The Foodist: Shopping Organic—Comparing Prices Around Town

FOR FOODIES, Ann Arbor has as many grocery store choices as there are potholes in our roads.  More good news—if you are organically focused you will be able to find options in almost grocery store in the area. But are all organic offerings the same?

First, let’s review what “organic” means. The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) defines organic as follows:

Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled “organic,” a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.

Organic is not to be confused with local, cage-free, or hormone free foods. You may find an item that comes from a farm down the road. That’s great, but that doesn’t mean it’s organic.  But is organic the healthy answer that we’ve been led to believe?

There have been concerns over the last few years about the organic certification process and whether it is that much better for consumers than the conventional cousins. The list of approved non-organic substances that a product can contain to be considered organic by the USDA has grown from 77 to 245. Also small organic companies are being bought up by large food companies—Coca-Cola owns 40 percent of Honest Tea and Kellogg owns Morningstar Farms, for example. Hardly the image we have of the hard-working family farm we conjure in our minds as we reach for the organic vinaigrette.

Shopping for organic foods has its down side. Often the items are more expensive, you have to be aware they are mixed in with non-organic items so you need to pay attention to labeling, and some food items may have organic ingredients, such as bread may be made with organic flour but that doesn’t make the whole loaf organic. A quick tip: If you are shopping in the produce section of a grocery store and the signage is unclear, check the PLU sticker. If it starts with a number 9, the item is organic.

I conducted a quick study of some local grocery stores to compare their organic selections. I looked at eggs, milk, bread, tomatoes, bananas and coffee, all commonly purchased grocery items to see how the different stores stacked up. This list is by no means comprehensive. There are several grocery stores that offer organic items not on this list. Here is what I found.

Arbor Farms, 2103 W. Stadium Blvd.

Arbor Farms is a medium-sized grocery store that focuses on local, organic and sustainable foods. Their produce department is sizable with lots of organic choices mixed in. Their meat clearly states whether it is local, grass fed, antibiotic-free, etc and even the inside aisles, where shoppers find the processed food felt like it was somehow healthier. Arbor Farms is an independent food market so therefore doesn’t have its own-labeled food. So some of the organic items I bought were national brands. Bolded items cost the least in the organic category.

Horizon Milk: $3.99

Avalon bread (made in Detroit with organic flour) $5.49

Paramount Breakfast coffee: $10.99

Bananas: .99¢/lb

Tomatoes: $3.99/lb

Eggs: $6.29/dozen

Overall I thought that Arbor Farms had a very wide selection of organic foods. As opposed to other grocery stores, they often had more than one choice of items that were organic, especially coffee. Arbor Farms also has a wide selection of local meats, diary and produce. They are not all organic, but definitely a healthier choice.

 

Whole Foods, 3135 Washtenaw Ave. 

If you are a foodie then you know Whole Foods. It is a mecca for all things organic, exotic, homemade, environmentally-conscientious. Even their paper bags are made from 100 percent recycled materials. But I’ve heard them called “Whole Paycheck” so are their products more expensive than others? Let’s check them out.

Horizon milk: $4.39

365 brand: $3.99

Bread: 365 brand $3.99 Bread made in house using organic flour is $3.99-$5.99

Allegro Coffee: $9.99-$11.99/lb

Bananas: .99¢/lb

Tomatoes: $4.99/lb

Eggs: Organic Valley $4.99/dozen

365 Brand $4.19/dozen

Whole Foods has their own brand 365, which they can price more competitively. They have a large and lovely produce display with signs that clearly mark which items are organic and where they come from. The bananas were from Costa Rica and the tomatoes from Mexico. Also, they have a large bulk food section with many organic choices.

 

Kroger, six locations in the area. 

Ah, Kroger. That neighborhood super chain, the good ole standby. That’s the kind of place where you do a large shopping the weekend you get paid. Fill your cart with everything from Cheese-its to Caster Oil. They’ve been advertising that they buy local, which I sort of believe but how about their selection of organic products?

Horizon Milk: $3.98

Simple Truth Milk: $3.59

Bread: They don’t carry organic bread or bread made with organic flour

Simple Truth Coffee: $7.99/ 12 oz

Bananas: .65¢/lb

Tomatoes (hot house): $3.49/lb

Simple Truth Eggs: $4.69

People’s Food Co-op, 216 N. Fourth Ave.

The People’s Food Co-op is small but mighty. They don’t have a lot but just what you need. You can join the Co-op for $60 and for that you can vote on board of directors, receive monthly specials, and if the Co-op does well there may be rebates sent to you. Their selection of organic and environmentally conscientious items is impressive but costly; I spent $2.99 on a can of tuna when at Kroger it was $1.19. But this tuna was pole-caught so I felt pretty good about it. Another issue with People’s Food Co-op is the parking. The store (and adjacent café) are in the Kerrytown area so you have to find metered parking or walk several blocks. Let’s see how they compare to the other markets.

Organic Valley Milk: $4.49

Rudi’s Organic Bread: $4.29

Coffee: on sale for $8.99/lb ordinarily $12.79

Bananas: .99¢/lb

Tomatoes: $2.49/lb

Eggs: $3.99/dozen

What’s the bottom line? If you want to buy organic, Ann Arbor is the place to be. Almost all grocery stores will have some kind of selection. For the price, Kroger’s and Whole Foods’ house brands offer the best prices. But if you want to support your local store, join the People’s Food Co-op.