Are food prices (especially on staples) ever coming back down at all?

[Anonymous]

No. The manufacturers are price gouging. As soon as they saw we’d find a way to buy it at these prices, the old ones were done.

[Anonymous]

Small family farmer here. The prices for fertilizer are still obscene. Diesel is still high for farm equipment. Parts are difficult to get. Our margins are tighter than ever. I’d make more if I just didn’t farm and went on welfare.

In other words, I don’t see prices going down any time soon.

[Anonymous]

If you keep buying premium prices brands, why do you expect seller to drop prices? You have to vote with your wallet. I blame all of you for driving up prices I face.

Store brand flour is under $3 for 5lb. TJ dough is 1.69/lb pre mixed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Small family farmer here. The prices for fertilizer are still obscene. Diesel is still high for farm equipment. Parts are difficult to get. Our margins are tighter than ever. I’d make more if I just didn’t farm and went on welfare.

In other words, I don’t see prices going down any time soon.

This is what farmers have been saying forever. Your problem is larger corporate farms, end stop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No.
Climate change.
war.
Pandemics
Pollution
End of Earth
Greed

No... Biden's energy policies.

[Anonymous]

I do a combo of Lidl and Harris teeter. It’s really outrageous these days but just do the best that you can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No.
Climate change.
war.
Pandemics
Pollution
End of Earth
Greed

No... Biden's energy policies.

It couldn't possibly be the influx of $2 trillion in cash in the form of child pandemic payments for two years? It's still leveling off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Probably not coming down in the near future. When there is not a special occasion to buy for...buy items in cycles when they go on sale, make as much as you have time for yourself, freeze stuff that goes on sale, package snacks from larger bags into single servings, use mnfr. + store coupons. Eat less meat. Drink water first when you are hungry, and cut back. I grew up poor with 8 kids in my family, but am rich now. I still shop like I am a poor person.

This. You need to plan better if spur of the moment/non-sale prices are getting too substantial. Especially for things with a super long useful life period like flour & butter.

[Anonymous]

OP HT used to be reasonable. They've really raised prices substantially in our area (Bowie) and there are plenty of competitors in the area. They have also started to carry higher end products now (duBreton, Niman Ranch, etc), which I buy when on sale.

I essentially shop sales (circular) and staples (canned goods, broth, etc) plus specific products (hash browns) at Aldi but then cost compare between WF and HT for the remaining. WF is surprisingly competitive with HT on lots of items and WF fruit and veggies are higher quality. IME I have less issues with their produce. Costco for specific products and bulk (bacon, butter, flour, oats, etc) and fruit from there if its a Costco week. Random Target items get included.

We have very specific items that we buy from each store. Example is Ripple Chocolate from WF- no one else in our area carries it except Wegmans and its $>1 more per bottle at Wegmans compared to WF. So I cant limit to one store and also be price conscious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just spent $7 on flour (used to cost $4-5) and $9 on butter (used to cost $6-7). And these were standard brands from Harris Teeter (King Arthur flour, house brand butter) -- nothing fancy.

Is this stuff ever coming back down? Eggs are better than they were for a while but still more expensive than pre-Covid. I was making a special cake for a family birthday so I don't mind too much, but when you combine that with the ingredients I expect to be pricier anyway (chocolate, vanilla, etc.), it's a lot of money for a homemade cake.

I thought the government was working on addressing inflation for food staples, in particular. Did we just give up? Do I need to permanently adjust my thinking on food costs? Our incomes have not gone up 30-40% in the last three years, so continuing to see these prices is kind of exhausting.

The Democrats wanted to address price gouging by businesses - which, guessing by profits lately is exactly what this is - and the GOP blocked it. Vote accordingly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just spent $7 on flour (used to cost $4-5) and $9 on butter (used to cost $6-7). And these were standard brands from Harris Teeter (King Arthur flour, house brand butter) -- nothing fancy.

Is this stuff ever coming back down? Eggs are better than they were for a while but still more expensive than pre-Covid. I was making a special cake for a family birthday so I don't mind too much, but when you combine that with the ingredients I expect to be pricier anyway (chocolate, vanilla, etc.), it's a lot of money for a homemade cake.

I thought the government was working on addressing inflation for food staples, in particular. Did we just give up? Do I need to permanently adjust my thinking on food costs? Our incomes have not gone up 30-40% in the last three years, so continuing to see these prices is kind of exhausting.

It is fine to complain about inflation, but this line of argument doesn't make any sense. How much of your income goes to groceries? If you are truly living at a lower income level it might be high, but being DCUM, I seriously doubt it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just spent $7 on flour (used to cost $4-5) and $9 on butter (used to cost $6-7). And these were standard brands from Harris Teeter (King Arthur flour, house brand butter) -- nothing fancy.

Is this stuff ever coming back down? Eggs are better than they were for a while but still more expensive than pre-Covid. I was making a special cake for a family birthday so I don't mind too much, but when you combine that with the ingredients I expect to be pricier anyway (chocolate, vanilla, etc.), it's a lot of money for a homemade cake.

I thought the government was working on addressing inflation for food staples, in particular. Did we just give up? Do I need to permanently adjust my thinking on food costs? Our incomes have not gone up 30-40% in the last three years, so continuing to see these prices is kind of exhausting.

The Democrats wanted to address price gouging by businesses - which, guessing by profits lately is exactly what this is - and the GOP blocked it. Vote accordingly.

There's no winning with this. Either you have overpriced products or shortages on products with price freezes.

[Anonymous]

I happened to in the grocery store this AM and noticed an Amy’s single serve frozen entree was $9.99! Get out of here. I would never.

[Anonymous]

I've noticed price reductions with berries and some other fruit. My kids are berry hounds so I do buy them fairly frequently. Haven't noticed any other reductions, though. As PP said - the frozen entrees are particularly out of control.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No.
Climate change.
war.
Pandemics
Pollution
End of Earth
Greed

No... Biden's energy policies.

It couldn't possibly be the influx of $2 trillion in cash in the form of child pandemic payments for two years? It's still leveling off.

Of course this influences it through wage hikes:

oil prices go up leads to fuel and fertilizer price increases for farmers leads to fewer acres planted leads to less food produced all lead to price hikes
then higher fuel prices lead to higher trucking prices at each step along with higher packaging costs (derived from oil) lead to price hikes
Influx of cash from government causes many people to quit jobs which leads to fewer workers which leads to higher wages to attract workers
Influx of cash from government causes people to continue purchasing goods at the same pace despite not working, so too much money chasing too few goods leads to price hikes.

So, not climate change, etc. But basic economics with more expensive energy at the heart. Price gouging, doubtful.