Food Prices to Rise?

**brennasmom** · 03-08-2009, 04:00 PM

http://www.reuters.com/article/domes...4A58RZ20081106

I'm sure we are all seeing some of this already.

**Grainlady** · 03-08-2009, 04:46 PM

Great article. Thanks for sharing it...

This is why I keep telling my husband - all that food in storage in the basement is earning more money than the cash in the savings account.

I've been counting on my Price Book more than ever to make wise food choices in order to stay within my food budget - especially with all the recent size-changes.

**dcompton** · 03-08-2009, 04:50 PM

Sounds like less meat, more beans....

**Preston** · 03-08-2009, 05:03 PM

And my wife has trouble understanding all the reasons I've been pushing a vegetarian menu...

I figured prices would continue going up. I noticed at the store the other day that the egg noodles I got for 89 cents a few years ago are now around $1.89

**hollyhill** · 03-08-2009, 05:06 PM

Thanks for the artical, but am I alone, in finding that artical terrifying?

I thought the increase in prices in 2008 were scary enough! I can't get over the price of pasta and bread! They used to be the inexpensive staples.

It is taking all my spare brainpower. Just to keep food costs down....and my stockpile full.

**Milly** · 03-08-2009, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by Preston

I noticed at the store the other day that the egg noodles I got for 89 cents a few years ago are now around $1.89

Thank heaven egg noodles are simple to make from scratch!

I've been loading up my chest freezer with sale meat for a month or two. Someday I'll figure out at what point I break even on the price of the freezer. (Probably sooner than I think.)

Thanks for posting this one.

**Gardengal18** · 03-08-2009, 05:12 PM

Yep, can't wait to get in the garden and start planting all those veggies I have started in the windows all over the house. That should take care of most of the grocery bill at least!

Been scrounging around for more materials for my cold frame too so I can extend the growing season a bit too. So far I rescued 2 storm windows that a neighbor tossed in the garbage

**Marie78** · 03-08-2009, 05:26 PM

Thank you for the article, I also find myself wondering how to keep my food budget down in this economy. We went from spending $225 in 2007 to spending $375+ in 2008 and into 2009. Of course, our budget continues to include: cat food/litter, toiletries, and tp and an occasional household item like light bulbs or batteries. We really scrimp and use coupons where we can. There are very few "frills" in our shopping cart. I was buying organic milk (a luxury item) since it costs almost $4 more than the non-organic milk, we have gone back to non-organic everything. Grocery shopping used to feel like a game I was good at, how low could I keep our budget and still get all the foods we need. Now it feels like a game I constantly lose at and we won't be able to get our budget back to where it used to be. If I weren't pregnant we could really cut back more on the fresh produce and go back to our bare bones diet from when I was unemployed.

**brennasmom** · 03-08-2009, 07:02 PM

I think it is scary too.

I do my best to shop smart... buying the sale/seasonal fruits and veggies and trying to stock up. However, it feels like a losing battle. One I don't know how I can win. Sigh.

**Spirit Deer** · 03-08-2009, 07:19 PM

Originally Posted by Gardengal18

Been scrounging around for more materials for my cold frame too so I can extend the growing season a bit too. So far I rescued 2 storm windows that a neighbor tossed in the garbage

Ask for some on Freecycle in your area. Also, call your solid waste transfer station (AKA the dump) and see if they have a recycling shed. Here, there's a shed at the facility where people can place usable items such as doors and windows or old cabinets or whatever, and others can just help themselves to what they need for free. It works out great and keeps those things out of the landfill. If you're lucky, maybe your area has something similar.

You could also call some contractors in the area and see if you could come and pick up the old windows when a homeowner replaces them with new. The homeowner has to pay to have the old windows hauled out, and maybe would give them to you if the contractor or homeowner knew to call you. That would save you money, the contractor time, and the homeowner money. Everyone wins!

You could also place an ad in the paper or on a radio call-in trading show asking for old windows. You might be surprised and get a phone call from someone who doesn't really want to throw their old windows out but has no other real use for them.

**peanut** · 03-08-2009, 09:42 PM

I just had a chat with DH today about our grocery budget. I keep thinking I'm going to stockpile some food, but haven't seen any good deals at all. Food prices have doubled here in the last year.

I have spoken with DH again about raised beds in the backyard and cutting down the two remaining trees so we have enough sunlight to grow food. He is listening seriously this time. We are actually going to talk to a landscape architect about redesigning the whole yard for maximum food production, while still making it a usable city lot for entertaining and a family.

**redhead68** · 03-08-2009, 10:02 PM

Originally Posted by dcompton

Sounds like less meat, more beans....

Yep! Good thing my family likes beans.

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 03-09-2009, 02:52 AM

It definitely scares me!!

I'm going to work on adding to our stockpile (which has really dwindled) this week. See if I can get us "up to par" while I have this week of spring break to 'hunt' for deals.

**frugalbabe** · 03-09-2009, 10:58 AM

I am noticing it in my area already. This weeks grocery shopping yielded 5 bags at $75 total...sigh....even with cooking pretty much everything from scratch feeding a family of 6 (three of them growing boys) there is only so muh I can do to get it down. Dh and I are planning converting about a quarter of our yard to a garden we already have a medium sized raised bed...but that just aint gonna cut it anymore!

**Cricketlegs** · 03-09-2009, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by Gardengal18

Yep, can't wait to get in the garden and start planting all those veggies I have started in the windows all over the house. That should take care of most of the grocery bill at least!

Been scrounging around for more materials for my cold frame too so I can extend the growing season a bit too. So far I rescued 2 storm windows that a neighbor tossed in the garbage

Usually the habitate restore sells windows here for $3 each. You could give your local chapter a call.