Is Packaged Produce Really Worth The Cost?
Washed, cut, and bagged produce is the latest rage in the grocery store. According to Chicago-based IRI, a sales tracking firm, it’s the fastest growing product category in supermarkets. It represents almost 10 percent of produce sales, reports the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association.
Yes, it’s convenient. For singles and small families, it offers the variety in a single bag that wouldn’t otherwise make economic sense. But how much is this convenience costing you? Is it worth it?
On an ounce-for-ounce basis, packaged produce is more expensive than fresh. In addition, many of the new packaged salads are adding croutons and salad dressings at a substantially higher cost. You might want to question that convenience.
A variety of factors go into deciding whether packaged produce - or any convenience item, for that matter - is a better buy than fresh items cooked from scratch. The answer varies with each person.
Consider the following points to see which works best for you. (A word of caution: It’s critical that you compare similar products, from a quality standpoint as well as a nutritional one.)
How much is your time worth? This is a serious question that must be answered realistically. One of the major benefits of convenience food is labor savings, and that’s what you pay the producer for. So be fair. If you are working, take your hourly rate and use that. If you are home, you might want to use an average wage (such as $25,000 per year, which equals about $12 per hour).
Like to shop? Remember to factor in the time you’re spending in the supermarket. One bag of mixed greens is faster to purchase than sorting through the various bundles in the produce section.
Calculate waste. Do you have a big family or are you a single shopper? Waste is something that must be considered. A bag of packaged produce - provided the entire bag will be consumed - generates less waste than lettuce leaves that must be sorted, with top leaves usually discarded.
On the other hand, if you bank on having leftovers for succeeding meals, particularly fresh produce that can be mixed and matched, packaged might not make sense.
Preparation time. Packaged produce is a snap to prepare. For most of us, it probably means opening the bag and putting the contents on a plate. Fresh produce has to be washed, scrubbed, torn or cut. If you like to cook, this extra effort is time well-spent, and the savings are an added bonus.