Kitchen

[FunkyHulaGirl]

It was something like $2.49 a pound at Aldi - that's pretty much the only place I buy it anymore, unless Publix has a sale @ 2/$4 - and they recently had Kerrygold Irish butter at that price!

I mostly use butter for baking - I use very little myself, and when I do it's whipped butter. When I find a good sale, I stock up.

[nikkimom]

That is the thing -I noticed it being higher several weeks ago and follow ads weekly (I usually am not looking for deals on butter - more for meats and produce) and is has not been on sale anywhere either and I am looking at 4-5 store ads here in Ca. I guess I do not really need the baked goods

[Tinkrbl44]

On 9/25/2014 nantucket shore said:

I've noticed the same thing.....hey, land of cows (California)...so they are advertising, it should be cheap there???

Just saw $2.75 a pound at Sam's....$2.98 a pound for store brand on coupon.

Land O Lakes...holy cow, can't afford that stuff.

Well, I can add some information here .... it's the ongoing drought we've been having that's made a real mess of the CA agriculture.

Example .... the average rainfall in Los Angeles is 15 inches per year ... in 2013, we got 3 inches ..... and pretty much nothing this year. That makes the cost of all crops skyrocket because less is produced ..... but that also trickles over to the cost of grain, which is what dairy cows eat .... and other animals for consumption.

So, the beef costds go up because THEIR food costs rose ..... and the dairy products, as well.

Hope that gives you some insight.

And if anyone can figure out how to get some rain to the central California agricultural region, that would be great, too !!!

Tink

[ChynnaBlue]

Wow, I'll have to check next time I buy some. I only buy butter a few times a year and I don't even look at the price.

[Debbie555]

I just bought the 8oz tub of whipped Land o Lakes for 2.99! I needed butter so I bought it. I am happy because my local supermarket is putting Land O Lakes 1 lb sticks on sale for 2.99 tomorrow. I will buy a bunch and freeze. It's scary going grocery shopping these days, everything is going up in price so quickly.

[goodstuff]

Grocery prices are generally up, but I haven't noticed a huge rise in butter prices. I wonder if this is a local or regional phenomenon? Here in metro Atlanta, butter is under $3/lb at major supermarkets; Kroger has it on special for $2 this week with their loyalty card. I've managed to keep grocery spending fairly well under control by shopping specials, store brands, markdowns, and coupons, and making a list based around the week's sale flyer.

[Kachina624]

The drought in the West has caused beef prices to soar. A year ago I kept advising people here to fill their freezers. There was little grass for steers to eat so ranchers sold their herds. They can't afford to feed herds of cattle grain or hay for a long period. Now it's a matter of supply and demand...basic economics. When the supply is low and demand high, prices go up.

[Nightowlz]

On 9/25/2014 morganjen said:

I always buy Kerrygold because it's grass fed. It's always been higher than regular butter.

That's what I buy. The only place in town that sells it is Wal-Mart & it's $3.46 or a few cents more. Just bought 12 packs with tax was $45+. I cut them into 2 sticks, vacuum seal them & freeze. I always stock up on them because sometimes it's in stock & sometimes it's not. I put it in the butter boat on the counter. I also buy grass fed from a local farmer when they have it. It's higher from the farmer.

[chickenbutt]

On 9/25/2014 Nightowlz said:

On 9/25/2014 morganjen said:

I always buy Kerrygold because it's grass fed. It's always been higher than regular butter.

That's what I buy. The only place in town that sells it is Wal-Mart & it's $3.46 or a few cents more. Just bought 12 packs with tax was $45+. I cut them into 2 sticks, vacuum seal them & freeze. I always stock up on them because sometimes it's in stock & sometimes it's not. I put it in the butter boat on the counter. I also buy grass fed from a local farmer when they have it. It's higher from the farmer.

Interesting. I'm big on vacuum sealing and freezing but I've never tried freezing butter. Does it change it at all? I remember freezing cheese once and it changed it considerably. TIA

[paShar]

chickenbutt.........I always have butter in the freezer and don't notice any change in flavor in the thawed butter than if I had used it from the fridge.