We shop at the coop. We like the environmental and socially responsible brands. The local and regional produce and products for most of the year. We like being able to use our own packaging, for a lot of our things we buy. I haven't actually figured out how much packaging we save, buying things and putting them into our own container, that will be another post.
I often like to confirm our families choice to shop and be members of several area coops. When all of the Super Target's started opening, I went through the food isles, comparing prices. It's interesting. Most of the brands of organic food we buy are at Target, right next to the Heinz and the Betty Crocker and the Archer Farms. BUT, they are priced at least 20-30% higher than at the coops. Wow. This makes the consumer have a warped perception of the difference in cost between organic and non organic foods. I don't have that perception, I know organics is a little more expensive and sometimes even cheaper. We still think that since food helps our bodies live, we should put the best things in it. So, it's not going to change our shopping habits. But recently, I've been seeing a lot of Organic Archer Farms products, at friends houses, kids bring them to our house, etc. It has made me think that maybe I should go get a few of those same items they sell at Target, and save a little money, maybe $8-10 a week, maybe. I picked something I knew I could compare equally to. Applesauce. Archer Farms Organic and Santa Cruz Organic, both in jars.
Comparing the two, these were the main differences:
Archer Farms Organic Apple Sauce = Organic Apples, water, citric acid
Santa Cruz Apple Sauce = Organic Apples, citric acid
The Archer Farms brand has 1/2 the amount of fiber. And less vitamin C.
Does that mean there is 1/2 the amount of actual apples in the AF brand?
Oh, and since I had the two here, I tasted them side by side and WOW what a difference. The AF was bland and dull. The SC was bright and full of flavor.
When I buy applesauce, it's one of those things I think twice about buying. It's applesauce, if on sale I can usually get it for $2.99 or so, regular price is around $3.79 or so. Archer Farms is around $2.49. But, the reason I hesitate is cause it's a little over 2 cups of apple sauce for what I would spend on a 3lb bag or apples...So even though it's a great snack and puts a little variety in our food, it's still just apples.
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