Charted: D.C. Passover prices

Why is this grocery store trip different from all other trips? If you're observing Passover now through April 30, the traditional foods may be more expensive.

The big picture: Unleavened matzo and gefilte fish are classic staples of the holiday table — but prices can vary across the country.

Zoom in: In D.C., matzo and gefilte fish cost $5.04 and $7.36 on average, respectively, in the two weeks leading up to Passover, according to NIQ, which tracks buying behavior.

• Nationally, matzo is $5.07 and gefilte fish is $7.07, on average.

The intrigue: That's nothing compared to prices for shmurah ("guarded") matzah — a specialized kosher variety whose ingredients are carefully selected and watched over to represent their purest forms, each kneaded and baked by hand.

• Boxes go for around $40 at D.C.-area Balducci's , which sources from matzah bakeries in Brooklyn — including a gluten-free oat variety.

Anna's thought bubble: Don't kvetch before you try it, the flavor is worth the price — rich with deliciously charred edges from wood-fired ovens.