Organic foods have become a $10 billion market in the U.S. through a perfect storm of consumer awareness. Greenies want to curb the environmental damage of conventional big-business farming. Health and fitness buffs would rather avoid all those pesticides, fungicides, growth hormones and antibiotics. And some people just think fresher, chemical-free food tastes better.
Leaving aside the debate over whether the benefits are real -- ask a lobbyist for Chock-Full-O-Chemicals, Inc., and an environmental activist, and you’ll get two completely different stories -- for many of us the decision to buy organic comes down to price. Hormone-free chicken? Sounds great. If the price is right.
About this experiment
I collected prices for 30 foods I buy regularly. Then I adjusted them to the same sizes and weights so I could directly compare organic and non-organic baskets. Prices are from three local stores: Publix and Fresh Market on Washington Road and Earth Fare on Furys Ferry.
For the most part, the quantities represent about a week's worth of food for a single 30-year-old male who likes to eat well and in hearty-sized portions. A few items, such as the box of a dozen eggs, would last more than a week.
Whenever possible, I bought cheaper generics rather than national brands. Produce selected was fresh, not frozen or canned. All of my purchases were “organic" -- not "all natural," "eco-farmed" or any other kind of vague marketing-speak. (Bonus fact: Companies who use the “organic” label inappropriately can be fined $11,000 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But “all natural” could, in theory, be slapped on a box of Twinkies without breaking the law.)
What I found
As expected, price was an issue. My hypothetical shopping cart was 77 to 113 percent more expensive, depending on the store, when filled with organics. So an organic shopping trip can cost twice as much as buying conventional foods.
But selection was a problem, too. Depending on the store, a third to a half of the items on my list were not available organically. You might burn a lot of (ecologically unfriendly) gas visiting several Augusta stores and still not get a lot of what you want.
Picking and choosing to get the best value
If going all-organic isn’t feasible -- or even possible, unless you mail-order your groceries or move to Atlanta – you might try narrowing your focus . For instance, apples are among the most pesticide-ridden fruits, according to eco-watchdogs at the Environmental Working Group. And I’m an apple lover. Since three Augusta grocery stores I visited sold several varieties of organic apple, and some were only 40 cents more expensive per pound, going organic for that item was an easy choice.
The highlights
Biggest price difference for organic:
Spaghetti (whole wheat) - five times as expensive
Green bell peppers - five times as expensive
Cheddar cheese - four times as expensive
Tortillas - three times as expensive
Smallest price difference for organic:
White bread – 6% higher
Spaghetti sauce – 25% higher
Red Delicious apples – 31% higher
Yellow onions – 31% higher
Cherry tomatoes – 33% higher
Eggs – 35% higher
Milk – 38 to 39% higher
Organic not available at stores I visited:
Steak, chicken, Parmesan cheese and bagels.
The dirty details
Many readers will probably tune out at this point. [Quick, remind them we also have club photos. --ed.] But some may find these item-by-item, store-by-store breakouts helpful.
Comparison 1: Conventional vs. organic at Publix
| Item | Price for conventional, Publix | Price for organic, Publix | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Onion - one white onion weighing about 3/4 of a pound | $1.12 | $1.27 | 13% |
| Spaghetti sauce - equivalent to a 24 oz. jar | $2.63 | $3.29 | 25% |
| Refried beans, equivalent of a 16 oz. can | $1.29 | $1.70 | 32% |
| Milk, two percent reduced fat - equivalent of one gallon jug | $3.99 | $5.49 | 38% |
| Eggs, one dozen large, grade A, brown | $2.59 | $3.79 | 46% |
| Rice, equivalent of an 18 oz. bag | $1.29 | $1.92 | 49% |
| Orange juice, fresh, not from concentrate - equivalent of half gallon (64 oz.) | $3.49 | $5.96 | 71% |
| Jelly, grape - equivalent to a 12 oz. jar | $1.79 | $3.39 | 89% |
| Butter - one pound box (four sticks) | $2.89 | $5.59 | 93% |
| Salsa - equivalent to a 16 oz. jar | $1.99 | $3.87 | 94% |
| Raisin bran cereal, equivalent to a 14 oz. box | $1.74 | $3.39 | 95% |
| Iceberg lettuce - one head of lettuce | $1.49 | $2.99 | 101% |
| Tomatoes - two full size tomatoes weigh about a pound | $1.99 | $3.99 | 101% |
| Salad dressing, equivalent to an 8 oz. bottle | $1.00 | $2.15 | 115% |
| Apples - four Granny Smith apples weigh about a pound | $1.29 | $2.99 | 132% |
| Peanut butter, equivalent of a 16 oz. ja | $1.95 | $4.59 | 135% |
| Corn - two ears of corn weigh about a pound | $2.99 | $7.98 | 167% |
| Chocolate chip cookies - equivalent to 10 oz. bag | $1.44 | $3.99 | 177% |
| Green beans - 1/4 pound (a big handful of fresh beans) | $0.62 | $1.66 | 168% |
| Cheddar cheese - 8 oz. block | $2.00 | $8.50 | 325% |
| Green bell pepper - one pepper weighs about 1/2 pound | $1.00 | $4.99 | 399% |
| Spaghetti - equivalent to a 16 oz. box | $0.99 | $5.18 | 423% |
| Total | $41.57 | $88.67 | $47.10 (113%) |
Notes: Nine items were not available in organics at Publix: White onions, American cheese singles, white bread, bagels, potatoes, tortillas, parmesan cheese, sirloins and chicken breasts. Potatoes and broccoli were available but couldn't be compared fairly. Only the sale price was listed for the potatoes and no weight was given for the broccoli.
Comparison 2: Conventional at Publix vs. organic at Earth Fare
| Item | Price for conventional, Publix | Price for organic, Earth Fare | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bbread - equivalent to a 22 oz. loaf of bakery white bread (i.e. not sandwich white) | $3.84 | $4.49 | 17% |
| Onion - one white onion weighing about 3/4 of a pound | $1.12 | $1.49 | 33% |
| Eggs, one dozen large, grade A, brown | $2.59 | $3.49 | 35% |
| American cheese singles - 8 oz. package | $2.89 | $3.99 | 38% |
| Refried beans, equivalent of a 16 oz. can | $1.29 | $1.79 | 39% |
| Spaghetti sauce - equivalent to a 24 oz. jar | $2.63 | $3.76 | 43% |
| Orange juice, fresh, not from concentrate - equivalent of half gallon (64 oz.) | $3.49 | $5.29 | 52% |
| Milk, two percent reduced fat - equivalent of one gallon jug | $3.99 | $6.36 | 59% |
| Potatoes, Russet - one pound | $0.80 | $1.29 | 61% |
| Broccoli crowns, fresh, not frozen - two crowns are about a pound | $1.49 | $2.49 | 67% |
| Iceberg lettuce - one head of lettuce | $1.49 | $2.49 | 67% |
| Rice, equivalent of an 18 oz. bag | $1.29 | $2.24 | 74% |
| Jelly, grape - equivalent to a 12 oz. jar | $1.79 | $3.26 | 82% |
| Butter - one pound box (four sticks) | $2.89 | $5.49 | 90% |
| Apples - four Granny Smith apples weigh about a pound | $1.29 | $2.49 | 93% |
| Green bell pepper - one pepper weighs about 1/2 pound | $1.00 | $2.00 | 100% |
| Spaghetti - equivalent to a 16 oz. box | $0.99 | $1.99 | 101% |
| Raisin bran cereal, equivalent to a 14 oz. box | $1.74 | $3.59 | 106% |
| Cheddar cheese - 8 oz. block | $2.00 | $4.49 | 125% |
| Salad dressing, equivalent to an 8 oz. bottle | $1.00 | $2.49 | 149% |
| Peanut butter, equivalent of a 16 oz. ja | $1.95 | $4.99 | 156% |
| Chocolate chip cookies - equivalent to 10 oz. bag | $1.44 | $3.99 | 177% |
| Tortillas - equivalent to a 12 oz. bag | $1.44 | $4.49 | 212% |
| Total | $44.44 | $78.44 | $34.00 (77%) |
Notes: Eight items were not available in organics at Earth Fare: Corn, full size tomatoes, green beans, parmesan cheese, salsa, chicken breasts, sirloins and bagels.
Comparison 3: Conventional at Publix vs. organic at Fresh Market
| Item | Price for conventional, Publix | Price for organic, Fresh Market | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bread - equivalent to a 22 oz. loaf of bakery white bread (i.e. not sandwich white) | $3.84 | $3.99 | 4% |
| American cheese singles - 8 oz. package | $2.89 | $3.49 | 21% |
| Onion - one white onion weighing about 3/4 of a pound | $1.12 | $1.69 | 51% |
| Refried beans, equivalent of a 16 oz. can | $1.29 | $1.99 | 54% |
| Eggs, one dozen large, grade A, brown | $2.59 | $3.99 | 54% |
| Iceberg lettuce - one head of lettuce | $1.49 | $2.49 | 67% |
| Broccoli crowns, fresh, not frozen - two crowns are about a pound | $1.49 | $2.49 | 67% |
| Butter - one pound box (four sticks) | $2.89 | $4.99 | 73% |
| Milk, two percent reduced fat - equivalent of one gallon jug | $3.99 | $6.98 | 75% |
| Apples - four Granny Smith apples weigh about a pound | $1.29 | $2.49 | 93% |
| Potatoes, Russet - one pound | $0.80 | $1.69 | 111% |
| Salsa - equivalent to a 16 oz. jar | $1.99 | $4.91 | 147% |
| Chocolate chip cookies - equivalent to 10 oz. bag | $1.44 | $4.77 | 231% |
| Salad dressing, equivalent to an 8 oz. bottle | $1.00 | $3.99 | 299% |
| Total | $28.11 | $49.95 | $21.84 (78%) |
Notes: 17 items were not available in organics at Fresh Market: Corn, full size tomatoes, green bell peppers, white onions, green beans, rice, raisin bran, peanut butter, jelly, parmesan cheese, spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, orange juice, cheddar cheese, tortillas, chicken breasts, sirloins and bagels.
Good stuff, I hadn't even considered organic before, but it looks like there might be some things worth looking at. Especially when you look at the pesticide numbers...
as a lover and seeker of organic foods, i found this article to be very helpful. the price chart was particularly interesting. good work joe.