JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Much focus has been placed on how the government shutdown is affecting people who rely on food stamps, but those who are not on food stamps say they’re finding it harder to purchase groceries because of current food prices.
News4JAX visited three different grocery store chains in Jacksonville to see exactly how much basic items like meat and produce cost. Shoppers who spoke with us, like Natalie Hamlett, Masie Negahsh, and Rick Omesol, say they are spending more money on groceries these days.
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“A much bigger percentage of our income is going to groceries, and we got to have them because we have to eat,” said Hamlett.
“Everything has gone up,” Negahsh noted.
“I’m spending 25% to 30% more,” Omesol added.
So exactly how much are shoppers paying? While inside grocery stores, News4JAX primarily focused on meats and produce at all three grocery store chains.
At Aldi, lettuce prices ranged from $2.69 to $3.29 per bag.
Winn-Dixie was selling bagged lettuce for $5.49.
Publix had lettuce prices ranging between $4.99 and $5.49.
Then, we looked at meat prices at all three store chains, specifically, beef, pork, and chicken. Each price at all three store chains has a range based on the cut of the meat and portion.
Beef at Aldi ranged between $6.99 and $11.29 per pound. Pork was between $2.39 and $3.99 per pound.
At Winn-Dixie, the price per pound ranged between $5.99 and $19.99. Pork costs were between $2.99 and $6.99 per pound.
The per-pound costs at Publix for beef ranged between $7.99 and $18.99, while pork was between $4.29 and 6.99 per pound.
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Finally, chicken at Aldi per pound was between $1.55 and $3.99.
At Winn-Dixie, the costs range from $.99 to 5.99 per pound.
And at Publix, the per-pound cost ranged between $1.99 and $4.99.
Omesol, who said he grocery shops once a week for himself and his wife, said his bill typically comes out to about $150 to $200.
Another shopper, Rachel Laureno, said her bi-weekly grocery bill comes out to the same, but adds that it’s “more than what it has been in the past.”
According to the USDA, in 2025, a family consisting of two working adults and two children is spending between $1,000 and $1,600 per month at the grocery store.
Five years ago, the average cost at the grocery store for a family that size ranged between $613 and $1,500 per month.
The USDA’s spending range is based on certain factors like shopping habits, dietary choices, and location as food prices vary by region.