Gas sipping and meat nibbling

Analysts think the U.S is in for a long-term increase in food prices, Scott Kilman reported Monday in the Wall Street Journal. The high price of gas has gotten lots of Americans to drive less. I wonder if the high price of food will also get us to change the way we eat?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture sees food prices climbing 4.5 percent to 5.5 percent this year and 4 percent to 5 percent in 2009. Even under this more conservative forecast, the average family of four would see its annual food costs hit $9,800 in 2009, up about $1,200 since 2006.

Meat is a big reason economists think food inflation has legs.

Grain is such a big part of the cost of raising livestock that many farmers big and small are losing money on every chicken, steer and hog they sell this summer. As a result, the livestock industry is beginning what could be its biggest contraction since 1982. By next year, the supply of beef, pork and poultry available to U.S. consumers is expected to shrink by five pounds per person, according to the Livestock Marketing Information Center in Denver.

Are Americans, suddenly converted to cyclists and subway riders, going to turn vegetarian as well? Companies have already begun reducing portion sizes in packaged food. Will we stop gobbling such huge portions?  

Via the Baltimore Sun