CINCINNATI — Food prices have gone up 2% in the last year, according to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The higher prices impact everyone from restaurants to consumers.
The owners at Pig Candy BBQ in Cincinnati said rising food prices mean they've had to get creative, finding a system to make sure the impact of inflation doesn't transfer over to their customers.
"We have at least three different suppliers and then we also will shop at some of the other local spots like Sam's Club, Kroger," said Christina Goehrig.
She said they've kept their prices the same since they opened back in 2021 and flexibility has been the key.
"As long as we're watching to make sure we don't have as much waste, so sometimes that might mean that we have to sell out of an item," Goehrig said.
Plus, they change up their specials to make sure they're using the least expensive, freshest ingredients.
It's allowed them to not only maintain their prices but work towards opening a second location in Loveland.
Changing up the products you're buying is a strategy Northern Kentucky University economist Abdullah Al-Bahrani recommends for everyone when they do their grocery shopping.
"In my family, we do this — we have our grocery list checklist that we repeat every week and sometimes that causes us to have a blinder and not see the opportunities to shift our bundle to save money," he said.
For example, the latest Consumer Price Index shows fruit and vegetable prices fell last month by 0.5%.
"So check out the produce section," said Al-Bahrani.
