Food Prices

[Arnell Castillo]

Anyone notice how crazy food prices have gotten lately ? never really gave it much thought until bout three weeks ago . went to the store to pick up a few things and walked out spending 100 bucks on stuff that i'd usually spend 60-70 bucks on . it's crazy !

[Matt Stiefel]

That's what happens when we start putting food in our gas tanks.

[Matthew White]

Yeah, I noticed that too, sucks for us big guys who eat alot. I'm literally close to living paycheck to paycheck again because of food costs. I'm just saying, you mix rice with EVERYTHING and it fills your belly more. ;p As bad as it sounds for you, that's where I'm sitting at. Almost worth it to move back on the ship and get 3-4 free meals a day!

[anton axelsson]

ya i have noticed it and it nearly sunk me i have 2 kids that live at home and my wife and i allways go to costco and spent about 450 dollers a month sometimes 500 and filled for the month and no im lucky to stock up for half the month with that kinda money it's all bad man thanks to gas prices our gas goese up and our food goese up... sucks but just work more thats what i do :N:

[chrisklavette]

That's funny. Exactly 3 weeks ago is the first time I was in the grocery store and said "Damn, what the hell is this?" A red pepper is now a dollar?

[Matthew White]

Yeah, no crap, stuffed peppers is one of my "I'm poor and out of cash" dishes.

[Darin Heltemes]

That's what happens when we start putting food in our gas tanks.
Exactly! When corn is a staple feed to livestock (cattle, pigs, chickens, etc.) how could the government not foresee incentives for increased ethanol production would have such a poor impact on inflation? Seriously, that's like ECON 101 concepts right there. Mix that with a dose of weakened dollars and you have a problem.

What I find even funnier is the fact that ethanol isn't that efficient of a fuel to begin with. Anyone that thinks it's cleaner burning, less cost, blah, blah, blah is missing the fact that it isn't made by magic. It still takes energy to produce. And where do you think that energy comes from? From burning other fuels. So instead of reducing the amount of fossil fuels being consumed, our government has basically made incentives to produce a crap fuel that actually consumes more than we already were.

[Matt Brouse]

Exactly! When corn is a staple feed to livestock (cattle, pigs, chickens, etc.) how could the government not foresee incentives for increased ethanol production would have such a poor impact on inflation? Seriously, that's like ECON 101 concepts right there. Mix that with a dose of weakened dollars and you have a problem.

What I find even funnier is the fact that ethanol isn't that efficient of a fuel to begin with. Anyone that thinks it's cleaner burning, less cost, blah, blah, blah is missing the fact that it isn't made by magic. It still takes energy to produce. And where do you think that energy comes from? From burning other fuels. So instead of reducing the amount of energy being consumed, our government has basically made incentives to produce a crap fuel that actually consumes more than we already were.
I was trying to think of the best way to word it when I refreshed it and saw this. Brother, I will buy you a beer when I happen that direction again. Well said.

[Dan Montague]

That's what happens when we start putting food in our gas tanks.

Wouldn't it be nice if the world was black and white and problems like food costs could be blamed on a single issue without consideration or even mention of the other factors that blatantly effect food costs, among others?

[Matt Brouse]

Wouldn't it be nice if the world was black and white and problems like food costs could be blamed on a single issue without consideration or even mention of the other factors that blatantly effect food costs, among others?
Absolutely. But that particular one is higher profile and held as a black and white solution, it seems.

[Dan Montague]

I don't think all of the corn burning was a good idea, so there's no argument there.

It just seems that people like to pretend that it's the only reason things are expensive right now.

[Darin Heltemes]

Heh, I'll be looking forward to that beer Matt!

Dan, you're absolutely right that there isn't one source for inflation. High fuel costs, among other things, are also influencing prices in general, but that's less controllable. We're talking about a more narrow product category. Food costs (namely animal products) have been on the rise since ethanol production increased. That's pretty certain. We can see a correlation between food prices and the rising price of corn. They go hand in hand. I could say more, but I'm off to work now.

[Matthew White]

I'll buy you a beer too Darin, just cause you a sexy guy! As the son of a farmer in the midwest, do remember the floods that happened recently and all the crops (not just corn, but all other stuff) that was absolutely DESTROYED, this is a big reason why its a kick to the .......wallet to buy food. Ah, beans and rice, cheaper than spam, and more nutritious!

Oh and the company that my dad sells seed for is in on the ethynol corn biz, its actually not too tough to make, yes it uses energy but at the same time takes much more energy to convert fossil fuel into the gasoline you put in your car, so right now because we are doing both it is giving us all a headache (so quit sniffin the fumes) but in the long run when we can slow down the process of fossil fuel conversion and give the jobs of the people that do that over to the ethynol industry it will be much cheaper in the end to create (as genetic engineering corn to produce more and more alcohol during fermentation progresses) the eventual product will be less expensive, while a gallon of ethynol is NOT as effecient as gasoline, there is always the ability to add more additives, but that would make it more expensive right now and that would be counter productive to trying to make it as cheap as possible for the time being. All I can say in my honest and humble opinion, (I actually do speak to my father about this a bit because he's growing small plots of the corn for research) in the long run it will help the economy and the common man. As well once the country's that we buy oil from know we are self reliant and can cut them off at any given time, they will be forced to sell their oil to us cheaper or not sell it at all. Once again, just my opinion on the matter, not trying to upset anyone. (these deep rooted conversations always seem to get somebody peed off)

[chrisklavette]

I'll buy you a beer too Darin, just cause you a sexy guy! As the son of a farmer in the midwest, do remember the floods that happened recently and all the crops (not just corn, but all other stuff) that was absolutely DESTROYED, this is a big reason why its a kick to the .......wallet to buy food. Ah, beans and rice, cheaper than spam, and more nutritious!
A lot of storms in the midwest this year. Leveling towns, destroying farms, etc... At least FEMA was there....uhm....well, the national news covered that story as much as Katrina....oh....
Seems like the squeeky wheel is getting the greasing and those who are cleaning up there own backyards are not being helped as much as they should.
This could be a reason farmers are having a hard time getting back on there feet.

[Matthew White]

Well bro, there is some shady stuff behind that. Here's a little of what I know. There are alot of BIG names in the crop business that are losing their ground on selling grain because companies like Agripro do so much R&D and put out such a good product that the other companies can't keep up. So they are slowly shutting down their seed selling businesses and buying up small farms all over that miss a payment to the bank, then hiring those farmers to work for them, the end goal is for them to have one huge farm and monopolize who buys what seed, then they can plant their own seed, which would give them back their own business. Its a long term, shady, back stabbing business, somewhere someone handed a beauracrat the keys to a tractor and it went downhill from there. I'm just happy my family is ok and are safe and not being haggled by those types of people, and feel sorry for those around me and them that have worked the fields their entire lives only to have it ripped from under their feet by one bad year.

[Adam Keep]

That's funny. Exactly 3 weeks ago is the first time I was in the grocery store and said "Damn, what the hell is this?" A red pepper is now a dollar?

At least you aren't buying food and gas out here in Germany. I get to buy my gas and food on base but it is still outrageous. I wish a red pepper was only a dollar! Actually I don't care how much a red pepper costs because I hate those little evil fruit/vegitable pieces of evil, but all of the other stuff I buy is getting really bad. I pride myself in being able to buy a crap ton (that's a whole lot) of food for not much money, but lately it is looking like I am spending more and more each time I go. What is worse is that the fruit and vegitables here on base is never ripe so i have to buy and wait with the stuff. Bummer!

Gas is actually getting better out here and is only costs me a little over $4 at the pump. It was almost $5 here for a while though. I remember saying a few years ago "if gas gets over $2 no one is going to drive!", but here I am just like every other sucker out there giving up my right arm to be able to get to work 10min. faster.

[Matthew White]

Yeah, I actually just bought a bike because gas prices will never go down like they used to be. However, I do think it was kind of an Epic Failure on my part cause I drove away with a Honda Rune 1800cc opposed V-6 monster of a bike........still 30-35 miles to the gallon is much better than my subaru was gettin! ;p

[Paul Neuhaus]

I've been looking for ways to cut corners and change my food choices to ease the pain on my wallet. I eat 3 servings of meat each day, and one of them has always been a boneless skinless chicken breast. The cheapest I can find them is in the frozen section at Sam's Club and they come to about $2.50 per lb. For those who don't know, Sam's is a bulk price grocery store. So a couple weeks ago, I decided to go with chicken legs. At Sam's I can get a 7.5 lb package of fresh (not frozen) chicken legs for $.98 per lb. Now I have 2-3 chicken legs for one of my meat servings instead of a boneless breast. I just grill them up, and most of the fat from the skin cooks right out. The skin that remains really won't hurt you, and it really good!

If anyone else has other ideas, please share them.

[Adam Keep]

I've been looking for ways to cut corners and change my food choices to ease the pain on my wallet. I eat 3 servings of meat each day, and one of them has always been a boneless skinless chicken breast. The cheapest I can find them is in the frozen section at Sam's Club and they come to about $2.50 per lb. For those who don't know, Sam's is a bulk price grocery store. So a couple weeks ago, I decided to go with chicken legs. At Sam's I can get a 7.5 lb package of fresh (not prozen) chicken legs for $.98 per lb. Now I have 2-3 chicken legs for one of my meat servings instead of a boneless breast. I just grill them up, and most of the fat from the skin cooks right out. The skin that remains really won't hurt you, and it really good!

If anyone else has other ideas, please share them.

I eat frozen chicken tenderloins and they are $5 for 2.5lbs. You can do all kinds of stuff with them. I also eat a lot of frozen ground turkey that comes in a 1lb tube and is $1.23. That and eggs is most of my protein intake.

I also eat this German product called Quark. It is a milk product and tastes like sour cream. I add honey to it for taste, but it is really good for you. For 1.1lbs it is less than a dollar and has 60 grams of protein, 350 calories, almost no carbs, and you can get a fat free version of it. I eat a lb. a day, sometimes more if I am hungry.

[Matt Brouse]

I've been looking for ways to cut corners and change my food choices to ease the pain on my wallet. I eat 3 servings of meat each day, and one of them has always been a boneless skinless chicken breast. The cheapest I can find them is in the frozen section at Sam's Club and they come to about $2.50 per lb. For those who don't know, Sam's is a bulk price grocery store. So a couple weeks ago, I decided to go with chicken legs. At Sam's I can get a 7.5 lb package of fresh (not frozen) chicken legs for $.98 per lb. Now I have 2-3 chicken legs for one of my meat servings instead of a boneless breast. I just grill them up, and most of the fat from the skin cooks right out. The skin that remains really won't hurt you, and it really good!

If anyone else has other ideas, please share them.
I've been looking into making this same switch recently.

[Ryan Rhodes]

cheapest I can find them is in the frozen section at Sam's Club and they come to about $2.50 per lb. For those who don't know, Sam's is a bulk price grocery store.

I know it. There are some pretty good deals there, but I can't bring myself to patronize a Wal-Mart company. Whenever I start feeling the hurt I just imagine how bad it is for their employees right now. We're lucky enough to have a WinCo just down the street (think Costco crossed w/ a grocery store). It's frequently less expensive or the same price as Sam's/Walmart, but they're non union and still have well compensated employees and good busines ethics that don't make me feel guilty for shoppping there.

If I was active military right now, I'd seriously consider having my family in base housing eating base chow 3 times a day. What's the price of food like on base compared to off right now? I have to imagine it's still considerably cheaper.

[chrisklavette]

If I was active military right now, I'd seriously consider having my family in base housing eating base chow 3 times a day. What's the price of food like on base compared to off right now? I have to imagine it's still considerably cheaper.
It may different in different branches, but in the Army if you are married and live on or off base you get what is called BAQ. This is a food rations allowance and you are no longer allowed to eat for free in the DIFAC. If you do go in there, say during work hours, you must pay. Really sucks for guys who get divorced. These poor suckers are no longer allowed to live on base for free and there rent allowance (BAH) and their food allowance (BAQ) are taken away and given to their former spouses as alimony. So now they are back to base pay and have to make rent and cost of living. Raw deal for those guys.

[Billy Wolt]

The cheapest I can find them is in the frozen section at Sam's Club and they come to about $2.50 per lb.


that sounds like a good price to me considering my local supermarket sells chicken boobs for $4/lb

[Scott Markowitz]

At the risk of straying into politics, there is nothing to be guilty about re: shopping at Wal-Mart/Sam's Club. My mother-in-law has worked there for the last 10 years and has been treated just fine. She is well-paid for what she does and is able to get as much time off as she needs, whenever she needs. Those who are in a career-oriented position are similarly-well treated from what she tells me and I have observed. The only "corporate crime" they have ever committed is to be successful, which to some is or ought to be a capital offense, apparently.

/rant

[Ryan Rhodes]

It may different in different branches, but in the Army if you are married and live on or off base you get what is called BAQ. This is a food rations allowance and you are no longer allowed to eat for free in the DIFAC. If you do go in there, say during work hours, you must pay.

Wow! Yeah that's changed since I got out. We used to mob the difac. I can't believe it's not free anymore. The price of grade B meat, powerade and bagged milk must have gone up quite a bit. Are MREs still free?

How long has it been like that? Can you still get decent deals at the PX/BX or did they jack that up too?

[chrisklavette]

Wow! Yeah that's changed since I got out. We used to mob the difac. I can't believe it's not free anymore. The price of grade B meat, powerade and bagged milk must have gone up quite a bit. Are MREs still free?

How long has it been like that? Can you still get decent deals at the PX/BX or did they jack that up too?
Single soldiers still eat free. It was like that the entire time I've been in ('99 - current). MRE's are entirely up to the unit C.O. If he wants to be a prick he can charge the soldiers for 3 dollars per MRE. Wal - Mart has better deals than the PX and Wal-Mart is a less crooked establishment.

[RyanWilson]

At the risk of straying into politics, there is nothing to be guilty about re: shopping at Wal-Mart/Sam's Club. My mother-in-law has worked there for the last 10 years and has been treated just fine. She is well-paid for what she does and is able to get as much time off as she needs, whenever she needs. Those who are in a career-oriented position are similarly-well treated from what she tells me and I have observed. The only "corporate crime" they have ever committed is to be successful, which to some is or ought to be a capital offense, apparently.

/rant

Not to keep on the political side, but...

You do make one statement that likely sets your mother-in-law apart from those who complain about Wal-Mart's employee treatment, and that is "career-oriented position". Those who are the general laborers are the ones who tend to bring up the gripes, such as getting fired for even SPEAKING of starting a union or asking as a group for better pay/benefits, and being "asked" (as in, do it or lose your job) of working overtime without overtime pay (there had been much mention of this in the past with non-US citizens who were expected to do this because they were less likely to speak out against it). Not to mention there have been scandals where managers actually have been said to "encourage" their employees to vote in elections in a manner that is beneficial to the compay, which is anything but ethical. If you're working up the ladder in the corporation I'm sure it's quite a different place from someone who is working a position stocking shelves with little opportunity for advancement. They don't hold the distinctive title of being the USA's most often-sued private entity for no particular reason...but then again, those that do try to sue them for unfair practices typically get burned out on legal expenses long before Wal-Mart will consider payment, so I guess the company wins in the end :rolleyes:

There's a LOT wrong with that place, but it could be an entire new thread in and of itself.

[chrisklavette]

Not to keep on the political side, but...

You do make one statement that likely sets your mother-in-law apart from those who complain about Wal-Mart's employee treatment, and that is "career-oriented position". Those who are the general laborers are the ones who tend to bring up the gripes, such as getting fired for even SPEAKING of starting a union or asking as a group for better pay/benefits, and being "asked" (as in, do it or lose your job) of working overtime without overtime pay (there had been much mention of this in the past with non-US citizens who were expected to do this because they were less likely to speak out against it). Not to mention there have been scandals where managers actually have been said to "encourage" their employees to vote in elections in a manner that is beneficial to the compay, which is anything but ethical. If you're working up the ladder in the corporation I'm sure it's quite a different place from someone who is working a position stocking shelves with little opportunity for advancement. They don't hold the distinctive title of being the USA's most often-sued private entity for no particular reason...but then again, those that do try to sue them for unfair practices typically get burned out on legal expenses long before Wal-Mart will consider payment, so I guess the company wins in the end :rolleyes:

There's a LOT wrong with that place, but it could be an entire new thread in and of itself.
But damn can they slash prices :M:

[Scott Markowitz]

Actually my MIL is a part time worker who has no interest in a career. Those who complain are generally those who hold a position not designed to be held for any length of time (ie, a "starter job") and want to be paid career wages for it. That's just not economic reality. I could go on for hours about the union thing, but I'll just agree to disagree on that point. And the reason they're the most sued is in large part because they're the biggest and have the most money. Obviously a company present in every state and a lot of countries, is going to have a lot of employees, and thus a lot of disgruntled employees.
Again I say there's no reason not to shop there. If you choose not to, that's your business though. I'm not going to force you to spend less. :D

[Matt Stiefel]

I don't think all of the corn burning was a good idea, so there's no argument there.

It just seems that people like to pretend that it's the only reason things are expensive right now.


I definitely don't pretend that ethanol is the only reason, but it is one of the main reasons and it is causing a manufactured shortage. Darin hit the nail on the head in his posts (although I won't be buying you a beer Darin). Increasing cost of corn due to government mandates has raised the costs of all other feeds which raises the cost of producing beef, pork, chicken, eggs, milk, etc. as well as raising the cost of grain based foods we buy in the store. It is an absolutely idiotic and unnecessary program.

The weak dollar definitely contributes to higher food prices as well but that issue is too complex for me, so I will continue to blame ethanol. High fuel costs also contribute, but I think that becomes a very political issue so I won't discuss it here. Besides, the contribution of fuel costs to food prices is much smaller than the contribution of ethanol.

[Mike Landrich]

I've been looking for ways to cut corners and change my food choices to ease the pain on my wallet. I eat 3 servings of meat each day, and one of them has always been a boneless skinless chicken breast. The cheapest I can find them is in the frozen section at Sam's Club and they come to about $2.50 per lb. For those who don't know, Sam's is a bulk price grocery store. So a couple weeks ago, I decided to go with chicken legs. At Sam's I can get a 7.5 lb package of fresh (not frozen) chicken legs for $.98 per lb. Now I have 2-3 chicken legs for one of my meat servings instead of a boneless breast. I just grill them up, and most of the fat from the skin cooks right out. The skin that remains really won't hurt you, and it really good!

If anyone else has other ideas, please share them.


Paul
Check out the case price at the butcher's section at Sam's. The boneless, skinless breast was $1.40 today at the Sam's Club near me. But you have to buy 40 lbs at a time. That's not a lot for most of us though.

[Paul Neuhaus]

Paul
Check out the case price at the butcher's section at Sam's. The boneless, skinless breast was $1.40 today at the Sam's Club near me. But you have to buy 40 lbs at a time. That's not a lot for most of us though.
Thanks for the "heads up" but, I don't have a chest freezer. Sounds like I may need to get one eventually.

[Matthew White]

Yeah, I'm pulling BAH, but as long as the ship still produces food 4 times a day (counting midrats) they won't give those who live out in town the BAQ. ;p

[Mike Landrich]

Thanks for the "heads up" but, I don't have a chest freezer.

Don't get a chest freezer, get an upright instead. With a chest, unless you are meticulous about rotating your food, stuff gets lost for a long time on the bottom. Also, whatever you want is almost guaranteed to be on the bottom.