For a snapshot of what groceries cost in 1969, this ad for Foodland appeared in the July 8, 1969 issue of the Pittsburgh Press.  If the prices look like a bargain, keep in mind that there has been a lot of inflation in more than half a century, and according to this inflation calculator, each dollar then was the equivalent of $7.34 in 2021 dollars. Or to put it another way, the federal minimum wage was $1.60, meaning that one hour’s work would earn a pound of bologna and six cans of vegetables.

A pound of roast beef was 49 cents, but adjusted for inflation, that’s $3.59, which still sounds like a bargain. Cans of tuna, on the other hand, were 25 cents, the equivalent of $1.84 in today’s money, which sounds rather pricey.

To view a full-size copy of the ad, click on it, and from most browsers, click again to enlarge.