The cost of food has been a hot news topic over the past few years. While the price of eggs was impacted by the loss of millions of laying hens due to bird flu, many factors also affect grocery prices. The world is still recovering from disruptions in the distribution network during the covid pandemic. Climate change can mean smaller harvests. Wars in other countries can impact the global food supply. Shortages mean food prices rise when demand exceeds supply.  

What can individuals do to save on food costs? Here are a few ideas:

• When possible, cut out the middle man by taking advantage of farmers’ markets and other opportunities to purchase food directly from a local farmer or rancher.
• Grow your own. Consider what food items you might be able to grow at home. Do you have room for a few tomato plants in containers on the porch? Can you add a fruit tree to your yard? Fresh herbs like parsley, dill, rosemary and thyme are pricy at the grocery store but can be grown at home in a pot or in a small hydroponic garden.
• Look for recipes to take advantage of produce that is in season locally.
• Consider – Fresh eggs (from a backyard flock) last longer than commercially farmed eggs because they have a natural protective coating that is removed when the eggs are washed for commercial sale. With more people raising backyard chickens, you might be able to get eggs from a neighbor – or even trade for something from your own garden. Or investigate options to raise your own chickens. Your county extension agent can help.
• Invest in a freezer so you can take advantage of sales, particularly when meat is on sale. For example, just before Thanksgiving, Publix offered turkeys for just 49 cents a pound. More than one savvy shopper picked up an extra turkey for the freezer.
• Plan meals in advance and use the meal plan to make your shopping list. Having a list helps cut down on “impulse buys.” Use newspaper adverts and/or supermarket websites to plan meals around what is on sale this week. Before going to the grocery store, make a quick inventory of what you already have at home.
• Meal prep: Busy families can save on food costs and have convenient homecooked meals by preparing freezer friendly family favorites in bulk and freezing in meal-size portions. Consider casseroles like lasagna, chicken pot pie or shepherd’s pie (called cottage pie if you make it with beef or chicken). Soups and chili also freeze well. For freezing, choose containers that can go straight into the oven such as tempered glass,
• Reduce waste: On average, about 31% of the American food supply is wasted, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. That costly waste contributes to methane emissions from landfills. Careful shopping and portion control can help reduce food waste at home.
• At least twice a year, check the food items in your pantry and note those whose expiration date is nearing. Organize your refrigerator and cabinets so that you can easily see what needs to be consumed soon. When putting shopping away, put the new food in the back and pull older items to the front.
• Reduce waste and improve your garden soil by composting things like potato peels, egg shells and other food matter that would otherwise go in the garbage can. Composting is an environmentally friendly way to reduce the amount of solid waste headed to the landfill, and it provides useful and beneficial products for yards and gardens. Tips on composting can be found online from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Services (IFAS).

Video Series on the Benefits of Composting - UF/IFAS Extension

Note: Expect egg prices to stay high. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the outbreak of highly pathogenic bird flu first hit birds in the U.S. in February 2022 and has continued to impact flocks nationwide. The virus is blamed for the loss of more than 108 million chickens in 48 states. It's costing farmers more to replace the lost hens. Egg shortages are predicted to continue until the flocks are back up to full strength.