Ok, this may come off as a ranting zesty but I have had it up to here (I am actually pointing to my neck) with the cost of groceries these days. Now I cannot speak for people in both the US and countries abroad but here in Canada I find that the prices have gone through the roof. I feel like no matter what I do – our grocery bill keeps rising to a point at which I think it may be cheaper to eat out everyday….. grrrr
How this post came to fruition is that I was out getting groceries last night and I had a list of about 15 items which isn’t too bad. Pretty much all of the food was regular everyday stuff. So I am browsing around, having a good time – bumping into some people I know and chatting it up all the while picking out the items in need.
So I have everything in my cart and all is well. When I get to the cashier, I haul my handy dandy recycle bags out and hand them to her. I only had two bags but I knew that would be plenty for the few groceries I had.
So we are progressing through the cash and I am looking at the monitor watching the total go up … and up. Now don’t get me wrong, I am not as cheap as a clay pipe or anything but for me this whole ” jack food prices up” is really getting to me. Continuing on, we are just about to wrap things up, final items being scanned, I look up and literally I feel like something is out of whack.
$147 for two bags of groceries!!! After I swallowed and regained my composure, I grabbed my debit card and proceeded through. As I was walking to the car I told myself, “Zesty you need to post about this and see if other people in the world are feeling the same as you”.
[poll id="2"]
Do you notice your grocery bills are considerably higher than a year ago? Do you shop around for better deals? Do you tend to stick to the outside aisles at the grocery stores? These are all things I normally try to do but I am at a loss. I was shocked that 2 bags of groceries would cost $147.00.
I know this post was a little out of character for me but I felt that it’s an important topic. I look forward to hearing your response to the survey.
Take care
zesty
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I wish this was more reported, and journalistic. Maybe you’re just buying fancy brands and organics out of season that cost more in general? Maybe you had one of those weeks where you needed to replenish the beer, the vinegar and oil, and all the other expensive items. Anyway. Yeah. It does sound like a rant. But I feel your pain here in the US.
Hi, I have to say that $147.00 for shopping is actually a fairly cheap shopping trip in the UK! I’m a single mum with 2 young children, and I reckon I probably spend about $200 a week on food. I don’t go mental, rarely buy alcohol with my shopping or anything that I would consider to be a luxury. Meat is usually about $8 a pack (depending on what you buy!). Considering at the moment I’m out of work, this leaves me with little money for bills etc. I am told by friends and family that this is an average amount to spend on food shopping. We also pay about $1.30 for a litre of petrol….. Think it’s time to emmigrate!
No, actually most of the items that I buy are at the cheap end of the price bracket. I don’t buy organic as here it costs twice the price, rarely buy fresh meat as a joint of lamb is usually about $20, I don’t drink at home so no alcohol involved… Just the general everyday stuff. And, I don’t weigh as much as an elephant!
Yes, our weekly groceries do cost more… and it’s enough to drive me nuts!
Oh and P.S. go veggie and you save on groceries! Big time!
Ciao Zesty,
I feel your pain. I shop for two people only, and my groceries are expensive! I have finally resolved to take a different approach, abandoned completely Safeway and large chain stores, and shop for produce and almost everything else at a locally owned small business (sort of a permanent display of farmer’s market stands) that has unbeatable prices. That and Trader Joe’s usually do the trick, with the occasional trip to Costco (maybe a couple of times a month, but that’s always a $100 tab!). We have also pretty much completely cut dining out, and we’re making a lot more things from scratch.
We are very fortunate to live in California where fresh produce year-round is available and farmer’s markets are a staple of everyone’s shopping… Where do you shop in Canada?
@Vanessa – I shop in Eastern Canada ( PEI ) usually at both local grocery chains and farmers markets when I can.
My jaw dropped when I saw your total! That is just absolutely absurd for two bags of groceries. Are you sure you didn’t buy some jewelry and not realize it? lol
I used to pick out recipes I wanted to try then base my grocery list upon that. Now I base my meals around what is on sale or try to stock up if the meat is a good deal. In an attempt to save as much as I can if it’s not on sale I just don’t buy it until it is. I couple that with coupons, but still feel like I’m being ripped off when I grocery shop.
I totally agree! Grocery prices during these times are sickening! I’m even more angry with private small chain supermarkets like the one here where I live at (Brooklyn,NY) that keep the prices high to make a profit.
There needs to be a law that freezes prices during a recession especially since there are so many people without jobs cannot afford to keep with these rising prices.
Well our family of four spends around £100 per week, which is about CAD$175 or USD$135 but then the United Kingdom is an expensive country everything is higher priced in europe than the rest of the world
We buy almost nothing in supermarkets — we’re lucky to live in a city where farmers markets and CSA boxes give us pretty much everything we need — so we’re shielded from a lot of the rising grocery story costs that are giving everyone so much stress.
Buying food directly from small farmers (who opt out of the commodity and subsidy programs) means we’ve always had what most families would consider obscenely high food costs. We’ve made a decision that it’s important for us for a number of reasons, but definitely understand it’s a luxury for many.
But it’s interesting to discover one of the benefits of buying direct (and, by extension, paying what food actually costs to produce) is that our grocery expenses have stayed mostly level. Yes, we’re paying more than we were last year, but maybe 5-10% additional, not the 80-100% increases I keep reading about at the supermarkets.
out of the 19 visible items on the bill comes out to $74.69
which is about right for two bags of groceries
perhaps you should do the math
as 147 is completely outrageous
not to say that 70+ isn’t
but next time double check the clerk and the bill
even if it slows up the line and gives the clerk a hard time
Jarred, When taking the picture of the receipt, I folded the receipt up to get a better shot of the total amount….with that being said the bill is longer. I am not making the price up nor trying to embellish that indeede these two bags of groceries totaled 147.00. I hope this helps.
zesty
Was thinking of making pesto sauce yesterday so went to the supermarket to get some fresh basil. 3.99 for maybe a handful. And my hand is small! No pesto for me.
But I do find the bill is higher esp when we included the kitchen towel or toilet roll and stuff like that. Sigh…
It seems as though there is certainly a high premium placed on ‘good’ food. Just buying the staples, milk, eggs, bread will run you about $15 bucks. Now, I could buy cheap food from unsustainable sources, but I refuse. Sometimes making things from scratch i.e. bread costs more than just buying them. Let’s stick in there until our ‘victory gardens’ take off!
I absolutely agree, but what helped us out is we started shopping at Aldis for the stuff we can get there. It has saved us about 20 dollars a week. For a while there we were over 150 per week before the switch.
You are definitely NOT alone! I feed just two people and can spend over $100 at the grocery easily!!
Well, I am 1 person, and per week, I spend no more than 30$ on groceries. Being, I am still young, but really, I have just learned how to shop, cook, and eat. Culinary school helped years ago, and now I can make anything taste good and be healthy. I do a “big” shop about once a month for things like toilet paper and oil, but still, I never spend any more than 100$ and then I dont need yo shop for about 10 days. Hmm, I dont understand.
This might be confusing to US readers, as groceries in Canada are waaay more expensive as there are fewer options to shop from. Safeway is SUPER expensive though, but sadly there aren’t exactly that many choices when you have to take a dog sled. lol
Very interesting post, Zesty! I think the price of groceries is on most people’s minds in the U.S. as well. Food is not something I like to budget-shop for, so my spending habits haven’t changed that drastically with grocery shopping (my fiance and I fall in the $125-$150 bracket).
I saw in one of your reply comments above that you are from PEI… I spent many childhood summer on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, and absolutely LOVE it up there
Living in Manhattan, I totally feel your pain! Its expensive whether I buy groceries to cook at home or eat out. I feel like there’s no escaping it and its so frusterating. I had friends from out of town come to visit last weekend and after 2 days they were like “i don’t know how you afford to live here!”
Yep! Prices for food are ridiculous. I did notice some items on your list that I would not buy simply because they are too expensive – blue berries, and organic grapes for example. A rotisserie chicken here (Louisiana) is about $5, bananas $.59/lb, sweet potatoes $.69/lb. And we eat a lot of chicken, hamburger, pork because beef is soooo high. Cannot wait for garden to start.
I am spending alot more, but I am finding ways to cut costs, like becoming a vegetarian.
It’s unbelievable out here as well in the Colorado ski / resort towns. My mom just came to visit today from Denver and I almost cried out of happiness when she gave me a huge chunk of parmesan reggiano, which I haven’t been able to afford for weeks. My answer is simply limiting calories, and not eating so much, as well as drinking whey protein. It’s not what I like, but I’m already trimming up nicely for the summer
As a fellow Maritimer (NS)…I feel your pain. The cost of groceries have risen DRAMATICALLY over the past year, and it doesn’t seem to end! For our family of five, this means I have to shop by what’s on sale, and stock up a bit when there is a really good sale. I would never buy grapes, chicken breast, or asparagus, unless they were on sale. It requires a small bit of time to plan out a menu for a week…doing so with flyer in hand…but it definitly saves in the long run. Even doing this, I still find we spend a ridiculous amount of money to feed our family. Trying to do it, while still being healthy is not a reality for many in our province.
PS. I LOVE your blog!
Jen, I totally agree. Thanks so much for your kind words. I am glad you enjoy zesty!
The cost of food is definitely going up. Then add the price for all of the specialty foods for interesting food posts and it gets really expensive.
I shop at a local Asian market and it’s in places 1/5 the price of Safeway and Giant. Stay away form the big chain stores. I don’t know why, but they’ve raised their prices sky high.
Grocery shopping can definitely be pricey (I’m in Ontario) Here are some of the things I do to keep my costs low:
*Meal Plan – Each week I do a meal plan. I figure out exactly what I’m going to make for dinner, and then plan lunches and breakfasts around that. I have a look in the fridge and pantry to see what I need and then base my list around that. Going into the store with a specific list really helps and checking out what’s in the house helps to make sure that I don’t double up on an item
*Organic Produce Delivery + Local Fruit/veggie stands – Product (especially organic) is way too expensive at my local stores (unless it’s on sale – which I watch for!) I don’t know if it’s available in your area, but I have a box of organic fruit and veggies delivered to my door every two weeks. They have pre-made boxes or you can customize and in my area they start at $25. The produce is amazing and the convenience factor is also high! If I need something else I try to shop at our local fruit stand as they are so much cheaper than the grocery/natural store
*Check out flyers and sales – While not as abundant as in the States, there are coupons out there.
*Don’t do all your shopping at the grocery store – I also stop at Shoppers Drug Mart (sounds bizarre but they have a lot of groceries in some stores and tonnes of organics which often go on sale) and I try to utilize the bulk store as much as possible! Buying in bulk means that you only have to get as much as you need which is great when you’re trying to cut costs.
I too have had that “sticker shock” at the end of a grocery shopping trip, but I’ve been working to cut down my bill as much as possible and these things have definitely helped me!
@Ashley – thanks for the great tips for both myself and the readers. Greatly Appreciate it.
just read this post (finally).
seems like we tend to write about similar things at similar times. or at least talk about them.
i am always shocked and disgusted at my grocery bill, especially since i only cook for myself + probably 2 dinners a week with friends. i have brought it down TREMENDOUSLY by buying only exactly what I need, and also by eating many more vegetarian meals.
For example I used to get so excited by the raspberries in the market that I would buy two containers (about $10), but then I ended up only eating half of one container by the time the rest would get moldy ew. So now I choose one fruit and buy a couple of servings of that and eat only that fruit until it runs out before moving on to the next one. Example: last week was apples, this week is one cantaloupe, next week will prob be berries since we keep talking about them!
Three cheers for triple coupons, seasonal foods and local produce!
While the rest of the necessities are through the roof here on Long Island at least we can cut costs on food.
The best thing I can suggest is buying food on sale and stocking up on anything you can. Store name brands are also going to be cheaper than the bigger companies if only because their advertising bills are less.
Good luck folks :]
-Conscientious Cait
Seventeen, Long Island, New York USA
I shop for 2 (my husband and I) I live in Northern, VA (near DC), while I TRYYYY to spend no more than $50/week, it normally ends up being in the $75-100 range.
I recently went vegan – so this helps. alot. The only meat we have is a bag of chicken from costco that my MIL buys for us. If I was eating like I was eating a year or so ago, my bill would be truly astronomical – I was eating like a body builder and having protein at every meal. yuck!
I find that when I am buying things for the hubby is when my bill goes up – chips, cookies, crackers, ice cream, cereal, cheese are all things that cause my bill to go up up up! To keep the bill down I try not to take him shoping with me and he’s not home that often to eat so its a good thing.
i feel your pain!
It is pretty much the same here in Asia, if not worse, since most of the food stuff like milk, cream, cheese, butter are imported, thus there’s the import duty charges included in it.
Even our staple food, rice, is getting expensive. Each trip to the grocery store will end up with bills $100 – $200 (our currency). Butter costs almost $10. A carton of milk costs $4. A packet of 1kg milk powder for my toddler costs $35. Yogurt costs $3 per small little cup.
Fortunately, most of the local green vegetables are still reasonably priced.
When people say its expensive to eat out, I’d say it is equally expensive to eat in too!
~Foong~
Zesty…
I completely agree! Trying to eat healthy, especially, is really kicking us in the wallet…
We buy no-name brands as often as we can, but we won’t budge on our organics…
It is getting tough and it’s ridiculous.
We are visiting Dallas for the next month or so and we usually, as you very well know, cook ALL the time!
Here, it is way cheaper for us to eat out every meal, not as healthy, but way cheaper…
Now, something’s seriously wrong here! It doesn’t make sense that restaurants can buy their food, pay for people to cook it and serve you and still make a profit for cheaper than we can simply purchase a few items…
Simply outlandish and ridiculous. We live in Niagara Falls, Ontario, so I understand the rise of the Canadian inflation!!!
Thanks for posting Zesty…
Kimberly @ Cooking With Kimberly
Here in southern Ontario (Fort Erie) we have a situation where a large chain store group bought out the smaller ones creating a market they can control entirely. I ususally wait for the “No Frills” store to do their big dollar sale and stockpile as much as possible. Other times I gather all the food store flyers and plan a tour that nails down each store’s lowest cost goods. It’s a tough deal trying to eat well at home. Sometimes I wonder if we’re not better off just eating from the ‘dollar menu’ at Wendys…lmao! Funny, but if you do the math it makes sense in hard times.
Nice colorful food, priced right — I am not good at this thankd.
I thought Zesty’s comments and the comments by fellow readers were insightful. My feelings is skip all the fast food and the processed foods and keep to fresh as much as possible. In terms of processed foods I really like to read the labels – if there are too many ingredients that would not be found in my cupboard or words like hydrogenated I give it a pass. Makes my shopping way easier. If I can I buy organics – better for me, the environment, the earthworms (go ahead and laugh) and the farmers.
Cheap food is cheap upfront but the cost to one’s body is not cheap. Food is fuel and though I’m far away from being the perfect eater the smart side of me wants to be there!
Support the independent retailer when you can – they don’t have the buyer power of the chains (are there any independents left in PEI??) but many are making an honest living. Buy imperfect produce.
Nice blog – just found it today.
I totally agree! I went to Publix the other day and bought 2 bags of groceries and it was around $100 which I thought was steep, but $147 is just highway robbery!
Woah, I think I just had a mini stroke looking at your total cost. I have to agree, groceries are rising. For my boyfriend and myself I spend, on average, $70-$80 bi-weekly on groceries (and I don’t buy junk food, cookies, chips, soda, etc.-except for the occasional ice cream) and I also buy off brand products whenever available. I used to spend $50-$60 bi-weekly. Funds have become so tight that I am starting to make meal plans, research weekly ads, find coupons, and find new recipes just to keep the grocery bill low. I’ve started buying in bulk (cereals, frozen fruit, milk, eggs, chicken) from Sam’s Club and I find that that helps out a lot.
Food in the New York metro area ia very expensive, as are taxes, rents, houses, and healthcare. Add to the mix the fact that I am kosher, my daughter eats mostly organic and there are four of us to feed, and it gets costly. Here are the tricks we employ to save money on quality food:
1. use coupons, even write to mfrs. like Amy’s and Newman’s Own or some or print them online.
2. there is a local health food chain (Mrs. Green’s) that has sale day the 1st Thurs. of each month = 10% off.
3. Stock up on sale items (like Kashi Waffles on sale at the supermarket, then use coupons on top, get $4.00 for $2.99 less a $2 coup = 99 cents!)
P.S. Trader Joe’s store brand is cheap! They sometimes have organic produce cheap in season, and 19 cent bananas, etc.
Are you shopping for just yourself or a family?? That’s something to consider – I buy groceries for ONLY myself and really… that’s my bill pretty much every week: ALTHOUGH the bill does include gum, magazines, energy drinks… yea – that sort of thing.
Hello, to start with I want to tell you that I follow your blog. Great post, I fully agree with you. Have a good day mate.
amazingly pricey.. I only earns US$210 per month and I would be died in two days if the prices on my country are the same as yours, Zesty.
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