Groceries Gone Wild: Minnesota Pricing in 1960 Vs. 2024
Grocery prices in Minnesota are outrageous. Heck, the cost of pretty much everything seems hefty nowadays, am I right?
Serious question, can you think of a single item at the grocery store that costs less than $1? Even the candy bars and gum in the checkout lane cost more than a buck.
I found a list of the things you could buy for just $1 back in 1960 and I did some research to see just how much those things cost at today's rates.
In 1960, according to MSN, you could buy ten 5.5-ounce packages of Kellogg’s Rice Krispies cereal!
Ten? Good lord. Now, you can buy ONE 9 oz bag for $4.79.
In 1960, you could buy a 6-ounce jar of Maxwell House instant coffee for $1. That means back then, it was just 16-cents per ounce.
Now, you pay about 59-cents per ounce which equates to $3.39 for the same amount.
In 1960, one pound of chopped beef cost just $1.
Now, it's $6.99 per pound for your standard "lean" cut ground beef. If you want a "leaner" cut, it'll cost you even more.
Then, four 8-ounce packages of Dannon yogurt were just $1.
Now, for the same amount, not in the individual packs, it's $4.59. And don't even get me started on Greek Yogurt -so delicious and so much moola.
In 1960, for just $1, you could get two 44-ounce cans of V-8 juice
Now, you can buy ONE 46 ounce bottle for $4.29.
Then, a 5-pound bag of California oranges was $1.
Today, a 4-pound bag will run you $6.99.
Also See: America's Worst Fast Food Chain Has 41 Minnesota Locations.
A 5-pound bag of granulated sugar was just $1 in 1960.
You get less for more nowadays. A 4 pound bag is $4.29 at Cub Foods. That means you're paying $1.07 per pound.
In 1960, 15 pounds of sweet potatoes were $1.
Now, they are $1.99 per pound. So, for the 15 pounds you could get in the 60's for $1, at today's rates, that would cost you just shy of $30... This one legit blows my mind.
A dozen eggs were affordable for a long time. I remember buying them for $1 just a few years ago.
Now, for the "off brand" eggs, they'll run you $2.49. The Cub Food's brand is that price and that seemed on point with Aldi and Kwik Trip too. The organic eggs are near double that cost.
Fifty years ago, a 3 quart carton of orange juice was $1.
Now, it's about 9-cents an ounce. There are 32 ounces in a quart, so for 3-quarts today, it'll cost about $8.64.
In 1960, according to MSN, you could get a 10 pack of 12-ounce cans of Coca-Cola for $1.
Now, a 12 pack is $8.49. I don't even think you can get a single can at the gas station for under $1 anymore, can you?
Listen to Curt St. John and Samm Adams in the Morning
weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. on Quick Country 96.5
LOOK: See how much gasoline cost the year you started driving
Gallery Credit: Sophia Crisafulli