TAMPA, Fla. — The outer rings of the grocery store are always the most expensive, and with the Consumer Price Index going even higher, we wanted to shop with an expert to get the most bang for our buck.
ABC Action News reporter Michael Paluska hit a Winn-Dixie store in Tampa off Fletcher Avenue to talk healthy eating with Davis Wilson, a certified nutritionist, and mental toughness coach.
"I walk into the store, and the first thing I see is two for seven on these strawberries right here. So it's pretty good. So that's a good deal. I'd take that," Wilson said. "I'm looking here we got BOGO on this fresh veggie mix here."
Wilson said his clients struggle to strike a balance between budget and buying what makes them feel good. He often focuses on meal prep, buying in bulk, and scouring stores for deals. Skipping the restaurant can be a big cost savings.
"You can always eat healthy. And yeah, I mean, the budget is higher than it used to be, but so is eating out," Wilson said. "So you might as well come to the grocery store and make it at home."
ABC Action News tracked prices at five stores across the Tampa Bay area: Target, Wal-Mart, Publix, Aldi, and Winn-Dixie. Most of the prices were competitive across the five items we looked at. Of course, keep in mind that prices vary based on store location, inventory, deals offered at certain stores, inventory, and inflationary factors. The most significant discrepancy we noticed was in the price of avocados. When we looked at prices this month, avocados were the cheapest at Walmart, at .96 cents per. In contrast, they were $1.66 at Publix.
"The two most expensive things you're always gonna be buying is gonna be one, your produce, and number two, your meats," Wilson said.
The cheapest non-organic chicken breasts were between $2 and $3 per pound at all of the stores. Lean ground beef fluctuated between $6 and $8 per pound.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in January, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers rose 0.5 percent, seasonally adjusted, and rose 3.0 percent over the last 12 months, not seasonally adjusted.
February 2025 CPI data is scheduled to be released on March 12, 2025, at 8:30 a.m.
February 2025
- Target
- Avocado — .99
- Honey Crisp Apples — $1.59 each
- Dozen Eggs — 4.19
- Chicken Breasts — $2.69
- Ground Beef 90/10 — $7.49
- Wal-Mart
- Avocado — .96
- Honey Crisp Apples — $1.47 EACH
- Dozen Eggs — $5.97
- Chicken Breasts —$2.67/lb
- Ground Beef 90/10—$6.88
- Publix
- Avocado — $1.66 each
- Honey Crisp Apples — $3.79 lb
- Dozen Eggs — $4.99
- Chicken Breasts — $4.99
- Ground Beef 90/10— $7.49
- ALDI
- Avocado — .99
- Honey Crisp Apples — $1.69 EACH
- Dozen Eggs — $6.05
- Chicken Breasts — $3.49
- Ground Beef 90/10— $5.89 lb
- Winn-Dixie
- Avocado — $1.25
- Honey Crisp Apples — $3.19 lb
- Dozen Eggs — $5.99
- Chicken Breasts — $2.99
- Ground Beef 90/10 — $7.99
