Montanans are spending nearly $150 more a month on food compared to three years ago. That’s according to federal data.
Just about everything, from eggs to your favorite chips, have gone up in price since the pandemic.
Brianna Routh is a food and nutrition expert with Montana State University. She says researchers are still digging into the link between higher food prices and health.
But past bouts of inflation can give us some clues.
“We do see changes of people experiencing higher rates of food insecurity and those increasing rates in tandem of consuming ultra-processed foods. It could be snack foods. It could be ramen,” Routh said.
Those processed foods can have high amounts of unhealthy fats, sugar and salt. The American Medical Association says while those foods are convenient, eating them too much increases risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain cancers.
According to the non-profit Feeding America, about one in nine Montanans struggle with food insecurity. That’s up three percent from last year.
Ian Finch is with the Community Food and Agriculture Coalition. He says many people during the pandemic took advantage of a program that gives people on food subsidy programs extra money for fruits and veggies.
But that’s changed as food prices increase.
“So I think there’s a split between those consumer habits where people said, ‘Ok, I think I need to go back to the grocery store and buy that cheap food,” Finch said.
But he says the people who have stuck with the program are buying more healthy whole foods than ever before. He worries about the health impacts on those who are opting for cheaper, processed foods.
