3/04/2008
Sometimes, quality in food is worth it.
I do fall into both camps – on some products, I shoot for low prices, so I can indulge in some nice products. However, I have a nasty situation where as soon as I fall in love with a product, it disappears from the market. My whole wheat spaghetti quests can get a little bizarre, but I found a guy who can get some great whole wheat spaghetti. I fell in love with a brand, shortly thereafter, you couldn't find it in the U.S. (the pasta was brought in from Canada. Then I got hooked on another brand – it was awesome, made with flax. That one has disappeared for the moment. I don't eat that much cheese. But when I do, I like it to be good quality cheese. I grew up with the green Kraft "parmesan" can. Ewwww! But in the last couple of years, I have used a local cheese shop to get great stuff where the taste difference is noticeable. Unfortunately, the cheese shop is disappearing. When I lived in Battle Creek, I was very poor, but I found a deli there to get some good cheese. When people are required, forced, or encouraged to eat less, doing so becomes a huge burden. But one good solution to make you feel better about the situation is to invest in good quality foods. I do have access to a produce store that has good quality at great prices. Even something as simple as quality garlic can make a difference in a dish. And while you can pay more (per pound) for some cheeses than you can for most steaks, sometimes doing so is worth it. When generics first hit the market, those who made them wanted to have some idea of how to determine when consumers would use generics. The sad truth is that, well, it depends on the consumer. Some want to pay $3.50 for quality potato chips while others want good produce regardless of the cost.
I may have to find another place to find that spaghetti, and yes, hope I can find a place with high-quality cheese. But it will be "worth" it.
So let us know what foods you would be willing to pay more for at the market?
