Tzelar said the cost of certain foods, such as dairy products and eggs, has remained fairly stable. But the cost of other categories, especially meat and canned goods, has risen significantly, he said, with the price of ground beef – even in bulk – up 44%.
“Those are big categories,” Tzelar said. “We go through a lot of meat. We go through a lot of canned goods.”
Those most affected by high grocery bills are those who already go to the food pantry, he said, and increased costs at the grocery store could mean further reliance on the pantry or turning to cheaper, unhealthy food options. Is.
Second Harvest saw a 60% increase in people needing food aid at the peak of the pandemic. While the numbers have declined, the need remains at 22% above pre-pandemic levels, Tzelar said. In addition to high costs, the food bank is grappling with supply chain disruptions, Tzelar said. In one instance, he said that the expected three-week delivery of a truckload of peanut butter took three months.
Osborne-Cenetas said River is seeing a drop in the amount of food it receives from grocers and retailers when products near their best-buy or expiration date. Over the past several months, the nonprofit has received an average of 7,000 pounds less in recovered food than it would normally get from the 110 weekly stops of retailers in the Madison area, she said.
,