11 Food Items That Will Cost You More This Year ...

Well, let’s just start with one of my favorite food items that will cost more this year, shall we? Dark chocolate isn’t just a huge health commodity right now, but it’s also already pretty pricey. If you buy the good stuff, that is. All dark chocolate sales are said to increase about 10% this year at a minimum. I guess this means I’ll have to take my dark chocolate addiction down a couple notches, or at least 10%!

I just hate that organic vegetables are one of the food items that will cost more this year too. It’s so important to buy organic to avoid toxic chemicals that cause many health problems today. Sadly, Americans are paying back what costs they save when choosing conventional produce, on their healthcare bills. Issues from autism to ADHD, to depression, infertility, and even weight gain and asthma have all been linked to pesticides used on general food items. However, organic vegetables will still continue to increase in price, even though the amounts will vary between brands. I’ll still choose organic and have to cut costs elsewhere, which I’m willing to do because I hate the doctor!

Whether you’re a fan of dairy milk or non-dairy milk, it’s all going up! In fact, just last week, I saw my favorite brand of almond milk go up 75 cents a carton. I was shocked! Of course, I still bought it. It’s not just the high demand for non-dairy items that’s causing the cost, but the costs of producing all types of milk. Milk is expected to increase in price up to 5%.

If you drink alcohol, you’ll pay more for beer and wine this year. Luckily, this isn’t something I”ll have to worry about, but for all of you who drink, you can expect about a 20% price increase, or something close.

All teas will go up in price. Luckily, the amount will be minimal, around 3%, however it’s still something to take note of. Rising production costs are causing the increase in the consumer price, which is what you’ll see pretty soon at the store. This is not good news for my herbal tea addiction!

Coffee has been a huge crop for many farmers, and I don’t know about you, but it’s the way I start everyday. All Americans will see a huge cost increase in their cup of joe this year, along with that milk we all add to it. I’m sure like myself, this doesn’t mean you’ll be giving it up, but be prepared because you’ll pay more for your cup of java from now on.

Along with milk, beef is another food that will increase this year, with a 3-5% increase. The analysis didn’t specify if grass fed sources will go up, but since grass-fed beef is alright pricey, I’m sure people who choose it won’t mind paying a little more for a better cut of meat if it does. I think this is just all the more reason for me to stay meat-free!

Along with veggies, fruit will also cost more. The amount of how much isn’t specified in the research results, however I would still advise you to choose fruit as a healthy option. I also advise that you buy frozen when you can. It will last longer and stay fresh in your freezer for whenever you want to use it. It’s also frozen at peak season so you won’t have to worry about nutrient loss.

Nut butter has already increased in price, with it costing at least $15 for a jar of organic or raw nut butter. Sure, Jif and Skippy might cost less, but even those unhealthier choices are still going up. If you ask me, we’re all better off investing in a food processor and buying the nuts ourselves! Especially if you have a family. The increases will vary between nut butters, but nuts and seeds are a healthy food we should all eat, so my advice is to use them sparingly and savor every bite!

Luckily, I don’t buy this either, but if you do, beware! Bread is going up around 5% for most wheat varieties. You can probably bet this will be the healthier varieties, but the source I used didn't specify if this was only shelf stable or freezer bread. I haven’t seen a rise in sprouted grain breads yet myself, but it’s something to be aware of if you love it. I’d advise you to just stick with oatmeal if you want your whole grains in a less expensive way!

And last, I’m sad to say gluten-free items will go up this year too. While I advise staying away from processed snacks, gluten-free or not, some items like gluten-free oats or gluten-free condiments are something I’m not looking forward to paying more for. However, I haven’t seen prices go up online, which is where I buy all my gluten-free items, and they cost less in stores anyway.

If you’ve spotted a food item that’s gone up this year, let me know! I’d love to hear what price increases you're seeing at the store. What food item on this list do you buy the most of? Or, if you’ve spotted a rise in price, what item have you seen go up?

Sources: business.time.com, money.usnews.com