I seldom do any grocery shopping. In Tampa my kids do it for me, and in The Villages Barbara does it.
Seeing your posts confirms to me what Barbara often says; it costs about the same to go out to eat as it does to buy the ingredients in the store and prepare it yourself.
Knowing little about pricing, I do have an insight to offer about produce quality, which was mentioned elsewhere in this thread.
Tomatoes - In the 1950s, some of the finest quality tomatoes in the United States were produced on farms near Ruskin, Florida, in the same county with Tampa. Ruskin was a well known destination for migrant farm workers, and continues to be at this time, but to a lesser extent. The number of fields dedicated to tomatoes, and the packing houses for processing them has fallen off as more and more urban development has impinged on the area. There are still areas of Ruskin tomatoes growing as far as the eye can see. Fewer tomatoes results in higher prices.
Tomato Supplier | Ruskin FL | Tomatoes of Ruskin | Home
Oranges - Over the decades there have been a series of "Impact Freezes" that resulted in the destruction of vast areas of Orange Groves in Florida. This, and Disney's acquisition and destruction of groves to build Walt Disney World, resulted in virtually no current attempts to grow oranges north of State Road 60, which runs across the state at about the level of Tampa. Fewer groves results in fewer oranges, which brings higher prices.
Strawberries - The area around Plant City (named for early Florida developer Henry B. Plant,) east of Tampa is devoted to growing large and tasty strawberries. There is a major celebration every year, called the Strawberry Festival which is similar to a State Fair in a southern state. Many people prefer it over the Florida State Fair. I have seen Plant City Strawberries in grocery stores in The Villages. At the end of the harvest season, some fields open to tourists who can pick the remaining strawberries at a greatly reduced price.
Entertainment at the 2016 Strawberry Festival included the Drifters, Platters and Cornell Gunter’s Coasters; Willie Nelson and Family; Bellamy Brothers, Brenda Lee, The Blues Brothers, The Oak Ridge Boys, Cab Calloway Orchestra, Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, and Patti LaBelle.
Now, the insight about quality. Decades ago I was told by a teacher (in who knows what class) that it was a common practice that the finest produce was never sold locally. It was packaged for shipment to major markets where it would bring a higher price than in the more agrarian venues where it was grown. I don't claim this is accurate, but I was in the mood to write a long post, so here it is.
P.S. - The next Strawberry Festival is March 1 - 11, 2018. It is worth a visit.
Headline Entertainment – Florida Strawberry Festival