When I say Americans, I mean the middle and working classes. Bidenflation isn’t bothering big wigs like Biden, Kamala, Pelosi, and all the ritchies in Congress, along with their deep pocket donors
Inflated Food Prices Forcing American Families to Change Eating Habits
Surging food prices due to historic inflation are forcing American families to adjust their eating habits by choosing cheaper options.
Cutting back on buying meats, shopping at high-end grocery stores, and dining out are among the many ways consumers are trying to save extra cash to avoid financial instability.
One Massachusetts father, Rick Whitman, told CNN that his family was enjoying eating at home more frequently because of how expensive eating out can be but is now grappling with the reality that eating at home is also becoming pricey.
Whitman noted he was spending 25 percent more for family groceries, forcing him to shop at cheaper grocery stores, such as Costco and local chain Market Basket, instead of Whole Foods or Stop & Shop.
Food prices have not only increased for the Whitman family but for the nation, as the consumer price index shows grocery store prices have increased by 13.5 percent since last year under the Biden administration, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Overall, food prices have increased by 11.4 percent.
Polling has shown that 63 percent of American families with children are changing their eating habits, compared to 31 percent that are not, Breitbart News recently reported.
And it’s not just that food prices have gone up, but, lots of the off-brand alternatives have disappeared. Lots of the Lidl brands are gone, replaced with the more expensive versions. I see this to a degree at Walmart. And, many products are also missing. More often, Tilapia is not at either store. Plenty of salmon, but, I don’t like salmon. Cod is even more rare.
If you don’t want to believe Breitbart, how about CNN?
Food prices are soaring, and that’s changed how we eat
…
We asked CNN readers how inflation has impacted their eating habits, and many mentioned dining out less often, buying less meat and giving up splurges. Some said they are very worried about the future.
Food prices have spiked 11.4% over the past year, the largest annual increase since May 1979, according to data released in mid-September by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Grocery prices jumped 13.5% and restaurant menu prices increased 8% in that period.
And portions have gotten smaller. Meat is often reduced and replaced with more cheap veggies.
Consumers are responding by looking for deals and switching to generic brands, according to July data from the market research firm IRI. Companies like Tyson (TSN) have noticed customers are switching from beef to chicken, and Applebee’s and IHOP have reported an uptick in higher-income customers who are likely trading down from pricier restaurants. Some people may be dining out less often, or avoiding restaurants altogether.
For those who struggled to buy food even before prices shot up, rising costs could mean falling into food insecurity, a state of unreliable access to affordable food.
“If food prices continue to increase at a rate that outpaces increases in wages, that is the inevitable consequence,” said Jayson Lusk, head of the agricultural economics department at Purdue University. “The last time we had a big run up in food insecurity rates was in the wake of the Great Recession.” Last year, about 10.2% of US households were food insecure, according to the USDA, slightly below the 10.5% rate in 2020 and 2019.
There’s a lot more in both articles. The CNN article, which is from their business side, provides lots and lots of details, but, fails to ask a simple question: what is Biden doing to help? His big Inflation Reduction Act provides zero help, and doesn’t actually reduce inflation