My Bountiful Basket Experiment

Is Bountiful Baskets really cheaper than the grocery store?  I have been getting a basket for a while now and I wanted to do a price comparison between Bountiful Baskets and price matching at Walmart.  The produce from Bountiful Baskets is the same as what you would find in the grocery store unless you get the organic basket.

My Friend got the following in her basket this week:

1 head Califlower
1 head Brocolli
2 heads Lettuce
2 Cucumber
8 Small Red Potatoes
4 Tomatoes
3 Onions
3 Avocados
1- 6oz case of Blackberries
1  Mango
1 Honeydew
5 Bananas

So I went to my ads and found the following price matches:  I wanted to do this for any random week, when there was any kind of sale on the above items.  I didn't really buy all of the quantities of the items, but I bought at least 1 and then multiplied the lb for 1 by how many my friend got in her basket. 

1 head Califlower  $0.88/1b   .82 lb @ $0.88/lb   = $0.72
1 head Brocolli      $0.88/lb   .82 lb @ $0.88/lb    = $0.72
2 heads Lettuce  (Romaine)    2@1.74 each         =  $3.48    
2 Cucumbers                         2@$0.50 each        = $1.00
8 Small Red Potatoes                                           = $0.74
4 Tomatoes                            1.76lb @ $0.78/lb  = $1.36
3 Onions                                1.8lb @  $0.48/lb   = $0.85
3 Avocados                                 3@ $0.68 each = $2.04
1- 6oz case of Blackberries                                  = $2.50
1  Mango                                                             =$0.68
1 Honeydew                                                        = $2.50
5 Bananas                             2.4lb@$0.52/lb      = $1.25

Total :  $ 17.84 +tax @3% =    $18.38

The Bountiful Baskets is $16.50.    So even if I got the Romaine lettuce it wouldn't be that much more than the basket.  And at the grocery store I can buy what I want and like.  I can buy specific produce for my salads and I don't get stuff I don't like or don't need.  (I really don't need 4 tomatoes this week.)

Here is what I really bought:
1 lb strawberries $1.50
1 head Romaine  $1.74
1 yellow onion     $0.28
1 red onion          $0.57
1 tomato              $0.34
5 bananas            $1.25
2 limes                 $0.40
10 gala apples      $1.82
1 mango               $0.68
3 avocados          $2.04
1 bunch cilantro    $0.29
1 lb baby carrots  $ 0.88
3 brocolli crowns  $1.04
2 Cucumbers        $1.00
5 lb bag red pot    $1.47
Honeydew            $2.50
Red Grapes          $2.50
Total:  $20.58
= 21.20 with tax.

Yes, I eat a lot of produce.  My kids are more likely to eat the carrots, grapes, and apples than the extra head of lettuce, tomatoes and onion.  I spent about $5 more than the bountiful basket and I bought some things extra just for the price matching experiment (like the mango and the honeydew).