Prices for key foods are rising sharply

[Cindy S.]

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/18902.html


MIDLAND, Va. — The Labor Department’s most recent inflation data showed that U.S. food prices rose by 4.1 percent for the 12 months ending in June, but a deeper look at the numbers reveals that the price of milk, eggs and other essentials in the American diet are actually rising by double digits.

[icebear]

great :(

[CelticMist]

This is nothing compared to what it will be by the time your children and their children start families of their own.

[chel0524]

Man, we can't afford any more than we're already paying. I already stick to basics only. It would be nice to be able to buy some of the goodies every now and then.

[Cameron]

My wife and I hardly ever use milk, but on our vacation, my mother in law asked me to pick up some milk for her. Would you believe over $5.00 a gallon!!!:shocked

[Just A Clay Pot]

Prices are already up. We've started cooking in bulk and freezing portions to save a little bit here and there. Milk spiked high locally, but it's at a more reasonable $3.78...for the time being.

[Dr Pain MD]

Nothing exists in a vaccuum. As fuel prices increase, so do goods and services to accomodate the increase in expense for trucks, electricity, cooling, packaging etc.

Same with the price of corn. Ethanol is "better for the environment", so now many farms are growing corn for that use. Gas companies need to buy ethanol additives for fuel. Corn demand goes up, corn supply goes down, corn price goes up.

Gas prices are too high. Impose a windfall tax. Oil companies pass that cost along to the consumer. Fuel prices increase. Cost of business increases for farms and distributers, they pass that cost along to the consumer.

[Cameron]

And...at some point wages will rise to meet the increase in goods and services and the social security folks will get some nice COLAs.

[Issachar]

Cameron, I am new here and am trying to figure out each member. I like a lot of what you post, can appreciate all that you post, but am puzzled by some of what you post.

Do you truly believe that wages are going to be up so that the increase in the cost of living will be nulled?

Issachar

[Cameron]

:heythere Issac

Wages may not rise immediately, but they will at some point. That will likely set off a round of inflation.

Hopefully good ole supply and demand will also work. For example, if people cut back on milk or stop buying it, the price will drop. That is, until the dairy farmers start to feel the crunch, then the government will bail them out with subsidies. (our tax money)

The minimum wage was just adjusted, though it is still paltry, and the people on social security have their checks adjusted to match inflation.

These times give us the opportunity to survey the landscape and discover new ways to cut costs and survive.

Someone earlier mentioned that they cook and portion out the food and freeze what is left for future meals. Thats a good plan. Americans probably throw away enough food to feed another country.