Jun 16, 2026
Kids can be picky eaters. But as it turns out, they love themselves some berries. And parents of toddlers are finding out really quickly how expensive that can get.
A weekly haul of strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries can typically only last a few days, leading to unscheduled visits to the grocery store. Those visits add up, especially as the price of berries has risen alongside Americans’ consumption levels, according to a new report by The Washington Post.
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“There is one thing I’ve spent the most money on in my life. It is packs of berries,” Kylie Kelce, the mother of four kids with former NFL player Jason Kelce, said during a 2024 episode of her podcast “Not Gonna Lie,” cited by the publication. “It has to overcome diapers.”
Berry eating habits have shifted drastically since the turn of the century. The per person supply of strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries have all increased since 2000, while apples, bananas, and grapefruit have dropped, according to the Washington Post.
The percentage of children eating strawberries on a given day also increased across all income levels in 2023 compared to 2017, the publication said.
How much berries are costing households
Berries are grown seasonally in the U.S, so the country relies on imports to fill in the gaps.
About half of the berries Americans ate in 2021 came from outside of the country, according to a Washington Post analysis of Agriculture Department data. Mexico supplies 98% of strawberry imports. Peru and Chile largely cover the rest of the popular berry options. Overall, U.S. berry imports were $4.8 billion in 2025, up from $134 million in 2000.
In 1990, a pound of strawberries cost about three times the price of a pound of bananas, on a 12-month rolling average, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data referenced by the Washington Post. In 2025, they cost five times as much, or $3.50 compared to 70 cents for a pound of bananas. At one pound a week, that’s $182 a year. For households making multiple grocery runs, the bill is even higher.
Some disgruntled adults are taking to Reddit to brag about growing their own berries to combat rising prices, while warning how factors like high gas and fertilizer costs will make berries very expensive this summer.
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Moneywise also reported in April how the Iran War sent raspberry prices soaring due to elevated diesel costs.
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While more expensive, at least berries are healthy
There certainly are worse foods kids can be addicted to. Berries provide a lot of nutrients and are loaded with antioxidants. But too much of anything isn’t a good thing.
While they provide high fiber and natural sugar, consuming a lot of berries can cause gastrointestinal issues, including stomach pain and diarrhea, Lyndsey Garbi, pediatrician and co-founder of the telehealth service Blueberry Pediatrics, told the Washington Post. However, she said rest and hydration can combat that.
“I think it’s a positive thing because what a great snack rather than all the other processed foods with really unhealthy and high-sugar ingredients,” she added.
And as Kristen Fox, a 39-year-old mom of twins told the publication, “When they find food that they love, you want them to eat it.”
Fox recalled a time three years ago when her twins ate $30 worth of fruit in a day. She said that much hasn’t changed as she’s still “going broke on berries and fruit.”
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Danni Santana is a journalist based out of New York City with a decade of experience reporting and editing business stories about retail, restaurants, sports, and personal finance.
