The Price of San Marzano Tomatoes!

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Andy M.

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This weekend I saw the price of a 28 ounce can of San Marzano whole tomatoes rise to $5.29! I always shop for the genuine "seal of approval" grown in Italy etc. San Marzanos.

I've gotten to the point where I find this prohibitive and am wondering if I should go back to regular canned tomatoes.

What do you folks pay for the real deal? Do you even bother with the real SM tomatoes?
 
Andy M. said:
This weekend I saw the price of a 28 ounce can of San Marzano whole tomatoes rise to $5.29! I always shop for the genuine "seal of approval" grown in Italy etc. San Marzanos.

I've gotten to the point where I find this prohibitive and am wondering if I should go back to regular canned tomatoes.

What do you folks pay for the real deal? Do you even bother with the real SM tomatoes?

Good grief! That's ridiculous.

I'll stick with my Hunt's.
 
This weekend I saw the price of a 28 ounce can of San Marzano whole tomatoes rise to $5.29! I always shop for the genuine "seal of approval" grown in Italy etc. San Marzanos.

I've gotten to the point where I find this prohibitive and am wondering if I should go back to regular canned tomatoes.

What do you folks pay for the real deal? Do you even bother with the real SM tomatoes?

I used to buy them by the case at Amazon for a lot less, but it looks like most of their brands went up also. For the past few years, I've been buying Bionaturae Organic Tuscan whole tomatoes by the case, and I like them even better than the San Marzano. If you have a Whole Foods or other health food market nearby, they should sell the Bionaturae, and for a lot less than $5.29.

http://www.amazon.com/bionaturae-Or...E1JY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318805843&sr=8-1

 
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I'll stick with Red Pack or Contadina. A buck a can on sale for 28 oz. Maybe not the real thing, but never having eaten the "real thing", I won't miss them.
I love the new chunky cut Red Pack. Nice and chunky. I season them how I like, but yes, the tomato seems to be lacking something. That tomato depth...
I'll put SM maters are on my bucket list ;)
 
I buy Contadina when I buy canned tomatoes or tomato paste, like Fred said, don't know what I am missing.
 
i wait until the cento brand certified imported san marzanos go on sale, usually in early summer, then i stock up at half price. i think i bought a dozen or more large cans this past july at around $2.25 or $2.50 each.
 
I've tried the S.M. canned tomatoes and found them very good. But Dellalo brand tomato products are my go-to choice, for both price and quality. They don't have much added to alter that great tomato flavor. They taste like I could have just picked them from my garden, and are consistently good. I used to purchase Hunts and Contadina. But I like the fresh flavor of the Delallo better. My wife isn't so sure. ButI'm the cook, so I choose the groceries, most of the time, anyway, um, when my wife lets me. Um, yes dear, I'll get off of the computer now and get back to making supper. Um, no, I didn't say anything about you. And that dress you're wearing makes you look amazing. Did I mention that earlier?:ROFLMAO: Just kidding. She's up stairs watching TV.:)

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North
 
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Goodweed of the North said:
I've tried the S.M. canned tomatoes and found them very good. But Dellalo brand tomato products are my go-to choice, for both price and quality. They don't have much added to alter that great tomato flavor. They taste like I could have just picked them from my garden, and are consistently good. I used to purchase Hunts and Contadina. But I like the fresh flavor of the Delallo better. My wife isn't so sure. ButI'm the cook, so I choose the groceries, most of the time, anyway, um, when my wife lets me. Um, yes dear, I'll get off of the computer now and get back to making supper. Um, no, I didn't say anything about you. And that dress you're wearing makes you look amazing. Did I mention that earlier?:ROFLMAO: Just kidding. She's up stairs watching TV.:)

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

Is Dellalo a regional brand, GW? Have never heard of them. Is that what you use in your chili?
 
I'm not that picky. Whatever is on sale buy. I guess I don't know what I'm missing either loll. I feel I can season them myself.
 
A good subistitute, Calif.,grown.
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Andy,

The last time I bought the SM tomatoes they were 1 can for $4. I get my normal brand 2 cans for $4.

I haven't looked recently to see if the price has changed.
 
I'll probably never even try them at that price! I use probably 6 cans or so a month.

Regular size cans of Hunts or Great Value are around 60¢, plus I can get them in regular, sliced, diced or mini diced.
 
andy, i found the muir glen very acidic as well. and they're almost as expensive as the sm tomatoes.

gw, i've seen dellalo brand in the stores. i'll have to give them a go. thanks for the tip.

i forgot to add that i'l buy la fede brand when they go on sale too.
 
I've used certified San Marzano and they were good, but not to the extent where I would pay 4-5 times more than regular tomatoes. I think they shine in a simple quick pan sauce, but in a long cook, highly seasoned sauce with meat, I find that Hunt's or even store brands work just fine. I usually pay .89-.99 for 28oz. cans, when I see them at that price I stock up. BJ's warehouse club has them in 6 packs for almost that price every day.
 
I use Wegman's house brand crushed and was upset when they went from .69 to .79 a 28 oz.can.

I think if a frugal Italian immigrant came to America they would use old world cooking skills on local products, just like they did at home.

I think they also might have a rib-eye for dinner instead of pasta at those prices.:LOL:
 
I used to buy the SM tomatoes, as well, but went back to a brand like Cento or Hunts, whatever is cheaper. I honestly can't tell the difference .
 
Price is the main reason I grow San Marzano tomatoes (yes I know, not certified, in San Marzano soil or growing conditions.)

I have 20 or so in the kitchen ripening, another 20 on the picnic table outside ripening and at least another 30 or so on some of the plants outside.

I put seeds in pots for later transplant around March, then in the gardens in May/June and some tomatoes even volunteered on their own in the spring--that surprised me.

When I use them, I'll give them a good squeeze (because they are a fairly dry type of tomato) and save the seeds for next year. I've dried most of them this year, and later today or tomorrow I'm making a big batch of fresh salsa to use the ripe ones.
 

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