Americans Are Done Pretending They Can Afford Groceries

Added: 2026-06-02

[00:00:00]So, families are struggling to put food on the table. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York is issuing a new warning now about the rise in food insecurity as Americans try to make ends meet. That report saying between, uh, the late 2025 and early 2026, there was a sharp rise in households reporting that they had to skip meals, use food banks, and rely on SNAP benefits, or even dip into their savings account if they had any, just to try and cover grocery costs that are nearly 3% higher than a year ago and 10% of households surveyed said that they didn't have enough food to feed their kids, and their kids had to miss meals.

[00:00:36]That's more than double the numbers from mid-2020.

[00:00:40]>> You know, it's a shame that groceries nowadays, or at least a bag of groceries, is what a car payment used to be when it comes to the cost. I don't think that people are truly bad with money. It's just that, like, things like groceries and just the cost of living in general has gotten completely, completely insane. And it is so far out reach that, like, people are starting to wonder like why like like like why are we doing this? And I'm so glad that people have stopped pretending that this is okay. I mean, $100 used to fill up a cart, y'all. Like, I don't think y'all realize how crazy that it has become, okay? Because now, $100 is just literally a couple of bags that you can carry with one hand. And this is not random, either, okay? Tariffs, a drought that wrecked the harvest, a cow herd that's the smallest it's been in decades, beef, eggs, like, the basic foods that people eat every single day, right? And it is is all climbing in cost. The government's own people are saying that food prices are up three, four, maybe even 5% more this year on top of everything that has already went up.

[00:01:54]>> In 2006, somebody mama walked into Walmart with 160 dollars and walked out with 79 items.

[00:02:07]Today, you walk into Walmart with 161 dollars and the cashier looking at you like, "So, do you still want the eggs or?"

[00:02:18]Because look at this receipt carefully.

[00:02:21]They got meat, salmon, fruit, vegetables, Capri Suns, cupcakes, chicken, potatoes, snacks, juice, frozen food.

[00:02:35]Basically, enough groceries to survive an actual apocalypse.

[00:02:40]Meanwhile, in 2026, three bags of groceries got you sweating in the parking lot talking about, "Put the cereal back. We not rich."

[00:02:50]Everybody tired of leaving the grocery store feeling like they accidentally financed a Honda Accord.

[00:02:58]And what really sent me, the Tyson wings was $8.94, the whole pack.

[00:03:06]Baby, wings today got security guards standing around them like they designer handbags.

[00:03:14]And don't let me get started on eggs.

[00:03:17]Eggs used to be a side character. Now, eggs got celebrity pricing.

[00:03:24]This receipt feels like opening a historical artifact. Like archaeologists need to put this in a museum next to dinosaur bones and affordable rent. I know somebody mama watching this right now saying, "See, y'all don't know nothing about stretching a dollar." No, seriously, our parents used to feed a family of five off vibes, coupons, and prayer oil. Now, you buy laundry detergent and suddenly your checking account start breathing through a ventilator.

[00:03:58]>> Using a receipt from 2006, we went shopping for the same items today. Now, back 20 years ago, the 79 items came to $176.63 Canadian. How much do you think this whole cart is going to be? Was $2.36 a pound. Be $1.18. [music] Was $2. Uh $2.45 a pound, now they're $2.64. Sliced tomatoes.

[00:04:19]This is crazy. Hard salami was $2.19, [music] now it's over $8. Things have changed. So, not everything is 100%, but we're getting things as close as we can to what the receipt says. $0.98.

[00:04:30]>> [music] >> One of these is $9. $0.98.

[00:04:38]2006, it was $0.33.

[00:04:40][music] $3.96.

[00:04:48]20 years, we're basically almost paying double what we were paying in 2006.

[00:04:52]That's insane.

[00:05:01]And this is the part that really gets me as well. These are people who didn't mess up, okay? These are people working.

[00:05:07]These are people trying and the math is just not working for them anymore.

[00:05:11]Basically, more humans are going hungry, okay? They're quietly going hungry.

[00:05:16]They're going through all this behind closed doors and they're posting about it because they don't know what else to do. And I think that's why people are out here, you know, trying to >> [music] >> be more self-sufficient.

[00:05:28]Like I'm seeing a very high rise in people growing their own food in their backyard. And the fact that this is quote unquote the richest country on the earth is becoming something that is mandatory [music] that these people have to do in order to survive. And it's not It's This ain't a hobby. This ain't people trying to, you know, be like homesteading and all that stuff because they just like to do it. No, people are doing it because they have to. And I don't think then this isn't like frugal living content either, okay? That is literally survival. When people start farming their lawns to make a grocery bill smaller, that should tell you everything about where we actually are versus what they keep telling us on TV.

[00:06:08]>> So, families are struggling to put food on the table. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York is issuing a new warning now about the rise in food insecurity as Americans try to make ends meet. That report saying between well, the late 2025 and early 2026, there was a sharp rise in households reporting that they had to skip meals, use food banks, and rely on SNAP benefits, or even dip into their savings account if they had any just to try and cover grocery costs that are nearly 3% higher than a year ago.

[00:06:38]And 10% of households surveyed said that they didn't have enough food to feed their kids and their kids had to miss meals. That's more than double the numbers from mid-2020.

[00:06:50]>> So, I'm at the grocery store right now, and couple observations. Everything is insanely expensive. It's been expensive, but it's getting to the point where it's like unsustainable to just keep shopping for food, as crazy as that sounds. The second thing is, why are we still using coupons?

[00:07:06]What is the deal with coupons? Why doesn't the grocery store just knock down the price to what it should be with the coupon? Why do I have to like pull this little ticket here?

[00:07:15]Or why do I have to go on the store's app to get the lowest price? Just give me the lowest price.

[00:07:20]>> A typical bag of groceries today costs 50% more than in 2020. Here's how that breaks down. Forbes estimates that a basket full of groceries, including items such as eggs, butter, and bread was about $46.95 in 2020. However, now we estimate it to cost $73.07.

[00:07:41]Some of the items that inflated the most was a large bottle of orange juice, which used to average about $6.78, but now can be found at more than $14. A tub of coffee grounds used to be $7.75, but is now over $16.

[00:07:59]Items like eggs and ground beef have gone up more than 45% and groceries like chicken and bread have hovered between 24 and 26% increases. Get a full breakdown at forbes.com.

[00:08:12]>> Have you been grocery shopping lately?

[00:08:14]Have you gone to Walmart lately?

[00:08:17]Walmart [clears throat] is just joining the gang bang and their prices are exorbitant and they practice all of the things, the tricks against we the people that everybody else is doing. Small packages, less for the same if not more.

[00:08:38]Um I don't shop Walmart and I'm not going to tell you not to shop Walmart.

[00:08:43]That's up to you.

[00:08:45]Um We've got to knuckle down.

[00:08:54]We've got to stop buying the [ __ ] Grow our own food indoors and outdoors.

[00:09:01]I'm going to get back into hydroponics.

[00:09:04]>> [laughter] >> It's a challenge.

[00:09:06]It really is, but uh The thing is repeated effort in a challenge makes it something that you succeed at.

[00:09:18]And the same with growing. Um I found uh I discovered two beans, two different types of beans that I want to plant that I've got to find the seeds on.

[00:09:27]>> [laughter] >> And I'm going to add that to what I'm planting this [clears throat] weekend.

[00:09:34]I'm going to come home and do some planting. I'm pet sitting about 20 minutes away this week.

[00:09:42]They're going to Hawaii. Okay.

[00:09:45]They planned that trip many months ago.

[00:09:49]They're smart with their money.

[00:09:51]They really are.

[00:09:53]Good people. People in my life actually.

[00:09:56]How do [clears throat] we knuckle down?

[00:09:58]We buy less.

[00:10:00]We just say [ __ ] you, you can sit on it.

[00:10:05]And we let the store manager maybe have a piece of our mind.

[00:10:11]I'm sure he is overwhelmed with complaints.

[00:10:17]>> [clears throat] >> We grow our food.

[00:10:20]Like I mentioned.

[00:10:22]We eat at home from scratch.

[00:10:27]We can.

[00:10:28]Which we do.

[00:10:30]We put things together.

[00:10:32]Make a meal out of it. Believe me.

[00:10:35]It's not expensive.

[00:10:37]So, come up with a way of not buying as much as you can.

[00:10:50]>> I just want to say that these grocery prices are so ridiculous and it's really starting to piss me off cuz it feels like all of our extra income is going straight to groceries. I mean, we were spending before like 150 a week on a family of four for groceries. Now we're pushing 400, 400 plus a week for groceries. The cost of meat is absolutely insane. I We used to be able to get a pack of ground beef for like six bucks or something like that. Now I went to Walmart today, it was $17 for a pack of ground beef to make some tacos.

[00:11:32]Like what?

[00:11:33]>> So, I'm walking around Costco here and I'm noticing these prices. For example, these Madras lentils, $15.99. I bought those a year ago for $6.99.

[00:11:43]Let's look at what else we got going on here.

[00:11:51]Dang, this is the flour we were buying for $5.99 last year.

[00:12:03]We literally bought this chicken broth $5.69 2 months ago.

[00:12:07]>> [music] >> And I keep getting told that we got, you know, 6 7% inflation. You got to be kidding me.

[00:12:12]These companies, these corporations are out of their minds. $7 for a bag of chips, for Doritos.

[00:12:17]They're party size, but still $7 whenever you can shop at the commissary if you're a veteran or in the military, and at least they're like $2 to $3 for the same, which means I know they don't have to charge this much for their prices.

[00:12:34]They don't have to charge this much.

[00:12:36]This is price gouging. This is crazy.

[00:12:38]How's anybody expecting to live out here?

[00:12:40]And then Dr. Peppers, $9.99 for a 12-pack. Oh, and congratulations, there's a sale right now for $7.99.

[00:12:47]Just did you all a whole lot of favors.

[00:12:49]$9.99 for a 12-pack of soda.

[00:12:53]And we got to trick you into thinking you're getting a great deal by putting it down to $7.99. These companies are out of their mind. People can't afford to live.

[00:13:00]There goes soda, I guess.

[00:13:02]And then we got Cheerios out here, $5.09, and they're on sale because normally they're over $6, over $6.50 for Cheerios. You got Corn Chex, Rice Chex, $5.79.

[00:13:15]What are we doing?

[00:13:17]Honey Nut Chex, $6.29. I just don't understand how people are supposed to survive. This is crazy. Again, if you didn't have the commissary to live, and I feel bad for the people that don't.

[00:13:27]These are crazy. At least the Best Choice offers a little bit cheaper of a price.

[00:13:32]But, these prices are crazy. These companies are out of their mind.

[00:13:36]I don't know what regular people are supposed to do. I just left the grocery store, as you saw in that footage, and I got basics. I didn't get luxurious thing. The lux- One luxurious thing I got was a 12-pack of soda, and that's where we are now that that's a luxury.

[00:13:48]Fine, I get it. The rest is I got milk, I got cereal, I got some granola bars for my family, for me and the kids.

[00:13:56]Nothing crazy. I Oh, wait a minute. I did get a couple poblano peppers for dinner for this week. So, you know, there's another extravagant expenditure, if you will. But, I don't know what we're supposed to do, man. Grocery prices are insane.

[00:14:09]>> [music] >> And I know for a fact that they don't have to charge you that much. Obviously, everybody knows this, but I know for a fact because I can shop at the commissary. Obviously, was just going to swing by this regular store today, and it was crazy. But, I can shop at the commissary, so I know that they don't have to charge this much. I People aren't going to be able to survive. I don't know what's happening. It It's insanity, whatever's happening here.

[00:14:31]Groceries are insane, inflation's insane, shrinkflation is real. It's crazy out here.

[00:14:36]>> Oh my god. Look at these prices.

[00:14:40]$3.99 for a little small tub of cream cheese. That's the deal. That's the lowest price.

[00:14:46]You want a watermelon?

[00:14:48]It's only eight bucks.

[00:14:50]Check out the bacon.

[00:14:56]Okay, so the lowest price was $5.99, and it went up to $12.99 for a pound of bacon.

[00:15:03]French fries, $5.99, $3.99, $6.49.

[00:15:09]Everyone's favorite, ice cream, $6.99.

[00:15:14]Look at that, Thrifty ice cream. There's nothing thrifty about $6.49.

[00:15:21]How about some Ben & Jerry's for $4.99?

[00:15:24]Remember how cheap Pringles used to be?

[00:15:27]It's just off the charts, everything.

[00:15:30]Look at this pizza.

[00:15:31]I'm not showing you the greatest foods because meat is out of control, but frozen pizzas they start off as low as $4.99, but they're all like $6.99, $11.99 for a frozen pizza. You get to take it home and make it yourself. $10.99.

[00:15:49]>> So, the question that I have is that why does your check stay the same size [music] while it buys less and less and less throughout time?

[00:15:59]Because prices are up about 25% since 2021, guys, okay? That is more than double from the original pace.

[00:16:08]And wages don't even keep up. We already know this. In In fact, real wages just fell for the first time in 3 years. Did y'all guys know that? You're not imagining these things, okay? You're not crazy for thinking about these things.

[00:16:21]You are not failing, either, okay? You were just being literally squeezed out every drop, and the people who could do something about this are hoping that you'll just keep quietly putting things back at the register, and just keep blaming yourself for these decisions. And if any of this hits you guys like in the heart it If If any of this hits home for y'all, [music] you are not alone on this, okay? And that's the whole point of this channel.

[00:16:47]We are done pretending that this is okay. We are done acting like everything's fine when the [music] receipt says otherwise. So, I want to hear in the comments, guys, what has your grocery bills, what has the receipts, and just the cost of your weekly runs are looking like, and what did you have to put back this week, you know what I'm saying? Because you know, that kind of stuff happens, you know? You The cost becomes more than usual, and then you have to kind of do some hood math, and then you got to figure out which one that you don't really need. You have to figure out which one you don't need more than the other thing, you know, and that is something that we shouldn't be having to think about when we're buying groceries.

[00:17:26]Let's show each other, you know, we're not crazy about this stuff and that we're not alone. So, let me know in the comments what you guys are going through. Subscribe if you want some real talk on this channel and I'll see you on the next one.