Summer Food Outlook

Tim Hammerich

News Reporter

The summer season is in full swing, not just for farmers, but for consumers who like to cook out. Here are a few food-related updates courtesy of the California Farm Bureau Federation.

With food prices stabilizing, an annual American Farm Bureau survey shows little to no change in the average cost for items featured in a summer cookout. The survey tracks retail prices for a dozen popular cookout items, and shows them down less than 1% from a year ago, but up 8% compared to 2019. A Farm Bureau analyst says the food system continues to adjust after disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Four steps can help people reduce food waste at home, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA has released new resources to show people how to prevent food waste. The resources stress planning for food purchases, controlling food portions, properly storing leftovers and composting food scraps. USDA says an average family of four wastes almost $1,500 worth of food each year.

Eating prunes appears to help women improve their cardiovascular health. A study by San Diego State University showed that prune consumption raised antioxidant capacity and reduced inflammation among healthy, postmenopausal women. Those factors are associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Volunteers in the study ate the equivalent of six prunes a day for six months.

[Source: California Farm Bureau Federation]