Food prices increase going into the holidays

HONOLULU (KHON2) — Food prices have increased from this time last year, and it is likely prices will remain high going into the holidays, so how much will people be paying for some holiday staples?

Over the last 12 months, overall food prices in urban Honolulu have increased by more than 5%, and The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said eating out is costing about 10% more than it did last year. 

Supply chain, global wars and extreme weather are reasons why some food products and ingredients have gone up in cost. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, cereal and baking products increased by 9.6%, and with pies being among the popular items for the holidays, the Sweet Revenge Honolulu owner Kathy Masunaga said it is costing her a pretty penny to bake the pies. 

“Things have doubled which is insane,” Masunaga said, “It used to be when I did my math for how much each thing costs, I would almost not even consider the sugar and the flour cost because they were so inexpensive and it would be pennies and it’s no longer like that.”

She said other factors like non-plastic forks and spoons or eco-friendly containers are also driving up prices, along with the increase in the minimum wage. 

Masunaga said, “The minimum wage has gone up and so all of our employees as it goes up we increase their pay so that they’re still making a good amount above minimum wage.”

Masunaga makes the pies from scratch and uses fresh ingredients, which adds to her overhead cost. But she said they are trying to eat those expenses and not pass them on to her customers. 

She said, “We are just going to try to leave our prices what they were last  year.”

On the bright side, food-at-home prices went down by 0.2%, and many like Linda Bone are finding ways to not break the bank this upcoming holiday season. 

Bone said, “Potluck so it’s not like we have to do the whole meal, it’s just like one dish.”

A food cost breakdown can be found on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website.