Food pricing

[terryl965]

I have three very growing childern that just so happens to like Milk, well daddy is thinking about going back to soda pop it is cheaper and last longer, just over the last month I have spent almost 1,200.00 on food for the house and still every two days I go back and but bread, milk and cereal, those alone cast me about 50.00 a week. We go though five gallons of milk a week and we are never really home. I need to get a farm and some dairy cows so I can afford to buy the products to keep my family eating the right way. Anybody else getting sick of eating.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

I have three very growing childern that just so happens to like Milk, well daddy is thinking about going back to soda pop it is cheaper and last longer, just over the last month I have spent almost 1,200.00 on food for the house and still every two days I go back and but bread, milk and cereal, those alone cast me about 50.00 a week. We go though five gallons of milk a week and we are never really home. I need to get a farm and some dairy cows so I can afford to buy the products to keep my family eating the right way. Anybody else getting sick of eating.

I am definately not getting sick of eating or eating out. However, with the rising costs in fuel and the shocks around the world in the food market it appears that food costs will continue to soar. So hold on Terry as you may be paying around $1500 a month soon. (sorry)

 

[terryl965]

I am definately not getting sick of eating or eating out. However, with the rising costs in fuel and the shocks around the world in the food market it appears that food costs will continue to soar. So hold on Terry as you may be paying around $1500 a month soon. (sorry)

That is alright my boys and us love to eat so we will not stop, but I can still get mad about it while I enjoy a great steak.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

That is alright my boys and us love to eat so we will not stop, but I can still get mad about it while I enjoy a great steak.

Yes we all have to eat. I may however watch a little more what I am buying and cut some corners.

 

[terryl965]

Yes we all have to eat. I may however watch a little more what I am buying and cut some corners.

For me it is fruit and veggies but they are getting to high as well, so Imay just start to loose wieght by default. My boys by the other hand eat like elephants and need there food every hour.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

For me it is fruit and veggies but they are getting to high as well, so Imay just start to loose wieght by default. My boys by the other hand eat like elephants and need there food every hour.

One of mine is the same way. The other well not so much. Like you I may just lose some weight by default.

 

[newGuy12]

The Wall Street Journal predicts that food prices will continue to go up, in an accelerated pace. They suggest that you stock up on food now, in order to get the better price:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120881517227532621.html

When the crap REALLY hits the fan, remember, those of you who are qualified, get involved with private security firms, because you will be able to get a job, protecting rich people's houses.

 

[terryl965]

The Wall Street Journal predicts that food prices will continue to go up, in an accelerated pace. They suggest that you stock up on food now, in order to get the better price:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120881517227532621.html

When the crap REALLY hits the fan, remember, those of you who are qualified, get involved with private security firms, because you will be able to get a job, protecting rich people's houses.

I need to start a garden very soon.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Garden's going in next week, and in the fall I'll be freezing and canning for a few days.

 

[terryl965]

Garden's going in next week, and in the fall I'll be freezing and canning for a few days.

Sounds like a great plan.

 

[MA-Caver]

One of the neighbor's chickens gotten loose and is now roosting somewhere in my (step) mother's flower-bed. It's looking awfully tempting right now.

Rising food costs coincide with rising gas prices as it costs more for the trucks to deliver the food to their destinations.
But the rising cost of milk is particularly disturbing. It's not as if the cows are going on strike demanding more pay, hell I thought they were on a "eet mor chiken" bent than anything else.

 

[elder999]

Rising food costs coincide with rising gas prices as it costs more for the trucks to deliver the food to their destinations.
But the rising cost of milk is particularly disturbing. It's not as if the cows are going on strike demanding more pay, hell I thought they were on a "eet mor chiken" bent than anything else.

Beyond the simple cost of fuel, everything you touch, and every form of energy that you use is wholly dependent upon petroleum fuel.....as are those plastic milk jugs, as are the milking machines that provide the milk, as are the trucks that deliver feed to the cows, as are the machines used to move cows and manure, and to tend pasture, etc., etc., etc......

 

[MA-Caver]

Beyond the simple cost of fuel, everything you touch, and every form of energy that you use is wholly dependent upon petroleum fuel.....as are those plastic milk jugs, as are the milking machines that provide the milk, as are the trucks that deliver feed to the cows, as are the machines used to move cows and manure, and to tend pasture, etc., etc., etc......

Yeah, I know. Sadly, I know. Just there are lots of households like Terry's where there are growing children and too many of them are not like Terry who can afford the buying of milk every time it runs out (all due respect to Terry). Thinking of single, holding two jobs parents who are probably trying to make ends meet just to keep the car running to get to those two jobs... let alone buying milk for their little ones.

My step-sister tells me of how there were months where she could do nothing but make potatoes and beans every day for dinner as a single mother of 3 children. She remarks on how, compared to today's prices that it was probably a lot easier on the pocket. But given rate of inflation and adjustment it was just as hard as it is today.

 

[FearlessFreep]

... and this is where the turnover that healthy food is now much more expensive then cheap junk (milk vs soda) is really going to bite us...

 

[Kacey]

Garden's going in next week, and in the fall I'll be freezing and canning for a few days.

Normally I'd be putting my garden in this weekend, but I will be out of town at a family event this weekend, so it will have to wait until the next weekend. I've never canned anything, but I freeze quite a bit, and I've been considering investing in a dehydrator for some time.

... and this is where the turnover that healthy food is now much more expensive then cheap junk (milk vs soda) is really going to bite us...

This is somewhat true and somewhat not; healthy food is, in the long run, cheaper than junk food, if you buy it as unprocessed as possible. The less processed food is, the less it costs, even if you have to discard some of it because not all of it is usable - think about raisins vs. grapes, for example; you pay more per pound for raisins, because you are paying for the processing (drying) and packaging, while you have to discard the stems from the grapes. Junk food comes in more convenient, and often smaller, packages, so while the total cost may be lower for junk food, the price per pound between comparable items is almost always lower for unprocessed, healthy foods than for junk.

To see the real costs, you have to stick to comparing comparable foods - and while soda and milk are both drinks, they are not comparable in their food value. Soda has virtually no food value, unless you need sugar as a nutrient - say, if you're diabetic and your sugar level is low; milk is considerably more versatile, can be used in many more ways, and has a variety of nutrients. Candy bars are cheap compared to many fresh fruits, but even though they are often eaten at the same part of a meal (dessert) or as a snack, they are not comparable foods. The comparison I made previously between grapes and raisins shows comparable foods.

The place where you really see high costs is in convenience foods. For example, I grew up on Hamburger Helper... I started buying it myself in college, until one day I looked at the price per ounce, and realized it cost more for the helper, intended to stretch the hamburger, than it did for the hamburger itself. Such things are easy to make yourself, but Americans have been so inculcated into the idea that cooking from scratch requires extensive training, a horrendous amount of time, and a massive variety of ingredients, that many people don't even try cooking from scratch - and it's just not that hard, and it costs less to cook from scratch, or even mostly from scratch (I tend to use cream soups as a sauce base for many things)... and it usually tastes better, too!

 

[terryl965]

Yeah, I know. Sadly, I know. Just there are lots of households like Terry's where there are growing children and too many of them are not like Terry who can afford the buying of milk every time it runs out (all due respect to Terry). Thinking of single, holding two jobs parents who are probably trying to make ends meet just to keep the car running to get to those two jobs... let alone buying milk for their little ones.

My step-sister tells me of how there were months where she could do nothing but make potatoes and beans every day for dinner as a single mother of 3 children. She remarks on how, compared to today's prices that it was probably a lot easier on the pocket. But given rate of inflation and adjustment it was just as hard as it is today.

No offense taken and you are right we have set up a little supply shop at the school to help those that need it.

 

[MA-Caver]

No offense taken and you are right we have set up a little supply shop at the school to help those that need it.

Now that is a right mighty wonderful thing to have done. Keep it up. :asian:

 

[aedrasteia]

Yay Kacey!!

Bring back home food!!! Cooking has almost disappeared from most homes - whether done by women or men - i end up teaching friends about things I thought most people knew, really basic stuff. And I have an extra refrigerator with a huge bottom slide out freezer drawer(much better than top or side by side). I buy in quantity, freeze the right way and replace as available. Luckily I grew up helping my aunts cook, can and freeze.

We've belonged to a food co-op for over 25 years., with about 20 families in it, usually 10-15 active. Every 2 weeks we leave an envelope w/$10 and name in big letters in a box on the porch of a member (same one each time). Each family takes turns picking up the $$ at 6 am, going to our large farmer's market, buying, separating and leaving boxes/bags w/envelope for each family on the porch of another member. Buyers make all the choices, depending on whats in season and covering basic groups: greens, citrus, beans, other fruits, staples and seasonal specials. You pick up sometime during the day. I have to do buying about twice a year. we call it the no- choice, no-hassle, no-name co-op.

Other friends are members of a CSF, (community supported farm) they pay a basic amount to a local small farmer (around $300-400 per yr). Farmer supplies them with whatever comes in all during the growing season, with a pickup every 7-14 days. The farmer benifits from steady $ and families get great bargains.

i'm betting you could organize either of these with folks you know-its a big help for families - but you absolutely have to know how to store, process food and cook it. thats how i ended up teaching friends what to do with 8 pounds of sweet potatos... :->

tonight was stuffed poblano chilies, corn on the cob, homemade corn tortillas and a huge marinated tomato salad. poblanos, corn, onions and tomatos from co-op order, masa flour for tortillas and cheese from our mexican grocery. stuffing was slow-cooked black beans, brown rice, ground turkey, jalapenos and cumin, not much from the big grocery store.

Kids love to cook and it seems to really open up the willingness to eat new things. At 4yrs , Doug was helping me do a lunch for 12, poaching vegetables for salad nicoise - fire!, knives! wierd vegetables!, hunks of meat! whole big fish - with EYES! and then you get to eat stuff!!

what are other people cooking?

 

[tellner]

I've been reading the backs of the financial sections and a number of population and food supply studies. They seem to agree that the speculators have been pulling their money out of the mortgage and securities markets and putting them into agriculture and food commodities. Considering the hash they've made of those I am terrified of what they'll do to basic foodstuffs.

On top of that, there has been a sea-change in the past twenty years.

For about a century and a half governments have been stockpiling basic commodities like grain to stabilize prices. That way a bad harvest will be an inconvenience, not a disaster. When times are good they keep prices higher for the farmers by buying up surplus. When times are bad that surplus keeps market prices low and buffers the supply.

In the last couple decades that has broken down. Governments, particularly the US, have abandoned the practice and allowed the world to make do with whatever supplies happen to be on hand.

The combination along with long-term drought in Australia, bad harvests in India, the "free trade" end of farm subsidies, Chinese demand and the rest is setting us up for a dangerous and unpredictable future. Speculators will do well. Regular wage-earners are screwed. Food riots in Haiti are nothing new. But food riots and "active demonstrations" in Egypt, South Africa, Kenya and the Philippines are a terrifying development.

With any luck we'll go back to a saner less capitalist-fundamentalist food supply regime. If we don't, may G-d have mercy on us. Because food and water are the two things that people will reliably kill each other for without a second thought.

 

[Bigshadow]

because you will be able to get a job, protecting rich people's houses.

If you aren't too busy protecting your own.