E-mail this pageMarket Basket
The Market Basket is a monthly report based on a survey of 41 food items commonly purchased by consumers. Four major supermarkets are surveyed in the Plattsburgh area. It is a community service jointly sponsored by TAC and the Office of Insititutional Advancement at SUNY Plattsburgh. The data is compiled monthly by the Office of Insititutional Research at SUNY Plattsburgh.
2007
December Market Prices Highest For The Year
Market Basket prices rose again in December to $92.00 for the 41 items in the basket, up from $91.09in November and $85.83 last December.
Prices increased on drinks, produce, canned goods, dairy, frozen foods, and meats. Breads, cereals and grains and miscellaneous saw a drop in prices for the month. For the year, prices are up in all categories, except breads, cereals and grains.
Drinks saw the biggest increase on Budweiser beer, store brand coffee, and Tetley tea bags.
Produce was next in line with prices moving up on carrots, Iceberg lettuce, yellow onions, and white potatoes.
Canned good prices were up on Del Monte fruit cocktail, Green Giant peas, and Star Kist tuna.
Dairy prices rose on large eggs, and whole milk.
Frozen foods posted increases on haddock, store brand ice cream and spinach.
Meat prices were up on chuck steak and Oscar Mayer bacon.
Prices fell in the breads, cereals and grains department on sugar, River rice, white bread, and spaghetti.
In the miscellaneous column, prices were down on salad oil and Oreo cookies.
Seasonal Reminders: Grapefruit and oranges are at their peak and will be in good supply thru April. Peaches, cherries, plums, and nectarines are available, but prices are high. Apples, pears, and grapes are still plentiful and good sources of fiber.
November Market Basket Up 8% For Year
The forty-one items in the Market Basket came in at $91.09, up from $90.96 in October, and $84.71 last November.
Prices increased for the month on produce, frozen foods, miscellaneous, and dairy. Prices dropped on canned goods, drinks, meats, and breads cereals and grains. For the year, prices are up in all eight categories, with dairy still leading the way.
Frozen foods saw the biggest increase on haddock, up to $6.62 a pound, from $5.99 in October, and $5.82 last November.
In the produce department, prices were up on carrots, Iceberg lettuce ($1.79 a head), and white potatoes.
Dairy prices increased on butter, Parkay margarine, and American cheese slices. Store brand whole milk was up to $2.11 for a half-gallon; last year's price was just $1.42. Store brand skim milk is up to $1.16 a quart, up from $.81 last November.
Breads cereals and grains saw the biggest price drop on Kellogg's corn flakes, white flour, River rice, white bread, and spaghetti.
Meat prices fell on sirloin steak, and Oscar Mayer bacon. Whole frying chickens were up to $1.27 a pound, from $1.07 last November.
In the canned goods department, prices fell on Del Monte fruit cocktail, Green Giant peas, and Star Kist chunk tuna.
Seasonal Reminders: Produce prices are up 6% for the year. The citrus season is at its peak with pink and white grapefruit, naval oranges, tangerines and clementines readily available. Apples and pears are still plentiful and seedless green and red grapes contribute good fiber to the diet.
October Market Basket Prices Dip in October
The cost of the 41 items in the Market Basket dropped to $90.96 in October, down from $91.06 in September, but up 8% from last October's cost of $84.02.
Meats, breads cereals and grains, and dairy posted increases for the month,while prices fell on produce, miscellaneous, drinks, canned goods, and frozen foods.
For the year, prices are up in all categories, except produce. Dairy leads the way in price increases for the year.
Meat prices were up on bottom round roast, chuck and sirloin steak, and whole frying chickens.
Breads cereals and grains posted increases on Kellogg's corn flakes, flourwhite bread, and spaghetti.
Dairy prices rose on American cheese slices and large eggs. Whole and skim milk prices held steady in October.
Prices fell in the produce aisle on Red delicious apples, carrots, onions, and white potatoes
Drink prices dropped on store brand coffee and cola, and Tetley tea bags. Canned goods prices fell on tomatoes and vegetable soup.
Frozen food prices were down on store brand ice cream.
November is National Frozen Food Month, so look for specials in that department.
Seasonal Reminders: Fresh cranberries are now available for the holiday season. Sweet potatoes and winter squash are in peak supply. All varieties of apples, pears, oranges and grapefruit are now available. The wildfires in California destroyed some of the avocado and citrus crops. Half of the farmers in California have no crop insurance. The southeast drought will also affect the corn and soybean industry.
August Market Basket Continues Upward Spiral
The forty-one items in the Market Basket came in at $91.20 in August, up from $91.12 in July, and $82.48 last August.
Prices were up on frozen foods, canned goods, drinks, meats, and dairy.
Prices fell on produce, breads, cereals and grains, and miscellaneous. For the year, prices are up in all eight categories, with dairy prices the highest.
Frozen foods saw the biggest price increases on haddock, green beans, spinach, ice cream, and orange juice concentrate.
Dairy prices were up on butter, American cheese slices, large eggs, and whole and skim milk.
Drink prices increased on Budweiser beer, cola, and Tetley tea bags. Coffee prices dropped in August to $2.68 from $2.72 in July. Last August coffee was at $2.20 for 13 oz.
Meat prices rose on hamburger, bottom round roast, and Oscar Mayer bacon.
Whole frying chickens dropped to $1.08 a pound, from $1.29 in July and $1.12 a year ago.
Canned goods also posted increases on Del Monte fruit cocktail, Green Giant peas, tomatoes, and Star Kist tuna.
Prices dropped in the produce department on onions, and white potatoes.
Iceberg lettuce held firm at $1.59 a head.
Breads, cereals and grains saw a drop in the price of sugar, flour, white bread and spaghetti.
Seasonal Reminders: The local harvest of all apple varieties is well underway. There will be local corn, tomatoes, snap beans, summer squash, and cucumbers till the first frost. September is the top month for grapes and the first good month of the pear season.
July Market Basket Up 12% For Year
Market Basket prices continued to soar in July with the cost up to $91.12, from $89.85 in June and $81.40 last July.
Canned goods and drinks saw the only drop in prices for the month. All other categories posted increases in July.
For the year, all eight categories are up in price, with produce and dairy leading the way.
In July, dairy prices lead the way with increases on American cheese slices, large eggs, and whole and skim milk.
Meat prices were up on bottom round roast, pork chops, Oscar Mayer bacon, and whole frying chickens held steady at $1.29 a pound.
Produce prices were up on Red delicious apples, carrots, onions, and Iceberg lettuce ($1.57 a head).
Frozen food prices increased on haddock and orange juice.
Breads, cereals and grains had small increases on flour and Kellogg's corn flakes.
Prices dropped in the drink category on Budweiser beer, and Tetley tea bags. The price of coffee increased to $2.72 from $2.54 in June and $2.37 last July, on store brand coffee.
Canned goods posted a decline in the cost of peas, tomatoes, and Star Kist tuna.
Seasonal Reminders: Local strawberries, blueberries and corn are all available at roadside stands and in the supermarkets. Cantaloupe and honeydew melon season continues through August. Picking of Paula Red and Jersey Macs has begun, and McIntosh picking will start around Labor Day.
June Market Basket Highest For The Year
The 41 items in the Market Basket came in at $89.85, up 2% from May's cost of $87.87, and up 9% from last June's cost of $82.37!
Prices rose on produce, drinks, canned goods, dairy, and breads, cereals and grains in June. Prices fell on meats, frozen foods, and miscellaneous. For the year, prices are up in all categories, except meats.
Produce saw big increases in bananas, carrots, onions, and white potatoes. Iceberg lettuce fell to $1.22 a head, from $1.49 in May.
Drink prices were up on Budweiser beer, store brand coffee and cola, and Tetley tea bags.
Canned good prices were up on peas, tomatoes, Star Kist tuna, and vegetable soup.
Dairy prices increased on store brand butter, Parkay margarine, American cheese slices, and whole and skim milk. Egg prices dropped in June.
Breads, cereals and grains posted slight increases on sugar, River rice, white bread, and spaghetti.
Meats saw the biggest drop on bottom round roast, pork chops, and Oscar Meyer bacon.
Frozen food prices fell on haddock. However, orange juice concentrate was up to $1.83 for the 12 ox. can from $1.22 a year ago.
The miscellaneous category posted a drop in the cost of cooking oil and Oreo cookies.
Seasonal Reminders: Local strawberries are on the stands and sweet and juicy! The blueberry season continues into August. Local sweet corn should be ready in late July. Plums, apricots, peaches and nectarines all will be at full peak in July and August. Watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew melons are also in season.
May Market Basket Prices Up 7% For Year!
The 41 items in the Market Bsket came in at $87.87 for May, up 1% from April's cost of $87.39, but up 7% from last May's cost of $82.01. Higher fuel prices and delivery costs plus bad weather and the price of corn have all caused food prices to soar this year.
For the month, produce, breads, cereals and grains, frozen foods, and miscellaneous posted increases. Prices fell on meats, dairy products, and canned goods. For the year, prices are up in all eight ctagories.
Breads, cereals and grains posted the biggest increases on sugar, flour and Kellogg's corn flakes.
Produce prices were up on Red delicious apples and white potatoes. Tomato prices will rise due to a tomato killing virus that has shown up in California.
Frozen food prices increased on haddock and orange juice.
Drink prices dropped on Budweiser beer, coffee, store brand cola, and Tetley tea bags.
Meat prices were down on ground chuck, bottom round roast, chuck steak, pork chops, Oscar Mayer bacon, and whole frying chickens.
Dairy prices dropped on butter, American cheese slices, and large eggs. Milk prices were up in May.
Prices decreased on canned peas, tomatoes and vegetable soup.
Seasonal Reminders: Asparagus and rhubarb are growing in local gardens. Strawberry picking begins in late June. The citrus season is over, but lemons and limes are still in season. Beets are available all year, but the largest quantity is available June through October. June is the first of the three month season for cantaloupe. Bing cherries, mangos and pineapple are in season, but expensive!
April Market Basket Up 4%, Highest For the Year
In April, the Market Basket came in at $87.39, up from $83.48 in March, and up from $83.37 last April.
All categories were up for the month, except breads, cereals and grains, that saw prices drop. For the year, all categories are up, except meats, and breads, cereals and grains, which saw declines.
Dairy posted the biggest increase for the month on butter, Parkay margarine, American cheese slices, large eggs, and whole milk.
Frozen foods were next in line with prices up on unbreaded haddock to $5.87 from $4.95 in March.
Meat prices were up on ground chuck, bottom round roast, chuck steak, pork chops, Oscar Mayer bacon, and whole frying chickens.
Canned good prices increased on Del Monte fruit cocktail, Green Giant peas, and Star Kist tuna.
Drink prices were up on Budweiser beer, store brand cola, and Tetley tea bags.
Red delicious apples, and white potatoes were up in price in April. Breads, cereals and grains saw prices drop on sugar, and Kellogg's corn flakes.
Seasonal Reminders: Pineapple, mangos, and Vidalia onions are at their peak. Watermelon season has begun, but other melons come later in the summer. Asparagus and rhubarb are pushing up in local gardens. The Farmers Market opens for the season on May 12th.
February Market Basket Prices Drop, But Up 2% For Year
Market Basket prices dropped in February to $85.90, down from $86.08 in January, but up from last February's cost of $84.18.
For the month, prices decreased on canned goods, breads, cereals and grains, miscellaneous, and dairy. Prices increased on produce, frozen foods, and drinks. Meat prices remained constant for the month. For the year, prices are up in all categories, except meats, and breads, cereals and grains, which saw a decline overall.
Canned goods saw a big decline on Del Monte fruit cocktail, peas, tomatoes, Star Kist tuna, and vegetable soup.
Breads, cereals and grains dropped on Kellogg's corn flakes, and River rice. Dairy prices fell on store brand butter and eggs.
Produce prices were up 3% for the month. Iceberg lettuce came in at $1.91 a head, up from $1.64 in January and $1.27 last February!
Drink prices were up slightly on store brand coffee and Tetley tea bags.
Seasonal Reminders: Citrus prices are still high and will remain high due to the freeze in California. March is the first of the three month season for artichokes and asparagus. Beets and cabbage will also be at their peak in March. Pineapple and strawberry supples are coming from Florida, California, and Mexico.
January Market Basket Prices Up 6% From Last Year
For the month, prices were up from $85.83 in December to $86.08 in January. For the year, prices rose from $81.39 to $86.08! All eight categories are up for the year, with produce leading the way, and high citrus prices are a big factor due to the freeze in California and Florida . For the month, prices were up in all categories, except drinks and meats, which saw a drop in prices. Dairy prices remained constant in January.
Frozen food prices increased on haddock and orange juice concentrate, which was up to $1.64 a can, compared to $1.29 last January for the 12 oz. store brand concentrate.
Produce saw big increases on Red delicious apples, bananas, carrots, onions, and Iceberg lettuce, which is up to $1.63 a head from $1.39 last January.
Breads, cereals and grains were up on Kellogg's corn flakes, River rice, white bread, and spaghetti.
Canned goods posted increases on tomatoes, Star Kist tuna, and vegetable soup.
In the meat department, prices dropped on bottom round roast, chuck steak, Oscar Mayer bacon, and whole frying chickens (a great buy at $1.07 a pound).
Drink prices were down on store brand coffee and Tetley tea bags.
Seasonal Reminders: The citrus season is at its peak and so are the prices! Oranges and lemons are up to $1.00 each. The California freeze is going to affect prices for weeks to come, so be prepared for sticker shock! Red, green ad black grapes are good sources of fiber. Other vegetables high in Vitamin C include sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, winter squash, and tomatoes.
Previous Market Baskets
Contact Information
For more information about the Technical Assistance Center at SUNY Plattsburgh, please contact:
E-mail: tac@plattsburgh.edu
Phone: (518) 564-2214
194 US Oval
Plattsburgh, NY 12903