Hi, food friends!
The price of goods is constantly in the news. But sometimes, what we perceive to be higher-than-average costs turns out not to be the case. So today, as I sipped coffee out of my AJC mug that bears the motto “facts and journalists are stubborn things,” I scrolled through the most recent food price outlook report published by the USDA’s Economic Research Service.
Data about eggs wasn’t all that surprising. From April to May, retail egg prices decreased 7.5% but they were still 41.5% higher than a year ago. Meanwhile, prices for beef and veal were 8.6% higher compared to May 2024 and are predicted to increase due to “tight supplies and continued consumer demand.”
What did surprise me is that juice prices are up due to “lower domestic citrus production related to citrus greening and hurricane damage.” Economists expect that to impact the nonalcoholic beverage sector, resulting in a 3.4% increase in prices this year. Lemme tell you, it’s already happening. Just last week I experienced sticker shock in the nonalcoholic drink category – at a kiddie lemonade stand.
As I was walking my dog around the neighborhood, I passed by a couple of middle schoolers who had set up shop in a front yard. The handwritten sign advertised $2 a cup for lemonade. Two bucks? Normally, I would support budding entrepreneurship, but I didn’t have any cash with me. I don’t even know the last time I carried cash. It was an awkward moment as I passed by the boys, who stared me down, trying to guilt me with their beady eyes.
“Lemonade. Yum!” I said, since I couldn’t ignore them. What I really wanted to tell them is that when I was a kid we sold lemonade for a quarter instead of price-gouging neighbors.
More evil stares.
“Sorry. I don’t have any money,” I added, thinking that got me in the clear.
“We take Cash App,” one of the boys replied.
I’m far removed from parenting young ‘uns. Someone needs to school me on how 10-year-olds could have a Cash App account.
“Sorry,” I told them. “I don’t have my phone on me. The only thing I have is this.” I held up a bag with my dog’s doo-doo. The boys looked at me in disgust.
I am sure that, to them, I will forever be the weird, cheap dog lady without a cellphone.
But let’s turn lemons into lemonade. That encounter reminded me of two delicious lemonade recipes. If you have a cellphone with Cash App, use it to splurge on a few lemons and make lemonade that’s definitely worth $2 a cup.
Where have you recently experienced sticker shock? Send me an email at [email protected].
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