic engineering/hybridization:

ok, someone with more horticulture knowledge feel free to correct me if im wrong, but as far as I understand it,

-hybrid DOES NOT NECESSARILY mean genetically modified. i dont even know if it COULD mean that. maybe, someone will have to check on if the term is used to refer to GM food now too, (it probably is, but hopefully there is an additional designation, though i doubt theyd really provide us with that info...) but I believe hybridization has been around far longer than we have had genetic engineering.
see this:

www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe30s/crops_03.html



it seems to me that hybridization has to do with crossing 2 different strains of corn (or whatever crop). its like selective breeding; whereas corn usually self-pollinates within its own strain, hybridization entails cross pollinating strains/ie crossbreeding strains; its like a controlled pollination, where the farmer doesnt let the pollination that would naturally happen happen but rather plans and controls it. it DOES occur among plants in nature too.


from wikipedia:
(usually hybridization is done in order to produce/maintain/increase certain desireable characteristics.)

improvements can include the production of more or improved; seeds, fruits or other plant parts for consumption, or to make a plant more winter or heat hardy or improve its growth and/or appearance for use in horticulture. Much work is now being done with hybrids to produce more disease resistant plants for both agricultural and horticultural crops. In many groups of plants hybridization has been used to produce larger and more showy flowers and new flower colors.




some raw fooders and others avoid hybrids because hybrids are "artificial" in a sense; they are usually less true to their natural form, and often the traits selectively bred are things like higher sugar content, larger size, etc. That said, there are some fruits/veggies that we eat today that would be inedible or far less palatable if selective breeding had not been done by farmers over the years.

so yeah, im not sure how to distinguish gmo-hybridization from non-gmo-hybridization in the grocery store--EXCEPT that ACTUALLY, the codes on the stickers on the fruit are supposed to tell you that. I forget, but Im pretty sure that a five digit code beginning with 9, is organic, and that CANNOT be GMO; a four digit code starting with a 3 or a 4 is conventional, non gmo, and a code starting with a five is gmo...maybe someone could verify this, but i know i saw it somewhere

kb

[RawSweetie]

Carlsbad: Congrats on your "problem"! :p

I keep reading (here? other raw forum?) that people are finding this a cheaper way to eat. Not the case for me, but I AM deeply grateful for the savings re: illnesses in my lifetime. That is BIG.

EZRider: Yep, I'd like to get in the swing of seasonal produce--ie. what and when. That is an appealing thought, to enjoy the most seasonal stuff--I just haven't gotten there. I still want what I want when I want it, and often it's out-of-season. :o

[GoingtoRAW]

When I see those giant bags of grapes (grapes are my favorite fruit and I must have them), I just get one of those empty plastic bags that you put your produce in and split the bag or fill it with whatever amount I can afford to buy. I've never had a problem with that. :p