Butter shortage predicted ahead of the holidays, stock up at Aldi, it's cheaper than the mainstream grocery store
10/15/2022
By Mike Thayer
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is predicting a butter shortage, reporting there is 22% less butter in storage than there was at this time last year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has also chimed in, stating butter costs 24% more than it did in October 2021.
Just ahead of the holidays, this is when Americans do more cooking and A LOT of baking. The timing couldn't be worse. A butter shortage? Seriously? Labor shortages and supply chain issues are to blame for the decreased supply, and increased costs for dairy farmers were cited for the price hike. Thanks Joe!
I found myself with a bit of a butter shortage this morning, down to my last two sticks and some batch cooking on the agenda today. I was also out of coffee creamer and stamps, so off to the mainstream grocery store I went for some one-stop shopping. You can't buy stamps at Aldi and I like the Kroger brand of coffee creamer better than what Aldi now offers (they no longer sell Friendly Farms creamer) and the price difference is negligible. I got my stamps, grabbed a jug of coffee creamer, walked over to the fridge with the butter and saw the prices... The cheapest one pound box (4 sticks) was the Kroger brand at $4.99. Land O'Lakes was priced at $5.49 and Tillamook (love their cheese) was priced at $5.79. The cheapest butter on the shelf was Kerrygold Grass Fed Pure Irish Butter at $3.50, but that was for just 8 ounces.
Hello Aldi!
Regular readers know that I for the most part don't get hung up over name brands. While I do hold a few preferences where I go with the name brand, when it comes to food, not so much. At Aldi, I purchased a one pound box (4 sticks) of Countryside Creamery Unsalted Butter for $3.98 plus tax. That's $1 cheaper than the Kroger brand and entirely worth the six minute drive to Aldi and the extra stop. Butter is butter, I don't need the name brand stuff to cook or bake with, I've never paused and thought, "Oh my, this butter is SO much better tasting than brand 'X'!"... Butter is butter.
So plan ahead for your holiday baking and cooking, beat the shortage and stock up on butter at Aldi. The price of butter is just another example of how Aldi is cheaper product for product than the mainstream grocery store. A good plan B is to buy bulk at Costco or Sam's Club, you'll save there over the mainstream grocery store as well.
Other Predicted Shortages: If you're hosting a Thanksgiving dinner, it's never too early to start planning that menu. Even if you're not hosting, but you're asked or want to contribute to the feast, it's a good time to plan ahead. Prices are up and shortages on Thanksgiving staples are predicted, so getting what you need now in beating the last minute Thanksgiving rush crowd would be a very good thing. Shortages have been predicted for butter, cream cheese (just about any dairy product in fact), chocolate, corn, tomatoes, beer, turkeys, olive oil, frozen pies and even frozen pizza (a traditional no fuss dinner the day before Thanksgiving for many).
$pend Wisely My Friends...
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Blaming President Biden is childish.
We’ve seen this Inflation before; after the Arab Oil Embargo.
If anything crimps the gasoline supply, sellers start to panic and prices skyrocket.
So, given that Covid caused the gas shortages…
I think you’re blaming the wrong President.
Hint: Government Spending has NEVER caused Inflation.
Posted by: William Carr | 12/01/2022 at 10:24 PM
You couldn't be more wrong William and seem to be out of touch with reality. Biden Administration policies have in fact negatively impacted the U.S. economy. Believe the White House lies that "All is well" if you want, but the reality is Americans are hurting, they're feeling the pain at the pump, at the grocery store, in paying utility bills. Inflation is at a 40-year record high. Joe has worked to kill the coal industry, he started a war with the oil industry the day he took office. Before Joe, the U.S. was a net oil & gas EXPORTER. We no longer are, Joe screwed that up. Take your party blinders off William, Joe "Puppet" Biden isn't good for the country.
Posted by: Vince D. | 12/02/2022 at 08:14 AM