Food Prices

Found this article on CBC regarding how world food prices have now increased to "dangerous" levels.

Well, food prices have increased for certain. Today, I was at the grocery store and I saw some canned gravy that I normally buy, but only when it's on sale. I stock up on it when it's on sale for a dollar a can. Because, the last time I noticed the regular price, it was $1.59 / can or so. This gravy I use as my benchmark for gauging food prices, because I can remember when it cost a dollar a can as the regular price. Today I saw it for $1.79 / can, regular price.

Good gravy!

Yup, food prices are definitely on the way up, been noticing it for years. My gravy, prime example. Oh sure, here in the first world, we're lucky and we can forgo certain items (like luxury canned gravy) or only get them when they're on sale. We can always afford staples like rice, meat, and so on. In the rest of the world, not so much.

The price of the gravy has almost doubled in the past couple years. Other items have also gone up in price.

This does not bode well for the future. I'm glad, at a time like this, I own an affordable home, and own it outright. That, at least, provides some security with regards to my budget. Housing expenses for me are minimal, leaving more left over for things like food (and my brand-new SUV). Particularly since I like to eat whatever I want and not have to work with budget constraints when it comes to eating. I don't like the idea of going to the grocery store and not being able to get whatever I want, when I want it. If I want to eat something fancy or more expensive, I want to always be able to get it when I want it, and not have to settle for only what I can afford. Furthermore I want Pugsley to be able to eat well, to eat decent meals of good-quality nutritious foods.

$1.79 for a can of gravy that used to cost a dollar.

Also, is it just me, or does it seem that food AVAILABILITY is also being effected? Today, I wanted to buy some tater tots, some frozen bagged spinach, and a whole cooked chicken. I wasn't able to find either the tater tots nor the frozen bagged spinach at Super C in Vaudreuil on the weekend - hence my having to go out to another, different grocery store to look for it today. The store I went to today (Maxi in Pincourt) had neither tater tots, frozen bagged spinach, NOR whole cooked chickens available. Cripes! I felt like I was in Soviet Russia, or Haity, or someplace like that. No frozen bagged spinach, tater tots, nor whole cooked chickens to be had for love nor money. And these are basic food items.

On my third try, at IGA in St. Lazare, I finally found the items I was seeking. But is it really becoming necessary for me to run all over the place, go to three different grocery stores, in order to find the basic food items I want to buy? Cripes!

Food prices are on the way up. Food availability is on the way down. Especially here in the first-world nation of Canada. Meh.