Will this cure our love affair with carbs?
By Marie Coyle
@MarieCoyle (30524)
July 30, 2023 10:17pm CST
If you watch or read news, you know the price of wheat is going way up, and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight to it.
Listening to a reporter on a news site, he said about 2 weeks ago, the average price of a ''cheap'' loaf of bread in the US was about $2.50-$2.75. This week, it's about $3.00 Any specialty breads are higher, as whole wheat, wheat berry type of bread, Rye, any dark breads. These prices are skyrocketing worldwide, not just in the US.
So if you ever wanted to bake bread, this might be the time? Flour prices are really high here. So is sugar, if you use a lot of it. I keep some extra flour in my freezer, but still, it will have to be replenished soon.
For those of us who have a big love of carbs, it may get very easy to control the desire for them if we have to pay out the nose for some of them.
I guess time will tell.
Picture is my own, the bread I made the other day. It's about gone now, so there is another loaf in the works as of this writing--this time it's oatmeal bread.
17 people like this
16 responses
@DaddyEvil (137149)
• United States
31 Jul
We already have a 10 lbs bag of sugar in the fridge and bought two 5 lbs bags of regular flour. I may start baking bread again.
3 people like this
@MarieCoyle (30524)
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31 Jul
I'm just glad that I am able to. Food prices appear to be rising all over the world.
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@DaddyEvil (137149)
• United States
31 Jul
@MarieCoyle Oh, yeah... I'm glad we've got extra stuff set aside.
Oh, and our 20% chance of rain tonight is pouring down now. 
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@MarieCoyle (30524)
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31 Jul
@DaddyEvil
We had that nice loud thunderstorm 2 nights ago, that was the first rain we've seen since the biggie storm about 3 weeks or so ago.
I do enjoy sleeping when I can hear rain hitting the roof.
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@AmbiePam (86393)
• United States
31 Jul
@MarieCoyle People are going to be hurting even more than they are now.
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@MarieCoyle (30524)
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31 Jul
Not just wheat/flour products going way up, but everything with flour in it is. Think cake mixes, Bisquick stuff, things people buy often.
A 4lb. bag of sugar is close to $5 at our regular grocery stores, about $3.80 or so at Aldi last week.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (30524)
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31 Jul
@AmbiePam
We can do without many things if we have to--new clothes, newer model cars, new furniture. But food is something we do have to have.
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@much2say (54080)
• Los Angeles, California
1 Aug
You have to wonder what the ultimate domino effect will be with the wheat prices 
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Covid has taught me to live without some items (sometimes it just wasn't even a choice), at least temporarily. I know my gluten free pals have been able to be without bread and such for years now. I think I could live without certain carbs, easier if was not a choice . . . but I would miss them. I don't even know how it would affect my usual clearance / deal hunts on this stuff. Right now the prices are still "ok" and doable for us . . . but the higher it gets, I'll seriously have to rethink things.
.
Covid has taught me to live without some items (sometimes it just wasn't even a choice), at least temporarily. I know my gluten free pals have been able to be without bread and such for years now. I think I could live without certain carbs, easier if was not a choice . . . but I would miss them. I don't even know how it would affect my usual clearance / deal hunts on this stuff. Right now the prices are still "ok" and doable for us . . . but the higher it gets, I'll seriously have to rethink things.1 person likes this
@much2say (54080)
• Los Angeles, California
2 Aug
@MarieCoyle Ohhhh, that's awesome you have a source for real fresh eggs! Baked goods - that sounds like a great trade off - I can go for that! I can only imagine what all this heat around the world is doing to all the hens that lay eggs . . . we have already gone through egg shortages for whatever reason in the past couple years . . . oh help if we have another major egg shortage!
We try to save however possible too. How are your gas prices out there? For us it is about 4.59 at it's cheapest . . . not really going up or down at the moment. But it would be quite serious for gas guzzlers for sure. I'm glad you have a more gas efficient car - that helps for sure!
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@MarieCoyle (30524)
•
3 Aug
@much2say
Today, our gas was $3.89 I know California is always so very high for gas. Yes, my current car gets very good mileage, it's nice not to have to stop at every gas station in the free world to get constant drinks for the old gas guzzler.
The joke my friend makes about her eggs--that she now has to hurry and get them from the hens as soon as possible, or they will all be hard boiled, or hard cooked...hmm..she could be right.
I love to barter. Trade goods for goods, and so forth. It's fun, and no money involved.
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@MarieCoyle (30524)
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2 Aug
Yes, I do know what you mean about the rethinking thing. I have adapted in many ways of my cooking. I stalk meat sales like crazy looking for the best I can find for the lowest price available. I usually barter for my eggs; a friend brings them, and she wants to be paid in baked goods--which sure isn't hard for me to do. And her eggs are the best, so fresh. She is worried because if it gets really hot outside, her hens don't usually lay as many eggs, and she is already seeing a decline in the amount they are laying. But that happens every year.
I do everything I can to save money on what I can save it on, to help make up for how much other things are costing. Today, I noticed gas went up again. It made me very thankful to know that I have a car to drive that doesn't hog gas like my old Jeep did. I drove that Jeep from new for 16 years. It had so many miles on if. And the last year it used gas so fast, I used to say I could watch the needle go down! I don't miss it.
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@LadyDuck (462623)
• Switzerland
1 Aug
@MarieCoyle We had no rain during 14 months (from the past October 2022 until May 2022), but this is a rainy summer.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (30524)
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1 Aug
@LadyDuck
That is a truly long, long time without rain, Anna. I bet it was so very dry. Did trees die?
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@MarieCoyle (30524)
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31 Jul
I know in the area where I live in the Midwest, many farmers are not happy with how their crops are looking, due to weather problems, lack of rain, some flattened by bad storms, and so forth. I guess time will tell, when they get it all harvested this fall.
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@JudyEv (328642)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Aug
@MarieCoyle Yes, they are mostly called op shops (opportunity shops). At the moment, most aren't allowed to sell electrical items for safety reasons.
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@MarieCoyle (30524)
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2 Aug
@JudyEv
I usually just poke around in the one thrift store here that I like to support, and I also take any donations we have there. They do check out all small appliances and anything electrical before they sell them. But I do understand wanting to be safe.
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@MarieCoyle (30524)
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1 Aug
Do you have thrift stores there? I have a friend who works in a thrift store. I guess during the pandemic a lot of people purchased bread makers, she says they have a huge supply of slightly used ones to sell. Yes, most of us eat bread in some form or other.
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@MarieCoyle (30524)
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31 Jul
I think we all are being very careful--most of us have to be.
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@allknowing (130793)
• India
31 Jul
Whatever I buy if it is a need then I do not look at the price. But if it comes under the category of wants I will not buy it at any cost.
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@allknowing (130793)
• India
31 Jul
@MarieCoyle You have a point there. We do not have that many stores and that what is bought online I depend mostly on Amazon.in and hopefully they are reasonable
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@MarieCoyle (30524)
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31 Jul
@allknowing
For some things, Amazon is very reasonable.
Yes, we are fortunate to have many places to buy food and all grocery items here.
@MarieCoyle (30524)
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31 Jul
I always compare store prices whenever possible. Some stores here in the US are way, way more expensive than others--for the very same thing.
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@MarieCoyle (30524)
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31 Jul
I am hit and miss--often my breakfast has a small piece of toast included, I often make that my only bread for the day. But no, that's not bad for a week's worth if he eats it regularly.
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@MarieCoyle (30524)
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31 Jul
My son has always enjoyed bread. One of his meals every day is usually some type of sandwich, no matter what. He says he really enjoys them.
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@Marilynda1225 (80606)
• United States
11 Aug
I paid dearly for a loaf of rye bread the other day and did notice that the prices are soaring. I just might have to consider baking my own bread and my daughter has talked about getting a bread machine for quite awhile. I'm the one that's hesitant cause I figure it's just one of those things we'd use once or twice and then it would collect dust.
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@MarieCoyle (30524)
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11 Aug
Day before yesterday, the rye bread I was buying was now $5.89 I am not paying that amount. I have plenty of rye, wheat, and bread flour, plus yeast, so I will be making some later today. Maybe we are all going to have to rethink how we manage, there is no way of knowing.
@sathviksouvik (18278)
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11 Aug
I eat bread once in a week. Every day in dinner I eat chapatis
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@sathviksouvik (18278)
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11 Aug
@MarieCoyle thanks Marie but chapatis have less carbohydrate and they are eaten as dinner with vegetables which have vitamins and minerals
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@MarieCoyle (30524)
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11 Aug
@sathviksouvik
I think I pretty much consider anything made with flour as a carb. The key to all of this, in my opinion, is to practice moderation.
@MarieCoyle (30524)
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11 Aug
Well, chapatis are considered an unleavened bread, so I guess you are getting your carbs in, mostly with that.
@LindaOHio (161050)
• United States
31 Jul
Oatmeal bread sounds good. Prices are skyrocketing everywhere; and I can't help but wonder if it's all necessary. Enjoy your day.
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@MarieCoyle (30524)
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31 Jul
I haven't cut into it yet, but it rose well and smelled good. I will probably have a slice later on. Food prices are very concerning.
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@solidcodes (1690)
• Philippines
31 Jul
The price going up due to Russia blocking Ukraine wheat export.
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@MarieCoyle (30524)
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31 Jul
Yes, this is not a good scenario for the prices, for sure.
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@MarieCoyle (30524)
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31 Jul
Yes, they are saying the same here in the US as well.
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@thebos (5965)
• Kisumu, Kenya
31 Jul
@MarieCoyle are there other countries that produce wheat
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@MarieCoyle (30524)
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31 Jul
@thebos
Yes, many do. China, India, Russia, and the USA are the four main producers of wheat.
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@snowy22315 (172353)
• United States
31 Jul
I think we can thank for friends the Russians for all this fun.
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@1creekgirl (40815)
• United States
31 Jul
Marie, your bread looks good. So far Dale is eating a slice of the gluten free bread every morning that I made not long ago. I'm keeping individual slices in the freezer and that seems to be keeping them fresh. If regular bread is that expensive, I'd better keep baking gluten free bread. GF bread is already around $6 for a small loaf.
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@MarieCoyle (30524)
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31 Jul
The loaf of rye I like to buy and have been buying off and on for years, is now over $5 a loaf. I can make it for way, way less. I'm glad you freeze yours, I have one loaf in the freezer that I made, as well.
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