Inflation is causing the prices to at least stay where they are, or go up, as well, combined with the war in Ukraine and climate screwing up some crops.
Interestingly, half my family came from the former region of Galicia stretching across eastern Poland and western Ukraine, including where Lviv is located. Galicia was known as the breadbasket of Europe 100 years ago.
My relatives from Galicia immigrated to Saskatchewan to become wheat farmers in Canada. Several of my relatives are currently working as wheat farmers. I might post a photo of this year’s winter wheat at some point.
6 Likes
Harters
(John Hartley - a culinary patriot eating & cooking in Northwest England)
22
Prices, per kilo, for penne at my normal UK supermarket (Sainsbury)
Own brand - £1.65
De Ceccio - 2.70
Own brand organic - 2.70
Barilla - 2.80
Napolina - 3.00
Boston area - there were shortages of dried pasta about a year or so ago (Wegmans, Hannaford, and Market Basket by me were out of a LOT of types of pasta shapes, including all of the standard ones - elbows, spaghetti, fettuccine) but everything seems to have bounced back.
I went back and looked in a couple of sale bills for MB - they had dried Prince pasta (elbows, ziti, penne, spaghetti) 4 / $5.00 the last week of April; haven’t seen a sale on Barilla recently with them.
I haven’t shopped for the jumbo shells in a while, but I do recall them being a bit more expensive than standard pasta. $4 doesn’t seem out of line considering a box of Ronzoni or Barilla spaghetti can cost about $2. (Used to be that Ronzoni was $1 to $1.25 and Barilla was around $1.39-$1.49 before pandemic.)
I have noticed sporadic shortages at Walmart and Shoprite of Ronzoni and Barilla, even when not on sale. My last trip to Walmart, their GV brand was about half stocked, Ronzoni was stocked in 2-3 shapes, and Barilla was practically decimated.
We still have lots of jumbo shells, various brands , up here in Canada, if you aren’t too far from the Border!
Usually, you guys have way more selection with more options for groceries than we do! Canada seems to have more pastina, stelline and jumbo shells at the moment.
You guys have the perks of Kings Hawaiian, Maytag Blue, and more types of Cheez-its and Fritos.
I bought a box of jumbo shells for stuffing awhile back and I noticed the price was way up, like $5 a box, from the time before (2 or so years ago?). Dry lasagne noodles have been spotty on the shelves here and close to $5 a box, too. I am disgusted with our grocery chain so when I have to go to Wally’s world, I’ll stock up on what I want and make the lower price worth the trip.
The stores I shop at here in Ottawa have had a steady supply of pasta. I usually shop at Loblaws, Your Independent Grocer and metro. The Walmart I go to seems to have stockage issues with their pasta.
The shapes I get most often are linguine, fettuccine, and spaghetti. I used to be able to get the 907 gram packages on sale for $0.99 each but now the cheapest I can find is $1.25. I like egg noodles too and the last time I bought them on sale I think I paid around $2.25 a package. I like spaghettini, bow ties, penne, rotini, and macaroni but I go through those less frequently so I buy them at whatever the sale price is when I need to replenish my supply.
If you have a Polish market nearby, you might find some pastas and egg noodles at better prices than the chains in Ottawa. I buy Hungarian and German egg noodles and other egg pastas at the Polish stores in London, Ontario and in Toronto. More because I like the Hungarian and German noodles better, but the prices are usually quite good.
We have two European delis in the Byward Market. I should check the price of their egg noodles the next time I’m there.
1 Like
CCE
(Keyrock the unfrozen caveman lawyer; your world frightens & confuses me)
34
I will second this. I’ve been buying more expensive bronze die pastas (more expensive for me, I mean, vs. Barilla or Muellers or whatever) and when I saw the bronze die Priano at Aldi decided to try it. I can’t tell the difference, it’s good stuff.
To OP - yes I’ve seen the prices spike, not as much as eggs did, but they went up. That’s why I decided to give the Aldi brand a whirl. Not right now, but a month or so ago, for several weeks, lots of shapes were not available in any brand (one I remember in particular is cavatappi, because I use it a fair bit).
Well, I guess they’re not that slimy if they’re taking care of their people.
I work in biotech/pharma — believe me, I get my share of slimy-ness on a daily basis.
I guess my point was, we make compromises in every aspect of our lives unless you live completely off-the- grid, make your clothes and grow the cotton for that, grow your food. Even in that narrative, there must be compromises in this modern world we live in. So let’s colonize Mars!
Over the last couple of years, more than doubled in our neck of the woods (PNW USA), and yes, regular shape shortages. Seems like the one I want is always one of the varieties with a big hole in the shelf. FWIW I usually buy Barilla, or possibly the store brand.
American Beauty pasta on sale (locally) this week 4 (1 pound bags) for $5. I’ll stock up and stick it in the back of the pantry for days I need an “easy” throw together meal.
