Take a look next time you're in the produce section. Watch as a shopper picks up a tomato, sees the price and then puts it down.
Tomato prices are double, and in come cases triple, what they were last year, which you can read more about in a Tulsa World Business story in Friday's paper.
Because of the cost, many restaurants are offering tomatoes "by request only," and others have eliminated them from their menus all together. Wendy's is among those putting sliced tomatoes on hamburgers only at the customer's request.
So what about at home? When a recipe calls for chopped tomatoes or tomato slices, are you leaving them out or eating the cost?
No other food can replicate the taste of a tomato, but there are some that can fill in as pretty good alternatives.
If you’re craving a BLT, try a bacon, lettuce and avocado sandwich instead. Red bell pepper can fill in for chopped tomato on a taco. And, with roasted beets on a salad, you may never miss the tomato.
Here's a recipe for a sandwich you can make under the broiler or in a panini press. It’s great with tomatoes, but eggplant is just as delicious.
Mozzarella and Eggplant MeltsMakes 4 open-face sandwiches or 2 regular sandwiches
4 slices Italian bread, 1-inch thick
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced
1 eggplant, sliced thin
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup pesto
Fresh basil leaves
1. Arrange cheese and eggplant on slices of bread. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with pesto. If making regular sandwiches, top with second slice of bread.
2. In oven, broil with sandwich about 4 inches from heat until cheese begins to melt. Or, cook sandwiches in a panini press until golden brown.
