Memorial Day is upon us here in the United States, and Americans are gathering today to celebrate their freedoms and the lives of those who paid the ultimate price to protect those liberties.
Traditionally, Memorial Day is considered the gateway to summertime, as we gather around pools, lakes, and BBQ grills. This year, thanks to the consistently worsening effects of inflation, some Americans may unfortunately be forced to skip the staples.
With costs for ground beef and chicken breasts at all-time highs, consumers have few alternatives to switch to different proteins — so some may skip them entirely.
The US Memorial Day holiday on Monday is considered the unofficial opening of the outdoor grilling season, and the surging costs are pointing to a disappointing start. Price pain in meat comes after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine stalled crop exports in the Black Sea, pushing up the costs of animal feed. Even prices for propane used to power grills have soared.
Some of the suggested alternatives were downright silly.
“The inflationary environment is starting to take its toll,” said Michael Nepveux, senior analyst for animal protein at Stable USA, which offers risk-management tools for some commodities. ‘‘Instead of steak or chicken, we might have pasta or a pizza.’’
The White House has been aware of the economic gloom for some time, but President Biden has also been routinely criticized for his inability to affect any change on the fiscal fiasco.
