My Story: CSA vs. Grocery Store and Co-Ops

We have been buying CSA shares and receiving freshly grown produce each week, June through November, for three years now. I frequently am asked (by my husband, neighbors, siblings, etc.) whether the share is worth it. Is it a lot more expensive than what we'd normally buy at the grocery store? This year, I made a concerted effort to find out. I weighed each item in my share and entered it into a spreadsheet. I kept track of prices at the grocery store where I usually shop and made an effort to get prices from the nearest co-op. I averaged the costs to come up with numbers that I could compare to the CSA share. The results were pleasing, but please keep in mind that this is not scientific.

We received about 288 pounds of produce during the summer season (June though October) with an average cost of $1.73 per pound for a full price share.

I don't get over to the local co-op very much, but based on the prices I found when I could get there, the average price for the same types of products would be $2.20 per pound, or about 20% more than the CSA share. Since the co-op has different overhead, this seems very reasonable, but the CSA is definitely the better deal.

The local grocery store is about one mile away, so I get there quite frequently. I kept track of sale prices as well as ordinary prices. I tried to use pricing for organic products as much as possible, but the grocery store's selection was very limited; carrots, spinach, herbs, and strawberries were the only products I could get organic prices on, which was about 7.25 pounds out of the 288. Everything else was based on commercial produce.

If I could always get produce from the grocery store at sale price, I would pay an average of $1 per pound. Ordinary prices (the price I saw most frequently when I went in the store) for the same or similar products averaged to $1.82 per pound or about 5% more than the full price of a CSA share. Recognizing that this is not done scientifically and with what little I remember of college statistics, I believe this indicates that the CSA pricing is comparable to the prices at a commercial grocery store.

I also compared the average pricing of foods that we would normally buy. Remarkably, that didn't remove many foods, but it is unusual to get garlic scapes, broccoli rabe, exotic squashes or young garlic at an ordinary grocery store. When I removed those items, the grocery store was 1% more expensive than the CSA share. Again, I believe this indicates the share price is comparable to ordinary commercial food pricing.

So why get a share? The strength of the CSA is that the locally grown organic products can be as economical as the products in the grocery store. And now I can tell that to everyone I know! I also recognize that what we get in a share box isn't what I would buy when I would go to the grocery store before we invested in the CSA. However, I can take time to adjust our menu to those items we get in the box that spoil easily and preserve those foods we don't use as quickly. However, everyone does not have that flexibility. I also enjoy trying the new foods I get in my share box, and my family does as well.

My family can tell which products are from the CSA or my garden and which are from the store. The difference in flavor is remarkable, especially in the tomatoes and carrots. But the best part is that the food is grown organically with respect for the land and its health. We are what we eat and we are what our food eats. I really believe our CSA share is worth it!

"My Story" is a regular feature of The Dollar Stretcher. If you have a story that could help save time or money, please send it by email to MyStory@Stretcher.com

Take the Next Step:

• For more on alternative food sources, please visit here.
• See what others are saying about CSA in The Dollar Stretcher Community.

Discuss "2012 CSAs" in The Dollar Stretcher Community

Share your thoughts about this article with the editor: Click Here

Copyright 1996 - 2013 "The Dollar Stretcher, Inc." All rights reserved unless specifically noted.

Contact the Dollar Stretcher at:
Dollar Stretcher
PO Box 14160
Bradenton FL 34280
941-761-7805

"The Dollar Stretcher, Inc." does not assume responsibility for advice given. All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own situation.

Also In This Week's Issue

• Life insurance from marriage into midlife
• Affordable life insurance after 50? Or 60?
• How to track unclaimed life insurance money
• How to quickly boost your credit score
• Why good manners can boost financial success
• When it's OK to tap your IRA
• 6 cheap, effective home security solutions
• 5 excuses why people don't save for retirement
• Can a 'rapid rescore' help you get a mortgage?
• 5 types of credit unions worth joining
• Estate planning mistakes to avoid
• How to invest in a Roth IRA Video

In The Dollar Stretcher Community

• Dollar Stretching Recipes: Slow cooker refried beans
• Cooking with coffee: Great recipes

Reader Favorites

• Natural homemade shampoo
• Homemade cat food
• Removing pet urine smells
• Cheap dates and family activities
• Auto loan prepayment penalties