Low-income Americans and food banks are struggling to make rising food prices work
As food prices continue to rise (thanks to supply chain knots, labor shortages, and inflation), lower-income Americans — who tend to spend a higher percentage of their earnings on food and housing — as well as food banks and pantries are struggling to keep up, reports The New York Times.
Indianapolis resident Robin Mueller said she used to buy ground beef for her family once or twice a week; now, she can only afford "once or twice a month," writes the Times. "You have to pick and choose," Mueller said.
A once-$13 to $14 case of peanut butter now costs $16 to $19, and green beans that used to go for $9 a case are up to $14 per, added Alexandra McMahon, director of Gleaners Food Bank of Indianapolis. "It has a big impact," explained Gleaners' COO Joseph Slater of the surge.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Among the items going up in price are meat, fruit, dairy products, grains and oils, per the Times. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the price of meat, poultry, fish, and eggs in U.S. cities are up 15 percent since the start of 2020. It's a "slow-motion train wreck" that isn't going away any time soon, cautioned Michael Swanson, chief agricultural economist at Wells Fargo.
Meanwhile, though pandemic-linked demand for some food banks and pantries has let up recently, "things are nowhere near pre-COVID conditions," notes the Times. And an increase in food cost makes those operations even harder. "There are certain items that are outside our reach because of the price," said CEO of the Oregon Food Bank Susannah Morgan.
Warned Swanson: "The scary thing is that food companies haven't passed along all of their costs yet."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
4 ways to give back this holiday season
The Explainer If your budget is feeling squeezed, remember that money is not the only way you can be generous around the holidays
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
4 tips for hosting an ecofriendly Thanksgiving
The Week Recommends Coming together for the holidays typically produces a ton of waste, but with proper preparation, you can have an environmentally friendly gathering.
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US charges Indian tycoon with bribery, fraud
Speed Read Indian billionaire Gautam Adani has been indicted by US prosecutors for his role in a $265 million scheme to secure solar energy deals
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Boeing machinists approve contract, end strike
Speed Read The company's largest union approved the new contract offer, ending a seven-week strike
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US economy still strong in final preelection report
Speed Read It grew at a solid 2.8% annual rate from July through September
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Boeing machinists reject deal, continue strike
Speed Read The rejection came the same day Boeing reported a $6.2 billion quarterly loss
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ports reopen after dockworkers halt strike
Speed Read The 36 ports that closed this week, from Maine to Texas, will start reopening today
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Empty-nest boomers aren't selling their big homes
Speed Read Most Americans 60 and older do not intend to move, according to a recent survey
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Brazil accuses Musk of 'disinformation campaign'
Speed Read A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has opened an inquiry into Elon Musk and X
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney board fends off Peltz infiltration bid
Speed Read Disney CEO Bob Iger has defeated activist investor Nelson Peltz in a contentious proxy battle
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published