The Cost Of Food These Days

[Deleted member 541]

I guess the title pretty much says it all.....I just can't believe how expensive food is lately. I'm sure it won't be leveling out, or going down anytime soon either....

I went to pick up a green pepper the other day, and almost choked....$4.00 a pound. I put it back. Strawberries were $5.00 lb, didn't get those either. Cherries, I laughed at the price of $7.00 lb.....

Meat?????? I can't afford it, so I don't buy it. I get my protein from beans, and those just went up to $.80 a can.....

Dairy.....I don't buy milk as it is too expensive, and spoils before I can use it all, so I buy Soy milk, it last for months, but it's expensive. Even eggs are getting pricey...

Bread, the kind that I buy, is $4.00 a loaf and it's a real small loaf.....I only buy it because I HATE white bread....

We only have one of those warehouse stores in this area and it's smaller than our smallest food chain store. It's really a joke, and I don't find the prices very much lower than in the stores. Plus you have to bring your own bags and pay for the use of the cart. Real pain in the butt. I am so hoping that soon we will get a really good Warehouse store around here soon.....

It's getting to the point that it's getting to expensive to eat, and that isn't an option as we need to eat to live......

So how is the cost of food where you live??????

 

[Grama-Herc]

I couldn't agree more.

Over the past year I would say that most of our food has at least doubled in price. It will be even worse now because the winter was so weird all over the country, which has limited the actual supply of food(fruit/veggies). This also seems to give *them* the impression that they can charge whatever the hell they want to.

Even our largest warehouse type store is getting out of line in the pricing of their food.

 

[midi]

I never buy canned beans (unless I'm in a rush and it's for an event). You can buy the dried ones and soak them over night and then cook with them.

Look to your local market for day-old bread - it's usually a dollar and it is SO MUCH healthier than that crap they sell in the grocery stores.

We have a rice maker and eat rice nearly every day. We also eat lots of seeds, which are high in protein.

Stick to whole-ingredient foods and create your own recipes and you'll not only save a bundle, but you'll be a lot healthier for it.

Good luck!

 

[Marlene]

I shop at one of the discount grocery stores where you bag your own groceries, no unneeded extras like latte bars, lobster tanks. It's just food. For three adults, pets, personal care items (shampoo, TP, etc.) I ususally spend about $65/week. If I shopped in one of the big-named chains it would probably be double that.

There are organizations nationwide that offer good food at discount prices. Angle Food Ministries is one. SHARE is another. Most of them are run out of rec centers or churches. There's no need for income qualifications, no forms...just helping people out. SHARE does require two hours of voluteer work a month (anything you do for anyone counts). I also recommend the bakery discount stores. They have the same bread as the stores, just a little older...but still good and so much cheaper.

I agree with Midi...if you buy the ingredients and make it yourself it's so much cheaper than the pre-packaged stuff. Make a meal, eat what you want and freeze the rest into meal-sized portions.

Groceries have gone up since this winter. It's become almost a personal crusade to keep my grocery bill at it's regular level and not pay more for the same.

Lisa

 

[Deleted member 541]

I don't buy processed food. I eat mostly whole grains, brown rice, fresh veggies, fresh fruit, Steel Cut Oatmeal, Cottage Cheese, Cheese,and beans... I only eat Garbanzo beans(chick peas) and those only come in cans....

As I already stated we don't have any of the wholesale food stores, and the only one we do have is awful, and the prices are no different that that of the food chain stores we have....Our options are really limited here...

Lisa, I REALLY NEED you to come visit me, and teach me how in the hell you feed your family on $65 a week!!!!! I spend that just for ME!!!!!!!!! And that is JUST food, it doesn't cover other items, such as laundry det, toilet paper, paper towels, toothpaste, shampoo or any of that stuff.......

I also use coupons as much as I can, they do help, but man this is a struggle.....

 

[blarneystone]

I don't buy processed food. I eat mostly whole grains, brown rice, fresh veggies, fresh fruit, Steel Cut Oatmeal, Cottage Cheese, Cheese,and beans... I only eat Garbanzo beans(chick peas) and those only come in cans....

As I already stated we don't have any of the wholesale food stores, and the only one we do have is awful, and the prices are no different that that of the food chain stores we have....Our options are really limited here...

Lisa, I REALLY NEED you to come visit me, and teach me how in the hell you feed your family on $65 a week!!!!! I spend that just for ME!!!!!!!!! And that is JUST food, it doesn't cover other items, such as laundry det, toilet paper, paper towels, toothpaste, shampoo or any of that stuff.......

I also use coupons as much as I can, they do help, but man this is a struggle.....

Whole grains, brown rice, fresh veggies, fresh fruit, steel cut oatmeal, cottage cheese, cheese, beans... Are you in my pantry? ;D

I cannot recommend Cost-Co enough for these things. Bob' Red Mill steel cut oats are cheap, I get banana's by the bushel, same with massive oranges, rice milk (Lactose intolerant), etc, etc. I buy Nature's Path Organic Flax Plus Granola Cereal with Pumpkin Seeds because it is awesomely tastey and healthy.

Seriously, the thing that has cut my food budget/sundry budget down to 350$ a month is buying in bulk, planning out my meals and what not.


Disclaimer : My son, at 3 decided to go vegetarian, so it has kind of turned the whole family vegetarian to an extent. I have made my own tofu and soy-milk, as well as baked my own tofu (It's ridiculously expensive to buy baked tofu vs. baking it yourself. Seriously, it's a 1.50$ luxury tax between baking a single brick of tofu, and buying firm tofu and baking it yourself.) Thus, my food bill is a little higher because I buy Morning Star veggie dogs/chicken patties/bacon (all no meat) for my little Buddha. (His current thing, is telling everyone that "That chicken/beef/animal you're eating is someones son or daughter." ... I have to keep my cynicism down so he doesn't catch it.)

 

[gdf]

Interesting thread. In Ohio, things are getting pricey too. I shop at my locally owned, family run teeney-tiny market where they cut meat fresh daily and sell the basics. Since I don't buy any processed food I figure I won't feel too guilty for shelling out $4.00 for a half pint of red raspberries or strawberries in the middle of winter to throw on top of my yogurt. They buy a lot of local products from the Amish communities, local farmers, etc. so I am supporting my local economy. I can buy a weeks worth of groceries there plus some luxuries (a steak, some frozen seafood, etc.) for less than walking into the neighborhood Kroger store.

Around my neck of the woods we have bakery outlet stores that work great for the bread eaters--big loaves of the day-old good stuff for a buck a loaf. I think having a food freezer for storage is a good investment--I frequently buy stuff on sale and freeze it...cheeses, meat, frozen veggies, nuts, etc.

 

[godhelpusoneandall]

I don't notice the price of groceries going up so much. I live in the States and Walmart has just lowered their prices again. I don't buy vegies there though, I try to go organic for those..I don't buy much food there, actually, other than yogurt and cheese, flour, sugar, staples. Big Lots also has fantastic deals, as do the bakery outlets we have close by.

However, it seems the cost of everything else is throught the roof. Constantly increasing. Our unemployment in Ohio is at 10.9 %, which is higher than the national average. There are days when I just plain don't eat much, and I know many others like me. Thank goodness I don't have kids at home. I don't think things are going to get better here. Our deficit is ridiculous and growing bigger by the day, so our taxes will increase, too.

I used to give to food pantries. Now, some days I think about going to get some supplies.

My heart goes out to you people with kids to feed and cloth. Kat

 

[Marlene]

Lisa, I REALLY NEED you to come visit me, and teach me how in the hell you feed your family on $65 a week!!!!! I spend that just for ME!!!!!!!!! And that is JUST food, it doesn't cover other items, such as laundry det, toilet paper, paper towels, toothpaste, shampoo or any of that stuff.......

One of the biggest things I do is buy store brand vs. name brand. Let's be serious-a green bean is a green bean. Most of the big name companies (Green Giant, Del Monte) use the same canning factories as the store brand companies do. I try to have a meatless night one night a week. I use my crock pot to make bean soup. Lots of good recipes online.

I think one of the best ways I have to economize is to make a menu while I making a grocery list and stick to it. I go through the house and look and see if we need TP before buying another pack, do we need more butter, milk, eggs, etc. Then I stick to the menu. Also, two of my most expensive purchases-dishwasher detergent and laundry detergent-I make myself. And I take left overs and use them in lunches the next day. So the less than $5.00 I spend on a spaghetti dinner (ground turkey, pasta, spaghetti sauce and half a box of garlic bread) turns into dinner and three lunches for the next day. Sometimes we'll have scrambled eggs and toast or pancakes for dinner. Breakfast for dinner is very economical.

Lots of little things and years of practicing. I learned through sheer necessity when I was an army wife. My husband told me I could squeeze a nickle until the buffalo sh*t. It's a habit that became a life style.

 

[catjudo]

Tell me about it! Tonight I am sitting here feeling at one of my lowest points because I just got off the phone with my mother asking her if she could call my local grocery store and purchase a gift card over the phone for me to be available so I can buy groceries for my daughter tomorrow.

My daughter (age 5) is an incredibly picker eater. I try not to complain too much because at least I'm lucky and the stuff that she insists on eating is healthy. She lives mostly off of fresh fruits/veggies, cheese, nuts, wheat crackers. She eats the dream diet in terms of healthy foods. But it's also expensive. And the extended, deep freezes we had locally this winter are killing our produce prices. I live in Florida and I'm used to getting fairly reasonably priced produce. I don't typically buy organic produce because I just can't afford it. But we do hit organic/natural products for things like her yogurt, and some of her treat items because I do try to keep artificial colors (especially Red #40) out of her diet. We've also recently realized that she has a sensory processing disorder which very likely is what has effected her being so picky about her foods...needing the crunch, avoiding textures, etc. (But her sensory issues go beyond food issues.)

Anyway, so as we've discovered some sensory and other medical problems with my daughter...causing her medical expenses to go up, so have our food prices increased. It's the end of the month and I just don't have enough left over to buy her the groceries that she needs for the next week until I get more money. I feel like such a failure. I know people who are so incredible at budgeting, especially at groceries. I try, but this month I screwed up and feel like I've let my daughter down. She doesn't really know it other than the fact that the last couple of days she's had to eat foods that she likes okay enough to tolerate in small amounts but are not part of her "usual meal" as she calls it. She's not going to die from having to eat scrambled eggs, veggie bacon and canned mandarin oranges for dinner tonight. But I feel like I've failed her and didn't do my job properly buy budgeting well enough to buy her typical grocery staples through the end of the month.

My mom is really good about it. Said, no problem, she'd take care of it. Kept begging me to quit crying. It happens to everyone. Her parents used to help her when she was a single mom and I was little. blah blah blah blah Still crying and feeling like I failed at one of my most important jobs this month.

Sorry, guess this sort of got off track. But the cost of food and putting appropriate, healthy groceries on the table for my daughter is my depression issue of the evening. Tomorrow she'll have plenty of groceries (thanks to my mom) and I'm sure I'll just be crying about something else.

 

[popeye]

I can understand the cost of food going up. But I do have a question what is steel cut oatmeal? I am not much of a cook but I am a good eater. I buy whatever is cheap.

I live on $250 a month on food stamps mainly for a family of 5. With 2 dogs and a cat. I have found that the local Aldi store has the best prices for almost everything and they accept food stamps. I can't remember what it cost for meat there though. But when milk was almost 4 dollars a gallon at the regular grocery store it was 2.50 at Aldi. Bread is cheap too .69 a loaf for white bread. Most of the veggies we get are canned because they are cheap there too. I have found that this is the best place for cereal for the kids considering they eat almost 2 boxes a week, 3 if I eat any during the week. We have become so broke that at the house here we only eat breakfast have a tiny snack for lunch and then have dinner.

The biggest problem we have is being able to afford the pull ups for the 2 year old. The cheap ones are 13 dollars a pack and you get only 22 in a pack. That doesn't quiet make the week.

 

[midi]

You might consider using cloth instead of plastic for your toddler (which last longer and are far cheaper in the long run). That way, you're not contributing more toxic garbage to the landfills. Your little one will notice when there is a wet feeling and is more likely to want to be on the potty.