This has been an expensive year.
Almost every consumer good is up year-over-year. Cars are more expensive than ever, nightly hotel prices have skyrocketed, and gasoline seems to cost ever-more at the pump.
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The pinch many of us feel the most, however, tends to come from food prices. We all need regular nourishment, and there's not much we can do to reduce consumption. It's easier to ride your bike to work to cut down on gasoline use. Not the case with your family dinner.
The August 2023 Consumer Price Index released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that several items are pricier than they were just one year ago.
Food in general is up 4.3% as of this August compared with the year-earlier month. Here's a breakdown of how different aisles and departments rose over the past 12 months:
- Cereals and bakery: increase 6%
- Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs: unchanged
- Remaining products (ranging from dairy to beverages): increase 0.3% to 4.8%
- Food away from home: increase 6.8%
In 2022, food prices jumped 10.4% overall, so before you get excited about your egg prices remaining steady this August, it's wise to recall last year's increase.
The fact of the matter is that life has gotten more expensive over the past few years, and it can be hard to find a good deal anywhere.
Enter the Trader Joe's unit of the privately held German discount-grocery chain Aldi. Trader Joe's sources spillover and overflow from other retailers, repackages the items, and offers them at budget-friendly prices.
Trader Joe's still offers value for key items
Trader Joe's is beloved for its reliable quality, fun-loving atmosphere with friendly floor staff and cashiers, and — of course — its price points. A recent report by Eating Well found that 10 items are still reasonable value buys at your local TJ. Just don't forget your reusable bags:
- Eggs: a dozen cage-free eggs cost $2.99
- Fish: Norwegian salmon starts at $9.99 per pound
- Olive Oil: one liter of the Trader Joe's-branded 100% Italian Extra Virgin Oil goes for $9.99
- Herbs & Spices: Everyday seasonings like onion powder, salt, and cumin are $1.99
- Cheese: one 8 oz brick of cream cheese is $1.99
- Nuts: 16 ounces of raw almonds are $4.99
- Canned fruits and veggies: a large 28 oz can of tomatoes costs $3.99
- Bread: organic French baguette costs $1.99
- Coffee: best-selling Colombo Supremo Coffee 28 oz cans cost $14.99
- Wine: Trader Joe's famous "Two Buck Chuck" ranges $2 to $4.
Trader Joe's also offers more than just the staples. It shines especially during the fall, and in September the chain said it would be adding 146 seasonal items to its shelves, including:
- Mini Maple Flavored Marshmallows
- Organic Maple Vinaigrette Dressing
- Organic Vermont Maple Syrup, Bourbon Barrel Aged
- Fall Harvest Salsa
- Organic Clove Powder
- Double Fold Bourbon Vanilla Extract with Vanilla Bean Seeds
- Halloween Gummies
- Wicked Good Mini Chocolate Bar
- Maple Flavored Fudge
- Cinnamon Sugar Toffee Trio
"As summer comes to a close, the values continue, with flavors and scents you’ve been anticipating for months. Of course, we’re talking the likes of apple, maple, butternut, and a whole lotta pumpkin," Trader Joe's wrote on its fall flyer, entitled "We Fall For It Every Year."
Most of these items slowly roll out throughout the fall season, so customers don't buy them out or get pumpkin fatigue by mid-September. Holiday seasonal items typically roll out around Thanksgiving and remain in stock until just after Christmas.
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