News
Arizona Food Prices Inch Up, but Groceries Still a Bargain
This quarter's Stretch Your Dollar menu and recipes are available on fillyourplate.org
Arizona, July 12, 2010 - For the second time this year, Arizona retail food prices at the supermarket increased in the second quarter of 2010, according to the latest Arizona Farm Bureau Federation Market Basket Survey. The informal survey shows the total cost of 16 basic grocery items was $48.84, up $2.88 or 6% higher than the first quarter of 2010. Comparatively, the American Farm Bureau Federation's national survey was $47.20, up $1.66 or 4% higher compared to the first quarter of 2010.
Even with this increase the second quarter Market Basket is $2.05 lower than one year ago at this time.
"Everyone is looking to save money. As the mother of four growing children, cooking at home is one way we save money and serve up good healthy food at the same time," said Sharla Mortimer, Arizona Farm Bureau Women's Leadership Committee chair and rancher in Yavapai County. "Additionally, I buy seasonal fruits and vegetables to stretch our food budget."
To access an entire menu focused on those food items down in price in the first quarter and designed around stretching your food dollar, go to www.fillyourplate.org. Look for the latest "Stretch Your Food Dollar" menu and the additional food savings tips.
"Energy costs moved higher during the first quarter of the year and hit an 18 month high at the end of March," said Arizona Farm Bureau Public Relations Director Julie Murphree. "Since that time, energy prices have declined as the economic recovery appears to have slowed. Moving forward, energy prices - a key component of food prices, particularly for highly processed foods - will continue to be largely determined by conditions in the general economy."
"Because of the overall increase in meat products, in the Stretch your Dollar Menu we made a point to figure meat recipes that can be stretched," Murphree added. "Consumers who shop for the special priced items and meats on sale will save at the grocery store."
Of the 16 items surveyed in Arizona, four decreased and twelve increased, compared to the 2010 first-quarter survey. The national survey shows seven decreased and nine increased.
In Arizona, Shredded cheddar cheese showed the greatest decrease in price down 62 cents to $3.64 a pound; Eggs were down 49 cents to $1.32 a dozen; orange juice down 24 cents to $3.09 a half gallon; and a 20-oz loaf of white bread down 3 cents to $1.55.
Boneless chicken breast showed the largest price increase up 73 cents to $4.57 a pound. The other items that increased in price were milk up 53 cents to $2.72 a gallon; bacon up 51 cents to $3.53 a pound; classic salad mix up 42 cents to $2.72 for the pound bag; sirloin tip roast up 38 cents to $4.77 a pound; a 5-pound bag of flour up 30cents to $ 2.57; deli ham up 29 cents to $4.99 a pound; russet potatoes up 27 cents to $1.98 for the 5-pound bag; ground beef up 26 cents to $3.62 a pound; red delicious apples up 23 cents to $1.45 a-pound; toasted oat cereal up 23 cents to $2.99 for the 8.9 oz box and vegetable oil up 11 cents to $3.33 for the 32 oz bottle.
As retail grocery prices have gradually increased over time, the share of the average food dollar that America's farm and ranch families receive has dropped. "In the mid-1970s, farmers received about one-third of consumer retail food expenditures for food eaten at home and away from home, on average. That figure has decreased steadily over time and is now just 19 percent, according to Agriculture Department statistics," explains John Anderson, American Farm Bureau Economist.
Using the "food at home and away from home" percentage across-the-board, the Arizona farmer's share of this quarter's $48.84 Market Basket total would be $9.28.
The Farm Bureau Market Basket Survey is unscientific, but serves as a gauge of actual price trends across the state. Bargain shoppers statewide should find individual items at prices comparable to the Farm Bureau survey averages and certainly cheaper with discounts and in-store specials. Arizona Farm Bureau seeks to identify the best in-store price, excluding promotional coupons and special deals.
Second quarter-2010
First quarter-2010
Arizona
National
Arizona
National
Red Delicious apples
$ 1.45
$ 1.46 _
$ 1.22
$ 1.50
Russet potatoes, 5 lbs
$ 1.98
$ 2.51 _
$ 1.71
$ 2.26
Ground Chuck, lb.
$ 3.62
$ 2.89 _
$ 3.36
$ 2.63
Sirloin tip roast, lb.
$ 4.77
$ 4.10 _
$ 4.39
$ 3.69
Sliced deli ham, lb.
$ 4.99
$ 5.24 _
$ 4.70
$ 4.83
Bacon, lb.
$ 3.53
$ 3.53 _
$ 3.02
$ 3.22
Boneless chicken breast, lb.
$ 4.57
$ 3.25 _
$ 3.84
$ 2.93
Whole milk, gallon
$ 2.72
$ 3.06 _
$ 2.19
$ 3.15
Shredded Mild cheddar cheese, lb.
$ 3.64
$ 4.16 _
$ 4.26
$ 4.26
Eggs, one dozen large, Grade A
$ 1.32
$ 1.53 _
$ 1.81
$ 1.74
All-purpose flour, 5 lbs.
$ 2.57
$ 2.35 _
$ 2.27
$ 2.26
Orange juice, 1/2 gal.
$ 3.09
$ 3.00 _
$ 3.33
$ 2.98
Vegetable oil, 32 oz.
$ 3.33
$ 2.61 _
$ 3.22
$ 2.74
American Salad Mix, 1 lb
$ 2.72
$ 2.80 _
$ 2.30
$ 2.67
Toasted oat cereal, 8.9-oz. Box
$ 2.99
$ 2.95 _
$ 2.76
$ 2.97
White bread, 20-oz. Loaf
$ 1.55
$ 1.76 _
$ 1.58
$ 1.71
Key: _ up ; _ Down; E even
2010 Market Basket Survey Results
Arizona Farm Bureau Money Saving Tips to Stretch your Food Dollars
* Make a list and stick to it.
* Check the newspaper for sale items then make a plan where to shop.
* Use grocery store club cards and then compare prices to store brands
* Go through your pantry and keep it organized so you know what you have.
* Buy summer season fresh items, instead of processed items.
* Consider buying frozen vegetables, they are picked fresh, flash frozen immediately and are less expensive and will keep longer.
* When planning your menu think about what you already have then use coupons to springboard your meal planning. If lettuce, tomatoes and bacon are on special, why not BLTs for dinner?
* Buy in bulk, but don't buy more than you can eat.
* Clip and use coupons. Put a 'C' next to items on your list that you have a coupon for, it will help you remember to use it at the checkout stand.
* Shop the edges of the store avoiding the items at the ends of the aisles.
* Keep tabs on spending by keeping a running tally of what's in your shopping cart.
* When shopping meat sales items, consider stocking your freezer.
Stretch Your Food Dollar Menu X
Arizona Farm Bureau put together a menu to help you stretch your food dollar by utilizing items that have gone down in price. This quarter's items down in price are shredded cheddar cheese, eggs, orange juice and white bread. Arizona Farm Bureau recommends building menus around eggs as they are ideally priced. To obtain actual recipes for the "Stretch Your Food Dollar Menu X" go to www.fillyourplate.org and click on the recipe tab. Most of recipes for menu X are from Arizona producers.
Menu for the Week:
Sunday: Lemon Chicken
Roasted Potatoes/with seasonings
Baked Apples
Milk or Iced Tea
Monday: Pulled Pork
Wedge Salad
Milk
Tuesday: Chicken Enchiladas
Bread or corn chips
Milk
Wednesday: Easy Mexican Casserole
Mixed green salad
Milk or Iced Tea
Thursday: Chicken Ala King over noodles or rice
Mixed vegetables
Milk or Iced Tea
Friday: Quesadillas (build your own)
Chips and Salsa
Fruit of the season salad
Milk or Iced Tea
Saturday: Grilled hamburgers and hot dogs
Grilled veggie kabobs
Carrot bread with orange juice glaze
Milk or Iced Tea
***You may adjust this suggested menu to your family's likes and needs*
Shopping list
Dry goods:
Hamburger buns
Hot Dog buns
1 dozen Flour tortillas
1 dozen corn tortillas
1 bag tortilla or corn chips
1 package egg noodles
Produce:
5 lbs potatoes
4 ears fresh corn
2 heads iceberg lettuce
1 bag American salad mix
4 or 5 large apples
1 summer squash
1 bell pepper
2 oranges
1 bunch grapes
2 bananas
1 pint strawberries
1 medium yellow onion
Meats:
5 lbs pork roast
2 lbs ground beef
1 package hot dogs
3- whole chickens
Dairy:
2- gallons milk
4-cup bag of shredded cheese
1 dozen eggs
Pantry items you might have on hand:
Minute rice Flour
Corn (canned) Brown sugar
Bacon bits Baking soda
Vegetable oil Baking powder
Salad dressing Sugar
Cinnamon
Misc:
1 can mushroom soup
1 jar salsa
1 can Rotel tomatoes with chilis
The cost of all the items on the "Stretch Your Food Dollar Menu X" is about $72.25. This is $22.50 less than the first quarter at $94.75. Note that most of the shopping list items for this quarters menu are non-processed...keeping costs down.
About the Arizona Farm Bureau
Arizona Farm Bureau began a quarterly Market Basket starting the fourth quarter of 2006. The Arizona Farm Bureau is a grassroots organization dedicated to preserving and improving the Agriculture industry through member involvement in education, political activities, programs and services. Go to www.azfb.org to learn more. To obtain "Stretch Your Food Dollar" menu and nutrition information go to www.fillyourplate.org.
As a member services organization, individuals can become a member by contacting the Farm Bureau. For information on member benefits call 480.635.3609.
Arizona, July 12, 2010 - For the second time this year, Arizona retail food prices at the supermarket increased in the second quarter of 2010, according to the latest Arizona Farm Bureau Federation Market Basket Survey. The informal survey shows the total cost of 16 basic grocery items was $48.84, up $2.88 or 6% higher than the first quarter of 2010. Comparatively, the American Farm Bureau Federation's national survey was $47.20, up $1.66 or 4% higher compared to the first quarter of 2010.
Even with this increase the second quarter Market Basket is $2.05 lower than one year ago at this time.
"Everyone is looking to save money. As the mother of four growing children, cooking at home is one way we save money and serve up good healthy food at the same time," said Sharla Mortimer, Arizona Farm Bureau Women's Leadership Committee chair and rancher in Yavapai County. "Additionally, I buy seasonal fruits and vegetables to stretch our food budget."
To access an entire menu focused on those food items down in price in the first quarter and designed around stretching your food dollar, go to www.fillyourplate.org. Look for the latest "Stretch Your Food Dollar" menu and the additional food savings tips.
"Energy costs moved higher during the first quarter of the year and hit an 18 month high at the end of March," said Arizona Farm Bureau Public Relations Director Julie Murphree. "Since that time, energy prices have declined as the economic recovery appears to have slowed. Moving forward, energy prices - a key component of food prices, particularly for highly processed foods - will continue to be largely determined by conditions in the general economy."
"Because of the overall increase in meat products, in the Stretch your Dollar Menu we made a point to figure meat recipes that can be stretched," Murphree added. "Consumers who shop for the special priced items and meats on sale will save at the grocery store."
Of the 16 items surveyed in Arizona, four decreased and twelve increased, compared to the 2010 first-quarter survey. The national survey shows seven decreased and nine increased.
In Arizona, Shredded cheddar cheese showed the greatest decrease in price down 62 cents to $3.64 a pound; Eggs were down 49 cents to $1.32 a dozen; orange juice down 24 cents to $3.09 a half gallon; and a 20-oz loaf of white bread down 3 cents to $1.55.
Boneless chicken breast showed the largest price increase up 73 cents to $4.57 a pound. The other items that increased in price were milk up 53 cents to $2.72 a gallon; bacon up 51 cents to $3.53 a pound; classic salad mix up 42 cents to $2.72 for the pound bag; sirloin tip roast up 38 cents to $4.77 a pound; a 5-pound bag of flour up 30cents to $ 2.57; deli ham up 29 cents to $4.99 a pound; russet potatoes up 27 cents to $1.98 for the 5-pound bag; ground beef up 26 cents to $3.62 a pound; red delicious apples up 23 cents to $1.45 a-pound; toasted oat cereal up 23 cents to $2.99 for the 8.9 oz box and vegetable oil up 11 cents to $3.33 for the 32 oz bottle.
As retail grocery prices have gradually increased over time, the share of the average food dollar that America's farm and ranch families receive has dropped. "In the mid-1970s, farmers received about one-third of consumer retail food expenditures for food eaten at home and away from home, on average. That figure has decreased steadily over time and is now just 19 percent, according to Agriculture Department statistics," explains John Anderson, American Farm Bureau Economist.
Using the "food at home and away from home" percentage across-the-board, the Arizona farmer's share of this quarter's $48.84 Market Basket total would be $9.28.
The Farm Bureau Market Basket Survey is unscientific, but serves as a gauge of actual price trends across the state. Bargain shoppers statewide should find individual items at prices comparable to the Farm Bureau survey averages and certainly cheaper with discounts and in-store specials. Arizona Farm Bureau seeks to identify the best in-store price, excluding promotional coupons and special deals.
Second quarter-2010
First quarter-2010
Arizona
National
Arizona
National
Red Delicious apples
$ 1.45
$ 1.46 _
$ 1.22
$ 1.50
Russet potatoes, 5 lbs
$ 1.98
$ 2.51 _
$ 1.71
$ 2.26
Ground Chuck, lb.
$ 3.62
$ 2.89 _
$ 3.36
$ 2.63
Sirloin tip roast, lb.
$ 4.77
$ 4.10 _
$ 4.39
$ 3.69
Sliced deli ham, lb.
$ 4.99
$ 5.24 _
$ 4.70
$ 4.83
Bacon, lb.
$ 3.53
$ 3.53 _
$ 3.02
$ 3.22
Boneless chicken breast, lb.
$ 4.57
$ 3.25 _
$ 3.84
$ 2.93
Whole milk, gallon
$ 2.72
$ 3.06 _
$ 2.19
$ 3.15
Shredded Mild cheddar cheese, lb.
$ 3.64
$ 4.16 _
$ 4.26
$ 4.26
Eggs, one dozen large, Grade A
$ 1.32
$ 1.53 _
$ 1.81
$ 1.74
All-purpose flour, 5 lbs.
$ 2.57
$ 2.35 _
$ 2.27
$ 2.26
Orange juice, 1/2 gal.
$ 3.09
$ 3.00 _
$ 3.33
$ 2.98
Vegetable oil, 32 oz.
$ 3.33
$ 2.61 _
$ 3.22
$ 2.74
American Salad Mix, 1 lb
$ 2.72
$ 2.80 _
$ 2.30
$ 2.67
Toasted oat cereal, 8.9-oz. Box
$ 2.99
$ 2.95 _
$ 2.76
$ 2.97
White bread, 20-oz. Loaf
$ 1.55
$ 1.76 _
$ 1.58
$ 1.71
Key: _ up ; _ Down; E even
2010 Market Basket Survey Results
Arizona Farm Bureau Money Saving Tips to Stretch your Food Dollars
* Make a list and stick to it.
* Check the newspaper for sale items then make a plan where to shop.
* Use grocery store club cards and then compare prices to store brands
* Go through your pantry and keep it organized so you know what you have.
* Buy summer season fresh items, instead of processed items.
* Consider buying frozen vegetables, they are picked fresh, flash frozen immediately and are less expensive and will keep longer.
* When planning your menu think about what you already have then use coupons to springboard your meal planning. If lettuce, tomatoes and bacon are on special, why not BLTs for dinner?
* Buy in bulk, but don't buy more than you can eat.
* Clip and use coupons. Put a 'C' next to items on your list that you have a coupon for, it will help you remember to use it at the checkout stand.
* Shop the edges of the store avoiding the items at the ends of the aisles.
* Keep tabs on spending by keeping a running tally of what's in your shopping cart.
* When shopping meat sales items, consider stocking your freezer.
Stretch Your Food Dollar Menu X
Arizona Farm Bureau put together a menu to help you stretch your food dollar by utilizing items that have gone down in price. This quarter's items down in price are shredded cheddar cheese, eggs, orange juice and white bread. Arizona Farm Bureau recommends building menus around eggs as they are ideally priced. To obtain actual recipes for the "Stretch Your Food Dollar Menu X" go to www.fillyourplate.org and click on the recipe tab. Most of recipes for menu X are from Arizona producers.
Menu for the Week:
Sunday: Lemon Chicken
Roasted Potatoes/with seasonings
Baked Apples
Milk or Iced Tea
Monday: Pulled Pork
Wedge Salad
Milk
Tuesday: Chicken Enchiladas
Bread or corn chips
Milk
Wednesday: Easy Mexican Casserole
Mixed green salad
Milk or Iced Tea
Thursday: Chicken Ala King over noodles or rice
Mixed vegetables
Milk or Iced Tea
Friday: Quesadillas (build your own)
Chips and Salsa
Fruit of the season salad
Milk or Iced Tea
Saturday: Grilled hamburgers and hot dogs
Grilled veggie kabobs
Carrot bread with orange juice glaze
Milk or Iced Tea
***You may adjust this suggested menu to your family's likes and needs*
Shopping list
Dry goods:
Hamburger buns
Hot Dog buns
1 dozen Flour tortillas
1 dozen corn tortillas
1 bag tortilla or corn chips
1 package egg noodles
Produce:
5 lbs potatoes
4 ears fresh corn
2 heads iceberg lettuce
1 bag American salad mix
4 or 5 large apples
1 summer squash
1 bell pepper
2 oranges
1 bunch grapes
2 bananas
1 pint strawberries
1 medium yellow onion
Meats:
5 lbs pork roast
2 lbs ground beef
1 package hot dogs
3- whole chickens
Dairy:
2- gallons milk
4-cup bag of shredded cheese
1 dozen eggs
Pantry items you might have on hand:
Minute rice Flour
Corn (canned) Brown sugar
Bacon bits Baking soda
Vegetable oil Baking powder
Salad dressing Sugar
Cinnamon
Misc:
1 can mushroom soup
1 jar salsa
1 can Rotel tomatoes with chilis
The cost of all the items on the "Stretch Your Food Dollar Menu X" is about $72.25. This is $22.50 less than the first quarter at $94.75. Note that most of the shopping list items for this quarters menu are non-processed...keeping costs down.
About the Arizona Farm Bureau
Arizona Farm Bureau began a quarterly Market Basket starting the fourth quarter of 2006. The Arizona Farm Bureau is a grassroots organization dedicated to preserving and improving the Agriculture industry through member involvement in education, political activities, programs and services. Go to www.azfb.org to learn more. To obtain "Stretch Your Food Dollar" menu and nutrition information go to www.fillyourplate.org.
As a member services organization, individuals can become a member by contacting the Farm Bureau. For information on member benefits call 480.635.3609.
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