grocery prices?????????? (Knoxville, Viola: organic, military, shop)

[knoxgarden]

Milk and milk products are the primary source of the usable calcium that your body needs, not just for strong bones but for a variety of other tasks.
Milk is fortified with vitamin D because the body needs it to use Calcium.
Soy milk, even fortified, has considerably less calcium than milk.
Low calcium levels can affect everything from blood pressure to muscle cramping, numbness, tingling and other nerve problems.
The use of sunscreen these days is causing a lot of problems with people not getting enough vitamin D from sunlight and therefore not using calcium.

[kksparks]

I just have to say my mother in-law (the mayfield nut), told me the colored jug is better for the milk, keeps out light. Now why that is the only milk place to do this makes me wonder. I also have to say, I tried soy milk a couple weeks ago. WoW YUCK not for me. Not at all like milk. I do drink only whole milk. Maybe why.

[hiknapster]

I drank soy milk for the first four years of my life. I had grown out of my milk allergy but you couldn't tell my parents that. I have never had a glass of milk in my life. I put it in my coffee, will drink chocolate milk, but have never had a glass of white milk. Took a sip of it, once, in error, and nearly hurled.

I try to buy organic everything.

[ShellsNJam]

We drink Cruze Farms milk in our house - it's local and tastes way better. It is also cheaper. We pay $5 for a gallon. We also buy local farm eggs they are also alot cheaper than the store bought eggs - $2.00 a dozen - and of course taste better IMO. You could also join a CSA and get local organic vegetables, but I would act now for next year's list. We started inquiring too late and couldn't get a share this year.

I also noticed at Food City that the Full Circle Organic Milk is $4.99 a gallon. This is one of the few places I have seen gallons as compared to half gallons.

[mysticfire0213]

I think we're going to have to cut WAYYY down on our milk consumption when we move--right now we pay $3.50/gallon (not soy, not organic) in MD--I remember thinking that when we bought milk in TN last time that it was higher

[heathdawn]

I'm in Central Florida and we pay $3.99 at Walmart, $4.09 at Publix and $4.19 at 7-11. However everything at the grocery store is more, cold cuts are crazy.

[gemkeeper]

I only go to Publix for milk and it has been about $4.29 for us here in N. GA. I am so used to saying "We need a bottle of milk" that I just pull the gallon off of the shelf without paying a lot of attention to it.

I am going to buy a gallon a couple times a week no matter what it costs, so I just grab it. Now, ask me what the prices are for Oreos, Craisins, and butter - things I have a choice to buy or wait for a sale - and I can tell you to the penny what they are.

Who isn't going to buy milk no matter what it cost if you have a family to feed. It's easy to make a choice between ground beef in a tube (mystery grind) or ground round. Or is it chicken tonight or something cheaper like toasted cheese sandwiches and soup?

This is a time of juggling priorities of all kinds. I know that my family is getting used to old-fashioned popcorn made in the popper and fore going the fancy, schmanchy chips and Haagen-Daaz ice cream. I am buying more store brand items, as well, like soda, cereals, and bread.

You can choose to cut down on your trips out in the car, but you can't choose not to buy food - just what food you buy.

[hiknapster]

The one thing I won't buy is that hamburger in a tube. Years ago it may have been fine, but there have been too many recalls on them. As far as I am concerned, it could be the "mad cow" special.

Yes, I have bought them, about five years ago, but now, if it came down to it, I will feed my family macaroni and cheese.

[gemkeeper]

I operate pretty much the same way, hiknapster. I don't skimp on meat quality no matter how good the deal is. I want to know what I am feeding my family and protein is good if it comes from meat, but just as good if it comes from dairy, beans and brown rice.

I do treat myself to good cuts of beef when we have it (not much beef in our house), but I cannot use any marinades or tenderizers on cheaper cuts of beef. The rest of the family has a marinated Sirloin while I get a 3 oz. filet. Hey, that's fair! They also can eat the sauteed mushrooms and onions with theirs.

[Steve Bagu]

I don't live back east so the discussion on milk goes in one ear and out the other. As for difference in some prices, One grocery chain will have an exclusive contract with a milk supplier and its related products. Another chain will do the same. On some products, you may find a lower price on some items which are used as a LOSS leader to bring the customer into their store. They make money on the other items you buy besides their LOSS leader item. These items may be at or near Wholesale price and on occasion they may sell a item for LESS then what they originally paid for the item to begin with. This will explain the disparaty in price. I was in the Grocery Inventory field (owner) for 23 yrs and saw the operation of stores with MGMT and their method of operation. Steve