What Does Chicken Cost In Your Area?

[Jestgar]

So I just read one of those pretty badly written Yahoo articles about hunger in America. Open Original Shared Link, and I followed some of the other suggested readings. While I do realize that some people really can't afford food, I'm having a hard time believing that chicken costs upwards of $4.50/lb on the east coast (or was it Ohio?). Some of them are citing the cost of processed lunch meats ($9/lb ), but others just say 'chicken', or 'hamburger'.

What do you pay for run-of-the-mill chicken and hamburger where you are?

here:

chicken: reg ~$1.29/lb, sale ~$0.89/lb for a whole chicken. pieces range from $0.99 to $3.00

hamburger: ~$3.00/lb, but can be less

[kareng]

I know that the Boar's head lunch meat can be $9 a pound but there are much cheaper ones. I'm going to the store now so I will do some scouting. I will report back.

[Jestgar]

Oh, and a gallon of milk is $2.49, not much less when it's on sale.

[alex11602]

We live on the east coast and my husband said chicken was $4.19/lb for store brand chicken breast and perdue runs around $5.99/lb. Whole chickens often go on sale for $.99/lb but regular price is around $1.99/lb. I haven't bought ground beef in the store in over a year, but when I bought it last regular price was about $4.99/lb. Same thing with milk, I don't buy it myself but on sale special of the week (so about 50% off) is $2.99 a gallon.

[GottaSki]

I read a report that because of the drought there will be a major shortage of corn this season which in turn will raise the price of meat.

Southern California-

Chicken - Sale prices .89 - 1.49 -- Regular prices up to $4

Ground Beef - Sale price $2.99-$3.99 -- Regular price up to $6

[sa1937]

I just looked at my local Food Lion ad. This week Holly Farms bone-in chicken breasts are on sale for 99 cents a lb. They have fresh chicken leg quarters advertised for 79 cents a lb. in a 10-lb. bag (way too much chicken for me to buy though but great for a large family or someone with a freezer).

They also have 73% lean ground beef advertised for $2.29/lb. I don't buy it but can't remember what I last paid for ground chuck.

Milk prices are controlled here in PA so I'm not sure what a gallon would cost (I can't use up that much anyway so don't buy it in that size).

[kareng]

The hamburger was $4.49 and up. I think you can get those tubes of it cheaper at Walmart?

Whole chicken, was $1.49-1.99 per pound. Thighs were $1.49 This is from a "upscale" grocery in the KC area.

Didn't check milk.

[ravenwoodglass]

I'm in Upstate NY. Chicken breasts run about $3.50 to $4 bucks with dark meat pieces about 5o cents less per lb. Whole chicken runs about $2.49 lb and up. Ground beef is around $2.99 to $3.49 lb for 80/20. Milk is about $2.99 gallon up and a quart is about $1.30. I get tuna on sale for $.99 or $1.29 and stock up on that whenever it is on sale. Lunch meat goes from $3.49 lb on up.

I lucked out last week and found some 1 lb packages of ground beef marked down to $1.99. I use ground beef and mixed veggies in my dogs food so I grabbed 3.

Myself I have learned to live without much meat. When I do buy it it has to be something that will give me at least 3 meals like meat loaf mix (last time it was about $7 for about a lb and a half) or a couple real fat chicken breasts.

Unfortunately with the drought issues this year I think, as the saying goes, 'we ain't seen nothing yet!'

[Darn210]

Milk . . . $2.50/gallon

Skinless/Boneless Chicken Breast . . . $4.99/lb or $2.99/lb on sale . . . can almost ALWAYS find them on sale.

Ground Sirloin (90/10) . . . $4.39 . . . and climbing.

Boar's Head Sweet Slice Ham . . . $8.49/lb.

[mbrookes]

I don't mean this to be a political statement but.... everything I buy is going up. printing more money makes it worse. Isn't there something that can make things better????

[shadowicewolf]

Wow guys, seriously? 2.50 for a gallon of milk? Its easily 3.00 here.

I bought a 10lb bag of chicken for .79 a lb. I splerged on ground serloin at my local butcher for 3.50lb i think.

Shall we talk fruit? 1.50 per lb on hand picked whilst bag of tiny things is 3.50 each. All of this for apples. -sigh-

[Juliebove]

Wow! Food is cheap where you are! I will give you the Safeway prices although they aren't necessarily the cheapest place to buy food here. Nor are they the most expensive place.

Organic, boneless, skinless breasts (that's what we buy) are $8.99 a pound.

The Foster Farm, boneless, skinless breasts are $7.49 a pound but $4.99 if you have the club card.

Thighs (no brand) are $2.99 a pound or $1.99 with club card.

5.50 pounds of thighs are $1.49 a pound.

Foster Farms Whole, cut up is $1.99 a pound.

Whole Foster Farms is $1.29 a pound.

96% lean ground beef is $5.69 a pound.

85% Lean Extreme Value (huge package) is $4.19 a pound.

Dairy Glen 2% milk is $3.89 a gallon but if you buy one, you get a second one for $2.49 with club card.

Horizon Organic is $7.69 a gallon.

Lucerne is $3.49 a gallon. That's their brand.

Food is really not cheap here. We eat very little meat. Right now our cupboards are stocked with beans, rice and pasta. I do buy chicken for my daughter every once in a while because she loves it. Otherwise I use a little bacon or ground beef mixed into a large dish of something like baked beans or a casserole or spaghetti sauce. I don't drink milk. When husband is home, he drinks a lot of if. Daughter uses maybe a quart per week. I usually keep some shelf stable stuff when I can get it for a good price. And I have powdered for cooking.

[Juliebove]

The hamburger was $4.49 and up. I think you can get those tubes of it cheaper at Walmart?

Whole chicken, was $1.49-1.99 per pound. Thighs were $1.49 This is from a "upscale" grocery in the KC area.

Didn't check milk.

The tubes (called chubs) are pink slime. We avoid!

[Juliebove]

I was shocked today at the produce prices. Two weeks ago I bought red bell peppers at Winco which probably has the best prices around. Target is also very good and we normally shop both places. I paid 69 cents per pepper at Winco although most of the peppers were not refrigerated and we really had to pick through them to find 4 good ones. But they were very big and kept for a week.

Went to Target on Friday. Medium sized peppers that were not fresh were $1.39. We did not buy.

Today I went to Albertsons because daughter wanted sugar free hot cider which they had. Was going to buy peppers there. But they were tiny and mostly not good. They wanted $1.99 each! No way. I already had a bag in my hand so decided to get a cucumber. But they wanted $1.99 for an English one and 99 cents for a plain one. Pretty sure they are a lot less at Target and Winco. I passed that up and opted for celery which was 89 cents for a small bunch.

Must not decide not to go to Winco this week. We are still trying to live mainly off of our stockpile for a few weeks because husband won't be getting his first paycheck for his new job until perhaps the 15th of Oct. Yikes! I got a yummy sounding recipe for some pinto beans. Has a little bacon, tomato, cilantro, onion and jalapenos. I'm going to make that next week.

[Gemini]

I don't think my reply will count as I shop at Whole Foods. Their prices are high anyway and I don't eat mainstream meats. I love ground buffalo instead of ground hamburger and the cost of fresh ground buffalo is $9.99/lb. As it's only my husband and myself, and we both are gluten-free, I splurge. Whatever agrees with me and tastes good, I buy, until I can no longer afford to do this.

I know they sell chicken at 1.99/lb if you buy 4 pounds or more. It's great chicken too....the little free range kind that get to run around and eat good feed. It's tender and better than any other chicken I have tried. Normally, it's about $4.19/lb. I won't even tell you what I pay for fresh fish and I live near the ocean and great fishing grounds. The fishermen are getting much higher prices for wholesale, so that bumps up retail. I think with that it's all supply and demand.

I admit, I don't look at prices all that much because I believe spending money on good quality food is worth it for my health. We both work, so that helps, and we don't dine out all that often so we save money there to spend in the grocery store. I have no idea what milk costs as my husband is the milk drinker and he buys it.

[love2travel]

Where I live:

4L or 1 gallon of milk is $4.89; my lactose-free milk is $4.99 for 2L or half a gallon

boneless, skinless chicken breast $5.99/lb, sometimes up to $6.99/lb

bone-in chicken thighs $4.99/lb

unsalted butter $6.97 454g or 1 lb

Where we buy is much more expensive as we buy from a local organic farm (including our beef, lamb, duck, chicken and cheeses) and feel good doing so. I grow many of our vegetables and herbs. Our pork sausage is organic and comes from happy plump and loved Berkshire pigs. Gluten free bread at the Farmer's Market is $10 per loaf which I think is a bit steep.

I am a smart shopper and believe I get what I pay for. Thankfully we have the resources to buy high-quality ingredients and I can indulge in nearly all my cooking fantasies!

[kittty]

We buy most of our meat and vegetables at a local Vietnamese market. The produce is locally grown, fresh, and cheaper than most chain grocery stores, and the meat is either raised locally or comes from sources that don't pump it full of hormones. It's all prepared by in-house butchers. We don't eat much beef, but the pork loin is about $2.50/pound. The fresh fish is market price - but it's REALLY fresh. Their chicken is expensive, because it's prepared in the Buddhist style, but we can get it on sale sometimes for $6.99 for a whole bird.

[Gemini]

Where I live:

4L or 1 gallon of milk is $4.89; my lactose-free milk is $4.99 for 2L or half a gallon

boneless, skinless chicken breast $5.99/lb, sometimes up to $6.99/lb

bone-in chicken thighs $4.99/lb

unsalted butter $6.97 454g or 1 lb

Where we buy is much more expensive as we buy from a local organic farm (including our beef, lamb, duck, chicken and cheeses) and feel good doing so. I grow many of our vegetables and herbs. Our pork sausage is organic and comes from happy plump and loved Berkshire pigs. Gluten free bread at the Farmer's Market is $10 per loaf which I think is a bit steep.

I am a smart shopper and believe I get what I pay for. Thankfully we have the resources to buy high-quality ingredients and I can indulge in nearly all my cooking fantasies!

That's it!!!!! I am definitely coming to your house for dinner!

[shadowicewolf]

I agree getting meat outside of the main stream stores is best. I get mine at a butcher shop and know the family that runs it. No extra water or anything. I love the flavor and only add a bit of seasoning when i wish it.

[BabsV]

I was at BJs (Alexandria VA) this morning and remembered this question so paid close attention to current prices:

Perdue Chickens (whole) = $1.99/lb

Perdue Chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) = $3.99/lb

Perdue Chicken thighs (boneless/skinless) = $2.99/lb

Perdue Chicken tenderloins = $2.89/lb (yes I triple-checked that because I didn't believe it!)

I picked up 3 lbs of ground chicken (can't remember if it was Perdue or Tysons...) for $7.49.

Also found ground bison for $14.99 for 2 lbs which is the best price I've seen for it in this area (my nutritionist says I need to eat more red meat and suggested I add in bison...wouldn't have tried it otherwise!)

I knew the prices at BJs were better than my local Safeway or Giant or Trader Joe's but hadn't paid close enough attention to realize they were THAT much better. Of course, my freezer is now crammed full of meat but if I only have to shop for meat every 2-3 weeks I'm ok with that!

[shadowicewolf]

Oh wow, thats expensive for bison. I can get it here (if i wasn't burnt out on it) for $5 something a lb.

At any rate, I payed.... $5.00 for some ground round yesterday (not my butcher sadly, i had to get it at king soopers). They had some fresh ground in case, but i wasn't gunna bother, it was next to gluteny items O.o

Chicken, if i remember right was $7 something for some legs. Ummm... no thanks.

[megsybeth]

I'm in southern CA and it's always a lot higher here. Milk is usually at least $4/gallon and I don't buy organic. I moved here from Manhattan where you would imagine prices would be really high (rent, it's an island, cost to truck food in limited storage) but the prices are the same here. But people make a lot less money on average.

[love2travel]

That's it!!!!! I am definitely coming to your house for dinner!

Any time - just give me a bit of notice and I'll put on an amazing spread for you!