Wow! Food Prices Are Through the Roof!

Originally Posted by GailC

I made my veg garden a little bit larger this year (and its large already).

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Same here. When I see the prices of fruit and vegetables, I really appreciate my husband's gardening hobby. Over the years, we've acquired an orchard & a greenhouse, have raised vegetable patches in our front and backyard, and have a rented field. That means a lot of work, mainly for him, and we're thinking about buying a third freezer, but his hobby covers about 80% of our annual requirements for veggies and fruit.

We harvested 18 kg. (39.7 lbs.) of strawberries just this morning, most of which are now frozen or in the form of jam, and have more to come, and today's dinner consisted of roasted chicken (bought in bulk) with homegrown turnips, sweet peas, and cranberries (i.e., cranberry sauce I made).

I've noticed that more and more people are growing lettuce and tomatoes, etc., in flower boxes or pots on balconies, and can certainly understand why.

Originally Posted by krazy kat2

Do you shop at Bi-Lo, Tara and Rob? Their main hub is in in Mauldin, SC so their prices have not gone up much in the nearby states. I wish we had one here. The Wal-Mart that is supposed to be so cheap is now the most expensive grocery store in town. they have a guarantee on their meat, and they tried to weasel out of it yesterday by telling me I had to bring back the meat. How in the

do you know th meat sucks unless you eat it. It was gristley, and had a big layer of fat in the middle where you could not see it. I had a fit until I got my $30 back. They were steaks we put on the grill. I eat a lot of chicken quesadillas because Food lion usually has their boneless chicken breasts buy one bag, get one free. Cheese and tortilla are cheap, too.

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I've found Food Lion to be hit or miss with prices. Ours was remodled (sp) last year. Thought we were getting a Bloom- which is the "fancy" Food Lion Guess my area isn't as fancy as I thought Their prices are good on some things, but then with others, Walmart can be better. Then there's stuff at Farm Fresh that's a better price than those 2 stores.

I don't like Food Lion's seafood or produce dept. Again, Walmart has just a bigger selection. Sometimes a better price- sometimes not.

The 3 stores are within a 10 mile radius of my house. I just don't feel like going to 3 stores to shop. If I'm in a store- I'm going to get what I need there.

Anyhow, I went shopping for my family of 4 (2 kids 14 and 11, so they can eat), and it was $113. And it's not even for a whole week! I'm going to have to go back sometime this week b/c I said I'd bring something in for my 11 year old's class end-of-year party on Weds.

Try buying food to run a resturant! In all honesty, if I have to buy meat and veggies in town (and truthfully, lots of times they're cheaper than from our wholesale supplier) we get them at a small, locally owned store. All of the "big name" stores are about twice as high on meat, veggies, fruits, eggs and milk as a general rule. Now, if you start talking convenience foods like cereal, frozen dinners and such, our local store is higher, but not enough to warrent spending the gas running to the other stores!

Originally Posted by SwampWitch

What are some the big increases you've seen in foods you buy?

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Everything!! Everything!!

Margarine has always been my "inflation barometer." A couple years ago it was $1.39 a pound. A year ago $1.59 a pound. Six months ago $1.89 a pound. Within the last month, $2.09 a pound. Then I noticed that the pound tub was no longer a pound.....it's now 15 ounces!!

We're getting screwed.

Originally Posted by coaster

Everything!! Everything!!

Margarine has always been my "inflation barometer." A couple years ago it was $1.39 a pound. A year ago $1.59 a pound. Six months ago $1.89 a pound. Within the last month, $2.09 a pound. Then I noticed that the pound tub was no longer a pound.....it's now 15 ounces!!

We're getting screwed.

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Yep. I use cash when I shop and I thought I would grill some steaks, get some sides and a few things for my daughter's school lunches. It was 182 dollars.
I came out with 2 bags. I am a bargain hunter and love a good bargain but I am having a hard time finding them.

Originally Posted by jcat

It's not just North America where prices have increased so much. Why do you think there have been food riots in Haiti and Egypt?

Higher energy/gas prices are just part of it. Australia, a big global producer of wheat, has been suffering from a horrible drought. Due to the biofuel boom, a lot of farmers everywhere are using their acreage for crops that can be converted into fuel, rather than for food crops. With rising incomes and prosperity in Asia, especially China and India, people are adopting a more Western diet, which drives up demand for meat, dairy products, and grains other than rice.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/18/wo...yt&oref=slogin

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Yeah, the biofuel thing is really messing things up and many studies now are saying that biofuels are worse for the environment and even more expensive than fossil fuels. Plus, they are causing the increase in prices. What do they feed cattle? The same thing that they use in biofuels.

You think it is bad feeding your human family, lots of us feed the outside birds (window cinema for the kitties) and have you seen the percent increase in sunflower seeds? Unbelievable.

The whole economy, too, is forcing prices up. If you need something from Europe to grow, process, or ship your food, the dollar is down, then the cost and the price goes up.

Anyway, that is my vent for today.

I concur on the price of bird seed-I could last year get 50# black oil for $9.99-its at least 50% more. Thankfully I grow lots of sunflowers (they self seed and I move transplants) and they the the multi head ones that many birds like. I pick corn cobs out of our farm fields after the harvest and can get enough for several months for the birds and squirrels.

Originally Posted by butzie

You think it is bad feeding your human family, lots of us feed the outside birds (window cinema for the kitties) and have you seen the percent increase in sunflower seeds? Unbelievable.

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We go thru about 20 pounds a month in bird seed, mostly sunflower seeds. The best buy I've found is at Costco for about $13.00 a box (20 pounds). The bird store equivalent runs about double that. And yes, we have a cat condo placed strategically inside the window by the bird feeder!

Even Wal-Mart grocery prices have risen. That is where I have been shopping for some time now. The other local grocery stores have been unpleasant about taking coupons, and their prices are ridiculous. If I shopped anywhere else I don't think I could keep our food bill so low.

Today I noticed Special Kitty Scoop went up from $5.97 to $6.38 for 28 lbs.

I feed the birds too. I use suet squares though. Normally I buy the All Season suet from Wal-Mart ($1.16 per square). But Saturday I caught suet on sale at Farm & Fleet for 89 cents. I stocked up and bought 3 squares, despite having 2 at home already. It was just too good of a price. I noticed everyone else was stocking up, and the Wal-Mart suet sells out quickly. The lady stocking the bird seed said this week bird seed went up close to 20% in price.

this is so depressing I don't even want to think about it

Originally Posted by coaster

Everything!! Everything!!

Margarine has always been my "inflation barometer." A couple years ago it was $1.39 a pound. A year ago $1.59 a pound. Six months ago $1.89 a pound. Within the last month, $2.09 a pound. Then I noticed that the pound tub was no longer a pound.....it's now 15 ounces!!

We're getting screwed.

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They did the same thing several years ago with coffee. A small can used to be a pound and the large can used to be 3 pounds. At the time the price stayed the same but the cans got smaller then the prices started going up. I very rarely eat meat anymore, it's become almost like an every once in awhile treat.

For a long time I read that US food prices were about the cheapest in the world. I mindfully did not take that for granted.

As far as staples (which I mostly only buy), I haven't noticed much increase. Some prices I never notice - like eggs. They still are a bargain at $2.50 for a dozen IMO and I'll buy them no matter what it costs.

I only eat meat 2x/wk anyway, and have been like that for years, and only buy it on sale anyway.

The only thing I really really noticed going up was pet food - jumped like 10% "overnight".

There are a bazillion food stores around me and one that is the leader when it comes to low cost IMO. I think the competition helps. At Giant, I'm surprised how the usual stuff I buy has not gone up - although some stuff went up last summer, like OJ. I'm also finding the same 'ole regular sales as before - so I wait till the cycle hits again before buying most things that aren't the bare minimum fresh items that I must have right now.