How Much Did Groceries Cost in the 1980s?by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger 18 Jan 2007 11:16 AM
Now that I am an adult, a wife and a mom, I am more obsessed with our budget. I have all sorts of grocery prices in my head, from the cost of bread to how often tuna goes on sale. I thought it would be fun to look back and compare the prices of some different grocery items. Let's take a typical kid's lunch made up of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a glass of milk. In 1980, you could get a loaf of wonder bread for about 50 cents. Do you remember how easily a slice of that wonder white bread could turn into a squishy ball of sponge? In 1980, you could buy a half gallon of whole milk (no one drank 2 percent or skim in those days, did they?) for 85 cents. Check out my earlier blog, How Much Did You Pay for Milk Last Year to compare. In 1980, you could buy a jar of Skippy peanut butter for $1.49. Was there any other brand to buy back then? There must have been, although I don't remember it. In 1980, you could buy a jar of strawberry jam for $1.39. Yes, I know most people use grape jelly, but in my household, we go for the exotic taste of strawberry, blackberry and apricot jam. Living not too far from Lancaster (Amish country), today I often buy homemade jams and jellies. But that is far from my life in New York City in the 1980s. What do you remember about the 1980s? Would you like to see more blog entries about how much things cost long ago? Related Articles: How Much Did You Pay for Milk Last Year? Frugal Food: Saving Money on Pizza Learn more about Mary Ann Romans  Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat. Relevantfrugal tags User Comments  Andrea Hermitt (5507) 20 Jan 2007 05:18 PMIn the 1980's I used to grocery shop with my mom. I was her calculator. We would pick up groceries and I would tell her to stop when we reached $100.00. If were weren't done when I said stop, we had decide what to put back, and what to pick up to reach $100.00. I was never more than $1.00 off. There may have been anywhere from 9 to 11 people eating dinner each night. So 100.00 purchased, breakfast foods like oatmeal, pancake mix, and breakfast cereal, bread, peanut butter, jelly, bologna, mustard, mayo, ketchup, fruit, a couple gallons of milk, juice, (no soft drinks), 7 family packs of meat, rice, potatoes, vegetables, pasta, and sauce. I spend almost the same amount now for my family of 4.  Mary Ann Romans (26876) 20 Jan 2007 06:39 PMThat is amazing Andrea! Do you still calculate everything in your head when you shop? Andrea Hermitt (5507) 20 Jan 2007 07:04 PMYes, I did! Once I had kids, I lost that talent though!... something about brain cells. Mary Ann Romans (26876) 21 Jan 2007 05:29 AMAndrea, I can completely relate to brain cells gone missing, especially after three kids. But I am impressed with your skill. Do you keep a price book in your head? Community Tags 1980, cost, groceries Discuss this article
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I grew up in the 1980s, so I remember perming and teasing my hair, wearing rubber bracelets and neon belts and the birth of hole-y jeans. What I don't remember is how much groceries cost. I was, after all a teenager, obsessed with myself, my friends and the price of a movie or the latest record or cassette. Wasn't it the "me" era, anyway?
