((I don't buy gallons... because I like cardboard to preserve the vitamins, and my son can pour his own milk from the half gallons... so I don't know exact pricing, but it's approximately double. If there was significant savings I'd suck it up and buy the clear plastic gallons))
Regular store (rbst-free) milk : 1/2 gallon 3.79 - 4.70
(gallon apx $6-$8)
Regular store Organic (rbst-free) milk : 1/2 gallon 4.29 - 5.19
(gal apx $8-$10)
TraderJoes (rbst-free) milk : 1/2 gallon 1.59
Whole Foods (rbst-free) milk : 1/2 gallon 1.69
((I buy all my butter, milk, eggs, and cheese at WholeFoods & TraderJoes because it's soooooo much less expensive!!! And laugh when people say the 'Whole Paycheck' joke about WholeFoods. Certainly not in the Dairy sections!!! Nor the veggie section -about 1/2 off regular stores as well in veggies, although double regular store in fruit. The milk is 1/2 off and sooooo much fresher. Regular store milk usually expires in a week. TJ's & WF's milk is always at least a month out, often 6weeks to 8weeks out. You KNOW regular store milk has just been sitting and sitting and sitting.))
Name Brand Cereal is $5-$8 per box
We go through about 1/2 gallon a day, sometimes more. Our budget for milk is $60 a month.
At least Hawaii has an EXCUSE for milk being so expensive. We're only a dollar less!!! I shop 5 different stores for the lowest prices and I see Dairygold & Carnation 1/2 gallons for 4 bucks and change at 'regular stores' and just grimace at the gouging. Both are less than 1 hour away. There is NO excuse for milk being as expensive as it is at QFC(Kroger), Safeway, etc. Dairy pricing has come down a lot over the past 6 months. Last year half gallons of organic milk were running $6.
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Midline prices for other common staples :
Tomatoes : $2 -$4 per lb
Lettuce : $1 - $3
Lunch Meat : $9-$11 per lb
Bread : $4 a loaf for "real" bread -or $1 for storebrand wonderbread
Buns: $4
Dark Chicken : $5 per lb
Breasts : $11 per lb
Hamburger : $5 per lb
Roasts : $12 per lb
Steak : $18 per lb
Kosher Meats: x2 - x3
Fish : $10 - $25 per lb
Pork : $3 per lb
Bacon : $5-$8 per lb
Eggs : $2 - $8 per dozen
Peanut Butter : $6 per medium tub
Hotdogs : $6
Chicken or Turkey hotdogs: $2
Frozen Meals (single serving) : $4 each
Juice Boxes : $6 (for pack of 6-8)
Juice : $6 - $8
((My family back east and midwest are *horrified* at my $600 per month food-only budget for 3 people. $600 is TIGHT!!! $1000 is comfortable. But $200 easily feeds the 3 of us for a month with the SAME SHOPPING LIST when we're midwest or east that my $1000 list has. I only buy the above 'staples' if they're on sale for 1/3 off or more. Which happens every few months. LOL... we don't eat seasonly, we eat 'sale-ishly'!! ;))