We’ve been looking at life 100 years ago. Let’s look at what the prices were for groceries then. I was amazed at how cheap everything was at the time. Then again the average yearly income was $750. People usually ate at home. The did not have the influx of restaurants we have today and eating out would have been both a rarity and a treat. Groceries would have been bought at the local mercantile with everything else. They did not have grocery stores as we know them today.
How much did it cost to stock Thanksgiving tables in 1911?
These prices were advertised in The Daily Record [Morris County New Jersey], November 18-22, 1911
Meat, fowl & fish
Bacon, breakfast, .15/lb
Beef, chopped, .25/3 lbs
Beef, Porterhouse roast, .18/lb
Chicken, fresh killed, Morris County, .20/lb
Flounder, .06/lb
Halibut, .15/lb
Ham, smoked, .16/lb
Ham, fresh, .16/lb
Lamb, hind quarter, .16/lb
Mince meat, Armour’s Veribest, .20/pail
Pork, loin, .15.lb
Sausage, .20/lb
Turkey, fresh killed, Morris County, .28/lb
Vegetables
Asparagus, white, California, .50/qt jar
Beans, lima, .16/can
Beans, string, .10/can
Carrots or Turnips, .25/6 qt basket
Corn, J.S. brand, .12/can
Corn, cream, .09/can
Macaroni or spaghetti, .10/pkg
Olives, fancy Queen, .35/jar
Olives, plain or stuffed, .25/3 bottles
Peas, early June, .05/can
Potatoes, Maine, 3.25/sack
Pumpkins, .10/can
Rice, fancy, .10/pkg
Sauerkraut, Heinz, .25/4 qts
Squash, .10/can
Succotash, .12/no. 2 can
Sweet potatoes, .29/6 qt basket
Tomatoes, Jersey, .12/can Fruits
Cranberries, .13/qt
Dates, stuffed, .20/box
Figs, New Smyrna, .18/lb
Grape fruit, .25/4
Grapes, Malaga, .25/2 lbs
Grapes, Tokay, .25/2 lbs
Lemons, Messina, .20/doz
Oranges, sweet, .25/doz
Raisins, Sultana, .15/pkg
Dairy, eggs & cheese
Butter, Elgin, .37/lb
Cheese, .17/lb
Condensed milk, Hire’s, .25/3 cans
Eggs, .40/doz
Desserts
Chocolates, French, .12/lb
Chocolates, Sultana Raisin Clusters, .27/lb
Jelly bon bons, .12/lb
Mixed nuts, .18/lb
Peanut brittle, .12/lb
Pecans, .18/lb
Plum pudding, R&R, .65/3 lb tin
Walnuts, English, .22/lb Baking, cereals, spices & condiments
Baking powder, Daisy, .45/20 oz can
Buckwheat, .45/12 lb sack
Celery salt, .15/box
Chocolate, baking, .29/lb
Cinnamon, .10/box
Curry powder, .10/box
Flour, Graham, .18/5 lb sack
Flour, wheat, Ralstons, .23/6 lbs
Ginger, crystalized, .30/pkg
Honey, in comb, .18
Lard compound, .10/lb
Mustard, Colburn’s, .25/half lb tin
Oats, Mother’s .25/3 pkgs
Paprika, .15/box
Pepper, .10/box
Poultry seasoning, .10/box
Puffed rice, Quaker, .25/2 pkgs
Sage, .25/lb
Savory, .25/lb
Thyme, .25/lb
Vanilla flavoring, .10/bottle
Beverages
Cider, sweet, .20/gal
Cocoa, Huyler’s, .17/half lb tin
Coffee, 8 O’clock, .25/lb
Sandy Allen
Good article!
Diana Leagh Matthews
Thanks!