The price of blueberries

[Twoddle]

Why have blueberries got so expensive recently they were half the price 6 months ago ?2 or less for 200 grammes and now ?2.50 for 125 grammes! They're supposed to be a powerfruit good for memory improvement and coordination but I can hardly afford them now. A handful costs more than a whole box of the cereal I put them on!

Every time I see them they're from a different country too, Poland, Chile, England, South Africa you name it and they tell us it's a new season. Surely they're always in season if you can get them from all over the world.

[LadyNorwood]

I think you've just answered your own question there Twoddle - "surely they're always in season if you can get them from all over the world" - hence the price increase.... If they're being imported from Poland I'm guessing it's cheaper than importing them from South Africa.... They're out of season in the UK, but in season in SA and Chile, hence the higher cost perhaps? I'm not preaching by any means, but we are always being told to cut our carbon footprint and there are plenty of fruits in season in the UK at the moment... I agree with you, though, the price of them is ridiculous (frozen for muffins or smoothies, dried for snacks are good)...

[giggirl]

Hi Twoddle,

I'm constantly amazed at the crap people put into their bodies so well done for striving for a healthy diet.

When I was a kid in the 70s we ate all our fruit and veg seasonally. Then it became like you could have anything you wanted whenever you wanted it. We didn't notice it at first, but the quality of what we were eating was dropping fast as foods were being forced and then picked well before they were ripe so that they would ripen on the journey to the UK. For the most part I have returned to eating seasonally and buying home grown whenever possible. I say for the most part as there are exceptions - personally I can't live without avocados!

Have you thought about substituting goji berries for blueberries to tide you over until when Blueberries are in season again. You can buy dried goji berries and put them into juice to make them soft. That's one option.

[Annette Curtain]

Buy frozen berries, defrost and add to yoghurt etc . Lidl, Iceland even Waitrose sell them

Much of the fresh cost allows for wastage/transport, frozen at source is more productive/cost effective

You'll be fine

[El Pibe]

Research on possible benefits over and above 'being good for you' is still pretty inconclusive from what I can gather.

You'll probably accrue greater benefits by sticking to apples, giving up that coffe in the morning and ensuring you get a good nights sleep.

It'll be cheaper at any rate.

[srisky]

Don't be in a rush to give up the coffee in the morning...

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/coffee/

I start my day with a coffee, glass of red wine & chocolate, dark of course.

[dbboy]

A similar story with blackberries, frozen are cheaper.

[Sue]

Annette Curtain Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Buy frozen berries, defrost and add to yoghurt etc

> . Lidl, Iceland even Waitrose sell them

>

> Much of the fresh cost allows for

> wastage/transport, frozen at source is more

> productive/cost effective

>

> You'll be fine

xxxxxx

Yes that's what I do.

Sainsbury's has frozen blueberries, I think they're two bags for four pounds at the moment.

They were three bags for a fiver for ages, but hey ho, they think we don't notice.

They're much cheaper than buying fresh, the bags are quite large, and you can use exactly how many you want without worrying about the rest going rotten.

If you don't take them out of the freezer in time, you can (shock horror) microwave them.

Sainsbury's also do good frozen raspberries at the same price, however don't bother with anything with frozen strawberries in as the last lot I had were completely tasteless :(