Anonymous wrote:I’m the most Democrat of Democrats and inflation is absolutely real. I was actually sort of stunned when I made a similar trip to a similar store (I’m no longer in DC) and spent close to 100$. Things that used to be $5 are now $7. I think it’s the speed of the increases that are so alarming. I’m not poor but I absolutely will be adjusting our shopping habits.

And, yes, there are cheaper stores than Giant. But to shop around takes time, and not everyone has time. Sometimes the large supermarkets are the easiest.

You pay for convenience.

When I use the app, I find Safeway to have some good deals. And since I shop there almost exclusively, the points add up and I can get $5-10 off most weeks with rewards. I only buy what is on sale and plan my meals/produce from their circular. I can usually get away with spending $130-160 per week for a family of 4 on weeks when we are eating most meals at home. Safeway and Giant may be more than Aldi or Trader Joes (definitely NOT Whole Foods) but the money it would cost me in gas to get those places isn't worth it. And I don't feel like I can get everything I need at those two stores. I do go to Costco once a month or so but mostly for meats, paper products and cleaning supplies.

Anonymous wrote:Find an Aldi or Lidl near a metro station or on a major bus line and you should be able to stock up on weekly staples like beans, flour, bread/tortillas, rice, sauce, cheese, eggs, and frozen vegetables for $30.

If you can do your grocery shopping when the store opens in the morning, Aldi is terrific. The store is really clean and well-stocked (they stock overnight) and you'll be one of maybe four people in the store.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And a large roll of foil is now $12.99. I buy it less than once a year, but it was never close to that much.

The store brand will work just as well as Reynolds and will run you $5-6 less for the 200 sq ft roll.

Aluminum prices right now are sky high due to some unique circumstances. One is the fact that Russia is a huge producer. The second is high global energy prices, most of the cost of aluminum is in the energy to make it--it's nickname is "congealed electricity."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m trying all the creative ways to lower our food budget but also as a PP said we are adjusting our eating habits. Instead of three strip steaks for 3 people, we buy 2 and slice them up to share 3 ways or we buy London broil. No more shrimp dinners. Bean tacos instead of ground beef.

We are also trying to improve our diet and reconciling the two goals is really hard. Sure, we’d all love to eat linguine and marinara for dinner and we can make that for $5, but it isn’t all that healthful.

Make dried beans several times a week. Much healthier and cheaper. Black beans, kidney beans, lentils. Side of rice. And throw in some sauteed kale/dark leafy greens and you are golden. You don't need meat - let alone beef - for dinner more than once a month. It's really a preference.

Yeah, we already do this 2 x week or so. We have steak maybe twice a month. My family doesn’t love beans enough to want to eat them more we already do. And we have a diabetic in the family so we much prefer a lean protein and vegetables.

Find an Aldi or Lidl near a metro station or on a major bus line and you should be able to stock up on weekly staples like beans, flour, bread/tortillas, rice, sauce, cheese, eggs, and frozen vegetables for $30.

Corporations have control over their prices. When they want to influence elections, they jack up prices, especially oil companies. It's like clockwork. We are being manipulated by the billionaires, as always.

Inflation is real, but it should tell you something about the cause when grocery chains are making fantastic profits in the current environment. They are jacking up prices because they are counting on people just paying them rather than putting in the extra effort to shop sales and find less expensive stores.

I’m the most Democrat of Democrats and inflation is absolutely real. I was actually sort of stunned when I made a similar trip to a similar store (I’m no longer in DC) and spent close to 100$. Things that used to be $5 are now $7. I think it’s the speed of the increases that are so alarming. I’m not poor but I absolutely will be adjusting our shopping habits.

And, yes, there are cheaper stores than Giant. But to shop around takes time, and not everyone has time. Sometimes the large supermarkets are the easiest.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:and bought basically nothing. A few staples that we were out of (sugar, flour, butter). A pound of ground chicken for dinner tonight. A gallon of milk. Some fruits and vegetables. And that was it. Skim milk is now $4.55 a gallon!

Is anyone else getting really concerned about this?

butter=$4 (plugra baking=$3.69)+flour=$5 (King Arthur organic=4.67)+sugar=$4(Domino=3.59)+milk(4.79)+fruit(mango, orange, blue, straw, blackberry=$12)=~$30. How are you getting $68? If you run a pastry shop, try restaurant depot.

OK, we have a literalist here. For you, friend, I will recreate my receipt:

Loaf of whole wheat bread - $4.89
Eggs - $3.19
Kefir - $5.00
Butter - $6.49
Skim Milk gallon - $4.49
Cheese - $4.49
Sugar - $2.99
Flour - $2.79
Ketchup - $2.25
Ritz crackers - $5.39
Ground chicken - $4.29
Sliced ham - $5.49
Blueberries - $6.99
Raisins - $4.29
Bag of spinach - $3.29
Bag of arugula - $2.49
Bananas - $1.06

Total - $69.87

This is a standard grocery shopping list for me, give or take, for the last 5 years. Two or three years ago it would have been $20 less. That is my point.

Inflation is real and a problem but there is simply no way you got all of that for less than $20 three years ago. No way.

Inflation is prob part of the contributing factor. An opportunity to raise pr

Anonymous wrote:I’m trying all the creative ways to lower our food budget but also as a PP said we are adjusting our eating habits. Instead of three strip steaks for 3 people, we buy 2 and slice them up to share 3 ways or we buy London broil. No more shrimp dinners. Bean tacos instead of ground beef.

We are also trying to improve our diet and reconciling the two goals is really hard. Sure, we’d all love to eat linguine and marinara for dinner and we can make that for $5, but it isn’t all that healthful.

Make dried beans several times a week. Much healthier and cheaper. Black beans, kidney beans, lentils. Side of rice. And throw in some sauteed kale/dark leafy greens and you are golden. You don't need meat - let alone beef - for dinner more than once a month. It's really a preference.

Anonymous wrote:And a large roll of foil is now $12.99. I buy it less than once a year, but it was never close to that much.

The store brand will work just as well as Reynolds and will run you $5-6 less for the 200 sq ft roll.

Anonymous wrote:I suggest starting your own vegetable garden, even on your balcony.

NP. I feel like every year I try to do this and end up spending a ton more than if I just bought the vegetables from the farmers market. Soil, pots, seeds or seedlings. Then add in the ones that fail. Too $$$$. Gardening is a hobby IMO, and not really enough to reduce or supply one with actual food unless you have a lot more space and a green thumb.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since when has Giant and Safeway ever been an affordable place to shop? Unless the items are on sale, it's overpriced.

Where exactly do you recommend shopping?

If you really want to save....Aldi for meat, bread, and dairy, Lotte or H Mart for produce and other grains.

I used to always shop at Safeway. I thought people were so silly to go to Aldi to save a few bucks. I always felt they never had what I needed. Then I compromised my standards a tiny bit (not everything HAS TO BE organic) and find that Aldi is so much cheaper. I've been to Lotte Mart for their sushi, and notice the produce is incredibly reasonable there as well.

I’m trying all the creative ways to lower our food budget but also as a PP said we are adjusting our eating habits. Instead of three strip steaks for 3 people, we buy 2 and slice them up to share 3 ways or we buy London broil. No more shrimp dinners. Bean tacos instead of ground beef.

We are also trying to improve our diet and reconciling the two goals is really hard. Sure, we’d all love to eat linguine and marinara for dinner and we can make that for $5, but it isn’t all that healthful.