Food Prices Skyrocket; How to Save at the Market

Mary Pea and her husband have always watched prices on their trips to the supermarket. But now when the couple go shopping in San Jose, Calif., they are buying fewer of the things they like in order to stay within their budget.

"We no longer purchase things like wild fresh fish, organic produce or dairy, or deli items," Pea said. "We stick to the perimeter of the store, as always, but stay away from some of the better quality or so-called luxury items."

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Sliced bacon rose from $3.46 a pound last March to $3.62 a pound this March, an increase of 4.6 percent.

And they are not alone. As the price of just about every food product soars, Americans everywhere are looking for ways to cut their grocery bills.

Pea said that she and her husband used to cook fish three times a week. But now they only buy it when it is on sale — once every 10 days or so.

"And then even sometimes the sale price is too high," she said.

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The price of chocolate chip cookies has increased 2.1 percent in the past year.

The couple has added more beef and chicken to their diet instead. "Even those prices are going up but they are not as high as fish," Pea said.