ECON Report food and grocery price increases/shortages here: 2021 Edition

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Doomer Doug

TB Fanatic
I have been shopping more and looking more at a solid 3 or 4 month supply than my usual 2 or so.
For example I just bought another liter, 32 oz, of high heat olive oil for cooking, saueteing etc. I already had 1 I bought a few months ago that is still unopened. The third one I am using and is about 1/3 full.
Maybe it has been watching the squirrels stockpiling nuts. :D

I tend to shop 3 times and get it that way rather than try to get it all at once.
I have no car so I carry every thing back one or two bags at a time.
 

bracketquant

Veteran Member
Jacobs cattle that's it! I knew it wasn't the christmas lima bean. I have no doubts that it was found in a clay pot. Per friends, native friends, that live in Colorado and New Mexico they were lots of pots of beans that were whisked away by the museums, never to be seen again. And this is why some natives and certain ranchers won't allow the museum types onto their land, they know there are ancient artifacts there and they want them left alone.

Anasazi is the supposed 1,500 year old bean, not Jacob's Cattle. Anasazi is pole bean, Jacob's Cattle a bush bean. Both are Phaseolus vulgaris, or "common" beans, not limas.
 

WalknTrot

Veteran Member
Ok, I am just putting this out there as perhaps a question.
We talk of people stampeding in panic to hoard.
The signs have been there for months of sporadic shortages.
Panic buying.
Here in lies the “perhaps a question.”
What are we doing even tho we are prepped?
We are buying more than we ordinarily would do to add to what we have.
Buying 12 instead of 6 for example even tho we don’t sweep the shelves leaving nothing for others.
When do we feel secure enough to say ok, time to stop?
Where is the line in the sand where we stop and not add to the problems at hand and in the not so distant future?
Please take this in the spirit I am asking.
If I didn’t text this clearly I know you get what I’m trying to say.
I am one of the We.
I have been contemplating things like…should I get in my cash stash? Should I use the charge card that’s just for emergencies?
Charge it up just to buy another oil filter and oil tho I have enuff for three changes.
More gas cans and gas.
I can make the payments.
I may not be able to get the things I need on down the road.
Head bounces and bounce some more.
As far as the deep preps - long term storage goes, not much changes. That stuff just sits in wait, except that I did add a 6 can case each of #10's of dried chopped onion, elbow mac and spaghetti bites. The onions get used slowly in the kitchen. The mac and spaghetti will store darn near forever sealed in #10's and will stretch any meal if/when it's needed.

I knew my shoulder was gonna be out of whack for a while this fall, so did the winter pantry stock-up early. That's just a matter of getting the same things every year up to snuff. Canned goods including veg and meat, cooking staples like "cream of cream of" soup and canned milk, some convenience stuff like gravy mix, boxed potatoes, Knorr Sides, soup base and spices, peanut butter, maple syrup, coffee/tea, baking supplies, meat in the freezer, household/laundry/cleaning supplies - the usual.

Oh...I got ahead of the game a bit and didn't wait 'til next spring to order my layer replacements. My chicks came in to the big main post office this afternoon..they were nice enough to call me to come pick them up, even though it was about a half hour more drive than if I'd waited for them to hit my local post office in the am. They are home and healthy with only about a 24 hour trip from the hatchery. Talked to my snow-plow guy yesterday and that's all set up for the season. The propane tank is still full from this spring. Things are shaping up to be ready for winter here. ;)
 
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RB Martin

Veteran Member
The other day I went into the local Publix and intended to get a 20lb bag of ice. The freezer, which normally has in excess of 50 bags of 10lb and 20lb sacks, only had 3 10lb bags remaining. I bought 2 and wondered why as I've never seen the ice inventory so wiped out.

Today I go in and the ice is back. Now, instead of 10lb and 20lb bags there are 7lb and 16lb bags for the same price as the larger bags! :fgr:

So tonight I went into the local Kroger to grab a few things and checked out their ice. They have never sold the 20lb bags, only the 10lb version. They have plenty of the 10lb bags. I was shocked. Same brand of ice as the Publix too.

So now I'm curious. Does Kroger just have more inventory? Is this purely a Publix phenomenon?

I will update you guys if the situation changes. Curious icecapades! :lol:
 

anna43

Veteran Member
If you have a pressure canner, dried beans are among the easiest foods to can. I can them as plain beans, bean soup, ham & beans and have thought about trying barbeque beans. There are also recipes for pork & beans, but they are so inexpensive to buy on sale I've never bothered.

The question was asked how we know when enough is enough. That is a very good point as enough is good, too much is hoarding. In my opinion when you end up discarding old foods you've gone too far. My original goal was six months and then one year. When my dh passed away my six month supply immediately became one year. I maintain that level by adding an item to my list when I use it or when I open it i.e. a can of shortening or bottle of cooking oil.

I've been worried about not being able to afford meat lately, however, after an inventory of home canned meats (primarily chicken but some pork, ham, turkey and ground beef) and cans of tuna and salmon I realized I have enough. I don't have a lot of meat in the freezer but again enough. When I multiply the pints of canned meats by 3 or 4 meals where I can easily stretch a pint to I really have enough! A can of tuna in a casserole easily is four meals. A can of salmon made into patties is four meals. Meat is my basis for meals then looking at canned and purchased vegetable I realize I can make a lot meals easily. Flour, shortening, sugar, baking powder or yeast make an unlimited variety of bread products. Canned fruits for desserts or to add to breakfast oatmeal check. Add salt, baking powder, sugar, spices, herbs, soda and other necessary ingredients plus a basic cookbook and the sky is the limit.

It was important that I did that inventory because with all the panic about shelves being empty I could easily have gotten the mindset of MORE which I obviously do not need. Although I find nothing wrong with adding something new to my shelves occasionally, I do already have enough both in amount and variety. BTW one of the original reasons for stocking up was to be able to stay home and avoid dealing with panicking mobs or competing for short supplies. Someone could say my pantry is hoarding, but I don't consider buying when the store shelves were full over long period of time to be hoarding. I consider it plain common sense. If I can't fix the problem I can at least strive not to be a part of the problem.
 

summerthyme

Administrator
_______________
If you have a pressure canner, dried beans are among the easiest foods to can. I can them as plain beans, bean soup, ham & beans and have thought about trying barbeque beans. There are also recipes for pork & beans, but they are so inexpensive to buy on sale I've never bothered.

The question was asked how we know when enough is enough. That is a very good point as enough is good, too much is hoarding. In my opinion when you end up discarding old foods you've gone too far. My original goal was six months and then one year. When my dh passed away my six month supply immediately became one year. I maintain that level by adding an item to my list when I use it or when I open it i.e. a can of shortening or bottle of cooking oil.

I've been worried about not being able to afford meat lately, however, after an inventory of home canned meats (primarily chicken but some pork, ham, turkey and ground beef) and cans of tuna and salmon I realized I have enough. I don't have a lot of meat in the freezer but again enough. When I multiply the pints of canned meats by 3 or 4 meals where I can easily stretch a pint to I really have enough! A can of tuna in a casserole easily is four meals. A can of salmon made into patties is four meals. Meat is my basis for meals then looking at canned and purchased vegetable I realize I can make a lot meals easily. Flour, shortening, sugar, baking powder or yeast make an unlimited variety of bread products. Canned fruits for desserts or to add to breakfast oatmeal check. Add salt, baking powder, sugar, spices, herbs, soda and other necessary ingredients plus a basic cookbook and the sky is the limit.

It was important that I did that inventory because with all the panic about shelves being empty I could easily have gotten the mindset of MORE which I obviously do not need. Although I find nothing wrong with adding something new to my shelves occasionally, I do already have enough both in amount and variety. BTW one of the original reasons for stocking up was to be able to stay home and avoid dealing with panicking mobs or competing for short supplies. Someone could say my pantry is hoarding, but I don't consider buying when the store shelves were full over long period of time to be hoarding. I consider it plain common sense. If I can't fix the problem I can at least strive not to be a part of the problem.

EXCELLENT post, Anna! Canning dry beans IS easy! And I do it a lot... I have to use regular lids when I can my barbecue baked beans, because they are thick and have a tendency to siphon, but I use the Tattler lids for canning plain cooked dry beans, and they work well.

But I'm thinking about getting an InstaPot, to conserve cooking time and electricity. And I'm thinking it would be great for bean dishes...

Summerthyme
 

anna43

Veteran Member
Summerthym, a plain ordinary pressure pan is cheaper (especially used) and works the same as InstaPot. I got mine at an auction for $5 and it was brand new. I have another one that I got with trading stamps so I'm guessing 56 years old and still works fine. Only difference is you need to stay in the kitchen while they are under pressure.
 

psychgirl

Has No Life - Lives on TB
This goes back to an earlier discussion regarding fats...I had no idea Crisco was SO $$!!
Oh my gosh that stuff was always cheap as dirt! No way did I buy a can. I think the small size can at our Kroger was almost 7$!

So I only bought a jug of vegetable oil and another olive oil. And veg oils?...those, aren’t cheap either.
I should get more olive oil. that’ll be what we use anyway.
 

Terrwyn

Veteran Member
This goes back to an earlier discussion regarding fats...I had no idea Crisco was SO $$!!
Oh my gosh that stuff was always cheap as dirt! No way did I buy a can. I think the small size can at our Kroger was almost 7$!

So I only bought a jug of vegetable oil and another olive oil. And veg oils?...those, aren’t cheap either.
I should get more olive oil. that’ll be what we use anyway.
I checked Instacart prices this morning on Crisco and Walmart had the small can 3.00 and the large can 5.98. My reg market was a little more.
 

school marm

Senior Member
At Smith's in NE NV yesterday it was a little hard to discern some of the shortages due to remodeling going on throughout the store. They're starting in the deli and produce area and working their way across the store. Anyway, it honestly looks like the produce area is being made to look like an upper-scale neighborhood market produce section, with a lot more space and a lot less area devoted to the produce, so that any shortages or less product available will be less noticeable.

Deli meats continue to be thin, but something is still available. Water and Gatorade continue to be thin. The paper products were a lot thinner and there were three other ladies, older ladies, in the aisle (rare for when I go shopping) each with a large package of TP or PT. Frozen potato products were very thin as well. Store brand options were almost non-existent. Other frozen veggies were thin as well.

The price on a 25-lb bag of flour from a regional mill rose from $7.49 to $8.49. The shelf tag for the store brand 25-lb bag was removed. That price has been changing a lot over the past year. At its peak last month it was $8.79, then dropped to $6.39 when Smith's and other grocery stores had a sale on flour, and now I don't know what the price is. I'm sure it isn't good. Oh, and the store still doesn't have produce bags.
 

Shooter

Veteran Member
So tonight I went into the local Kroger to grab a few things and checked out their ice. They have never sold the 20lb bags, only the 10lb version. They have plenty of the 10lb bags. I was shocked. Same brand of ice as the Publix too.

So now I'm curious. Does Kroger just have more inventory? Is this purely a Publix phenomenon?

I will update you guys if the situation changes. Curious icecapades! :lol:

I think that most stores get there ice local. I know most in omaha carry the same brand, and even different brands are all made in the same place, just off 84th and F st.
 

packyderms_wife

Neither here nor there.
EXCELLENT post, Anna! Canning dry beans IS easy! And I do it a lot... I have to use regular lids when I can my barbecue baked beans, because they are thick and have a tendency to siphon, but I use the Tattler lids for canning plain cooked dry beans, and they work well.

But I'm thinking about getting an InstaPot, to conserve cooking time and electricity. And I'm thinking it would be great for bean dishes...

Summerthyme

It's also great for cooking squash or those smaller pumpkins. Just put it in the pot, on the rack, with a cup of water, and pressure cook set to manual for 12 minutes with natural pressure release.
 

Redcat

Veteran Member
For those of us who have been building our food pantries over the years, we can honestly say we are not part of the empty shelf problem. I'm not rushing out to buy a dozen of anything. I'm simply replacing what I've used since I last shopped. If I come across an item that is scarce I can bypass it until the shelf is full again because I already have a supply at home. I don't HAVE to replace what I've used immediately.

That's exactly where I have been for over a year. I have what I need, and just replace what I use and rotate. You're so right, we won't be part of the crowd out there clawing for dented cans.
 

nehimama

Has No Life - Lives on TB
SE MI; smallish Kroger store. Everything looked pretty well stocked, even the meat cases. There was a sign at the entry stating that masking is mandatory. I saw only staff and two or three customers wearing one. I did not, and no one said anything to me about it. There was a small stock of canning jars, but no lids. The rotisserie chickens had gone up two dollars. (Hmph! Didn't want your damned old rotisserie chicken anyhow!) The baking aisle was well-stocked, and I noticed the price of flour, all kinds, had gone UP.
 

ohiohippie

Veteran Member
If you have a pressure canner, dried beans are among the easiest foods to can. I can them as plain beans, bean soup, ham & beans and have thought about trying barbeque beans. There are also recipes for pork & beans, but they are so inexpensive to buy on sale I've never bothered.

The question was asked how we know when enough is enough. That is a very good point as enough is good, too much is hoarding. In my opinion when you end up discarding old foods you've gone too far. My original goal was six months and then one year. When my dh passed away my six month supply immediately became one year. I maintain that level by adding an item to my list when I use it or when I open it i.e. a can of shortening or bottle of cooking oil.

I've been worried about not being able to afford meat lately, however, after an inventory of home canned meats (primarily chicken but some pork, ham, turkey and ground beef) and cans of tuna and salmon I realized I have enough. I don't have a lot of meat in the freezer but again enough. When I multiply the pints of canned meats by 3 or 4 meals where I can easily stretch a pint to I really have enough! A can of tuna in a casserole easily is four meals. A can of salmon made into patties is four meals. Meat is my basis for meals then looking at canned and purchased vegetable I realize I can make a lot meals easily. Flour, shortening, sugar, baking powder or yeast make an unlimited variety of bread products. Canned fruits for desserts or to add to breakfast oatmeal check. Add salt, baking powder, sugar, spices, herbs, soda and other necessary ingredients plus a basic cookbook and the sky is the limit.

It was important that I did that inventory because with all the panic about shelves being empty I could easily have gotten the mindset of MORE which I obviously do not need. Although I find nothing wrong with adding something new to my shelves occasionally, I do already have enough both in amount and variety. BTW one of the original reasons for stocking up was to be able to stay home and avoid dealing with panicking mobs or competing for short supplies. Someone could say my pantry is hoarding, but I don't consider buying when the store shelves were full over long period of time to be hoarding. I consider it plain common sense. If I can't fix the problem I can at least strive not to be a part of the problem.
:applaud: :spns::applaud::spns::applaud:
 

Dennis Olson

Chief Curmudgeon
_______________
Smith's was out of Kroger bacon so I splurged and bout a 1.5 pound of Wrights for $8.49.
Bought bacon yesterday for the fist time in 6 weeks. Same brand and package weight as you described: $11 (!) That’s up from the same price you paid when I bought 6 weeks ago.
Owner just pulled in with a trailer-load of rough-sawn lumber, ostensibly to put a corrugated roof over the chicken pen.
See 20Gauge. He’s good at chicken coops. Just ask him. :D
Where I live, if there are empty shelves at the grocery it's probably because they're having trouble hiring people to unload the trucks and stock.
Trucks must be unloaded the moment they arrive. That’s why they get there early.
 

coloradohermit

Veteran Member

Major storable food supplier Augason Farms ceases operations for 90 days, citing collapsing supply chain
 

inskanoot

Veteran Member
This goes back to an earlier discussion regarding fats...I had no idea Crisco was SO $$!!
Oh my gosh that stuff was always cheap as dirt! No way did I buy a can. I think the small size can at our Kroger was almost 7$!

So I only bought a jug of vegetable oil and another olive oil. And veg oils?...those, aren’t cheap either.
I should get more olive oil. that’ll be what we use anyway.
Ran across a YouTube the other day that showed how to make a 72 hour candle by sticking a taper candle into a can of Crisco.
 

TxGal

Day by day

Major storable food supplier Augason Farms ceases operations for 90 days, citing collapsing supply chain

Yep, Ice Age Farmer posted about the letter on his telegram feed, which I posted on the Grand Solar Minimum thread. This is not good at all....
 

TxGal

Day by day
We went to HEB and Kroger in Bryan/College Station yesterday. All in all they were pretty well-stocked, but both stores were very busy mid-day. But, it's a college town and with a weekend Aggie game that would mean parties, etc. Even still, people were not just buy game-day items.

Also, gas went up 5 cents/gallon yesterday. Went out shopping and it was $2.93 when we left. Came back and it was $2.98...food prices are going to go up again....and again...and again.
 

WalknTrot

Veteran Member

Major storable food supplier Augason Farms ceases operations for 90 days, citing collapsing supply chain
The source is Natural News (:rolleyes:), but in this case, I give the story credence. Have been waiting to see such announcements. The prep food industry is going to see supply and labor problems just like everybody else.

If you are late to the game and wanting to store your own food (albeit shorter term) hope you have a dehydrator and canning supplies. They will get you a good year+ of shelf-life anyway.
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
The source is Natural News (:rolleyes:), but in this case, I give the story credence. Have been waiting to see such announcements. The prep food industry is going to see supply and labor problems just like everybody else.

If you are late to the game and wanting to store your own food (albeit shorter term) hope you have a dehydrator and canning supplies. They will get you a good year+ of shelf-life anyway.

If you use O2 absorbers in those canning jars, they will last even longer.

I went to Augason Farms a few months ago to order more #10 cans of dehydrated bell peppers. They had discontinued those , already. So, believing the story isn't too far fetched for me.
 

meezy

I think I can...
Trucks must be unloaded the moment they arrive. That’s why they get there early.

They might be unloaded, but no guarantees about the merch leaving the back room. A few years ago (even pre-pandemic) my son was working dairy at a different grocery and they had so much trouble getting people to work in that department the shelves were frequently empty, especially yogurt, eggs, refrigerated juice, etc. I guess it's less of a problem with items that are less perishable.
 

meezy

I think I can...

Major storable food supplier Augason Farms ceases operations for 90 days, citing collapsing supply chain

I ordered food buckets from My Patriot Supply last year in mid-Feb, didn't get it till April. Reason given was that they were so deluged with orders they had to expand production and were having supply problems even then. And that was really just the very beginning of the pandemic. A good lesson to *everyone* to get stuff before you need it, not after. Or even when you start thinking that it might be a good idea to consider preparing to place an order sometime... LOL
 
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