January 5, 2012 | 8:57 AM | By

Budget Foods Not So Affordable After All

Cooking on a budget is becoming more difficult, even if you’re not buying organic. The cost for food typically considered “budget items” increased at a higher rate than consumer goods in 2011. Prices rose by 10 percent or more for milk, oil, lean ground beef and potatoes, NPR’s The Salt reports.

It’s challenging enough trying to eat healthy on a budget, particularly if you don’t have a stove for cooking. These continued price increases will hit low-income families the hardest since they spend a greater share of their income on food; 40 percent of D.C. households with children have reported not having enough money to buy food.


Cooking at home is still much cheaper than eating out, but the higher costs still sting, particularly when the items with the biggest price increases are the budget picks for lean times. Ground beef prices rose 10 percent, and pork prices were almost 7 percent above a year ago. Eggs were up 10 percent. That’s according to the USDA’s final projection for food costs in 2011, and its projections for 2012.

Read more at: www.npr.org

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Nandalal-Nagalingam-Rasiah/616076641 Nandalal Nagalingam Rasiah

    canned tuna, herring(sold as ‘kippers’ sometimes), sardines and even pink salmon are all still very cheap (even when packed in olive oil as opposed to agribusiness and subsidy friendly soybean oil.)  The last three offer the ideal omega 3: omega 6 ratio.  Cabbage is a good cheap alternative to many pricier greens and if you don’t mind Iceberg, and buy whole heads, it too is economical.  Any kind of dried peas and beans sold in bags are also cheap and easily dressed up with just salt, vinegar and hot sauce.  Garlic and onions are also cheap and are the most versatile flavoring one can buy.  White rice and potatoes have not changed price points in many years as well and both are cheap.  If you are able to gain access to a big-box retailer, the items mentioned int he article will be much cheaper, but I don’t think that’s a reality in metro DC.

  • Anonymous

    Thanks for sharing those tips!

  • http://twitter.com/ubermize Milton

    Aldi in northeast is just as cheap as any big box retailer. I swear I’m saving at least 30% off my groceries as compared to Teeter/Safeway/Giant.  $2.25 for a gallon of milk!