When The Girl and I were back in Washington a few weeks ago, we stopped by QFC to pick up a few items for an early Thanksgiving meal with my parents.
As I wandered the aisles, I noticed not only the sky-high prices on some staples but also a lot of new, unusual products. The combination was enough to make me pause and compare what things used to cost and what’s being marketed now.
$2.49 for a single serving of cat food. It struck me as absurd—especially when you realize that for twice that price you could buy a whole chicken, cook it, and make dozens of homemade portions to freeze for Mr. Whiskers.
This is coming from someone who will happily spend $69 once a year on a two-pound bag of dehydrated cod skins for the dog, so I’m not opposed to splurging on pet treats. But paying that much for a single cat meal felt off.
$4.79 for a 9-ounce box of oyster crackers. Were these really under a dollar three years ago? The jump is startling when you remember what basic pantry items used to cost.
And bleach—when did it become so expensive? Cleaning staples that used to be affordable now carry premium price tags, which adds up fast for an average household.
On the novelty front, they’re selling smashed corn flakes in a bag. I get that convenience and novelty sell, but it felt unnecessary to package something already simple in a different form and charge more for it.
Then there was a Cinnamon Toast Crunch–flavored hot cocoa. Why? Turning a sugary cereal into a drinkable version feels like a step too far for me. Who is buying this, and how often?
And where did chips with a first ingredient that isn’t potato or corn come from? Fancy flavors and “protein” varieties are everywhere now, but sometimes I miss the simplicity of a classic bag of chips that actually tastes like what it’s supposed to.
Am I the only one who notices these things? Lately it feels like food prices rise while the shelves fill with increasingly odd packaged products. Between novelty items and inflated prices for basics, grocery shopping has become a different experience than it used to be.
Tell me I’m not the only one who’s noticed the changes.
~Mavis
P.S. What’s the highest price or strangest product you’ve seen at the store lately?