I know, I know, another post about Door to Door Organics. Reluctant Eater Reader Chris Shaw responded to this post asking:
How does that price compare with buying Organic food from your grocery store?
Today, I did a little research. How much would a Door to Door Organics $22.66 Bitty Box cost if you bought the same items from Whole Foods (on 4/22 in Boulder, CO)?
| Items in my Bitty Box Delivered March 16th | Amount in Bitty Box | Equivalent Cost at Whole Foods |
| Yams | 4 lbs | $8 |
| Zucchini | 3 lbs | $6 |
| Apples | 1 lb | $2.50 |
| Grapefruit | 2 lbs | $2* |
| Asian Pears | 1 lb | $3^ |
| Oranges | 1.5 lbs | $3 |
| Spinach | 1 bunch | $2.50* |
| Lettuce | 2 heads | $4 |
| Onions | 2 lbs | $4 |
| Total | $35 |
Wow.
I suspected that Door to Door was cheaper. But $22.66 vs $35?!? Wow.
Buying from Whole Foods instead of Door to Door Organics, not only will you have to drive to the store, but you won’t always find organic options for the things you need! The asterisks in the table above represent items that Whole Foods did not have organic options for (grapefruit and spinach), and the ^ denotes the fact that they didn’t have asian pears (I used the median price for the types of pears they did have).
Thanks again for the suggestion Chris. Two posts suggested by readers in the last two days? That should be a hint to the rest of you - send me your comments, questions, and suggestions!
Stay tuned for a future price comparisons that include non-organic food, and less premium supermarkets. If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to The Reluctant Eater, or better yet - tell a friend! You can use the “share” button below.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Love the price comparisons - really shows you what food costs. It’s interesting that so many folks think that Whole Foods is the only place to buy organic produce/foods. Whole Foods does a great job, but you have to know and search for organic produce. I believe that Door to Door Organics is 100% organic, but am not 100% certain. Also, Vitamin Cottage has some great prices and I believe all their produce is 100% certified organic.
Here’s a little tip. The little stickers that come on produce either start with a 4 or 9 (usually). 4 means conventional and 9 means organic.
Been meaning to try organic delivery. I’m concerned I will have too much and it will go to waste. Also concerned about the limitation of what they have available. However I thought this could both be good things! I’d have a easier time deciding what to make and get more creative and having excess of something will give me a good reason to make more juice smoothies!
I’ve been a customer since last summer and am a big fan. Jade, I had similar concerns before I started, but I found that being concerned that it will go to waste made me work that much harder to put it all to good use. As for variety, you can see this week’s menu here: http://colorado.doortodoororganics.com/boxes.php. Surveying that for a few weeks should give you an idea of the selections. You also have the option of substituting up to 3 items (for the bitty at least, not sure if you can substitute more in larger boxes or not) if you’re tired of a particular item. You can even record preferences of produce you never want, and what you’d like as a substitution. I’ve been pretty happy
@Curious Stranger: What was your routine before Door to Door and how has it changed since you started using them?
I ate way too much take out, because I didn’t do a great job of planning meals and grocery trips. Door to Door helped establish a schedule for me, and was way more convenient. Now, if the thought crosses my mind to order some take out, I’m reminded that I have a lot of produce to get through
I think that Door-to-Door Organics is great. However, organic is only part of the equation. Don’t forget how important LOCAL food is! Wherever your readers live, there is likely a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program that can give the a box of fresh, local, and likely organic produce for the same price you’re quoting for Door-to-Door. CSA is a great way to invest in a farm, and keep your local farmers in business! You can visit http://www.localharvest.org to find a CSA in your area. (I know Door-to-Door offers a “local” option for a few months of the year, but CSA seasons typically run 20 weeks or longer)
Thanks Sundari - that’s a great point! Why not try the best of both worlds, CSA in the summer and Door to Door the rest of the year?
Hey,
Cool thread, good insight and info. We are getting our first box from door to door this week…yeah!! I’m hoping this is a big step to focusing on good healthy food for our family, instead of just cheap and easy. We researched both Door to door and a CSA. I agree with The Reluctant Eater that a CSA in Summer and door to door the rest of the year is really the best way to go. We couldn’t afford the up front cost for the CSA this year so D2D was a great way for us to get started. I also liked that you could make limited substitutions (or at least exclude a few things you did not want). Unfortunately the CSA does not allow this. Also we live in the mountains and the added cost for mountain delivery definately made D2D more affordable. If you can afford the CSA, do it. Supporting local farms rules!
Either way, eat organic!