A new survey suggests that rising grocery prices are making it harder for many California families to afford fresh fruits and vegetables. According to a survey of 3,004 households conducted by Advance America, 48% of California families say they are buying fewer fruits and vegetables during grocery trips, compared to a national average of 34%. More than half of respondents, 51%, said their overall diet is less healthy than it was two to three years ago because of rising food costs.
Families who continue purchasing fresh produce say they are paying significantly more. California respondents reported spending an average of $41.60 more per month on fruits and vegetables than they did a year ago, an increase of about 16%. To manage higher costs, many families have adjusted their shopping habits. Twenty percent reported buying more frozen fruits and vegetables, while 13% said they shop at multiple stores to compare prices. Others said they have stopped buying certain fruits, switched to canned produce, purchased more processed foods, or opted for lower-quality produce.
The survey also found that 64% of families worry at least occasionally that grocery prices are making their diets less healthy, while 24% say they worry about it frequently. Nearly half of respondents said they are eating more processed foods because they are less expensive than fresh produce. When asked about healthy eating, 28% said it is becoming financially unrealistic for their household, while 30% said they still try to eat healthy but are making more compromises. Only 19% said they continue to prioritize healthy eating regardless of cost. The survey was conducted in May 2026 and included respondents from across the United States. Researchers said the results were weighted to reflect national population benchmarks.
Those on food stamps are buying soda and candy not produce!
Let me guess. It’s still Biden‘s fault.
Core CPI running at 2.85 year over year. The 75 year long term average is 2.8%. During Biden it was 9.875. Simple facts anyone can look up. I do think oil can fall a lot even from here which will help CPI in second half of the year.
Well since you asked….
“Despite warnings from Republicans and even former President Obama’s own economic advisor Larry Summers that the American Rescue Plan would trigger inflation, the Biden Administration and Congressional Democrats rushed through trillions of dollars in spending and fueled the highest inflation in more than half a century”
*
https://oversight.house.gov/release/hearing-wrap-up-biden-admin-ignored-warnings-that-trillions-in-spending-would-damage-the-economy-and-spur-inflation%ef%bf%bc/
Biden keeps getting burned for creating high inflation, but many people fail to recognize that this was also a worldwide phenomenon at the time fueled by the Covid outbreak.
@Guido, you must mean the excuse used by dictatorial democrats to exert control and shut down social interactions, education, and commercial endeavors to intentionally raise prices and make the population more reliant on corrupt government.
Liar Liar: if you followed world news during the Covid time, you would have definitely found out that the entire world economy experienced massive inflation at the time!
No, it wasn’t all Joe’s fault… just like blaming King Kong for all the destruction in New York City in 1933.
In reality (if it were real) Kong was only responsible for the death & destruction at his debut and all the carnage at the Empire State building.
If anything else bad happened in NYC that night it had nothing to do with Kong.
No surprise given the high inflation, cost of gas, electricity, water, etc. more hamburgers than steaks, more chicken, canned or packaged tuna rather than fresh or expensive fish … etc.
domo,
.
Inflation isn’t really that high.
Frozen is better than fresh because fruits and veggies are washed
and quickly frozen almost immediately after picking. The wash will
rid them of dirt and significantly reduce the pesticide residue, and
the quick freeze will lock in the essential nutrients. Whereas fresh
may lose some of their vitamins and nutrients as it’s being shipped
to the grocery store where it may sit for a couple of days.
I do that these days and there is even flash frozen organic produce. It also keeps down waste from spoilage because I only use what I need and the rest keeps until the last piece. Same with protein sources.
Only if there was a way to reduce the cost of items in California. I wonder if Newscum has ever considered repealing the highest gas taxes in the nation a bit to help us out? I understand that by cutting the gas taxes he would take away from his slush funds that he uses to prop up his wife’s salary.
Please dear Newscum, alms for the poor?
Parent,
.
Governor Newsom would never consider repealing California’s gas excise tax because 20%-25% of those tax dollars go to fund public transportation, like BART. Also, the more hybrid and electric vehicles that hit the road in California each year means fewer Californians are paying the gas tax, which is why the gas tax needs to continue to increase, as fewer people are purchasing gas.
Mulitple things .
1) If the idea is to fund other transportation avenues, why is it the only ICE vehicles have to pay for it? Why are we not charging the EV’s as well?
2) Why, as a driver of an ICE vehicle am I paying for Samtrams, BART etc … why are not the riders paying for it?
3) Why can other states provide simliar services without the excessive amount that California charges? Could it be that our governor is trying to use it for other purposes, not related to cars on the road?
4) Newscum will not repeal it, even temporarily, cause how else does he funnel money to his wife and others?
parent,
.
Electric and hybrid vehicles should be assessed a fee every year to make up for lost gas taxes. The California State Legislature won’t assess a yearly fee on electric and hybrid vehicles because they’re using the gas tax to steer travelers and drivers away from internal combustion vehicles.
.
A portion of both federal and state gas taxes are funneled to fund public transportation because both parties in Congress and the California State Legislature voted for it. Public transportation should run on rider fares alone!
.
Other states likely have other funding mechanisms for public transportation than California does, which is why Texas, the second largest state by population ranks 44th in gas taxes, Florida, the third largest state by population ranks 13th in gas taxes, and even New York, the fourth largest state by population ranks 37th in gas taxes. The State of California has no desire to change the gas tax funding structure because they’re using the gas tax to engage in behavior modification and social engineering to get the populationout of internal combustion engine vehicles.
.
While I know that California’s “First Partner” Jennifer Siebel Newsom has received state funds through her non-profit organization, which she in-turn receives a six-figure salary from her non-profit, I’ve heard nothing about gas taxes specifically being used to fund the non-profit of the “First Partner.” I believe the State of California has plenty of other accounts unrelated to the gas tax which funds her non-profit organization.
US Steel closed it’s very profitable plant, my opinion due to California’s severe anti
business climate, just as refiners have done. Was only steel plant west of the
Mississippi producing tinplate product for food canning industry in CA.
I was a second generation Steelworker, planned on my oldest Grandson and
my Great Grandson working there, making living wages, they’d be able to buy
homes and their wives could stay home with their kids.
.
From 13 page filing by Silgan Containers Manufacturing Corporation
“US Steel’s Closure of UPI will Cause Acute Supply Issues for Tin Mill
Steel Consumers on the West Coast”
.
“On January 18, 2022, American Metal Markets reported that U.S. Steel would
close UPI and sell the property in 2023. To the best of Silgan’s knowledge that
reporting is accurate. In fact, Silgan has been in discussions with U.S. Steel
regarding the future of that facility for some time. UPI is a key supplier of
Silgan’s West Coast manufacturing operations and its closure will have
severe consequences for Silgan’s ability to procure feedstock for its steel
can manufacturing operations.” …
.
Shortage of tinplate created by Pittsburg steel plant couldn’t be replaced,
as other US manufacturers lacked capacity to produce additional tinplate.
Is very possible tinplate being used to make cans is being imported from
outside United States. Any small defects in imported steel coils known as
“pinholes” will cause material in can to spoil.
.
Well gosh, democrat politicians running this state into the ground intentionally,
on top of causing a tinplate material shortage, have over the years forced oil wells
in CA shut down. There is no crude oil pipeline from other 48 states into California.
Thru punitive regulations, fines, an state’s anti business climate and a bogus green
bankrupt fantasy, refiners have been forced to abandon CA too.
.
Very close to 70% of crude oil refined in CA comes from foreign countries.
A few decades ago CA had 30 refineries today there are only eleven.
This state is a couple of large refinery fire outages, away from a HUGE CRISIS
worse than 1970s gas lines.
.
California has I believe the highest gas fuel taxation structure.
CA’s anti fossil fuel green bankrupt fantasy assures increases in fuel cost is
passed on to products and food transported by rail and trucks.
.
Aren’t you sick-n-tired of being lab rats for liberal democrats and their paper
clip warrior minions ? ? ? ?
.
When will people wake up and STOP electing democrats ? ? ? ? ?
.
Original G,
.
Surprisingly, as a result of this years primary election results, there will be a Democrat and a Republican in every race for statewide office, with the exception of Insurance Commissioner. Based on this years primary election results, the vast majority of California voters don’t want a Republican anywhere near a statewide executive branch office. There will be no change in party in California this year, just a change in the people who hold some of those elected positions.
This is why we need govt run stores.
maga continues to make costs rise.
We need higher taxes to combat the
maga republicans and what they are doing
to California.
@Rcp
What in the world are you on?
The left, apparently.
Rcp,
.
Right, because more government always makes everything better, in no world!!!
.
The majority of Contra Costa County voters disagree with you on the need for more taxes, as they voted down the Measure B – 0.625% sales tax increase by 13.76% or 41,215 votes and Measure G bonds by 4.89% or 14,503 votes, in a county where the 24 Democrats running for governor have a combined total of 70.73% of the votes for governor.
I sincerely hope this is sarcasm.
Thank you for the comic relief. It’s needed here on this site occasionally.
Well…. on the 30′ X 20′ Jellyfinger Farm we have tomatoes & cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, yellow squash,zucchini and a couple fig trees… and my brother does all the work…. so I got that covered.
Corn on the cob is only .25¢ an ear so why bother planting any?
At Raley’s Iceberg Lettuce is almost $4 per head? Grocery Outlet has it for $1.49
Shop around!
Now if we could just cut back on the flakes also.
Nobody is cutting back on fruits and vegetables, people are growing their own fruits and produce plus all you have to do is shop for the best deal! The flyers are delivered weekly still and you can coupon it’s not that hard! Prices are much lower at Food 4 Less, Grocery Bargain Outlet, FoodsCo and many others just don’t be lazy and do a liitle reserch like you do on that little box constantly glued to your hand!