Between groceries and restaurants, Americans are spending more of their income on food than they have in 30 years.
That’s according to the latest data from the USDA, which shows that U.S. consumers spent more than 11% of their disposable income on eating — whether at home or at a restaurant — in 2022, the highest percentage since 1991.
“This is really a metric that’s about the share of our disposable personal income which the USDA tracks, and which recently was at essentially a 31-year high,” Jesse Newman, food reporter for the Wall Street Journal, told CBS News.
Experts say painfully high food prices, and ongoing inflation more generally, help explain why many Americans are down on the economy despite low unemployment, rising wages and steady economic growth. Inflation is expected to continue slowing this year, with the National Association for Business Economists on Monday forecasting that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) — a basket of common goods and services — will decline to an annual rate of 2.4% this year, compared with 4.1% in 2023 and 8% in 2022.
“Cereal Company CEO, why is a box of cereal now $6?”
“Well, you see, we wanted to stick it everyone. Cheerios don’t cost that much, but what are we gonna do, not screw everyone?”
Haven’t you heard? Cereal is now for dinner too according to Kellogg’s CEO, and I guess that means it can be more expensive! But shhh, don’t tell your nutritionist because they’ll let you know that most modern cereal is actually more of a snack than something suitable for a main meal. You’d think access to affordable, nutritious food would be a pretty basic human right for countries to ensure, but instead we have things like cereal prices rising an average 28% since 2020 (12% in the last year alone).
I buy that cheap shit in the huge ass bag. Fuck Kelloggs.
I’m convinced that asshole brought up cereal for dinner because most people will skip breakfast when trying to cut food costs. I know I do
Not to leave out the boxes getting smaller.
Hear hear. Shrinkflation is maddeningly annoying.