Food Prices Are On The Rise

Rachel emailed me recently and the subject line read:

"Are you seeing this too?"

She then listed some food prices she'd noticed lately:

• Cereal: Sale Price: $3.50!?!
• Tomatoes: Outrageous! (and none available at Wendys)

For about two years, as part of a business I owned, I tracked grocery prices by entering the weekly ad for 5-10 grocery and drug stores into a database. While I've stopped tracking prices so meticulously, I've still been keeping an eye them, and Rachel is right:

FOOD PRICES ARE ON THE RISE!

In fact, according to the Labor Department, food prices made their biggest jump in 36 years! Yes, that is right: Thirty-Six Years! Food prices rose 3.9% last month! The last time they rose that much in 1 month was November of 1974. That is a huge increase for a 1 month period of time.

What is causing this rise in prices?

• Drought in China: The world's largest wheat producer
• Floods in Australia: Devastated most of their wheat crop
• Crops Freeze in Mexico: Produce prices expected to rise 50%-90% in the US for at least a few months.
• Droughts in Russia: They've Banned Grain Exports
• Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan: They consume A LOT of rice, and MANY rice fields were destroyed. They will likely have to import a lot more of it now.

What can we do about it?

The number one recommendation I've made to people for years (especially since I started tracking prices) is to STOCK UP NOW! Prices are going up, so the more food you can buy at today's prices, the better. While you should not go into debt to stock up, you should buy as large a supply as you can reasonably afford. Consider it "food insurance." Doing this will allow to ride out the extreme increases like the one last month: you can simply live on your stockpile until prices moderate a bit.

While stockpiling is relatively easy to do on items that are shelf stable (canned goods, flour, sugar, salt, condiments, crackers and other snack foods etc), it is nearly impossible to do for three very important categories of food:

• Fresh produce
• Meat
• Dairy

That is why I love Shelf Reliance and THRIVE foods. They make it possible to stockpile produce, meat and dairy without losing any nutrients. In addition these products are SO EASY to use in your everyday recipes. Having these items in "your own home grocery store" will allow you to ride out the economic waves that are barraging our pocketbooks right now. So, just what does Shelf Reliance provide?

Fresh Produce:

• Fruits: Apples, Apricots, Bananas, Blackberries, Blueberries, Mandarin Oranges, Mangoes, Peaches, Pears, Pineapple, Raspberries, Strawberries!
• Vegetables: Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Corn, Green Beans, Mushrooms, Onions, Peas, Red and Green Peppers, Potatoes, Spinach, Sweet Potatoes, Tomato Powder

Meat:

• Chicken
• Beef (Ground and Roast Beef)
• Turkey
• Sausage
• Ham

Dairy:

• Butter
• Milk
• Yogurt
• Eggs

Do you see that huge list? I didn't even mention all the grains, desserts, drink mixes, baking supplies and pre-made entrees that they offer!

Most of these products have a 10-25 year sealed shelf life and a 1-2 year opened shelf life! That is truly amazing. Imagine, something with a 25 year shelf life that tastes as great as the fresh product! That is the type of food insurance I want for my family.

So, I repeat:

STOCK UP NOW! Prices are going up, so the more food you can buy at today's prices, the better. While you should not go into debt to stock up, you should buy as large a supply as you can reasonably afford.

To get you started, here are few products you can buy at Shelf Reliance that are currently less expensive than they are at the grocery store:

• Shortening Powder: Here is a moist banana bread recipe that uses it
• Whole Egg Powder: Here is a chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe that uses it
• Butter Powder (less expensive than real butter, not margarine): here is a great roll recipe and a great raspberry honey butter recipe that uses it.
• Freeze Dried Celery, Onions, and Dehydrated Carrots: Here is a hearty stew recipe that uses them.
• Tomato Powder: Easily make your own tomato paste, sauce or juice!
  

And just for fun, here are a few grocery deals you can stock up on this weekend:

Kroger (Ralphs, Smiths):
Thanks, Heather!

• General Mills Chex, 10-17 oz $1.99
• Use $0.75/1 printable coupon (just click on the link and you can print the coupon. You may have to install a "coupon printer." It is safe)
• Final price $1.24

• Ronzoni Garden Delight Pasta $0.99
• Use $1 off 2 printable coupon
• Final price $0.49

Safeway (Vons, Publix):
Thanks, Kerri!

• Soft Scrub Bathroom Cleaner: $1.99
• Use $0.75 off one printable coupon
• Final Price: $1.24

• Balance Bar Singles: $1
• Use $1 off 3 printable coupon
• Final Price: $0.66 each when you buy 3.

Good Luck!