Inflation is causing grocery prices to climb as well as
food insecurity.
In the tri-state area food prices rose more than 8%. This impacts not
only wallets, but for many also the quality of the food to eat.
Rising food prices have been one of the most difficult and visible
aspects of inflation, with some households needing to cut back on
purchasing pricier items at the grocery store.
News 12's Elizabeth Hashagen was joined by Maggie G. Lyon, of University of New
Haven School of Health Sciences - a registered dietitian with
experience in community education and inpatient clinical medical nutrition
therapy.
In the year
through January, egg prices soared 70.1%. In the wholesale market, egg prices
hit a record peak in December but have been steadily falling since
then. So far, those declines haven't reached consumers, as seen in
January's numbers.
Compared to other grocery items, egg prices rose
most dramatically, but other foods got more expensive this year as well.
Some dairy product prices increased sharply - butter spiked 26.3% and margarine
rose 44.7%.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics' monthly consumer
price index report for January released last week showed that prices for food
at home were up 11.3% compared to last year. That figure is well-above
the overall inflation number, which came in at 6.4% year over year as of
January and is down from a 40-year high of 9.1% in June 2022.
The USDA says more than 34 million people, including 9 million children, in the United
States are food-insecure. Many households that
experience food insecurity do not qualify for federal nutrition programs and
visit local food banks or other
food programs for extra support.