In the economics of food, there’s some good news about the cost of food overall, yet for many not enough; a round-up of SNAP articles and zero waste/repurposing of food ideas and titles.

Grocery inflation drops under five percent in June, but some categories see price increases compared to last year (https://www.grocerydive.com/news/grocery-inflation-drops-below-5-percent-june-2023/686683/ <https://www.grocerydive.com/news/grocery-inflation-drops-below-5-percent-june-2023/686683/>).

Dollar General CEO on customer buying habits – < $40,000 demographic pulls back from spending with benefit cuts as compared to middle/higher income customers who make substitutions (https://www.supermarketguru.com/the-lempert-report/dollar-general-food-banks/ <https://www.supermarketguru.com/the-lempert-report/dollar-general-food-banks/>).

Dollar General’s new cash rewards program (https://www.grocerydive.com/news/dollar-general-new-cash-rewards-program/687363/ <https://www.grocerydive.com/news/dollar-general-new-cash-rewards-program/687363/>).

Buying food…

Greedflation used to be a fringe theory of price inflation but that’s changing as some think retailers keep prices high ‘because they can’ (https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2023/06/02/greedflation-a-once-fringe-theory-of-inflation-gains-momentum <https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2023/06/02/greedflation-a-once-fringe-theory-of-inflation-gains-momentum>).

The gap between what consumers perceive (prices and inflation) and actual prices and inflation (https://www.thestreet.com/retailers/kroger-walmart-and-target-have-a-major-customer-problem <https://www.thestreet.com/retailers/kroger-walmart-and-target-have-a-major-customer-problem>).

Survey: retail grocers say economics will drive shopping for the next 30 years (https://www.grocerydive.com/news/dunnhumby-grocery-supemarket-fiscal-conservatism-2053/653649/ <https://www.grocerydive.com/news/dunnhumby-grocery-supemarket-fiscal-conservatism-2053/653649/>).

Ever opened a bag of chips and it looks like it’s half full? That’s ‘slack fill:’ what you need to know about it including what’s allowable according to the FDA (https://www.businessinsider.com/slack-filling-retail-packaging-brands-shrinkflation-chips-chocolate-2023-2 <https://www.businessinsider.com/slack-filling-retail-packaging-brands-shrinkflation-chips-chocolate-2023-2>);

recent slack fill lawsuits (https://www.moneylife.in/article/does-size-really-matter-a-primer-on-slack-filled-packaging/52447.html <https://www.moneylife.in/article/does-size-really-matter-a-primer-on-slack-filled-packaging/52447.html>).

New bill to prohibit EBT processing fees (https://www.grocerydive.com/news/nga-fmi-endorse-legislation-prohibiting-ebt-processing-fees/653240/ <https://www.grocerydive.com/news/nga-fmi-endorse-legislation-prohibiting-ebt-processing-fees/653240/>).

One yogurt company ups their selling of yogurt at discount stores…and downsizes containers

(https://www.fooddive.com/news/danone-digs-in-at-discount-channels-as-consumer-tastes-change/653520/ <https://www.fooddive.com/news/danone-digs-in-at-discount-channels-as-consumer-tastes-change/653520/>).

The price point of conventional milk (63 cents/pint) and alternative milk (95 cents/pint) and more (https://www.supermarketnews.com/dairy/why-milk-wars-are-heating <https://www.supermarketnews.com/dairy/why-milk-wars-are-heating>).

SNAP…

SNAP Consumer Insight Center: how SNAP customers shop (https://www.numerator.com/snap <https://www.numerator.com/snap>).

Walmart gets about 26% of SNAP dollars

(https://www.grocerydive.com/news/walmart-captures-nearly-26-of-snap-grocery-dollars/650742/ <https://www.grocerydive.com/news/walmart-captures-nearly-26-of-snap-grocery-dollars/650742/>).

The impact of decreased SNAP benefits on grocery spending: every $1 change in SNAP means a $.66 change in grocery spending with a shift away from groceries to other expenses (https://www.winsightgrocerybusiness.com/retailers/snap-customers-look-grocers-after-rollercoaster-benefits-experience <https://www.winsightgrocerybusiness.com/retailers/snap-customers-look-grocers-after-rollercoaster-benefits-experience>).

A survey of low income people found that SNAP is among welfare programs is the hardest help to get (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/01/25/welfare-benefits-low-income-struggle-for-access/11069891002/ <https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/01/25/welfare-benefits-low-income-struggle-for-access/11069891002/>).

With Alaska SNAP recipients now able to order groceries online, SNAP achieves grocery e-commerce nationwide (https://www.grocerydive.com/news/USDA-snap-online-ordering-alaska-nationwide/652633/ <https://www.grocerydive.com/news/USDA-snap-online-ordering-alaska-nationwide/652633/>).

Healthy Fluid Milk Incentive Project (https://www.idfa.org/appropriations/snap-incentive-program#:~:text=The%20FY2022%20spending%20bill%20included,and%20support%20a%20healthy%20lifestyle <https://www.idfa.org/appropriations/snap-incentive-program#:~:text=The%20FY2022%20spending%20bill%20included,and%20support%20a%20healthy%20lifestyle>).

Massachusetts the 8th state to allow some restaurants to accept SNAP (https://restaurantbusinessonline.com/marketing/some-mass-restaurants-are-okd-accept-snap-payments <https://restaurantbusinessonline.com/marketing/some-mass-restaurants-are-okd-accept-snap-payments>)

Repurposing foods/zero waste/cookbooks…

Food waste survey uncovers why we throw out food, which foods are most likely to end up in the garbage (https://thetakeout.com/most-wasted-grocery-food-leftovers-lettuce-bananas-milk-1850345676 <https://thetakeout.com/most-wasted-grocery-food-leftovers-lettuce-bananas-milk-1850345676>).

Zero waste/leftover cookbooks (https://www.finedininglovers.com/article/best-zero-waste-cookbooks <https://www.finedininglovers.com/article/best-zero-waste-cookbooks>); ideas from a recipe developer (https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/gma/story/tips-recipe-developer-upgrade-leftovers-ingredients-make-taste-74171853 <https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/gma/story/tips-recipe-developer-upgrade-leftovers-ingredients-make-taste-74171853>).

Some repurposing food ideas…

About 40% of all food waste occurs in the U.S. in the home. Some ideas…make banana bacon made from banana peels to cut down on your food waste…one recipe full of seasoning (https://oohlalaitsvegan.com/banana-peel-bacon/ <https://oohlalaitsvegan.com/banana-peel-bacon/>). (Note: Consider substituting low-sodium Worcestershire sauce for the tamari and maybe omitting the salt.) Some repurposing ideas for leftover dip include turn it into a dressing for salad or a sauce for baked chicken (https://www.tastingtable.com/1293238/last-thing-before-throwing-out-leftover-dip/ <https://www.tastingtable.com/1293238/last-thing-before-throwing-out-leftover-dip/>).

Add leftover hummus to mashed potatoes (https://www.tastingtable.com/881830/why-you-should-try-adding-hummus-to-your-mashed-potatoes/ <https://www.tastingtable.com/881830/why-you-should-try-adding-hummus-to-your-mashed-potatoes/>).

Nearly empty salsa in a jar? Some ideas (https://www.tastingtable.com/1311802/last-thing-before-throwing-away-nearly-empty-jar-salsa/ <https://www.tastingtable.com/1311802/last-thing-before-throwing-away-nearly-empty-jar-salsa/>).

Cauliflower cores are meant to be eaten! (https://www.tastingtable.com/1158900/what-to-do-with-leftover-cauliflower-cores/ <https://www.tastingtable.com/1158900/what-to-do-with-leftover-cauliflower-cores/>).

Leftover tofu?

(https://www.tastingtable.com/866944/the-absolute-best-ways-to-use-leftover-tofu/ <https://www.tastingtable.com/866944/the-absolute-best-ways-to-use-leftover-tofu/>).