The Old-School Salad That Might Not Be Worth Its Affordable Price Tag

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The Old-School Salad That Might Not Be Worth Its Affordable Price Tag By Ellery Weil Nov. 3, 2025 7:00 pm EST

With high grocery prices across the country, and tariffs impacting everyone, it's not surprising that many Americans are looking for more affordable recipes to work into their everyday meals. That's why an old-school chilled dish, Southern pear salad, may have caught your eye while leafing through a cookbook. This sweet side dish is quite affordable, as its base ingredient, canned pears, is often much cheaper than fresh fruit. Since they're shelf-stable, too, they can be purchased in large quantities. But remember, an affordable dish is a rip-off if you don't actually eat it, and Southern pear salad just might be too off-putting for most people to qualify