KC3 ESSAY
People all round the world travel to Hawaii for the surreal weather, beaches and The hospitality. Not only do they come for that, but for the ethnic variety in our food. Unfortunately, the price of having these great foods can cost more than they’re worth. We, the people living in Hawaii are the ones most effected by this. Our average costs of food and drink, $612 is approximately 30% higher than any place on the mainland. This is caused mainly by our isolation, which creates the need for importing food. The increase of people that live and visit the islands effects the amount of food, we now need to provide. Also storage and much more can add to these costs. We can save, while keeping the money in our island by being open to change in our diets, shopping smart, producing food ourselves.
First of all, we can adapt to the high and low prices in the supermarket and outside food. In the supermarket there are many choices and variety, it all just depends on what you want to eat. So, instead of a $17.99 piece of steak, you can change to a $10.00 chicken. This way you can save money while eating healthier. So, when you go to the grocery store, buy something on sale, and you can save up to $100 a year.
Next, you can shop smart. You can do this by shopping at stores that sell products in bulk, or that have many bargains. If you really want to focus on keeping the money in Hawaii, then the farmers markets can be the best places to go for fresh food. There are weekly farmers markets open at the Kapiolani Community College that sells food produce at a cost much less than stores. Also, when you go out to eat, places like Roy’s or Sam Choy’s can cost $35 per person. Choosing to go to a cheaper place to eat, you can choose a plate lunch, which can save you a trip to the bank.
Lastly, you can grow you own food. With the almost completely steady weather here in Hawaii, you can grow food to sustain yourself. Seeds are only about two to tree dollars a bag and would be considered a major sale considering how much one produces. Having a garden can be a lot of work, but mostly if you go all out. If you only need a few vegetables, a garden doesn’t need to be much of a hassle. Of course you wouldn't only survive on what you grown, but having a small garden can save you much more than you know.
All in all, Hawaii’s food can be the most expensive thing you have to buy here. Shipping 80% of the food and keeping up with the demand for it keeps us on edge with our pockets, but as you see there are solutions. We can all change our eating habits slightly, shopping smart, and doing a little of our own growing. So you see, paradise doesn’t always have to be so pricey.
