MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — A report from Lendingtree.com has named Alabama as one of the states that spend the most money, as a percentage of their income, on food at home.
According to the report, Alabama ranks no. 5 on the list. Alabama households on average spend $250 a week on groceries for the home. The mean household income in Alabama is $75,923 and the percent of income spent on food is 17.1%.
Mississippi was ranked no. 1 with the highest percentage of income being spent on food and Florida ranked no. 8.
| Rank | State | Average spent per week on groceries | Mean household income | % spent on food |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mississippi | $264 | $68,048 | 20.2% |
| 2 | West Virginia | $273 | $72,294 | 19.6% |
| 3 | Louisiana | $271 | $75,590 | 18.6% |
| 4 | Oklahoma | $258 | $75,430 | 17.8% |
| 5 | Arkansas | $241 | $73,126 | 17.1% |
| 5 | Alabama | $250 | $75,923 | 17.1% |
| 7 | New Mexico | $244 | $76,989 | 16.5% |
| 8 | Florida | $282 | $89,573 | 16.4% |
| 9 | Kentucky | $237 | $76,234 | 16.2% |
| 10 | Nevada | $274 | $89,961 | 15.8% |
The report does say that in most cases, “the rise in grocery prices can be attributed to international conflicts and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The report also gave tips on how to save money at the grocery store. Those tips included comparing prices at different stores, looking at store-brand goods and taking advantage of credit card rewards.
Not all products have seen the same rise in prices, either, according to the report. Here’s how the changes break down for chicken products, some of which have seen steep increases over the last year.
| 1 | Organic legs | $1.09 a pound | $1.82 | 67.0% |
| 2 | Boneless breasts (skinless/marinated) | $3.39 a pound | $5.46 | 61.1% |
| 3 | Organic thighs | $1.76 a pound | $2.73 | 55.1% |
| 4 | Whole bagged roaster | $1.02 a pound | $1.53 | 50.0% |
| 5 | Split bone-in breast (regular pack) | $1.36 a pound | $1.95 | 43.4% |
| 6 | Fried or baked chicken (8-piece) | $6.41 | $8.97 | 39.9% |
| 7 | Organic whole wings | $2.92 a pound | $4.07 | 39.4% |
| 8 | Organic whole bagged fryer | $1.96 a pound | $2.70 | 37.8% |
| 9 | Breast tenders (regular pack) | $3.31 a pound | $4.51 | 36.3% |
| 10 | Boneless breasts (skinless/thin-sliced) | $3.16 a pound | $4.08 | 29.1% |
Many fresh fruits and vegetables have also seen stark price increases. Organic strawberries in particular have become more expensive. Here’s the ten fresh fruits and vegetables that saw the greatest increase in price over the last year, according to LendingTree’s analysis of USDA data.
| 1 | Organic strawberries | $3.08 per one-pound package | $9.99 | 224.4% |
| 2 | Mustard greens | 77 cents a bunch | $2.14 | 177.9% |
| 3 | White peaches | $1.49 a pound | $3.99 | 167.8% |
| 4 | Turnip greens | 77 cents a bunch | $1.99 | 158.4% |
| 5 | Organic mixed mini sweet peppers | $2.74 per one-pound package | $5.68 | 107.3% |
| 6 | Organic vine-ripe tomatoes | $1.99 a pound | $3.99 | 100.5% |
| 7 | Organic orange bell peppers | $2.49 a pound | $4.99 | 100.4% |
| 8 | Tangelos | $1.10 a pound | $2.02 | 83.6% |
| 9 | Organic kale | $1.45 a bunch | $2.61 | 80.0% |
| 10 | Artichokes | $1.67 each | $2.98 | 78.4% |
Not all fresh fruits and vegetables have gone up in price. According to the analysis, organic green bell peppers, seedless watermelons and Satsuma have all fallen in price.
