High prices for unprocessed food

Here's what I don't get - you have regular wheat bread, there isn't too much work that goes into making it as far as I know. Yet it's more expensive than its white counterpart that is created by removing the bran and germ from each and every kernal, which I imagine is a laborious process, and then they need to add chlorine dioxide (or somthing like that) to bleach the shit out of it. So it takes more effort to make, it has a longer shelf life, and in the opinion of most Americans it tastes better than wheat, yet it always costs less.

It's like this with everything that's processed. At the store I go to they have these machines where you can scoop your own peanuts into it and grind them yourself into peanut butter. No added salt or butter or anything thats usually found in pre-made peanut butter, yet its more than twice as expensive.

What gives?

 

There is a worldwide shortage in wheat... that's part of it.

 

Not enough people buy the healthy stuff so higher prices make up for the difference i guess.

I think healthier foods have shorter shelf lives too, with less preservatives and all.

 

I have no idea, but i suspect its got a lot to do with supply and demand. The average joe wants chemically tasting, easy to stomach crap and will buy it, therefore its cheaper. I don't really know how it works but it just does.

I found it hilarious in England, they would sell delicious gourmet frozen pizzas for a pound. You couldn't make the same pizza from fresh ingredients for less than 2 pounds. I don't really get it. Within a market economy things are rarely based on the manufacturing cost.

 

This is my best guess...

So most of the things that are processed can be made in large quantities (with additives and fillers), while natural foods cannot be made in large quantities necessarily. If you add anything to increase the amount of it...it's not all natural anymore.

 

Health food, like pretty much anything and everything, is a market. They let you know that eating healthy food is important (not that it's not important), and then they jack up the prices because they know people are going to buy it regardless. It's sad though.

 

read up on complex systems. the economy is one, its not linear in any way, but thats how everyone tries to deal with problems or views the economy. you can't just take wheat out of the equation, look at it (or natural products), and fix that, because thats not how the economy works. everything effects everything

 

It's partly because the processed "food" has very little of the real thing in it. It's mostly just fillers with artificial flavour and colour.

 

isnt it a bit more than a "shortage"??

i see the word "crisis" being used,along with famine and starvation globally of course..

but that is 90% of the problem,the rest is just inflation hitting.. perishable foods are always the first to go up in price..

the wheat thing is fixing to get a whole lot worse,wheat is up what almost double over last year?i think they said rice as well..

the United Nations is talking about cutting out food aid,the united states is cutting rations,and stopping food aid as well to needy countries..
i think they said 21 countries in africa and 16 others globally will be facing famine without aid soon.

i hear proctor and gamble announced a 12% price increase across the board for all there products.

yall think the price of bread is bad now,, wait till your christmas rolls cost 12 bucks a pack...

its coming whether ya believe it or not...

oh forgot to mention...

corn prices will soon soar as well,,thanks to bushes pledge towards ethanol...

YAY bio fuels..

 

Unprocessed food is now a high end market. People are willing to pay a higher price for them.