Rising food prices strain family budgets

…Up until recent months, many Americans haven’t kept strict tabs on the pennies-worth of fluctuations on their food stickers. The recent surge in food prices may not be causing the middle class to go home hungry yet, but for shoppers like Ms. Nevas, it’s making them less likely to splurge on the non-essentials.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released a report Thursday saying that rising costs for fuel, feed and fertilizer propelled grain prices to all-time highs in June, raising the overall price of crops and livestock by 16 percent compared with last year.


…With fresh produce and meats becoming more and more like luxury items, the outer shelves that ring the grocery store are being shopped less by marketers, and boxed, canned and preserved goods are filling their carts. Price is taking precedence, and health and quality are taking a back seat.

This week when Jessica Owens, the nanny for three young children, spent $48 on a quick supermarket trip for her charges, she noticed that snack foods are where the deals are to be had. “Milk has really gone up, fruits, all the healthier stuff,” she said. “And of course, all the grocery stores are offering these 10 for $10 deals on all the snacks. But nothing is ever really on sale anymore.”

The Capital (Annapolis, MD)