BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — Food prices, whether at the supermarket or dining out, were on the rise again, but at a slower rate than last year.
The latest Consumer Price Index shows inflation is higher at restaurants — clocking in at 5.1 percent compared to 1.2 percent at grocery stores.
But 7 News is a “Voice for Everyone” and we learned that it is the grocery store prices that are hurting Western New Yorkers the most, especially in the Buffalo area.
“It’s just — you can't feed a family anymore. It’s disgusting,” replied Lisa Rokowski Price, Amherst resident.
The Amherst woman let me look inside her grocery bags as we discussed the high cost of food.
“You’re doing a good favor,” remarked Rokowski Price.
She showed me a large package of ground beef she bought at a bargain price of $2.99 a pound with a coupon, but she spent a total of $73 for just a couple of bags of groceries.
“It’s horrible. You can hardly feed a family, especially with me because I have two disabled people in my house and we're on social security and that doesn't go up as well,” remarked Rokowksi Price.
I reached out to Charles Lindsey at the University at Buffalo’s School of Management to learn more about the high cost of food. Linsey wants you to know that food prices are lower this year than last year.
“Prices are starting to normalize in the food space, both eating out and grocery store,” Lindsey, associate professor of marketing, UB School of Management.
Still, the cost of certain food items jumped, like tomatoes went up five percent.
“Veggies — we've seen veggies go up. We've seen tomato prices go up. We've seen juice, frozen juice prices really go up significantly,” explained Lindsey.
Now there are some items where the prices have dropped, like fish and seafood, and even ham.
“Especially self-staple, fish — tuna — canned tuna, so on and so forth, it went down I think three percent — January relative to December,” noted Lindsey.
“How much did you spend?” Buckley asked. “I spent $90-95!” answered Chrissie Carr, Buffalo resident. “And you only have a few bags here?” noted Buckley. “Yes,” responded Carr. “How are you coping?” Buckley questioned. “Well, I do get food stamps that help me, otherwise I wouldn't be able to afford food,” replied Carr.
Another shopper told me she's able to afford food, but it's tough watching others struggle.
“Oh, I see people struggling every day. I see people still living from paycheck to paycheck. Sometimes I want to treat my staff to things like pizza and wings and — 'well we can't afford this' — 'I’m not asking you to afford this’ — this is my treat,” reflected Rosetta Heard, Buffalo resident.
But the cost of dining out is more expensive this year. Higher food prices and wages for restaurant workers forced many restaurants to raise prices.
“Restaurants, of course, are paying more for their raw materials. Wages, and wages in 2023 in the hospitality space went up. When restaurants pay their workers more, then we’re going to see prices of meals and the food and beverages that they are offering increase,” Lindsey stated.
But one Buffalo resident told me he goes for fast food meal deals.
“Eating out at a restaurant — that's still okay because they have like combo — they have like certain kind of deals and stuff,” Jeremy Hudson said.
Rokowksi Price tells me she can’t afford McDonald’s which often costs $10 for a meal, but she still manages to get out for a meal from time to time.
“We're going to do Taco Bell tonight because they have fish tacos and it's Ash Wednesday, but as for anything that isn't fast food — no,” commented Rokowski Price.
