The first price listed for each product is the highest we found; second is the lowest; third is a price from a specialty market. When specialty markets did not carry the brand we were looking for, we listed a price (shown in parentheses) for the comparable product.
1 lb. Fuji Apples
$1.99 @ Sweetbay, Publix
$.88 @ Wal-Mart
$2.49 @ Fresh Market
Oscar Meyer Beef Franks, 1 lb. package
$3.79 @ Sweetbay
2 for $5 @ Albertsons, Winn-Dixie
($7.29 for 1 lb. package of Coleman Natural Uncured Hot Dogs @ Wild Oats)
Tropicana Pure Premium 3-Quart Container
$5.59 @ Winn-Dixie (Gulfport)
$4.29 @ Sweetbay
$5.29 @ Wild Oats
($6.49 for a half-gallon of Organic Valley @ Rollin' Oats)
Dozen House Brand Extra-Large Eggs
$1.49 @ Albertsons Pasadena
$.77 @ Super Target, Clearwater
($2.39 for Phil's XL free-farmed white eggs @ Wild Oats)
($4.69 for Organic Valley large brown eggs)
Six-Pack Bud Lite
$4.97 @ Wal-Mart
$5.69 @ Albertsons
$4.99 @ Fresh Market
NO BUD LITE @ Wild Oats, $5.99 for Michelob Lite
Gallon of House Brand Milk
$3.49 @ Super Target Clearwater
2 for $5 @ Sweetbay, Midtown St. Pete
($6.49 for Organic Valley Whole Milk @ Wild Oats)
Brick-sized package of Breyers Ice Cream (vanilla/chocolate/strawberry)
$5.29 @ Publix
$2.98 @ Wal-Mart
$5.79 @ Wild Oats (vanilla)
Cool Ranch Doritos, 13 oz. package
$3.49 @ Publix, Sweetbay, Albertsons, Winn-Dixie
$2.50 @ Wal-Mart and Super Target
($2.79 for 9 oz. package Bearitos Organic Yellow Tortilla Chips @ Wild Oats)
Box of Cocoa Pebbles
$3.59 @ Publix, Albertsons
$1.76 @ Wal-Mart
($3.19 for 10 oz. Box Barbara's Organic Wild Puffs @ Wild Oats; $4.95 @ Rollin' Oats)
Classic Wonder Bread
$1.99 @ Publix, Winn-Dixie, Albertsons
$1.50 @ Sweetbay
($1.99 for Bunny Old-Fashioned White @ Fresh Market)
This article appears in Nov 15-21, 2006.