The Costly Market Basket

SURPRISINGLY, the average price of such foods as chicken and coffee was lower last March than during 1958. Almost every other kind of food, however, was up--or way up. The prices, estimated by The Labor Department from data collected in 56 metropolitan areas, represent typical items in a housewife's market basket. Prices are, of course, much higher in many places.

ITEM AMOUNT 1958 1967 1969

Round steak. . . . . . . . . . . lb. . . . . . . . . $1.04 . . . . . . $1.10 . . . . . . . $1.19

Hamburger . . . . . . . . . . . lb. . . . . . . . . .53 . . . . . . . . .55 . . . . . . .58

Beef rib roast. . . . . . . . . . . lb. . . . . . . . . .82 . . . . . . . . .94 . . . . . .$1.01

Veal cutlets. . . . . . . . . . . lb. . . . . . . . . $1.33 . . . . . . $1.65. . . . . $1.87

Pork chops . . . . . . . . . . . lb. . . . . . . . . .92 . . . . . . $1.00. . . . . $1.05

Frankfurters. . . . . . . . . . . lb. . . . . . . . . .65 . . . . . . .71 . . . . . .72

Frying chicken. . . . . . . . . . . lb. . . . . . . . . .47 . . . . . . .38. . . . . .41

Haddock (frozen). . . . . . . . . lb. . . . . . . . . .56 . . . . . . .68. . . . . .70

Fresh milk. . . . . . . . . . . 1/2 gal. . . . . .48 . . . . . . .52. . . . . .55

Ice cream. . . . . . . . . . . 1/2 gal. . . . . .59 . . . . . . .81 . . . . . .81

Butter . . . . . . . . . . . lb. . . . . . . . . .74 . . . . . . .83. . . . . .84

Eggs (Gr. A large). . . . . . . doz. . . . . . . . . .60 . . . . . . .49. . . . . .60

Sugar. . . . . . . . . . . 5 lb. . . . . . . . .56 . . . . . . .61. . . . . .61

Coffee. . . . . . . . . . . 1 lb. . . . . . . . .91 . . . . . . .77. . . . . .76

Baby food. . . . . . . . . . . 4 1/2-oz. jar . . . . . . .10 . . . . . . .10. . . . . .11

Bread (white). . . . . . . . . . . 1 lb. . . . . . . . .19 . . . . . . .22. . . . . .23

Corn flakes. . . . . . . . . . . 120z. . . . . . . . .25 . . . . . . .31. . . . . .31

Apples . . . . . . . . . . . lb. . . . . . . . . .15 . . . . . . .21. . . . . .24

Oranges . . . . . . . . . . . doz. . . . . . . . . .76 . . . . . . .77. . . . . .83

Potatoes . . . . . . . . . . . 10 lb. . . . . . . . .63 . . . . . . .75. . . . . .78

Lettuce . . . . . . . . . . . head . . . . . . . .17 . . . . . . .28. . . . . .34

Tomatoes . . . . . . . . . . . lb. . . . . . . . . .32 . . . . . . .35. . . . . .44

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.