Things That Make You Go Hmmm... Food Prices
July 16th, 2009
By World Wide Ed
By World Wide Ed
Here's something that has always baffled me, which, btw, leads to the perfect "Things That Make You Go Hmmm..." post.
Why in the heck does cereal cost so much!!!???
Really cereal peeps... Is it that difficult/costly to produce for y'all? Just put some sugary flakes and shapes in a plastic bag and box um up. Pau.
Often, I'll peruse the cereal aisle and see a teeny weeny (yellow polka dot bikini) box of [insert cereal name here] for like $7 or more! Mother of Pearl! Why do you do this to me?
Talk to me!
* What say you? What steep food item cost makes you go Hmmm...?
Posted in Things That Make You Go Hmmm... | 52 Comments »
World Wide Ed
July 16th, 2009 at 2:50 am
milk is ridiculously expensive as well in hawaii..... expensive milk and cereal... not a good combo... i'm sticking with the dollar menu. LOL!
July 16th, 2009 at 3:25 am
hmm...if the cereal is expensive then go for toast...with different grain!
THe food industries knows you have to eat so just buy whatever you can afford AND USE COUPONS.
Change you eating habit have egss once and awhile and toast and GO EAT PIZZA FOR BREAKFAST! OR EAT RICE AND EGG...go shopping and buy your food cheap somewhere.
July 16th, 2009 at 3:26 am
well someitmes my husband and I go out for the $2.50 breakfast ....egg toast
July 16th, 2009 at 3:27 am
POPEYES CHICKEN ! ! !
About 2 weeks ago, I was getting a box of chicken for about 6 people. Arrive at Popeyes, scan the menu and YIKES ... $36.99 for the twenty-something piece box of chicken. Don't see any specials going, don't have any coupons so I reluctantly put in my order.
Luckily (I guess) the counter-girl tells me, "Okay sir, so you want the 20-piece chicken for $19.99 right?!" Puzzled, I look back at the menu and don't see such a thing but of course I say yes. Anyway, the counter-girl whispers to me "You have to use the coupons!"
Wow ... I've always seen the Popeyes coupons in the paper but never thought that I had to use them or pay ridiculously high prices. Thank goodness the worker had sympathy for a dumba$$ like me willing to pay the high menu price.
July 16th, 2009 at 3:27 am
I AM EATING PANCIT OR BREAKFAST.
July 16th, 2009 at 3:29 am
OR JUST BUY RIBS and vegetables THEN HEAD TO MY BROTHER WE BAR B CUE ...who needs cereal then!
July 16th, 2009 at 3:54 am
well if you cannot afford cereal you will find other food to eat...have fruits instead.
July 16th, 2009 at 3:55 am
learn to cook and budget cheaply.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:58 am
plate lunches on maui average $8 now. not too long ago it was around $6.
July 16th, 2009 at 5:54 am
Wine. Damn, they cost so much. I would love a bottle of pinot noir by Randy Caparoso, not real expensive but can't afford to have a nice wine everyday so usually it's Yellow Tail Shiraz from Longs for 4.99/bottle. My preference is wine with my dinner meal but lately I've been drinking beer. I'm a moderate drinker of one glass or can of beer a day. A can/bottle of beer is cheaper than a glass of wine.
July 16th, 2009 at 6:13 am
RICE How come rice gotta be so sky high? Holy Smokes
That's why I cut back on rice. even BREAD expensive. I think better to grow my own potatoes and eat them save money. Guess I gotta add that to my garden. Beans and corn growing. Egg plant and hopefully Kabocha. Dang grasshoppers eating the leaves though. Hate to spray. Maybe a little on the perimeter to hold them off.
As for plate lunch, still get places that is affordable. Cafe100 Super Loco $5 3 scoops rice 2 hamburger patties, Portuguese sausage, mac salad. Hard to finish but worth the price. Even Koji's Bento cost about $6 but hard to finish. Can share with 2 people.
July 16th, 2009 at 6:22 am
why they charge so much? cuz can. for all the head shaking you do when you see the price tages in the store, garanz get at least one person per shake that simply puts it in their cart and buys it.
can go into societal implications of fast food vs slow food and all that, but no need. it's obvious. I don't know if it's nature or nurture, but I'm grateful every day that my four year old would rather eat cherry tomatos off the vine in our back yard than gummy candies from the countertop.
July 16th, 2009 at 6:24 am
Ever since L&L raised their plates to over $7 I've been boycotting them and going to Gina's BBQ instead. At least you get veggies there!
July 16th, 2009 at 6:30 am
Aloha Ed,
Gotta look for dem "Sales" & search for dem "Coupons" like Rosette & RayBoy said.
Plus, memberships at Costco's, Sam'slub, Marukai, etc. helps too!
Guess I'm fortunate that I use the commissaries here! Cereal, milk, etc. costs so much less than the outside supermarkets, and the commissaries also take coupons, so lot's of items are Soooooo much cheaper!
July 16th, 2009 at 6:32 am
Good morning Ed!
What's not cheap? Everything is expensive! and the cost will continue to go higher and higher.
July 16th, 2009 at 7:41 am
I agree. Cereal is expensive. I try to buy it on sale, or if you're lucky, they'll carry your fave at Costco. Bread is another one. Hard to find a loaf for less than $3! And, if you're trying to go for the healthier multi-grain variety, aiyah! Soda is also expensive, especially with the added HI5 costs.
I recently visited the mainland and discovered Nutella. Loved it. Could've bought a huge bottle for $3. But, didn't want to bring it back in my suitcase. When I came home, I went to the market and it was $6.55 for a tiny bottle.
Still ended up getting it though, cause was ono for um.
I think Eddie Vedder said it best. I recently went to one of his concerts and he said that the people of Hawaii are smart because "we've figured out a way to live here". So, I guess the cliche is true ... the cost of living in paradise?
July 16th, 2009 at 8:03 am
The other day I wanted to buy a bag of lychee from Costco....couldn't believe my eyes when it said it was $12.00 a bag! Whoa!!
Or how bout Zippy's prices....a dang surf pac cost $10.00 now!! Geez!!!
P.S. I buy all my family's cereal from Target....waaay cheaper than getting it at the local supermarkets. Yeah, even though Target is a bit outta the way for me (since I'm on the east side) its still worth it. I try to hit up Target at least once or twice a month! =) Funny thing is...even though I'm saving money on buying "cheaper" items....I always end up spending way more than I originally intended too.
July 16th, 2009 at 8:07 am
I guess I didn't really think about it. A box of Cheerios lasts me about 2 weeks, and it's about $6, usually. Not that bad a deal. About 60 cents a day (mon-fri only), then you gotta add in the milk to the cost. Overall, I'd say about a buck a day for breakfast.
@frankie: Oooooh Ginas! I love it there.
July 16th, 2009 at 8:08 am
If we want to eat meat, then we compete for grain with the cattle industry.
But check out the price difference when you got to Costco. I don't buy cereal at the supermarket. I can't justify paying 7 dollars in a supermarket when I can get three for times more cereal for less.
July 16th, 2009 at 8:27 am
My kids go though a box of cereal in like 2 days and they eat cereal everyday.
Zippy's is a rip off.
July 16th, 2009 at 8:35 am
good thing i don't really like cereal. plus it's too hard to take cereal and milk to work. breakfast isn't really my thing.
July 16th, 2009 at 8:44 am
What gets me is the price of donuts. Try go to a bakery and get a dozen. It is not cheap if you want the fancy stuff. Napoleon's is outrageous.
Good thing I don't eat them that much anymore.
July 16th, 2009 at 9:00 am
I don't get soft drinks over three dollars at restaurants. Yeah, they give free refills, but, I thought eateries make their money with the hards and not soda.
I only tend to get, uh, hashbrowns at McDonald's for years already, but, I look at the combo meal prices -- cripes; the line between Waikiki Mcprices and other McD's around the island is slowly dissipating.
Boku wa love to cook desu yo and, while I still think a bit cheaper than eating out, THAT is starting to become as expensive as eating out. Well, maybe I should limit my Whole Foods store shopping, hahahh (terrific place, that).
Ah, I like eating . . . good stuff. I honestly think entrees are priced about right most places around town, mid- to high-priced. So, I don't spending on that. I know when something's TOO outrageous, though.
July 16th, 2009 at 9:00 am
Gotta agree with you on the cereal -- not b/c it's expensive, but because it's not expensive everywhere. I think that cereal is kept expensive at the grocery stores b/c that's where people buy their milk--they're less likely to make a side trip to get cereal. I was at K-Mart and found the same cereal for $3 less than at the grocery store. It didn't expire until 2010, so it's not old stuff.
Bread prices also mystify me. I just buy it from Costco b/c I like the high-fiber stuff and you get 2 big loaves of a name-brand bread for about $6. Plus a trip to Costco means $1.50 hot dogs for dinner--BONUS!!
I live near a Costco and hubby works by a K-Mart so I'm not making extra trips just to save a few bucks. But now that I know how huge the price difference is, I plan my shopping trips much more. If I can save $9, that's almost a free surf pac!
July 16th, 2009 at 9:03 am
Oh yeah, forgot to mention, Wal-mart has pretty reasonable food prices too.
@Miss Pris -
Isn't that always the case? That always happens to me at Costco!
July 16th, 2009 at 9:37 am
all those foods inside a movie theater...might as well sneak them in already...not that I do that though. hahaha hmm....or do I?
July 16th, 2009 at 9:38 am
i just bought a box of cereal for $6.99!! it wasn't on sale, so i really can't complain...i need cereal, for when i'm too lazy to cook dinner! haha!!
July 16th, 2009 at 10:17 am
i think people buy cereal, a daily staple for many, whether it's on sale or not (like kako mochi... buys for dinner??? hee hee... ), so the markets can charge higher prices for it. and, what goes with cereal? milk! that's another item that's high priced at the market. i usually buy my milk at times, where it's usually $3.99 for the half gallon. i think it's cheaper at costco but i know we won't drink it all buy the time it expires and that dang gallon jug takes up too much space in the fridge. fresh fruits and veggies are also crazy priced at the market... last time i bought a carton of blueberries on sale for $3.99, i was shocked to see that the regular price was $10.99! holy smokes... i saved $7.00?! no way! that carton of blueberries probably costs $3.99 all the time on the mainland... which is another peeve of mine (along with having half ripe fruits at the market!)! we really pay the price of paradise!
July 16th, 2009 at 11:24 am
RICE!!! Remember when it was like $3 a bag?! Now it's like $13.
ZIPPY'S! Dang, but somtimes, no mo choice, especially if you jus of da jet and you land late and you get da onoz fo rice dat no mo "uncle" in it's name...no can help!
BTW, Times get sale on Cheerios. 2 of the small boxes for $7. Still better deal then 1 big box.
July 16th, 2009 at 11:50 am
@tita: Cool. I'm gonna grab some on the way home from work.
July 16th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
i know! cereal is expensive... so is most other groceries today. just for a pound of hamburger is expensive! meats, milk, bread, everything. oh well. what can we do... need to eat!
i think i need to start shopping more at costco for groceries!
July 16th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
It is really tough to eat healthy here. I can kinda understand why there's so many lard butts on this island. The mainland has so many other/better food choices if you like to eat healthy and not break the bank. That's too bad.
July 16th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
actually I don't do the food shopping so my husband can say HMM....he cuts the coupon then I just sit laugh and say hmmmm!
July 16th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
I used to put us in budget $65.00 a week then he complain I spend too much he says ..then I told him okay you do the shopping so he comes home $200.00...I DON"T CARE and I am not going to argue with him I just eat relax..HMMMM yummy huh don't expect me to cut coupons!
July 16th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
I am a very smart shopper but now I refuse to shop I am relaxing...good thing my oldest he does errands and buy grocery my husbnad just put money in and my son goes buy whatever on the list ....!
July 16th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
just eat a cup of cereal then it will last longer...add fruits nuts etc etc...
July 16th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
I like to get the generics for milk YN. Lucerne was it for Safeway?
Coupons is actually a good suggestion Rosey. Props!
Maybe that was her way of flirting beej?
Mabuhay!
$8 beeBz!? Woah!
What about the KJ's at Costco. Not bad yeah hemmaz?
D'oh! We drove by Cafe 100 several times, but nevah had the chance to stop by. Next time naks!
I know yeah Matty!? I gotta have shmall kine willpower to stop myself from buying those desired cereal(s) instead of buying the junk one on sale... Hehe!
Mmmmm.... Spicy Korean Chicken from Gina's.... Gaaaaaah!
Can you adopt me Kel Sr.?
jr. always has good deals on everything, including electronics! 
*sigh* Yup yup M!
P.S. Mahaloz for the Tinman tips!
Yeah, that's the problem Hobbz. They only have the mainstream stuffs. But yeah, if they got in Lucky Charms or Reece's Puffs, I'd go to town at Costco. LOL!
Yeah, Zippy's has been getting pretty steep yeah MP!? AND they give LESS! *pout*
Ooh, when you break it down that way, it doesn't seem so bad EMMbot!
True dat Danielle!
Sometimes, we'll get a loaf of bread from Great Harvest and slice it up. We can get like 10-12 slices per loaf, good for a whole week.
But it's the most important meal of the day pinky! Nah, I miss breakfast more often than not too!
Even the Krispy Kreme fundraiser version Kagz?
Yeah Ceeg. Back in the day, when I was single, I used to cook every once in a while, but found that it's so much easier and cheaper to just buy out than cook for just myself. Plus, like frankie said, some stuffs would come with veggies. LOL!
That's the best deal EVER yeah J Bizzle!? $1.50 for a dog and a drink. I think if I were homeless, I'd do that every day.
OH YEAH! Forgot about those ripoff prices J Peasy! Actually though, they started introducing those meal packs, which are pretty fairly priced don'tyasay?
Cereal for dinner moch!? Really!?
LOL! Soooo true snow! And speaking of blueberries.. is it just my imagination or do they spoil/mold like SUPER fast. I swear we had it in the fridge for like a day or two and it was already moldy. What the!?
Uh ohhh h leerz! You wen just wipe out Times!
See leerz!
Costco rocks my socks too m.c. at, but it's so hard to finish their humongous sizes if you're on your own or just a couple? Need one big time family or a BBQ to go crazy there.
"lard butts"! LOL! I won't go there Scotty, but I kinda know what you mean! I guess we just gotta make the effort to stay healthy...
Kate Gosselin? Hehe, nah!
July 16th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Oh yeah, forgot to mention another expensive item... PIZZA! $20 something for a slice of pie? Whyyyyyyy!?
July 16th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
@tita -
Oh, yeah, rice! Also, IKWYM...when I came back from a trip to the mainland a few months ago, first place we ended up was Zippys! It's not like we go there all the time either. But, we were craving rice and it was open.
@Ed - gotta get your pizza from Costco too! Not the best, but for the price cannot complain, yeah?
July 16th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Aloha Ed,
Doesn't Oceanic Time Warner pay you guys the "BIG BUCKS"? Or is it like everywhere else, where organizations take IT stuff for granted?
July 16th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
@Leerz - I just bought honey nut cheerios from sack n save ... 2 for $6.50.
You really gotta take advantage of those weekly ad specials ... When get something I like on sale, I go bananas and stock up.
Oh yeah, I know planny guys no like soy milk, but the buggah no expire as quick ... so when get Silk on sale, I horde!
July 16th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Instant saimin cost bucks now! Even that gotta wait for sale. Even canned meats ... I seen can corn beef hash almost $3.00 ... Hard for prepare for hurricanes!
July 16th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
@kuyaz-dang! my nearest sacks is i tink waianae.
@hemaz-i just spent most of te day catching up on top chef masters...marathon! woohoo! still waiting for chef roy.
July 16th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
ed - when you buy blueberries, there are usually a few that look a little soft or like they are going to get rotten, so take those out right away. i usually leave my blueberries in the fruit/vegetable drawer and they last... probably over a week. some might get a little bit soft but otherwise, they are still pretty good. if you keep them in the regular part of the fridge, you might want to buy some of those green bags. i use them for strawberries all the time and they are awesome! well worth the money.
July 16th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
@Leerz - foodland same as sack n save ... go pearl city. And Roy scheduled for next week's Top Chef Masters.
July 16th, 2009 at 11:31 pm
Went to Costco tonight. All this talk made me want to eat a cheap $1.50 polish hot dog with soda. I got honey nut cheerios for $6 something. 2 bags in the box.
@kuya & @tita - did you see the preview for Top Chef Masters? They showed Roy grocery shopping and he can't find the shoyu! Uh oh. Not a good sign!
July 16th, 2009 at 11:35 pm
@kuya - I drink soy milk. Do you have a Costco anywhere near you? I usually get mine from Costco. They used to carry the Silk brand but now they have the generic Kirkland brand. Not as good but way cheaper.
July 17th, 2009 at 7:38 am
33. Rosette:
actually I don't do the food shopping so my husband can say HMM....he cuts the coupon then I just sit laugh and say hmmmm!
Kate Gosselin?
WELL KATE COUPON IS GOOD FOR 23 years old meat...JON USED HIS COUPON !! ....MY COUPON has warning do not use to bail out 23 year old in jail card coupon!
July 17th, 2009 at 7:39 am
MY HUSBAND READS THE COUPON LINE HMM.....!
July 17th, 2009 at 8:48 am
@Rosey...where can we get that special coupon?! LOL!
July 17th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
@Hobbz - nearest Costco in Kaloko industrial ... Kona! But Silk is affordable on sale and with Safeway club card.
July 18th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
yes I need a coupon great for one free handsome male lap dancer...!