Hub's and I sure had our eyes opened this week when we went to the restaurant supply store to stock up on some sugar. I bought 50 lbs. and put it in buckets. I will get three more ten pound bags at the grocer some time in the future.
We were talking to one of the managers there and he was we telling us about how from day to day prices were going up at astronomical rates. Restaurants in the area were worried about food costs, as they were losing money trying to keep their meals down to a level that people would come out and eat. There is a fine line of profit margin in the food industry. He said they were actually selling some foods at a loss right now, in order to get people to come in and buy. This can only go on so long before more places close.
I also noticed that one of the larger chain grocery stores (Tidyman's) we don't have one here but daughter has one in Twin Falls,has a new Christmas campaign out right now touting very expensive food choices for the holidays. As in don't make your holiday pies with just any old apples but our premium select apples, at $3.99 a pound. It will taste better and you family deserves it. Well I will tell you that if you make a homemade pie with any apple it will probably be good enough. But no let's be guilted into making one with apples that are $4.00 a pound bringing the cost up to about $15.00 a pie. I mean really do people fall for this crap? Obliviously they must or they wouldn't be promoting it. Also make sure your holiday dinner has non frozen $20.00 a pound beef and Alaska crab leg's which here can run $27.99 a pound. Like we are all going to run out and buy crab legs.
We have a huge sea food dinner at Christmas and it is pricey, but let me tell you if the prices get out of hand we will have shrimp, and oyster stew and that is it. We will be grateful for that. No amount of advertising is going to guilt me into spending extreme amounts of money so my family will have the best. Who comes up with these campaigns? I think they need a redo.
But having said all this, I do think it is important right now that you take stock of your food pantry and perhaps try and get a few more things in case there are shortages and because I think prices are going to continue to rise.
A cheap store brand of nasty bacon was $9.99 for 12 oz this weekend at Albertson's. I am so grateful for my storage and my ability to cook good meals without breaking the bank.
I will be able to do all my Christmas baking with out buying very much. I will have to get more butter and I am low on corn syrup. But other than that I have everything. I even have shrimp in the freezer from sales in the past.
I plan on taking all the pumpkins I can find and that people will give me after Halloween and making them into canned pumpkin. Even though I will be gone, I have neighbor that are saving their pumpkin decorations for me.
What does your family like to eat? DO you have these things on hand? DO you have any foods that you could store long term just in case? Rice and beans come to mind?
We will have leftover chicken, mash potatoes,gravy and biscuts from yesterday for dinner and I will scare up a vegetable to go with it.
By the way I had gotten a can of those wack a biscuits free at the grocer. They were the crecent rolls.As they had been in the fridge for awhile I decided to bake then yesterday. They were to be at 375 for 10 minutes. I know my heat element is right in my oven and the eight rolls were in for 8 minutes and were burned black on the bottoms and still gooey inside. SO glad I did not buy them. I actually fed them to the chickens and whipped up a batch of biscuits and cooked them in 12 minutes. What a waste and people buy those? Okay I am being critical, but learn to cook. Have your ingredients on hand for simple cooking basics and cook them often so you become proficient at it.
2 cups flour,
4tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartat
1/2 tsp salt
t tsp sugar
2/3 cups shortening
1/2 cup milk
there keep all this at arms reach in your kitchen. Have a pastry cutter (dollar store) and know how to use it. bake 425 10-15 minutes depending on size of cutter. Or you can buy some Pillsbury crescents and burn them for dinner. The choice is yours.
Okay I am off my soap box. My chickens are happy.
Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are int the negative.
Kim
It was interesting to not that when the pandemic first hit and the supermarket shelves were being picked bare, it soon became obvious if you knew how to cook you would be ok. Packaged foods were stripped from the shelves yet there was always plenty of fresh produce. However we can not blame the suppliers or the restaurants for pushing up costs because they are entitled to make a profit. It all comes back to the supply chain. I think we would be all well served if we took the time to learn how to cook some cheap basic meals that can be prepared using more dry grains or canned beans. I live in an apartment but have fresh herbs growing and two tomato plants. All leftovers are eaten and we go meatless 3 days a week. Good for our health and good for our budget. If we all make less demand on the food chain things will come back to equilibrium.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree. Leaning to cook a few dishes with lentils and rice would do everyone some good. Going meatless would not kill anyone either.
DeleteI'm beyond thankful that I've stocked up on most things throughout the year. I still get sticker shock every time I go to the store. We eat a non-traditional Christmas dinner, so we just cook all our favorites. If we're out of something, then we'll just switch to something else. Easy peasy. I'm not going to stress about food this year. I only need to buy butter. I have all other baking supplies.
ReplyDeleteYou and me both butter is the KING!
DeleteI’m stocked but I keep thinking of things I would like to get more of.
ReplyDeleteBut there is only so much room and so much money
I am seeing higher prices but not as extreme as you. But I won’t be surprised if they get here.
I would like to stock a few more things, but I do think we are fine right now, and you are right money and space. Have the space, don't have the money.
DeleteSheepishly raising my hand, but I like those crescent rolls. :) But thank you for the biscuit recipe, and maybe I can finally make biscuits that aren't hockey pucks. I can make tasty bread and rolls though.
ReplyDeletePrices are going up here too, and even aldi prices have gone up.
That is okay, I ate one and it was not bad except the burned part and hubs ate quite a few. They did not have bad flavor, they just did not get done enough before they burned.
DeleteWe eat a traditional turkey dinner for both holidays. I bought the last thing I needed for Tommy's favorite--green bean casserole. I found the fried onions and paid the price. It may be on sale later, but I won't take the chance. I have everything I need for turkey, dressing, sweet potatoes and other dishes. I do worry about the prices, especially for people who have so much less. If I had not spent my stimulus check on the freezer, we would be in bad shape as far as butter and meats.
ReplyDeleteI bought huge Granny Smith apples,3, to make an apple pie and freeze. I was going to make one with top crust only in a casserole, but a small casserole. Well, tommy ate them. So, the $1.49/lb. apples are now $3.99.lb. Now, the pie will cost more! He claims I did not tell him they were for a pie! I did. But, we won't go without apple pie nor will we buy one from the bakery at Publix. Or anywhere.
I really feel for families of little means.
It is hard to watch paople who don't have enough, but I try to help when ever I can. Hubs would so do that!
DeleteLike you, i have more than i deserve probably. I am very well stocked on all things baking related. Funny thing is, for many, many years, i’ve been making my own pie crusts, brown sugar, sourdough (when it decides to rise). You name it, i probably make it or have made it. (soap anyone? I have a two year supply of homemade.) This year, i’m thinking my time is more valuable than spending it in front of the sink washing more dishes because i felt the need to make everything from scratch. I don’t think there’s a one size fits all. I always burned those biscuits, too. And, our prices are climbing, as well. Our shelves aren’t as bare as some, though.
ReplyDeleteDebbie
We all have way more than we deserve my friend. You are right cooking like we do does involve more dishes. Well more than the foil pan we can throw away.
DeleteI have been stocking up on canned good loss leaders and BOGO's. I still can get more sugar and flour. I like the canned biscuits but I may give your recipe a try!
ReplyDeleteI did not realize you have a thrifting blog! I just saw it and I am hooked.
DeleteEvery time I go shopping I pick up a few extra cans, bottles, or bags. I even try to keep a few jars of yeast around as those disappeared very quickly.
ReplyDeleteI have let our beef fall a bit lower than I would like so I am afraid I will need to bite the bullet and purchase some ground meat, stew meat, and some small steaks this week. I just hope I can find most on sale, cause well, here in my part of Canada ground beef not on sale is close to $6.00 a pound.
God bless.
I know prices are higher in Canada, but your drugs are much lower. It is always something isn't it?
DeleteI continually add to our food storage without meaning to sometimes. I did read once from someone who went through a war that even though they had food, the blandness was what they disliked most. They suggested keeping little packages of gravy mix on hand. I am not crazy about them, so now I deglaze pans when I cook meats of any kind, reduce the liquid and freeze it in an old ice club tray. I have bags for different meats or fowl and can pull out one or two to make gravy just about anytime.
ReplyDeleteYes beans with no spices can get really old. I don't like packaged gravy but keep it on hand. That is a good idea about freezing the meat juices. I kn;y do that for Swedish meatballs and bacon.
DeleteI'm going to add more this weekend.
ReplyDeleteA local family owned café posted this on facebook.
Fryer oil 12 months ago 21.12
Fryer oil now 36.00
Case of chicken wings 12 months ago 45.00
Case of chicken wings now 175.00
Take Out boxes 12 months ago 25.00
Take out boxes now 95.00
I don't see how many places are going to survive. We are in very scary times.
That is terrifying, it is time we were all prepared. Thanks for posting this and I think you should post that on your blog also. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.
DeleteMy husband usually gets a small turkey from his work, prior to Thanksgiving. That will be our turkey and if he doesn't get one because of supply issues, we will just eat something else. Tradition is fine when it makes sense but when it doesn't, being grateful is really what it's all about, isn't it.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way. We could have a lovely Thanksgiving and Christmas with meatloaf. It is about family and love, and laughter and the kids.
DeleteWe have steak for Thanksgiving, as we have two non-turkey lovers at the house, and it works out just fine for us. But, I'm guessing the prices will be super expensive this year.
ReplyDeleteWe did have a successful garden, & that helped a bit. We grew tomatoes for at least 4 months, so a new record for us.
Gardens do really help and ours was so dismal. I would be looking right now for a good sale on a package of steak!
DeleteSuch a great blog post, Kim. You are so right about the $4 a pound apples making a pie $15. I think Walmart sells them at the holidays for $2.50. I’m sure the Walmart ones won’t be as good as the $15 pie, but when people need to economize they will probably go with the least expensive option.
ReplyDelete