I was grocery shopping recently and noticed that things like pre-chopped onions, sliced peppers, and packaged stir fry veggie mixes are usually way more expensive than buying the same vegetables whole.
I understand you’re paying for convenience, but the price difference sometimes feels huge. A whole onion might be under $1, while a small container of pre-chopped onions can be several dollars.
Just curious how the pricing actually works behind the scenes.
Why are pre-chopped/prepared vegetables so much more expensive than whole vegetables?
byu/savingrace0262 inFrugal
Posted by savingrace0262
23 Comments
It takes time and manpower to chop them, and paying employees is expensive.
Labor costs money. Someone has to open and dispose of packaging, cut the produce, and repackage them.
They have to charge for the labor and packaging.
Consumers pay for the convenience if they choose to.
You’re paying for convenience AND the product.
I rely on these type of foods due to disability and it’s just one of those things that sucks but I don’t have a choice but to pay more.
The bigger question is, how much time do you actually think you’re saving by buying pre chopped vegetables? 5 minutes maybe? Soooo much time.
Labor.
In addition to labor costs, chopped veggies go bad a lot faster than whole. So the store has less time to sell them, and needs to account for the higher risk of of waste.
Seriously? Labor and waste.
You’re paying someone to do it for you. That person gets paid an hourly wage. There is also extra packaging involved, and possibly more difficult/expensive storage (eg, refrigeration for the onion).
They have to throw out a lot bc it goes bad faster. It’s also labor intensive if it’s cut fresh
Lazy tax is expensive
“I understand you’re paying for convenience”
Reread your own comment right there chief.
People pay more money for convenience. There are entire stores dedicated to this phenomenon, in fact.
If I’m making stir-fry or whatever, I go to a grocery store with a nice, large salad bar. It’s easy to get just what you need – not as cheap as raw, uncut – but cheaper than a small container of each.
It’s a great hack.
Aldi has organic frozen veggies (peas, corn, green beans, mixed) for a little over $1/bag.
Some ppl live in hotels, bring it to work etc and the extra money is worth the convenience
Are you looking at fresh cut vegetables or frozen! I recently bought frozen chopped onion for $1.25. Most other frozen bags of veggies are around $2/ bag for house brand. Given the price of fresh produce in my area, the frozen has been a better deal.
You’re paying some one to do it, and also the precut produce goes bad a lot faster than the whole ones. So you,re also accounting for increased food waste in the price.
Say your sentence again, out loud, repeat it 3 times, and then get back to us.
Uhhhhhh….because someone did all the work already?
It usually is more expensive, but check prices. I’ve found at times the packaged veggies are actually same price or even cheaper. Sliced red/yellow peppers, broccolini, asparagus are a few where the whole veggies were more.
prices are set to what people are willing to pay not what it cost.
if people buy it well they will price it the highest they can.
Because you have to pay someone to chop the vegetables and pay for the packaging.