For a snapshot of grocery prices in 1954, this ad for Red & White Food Stores appeared in the Tabor City (NC) Tribune, December 29, 1954.

Sirloin steak for 49 cents a pound sounds like a bargain, but there’s been a lot of inflation in 70 years. According to this online inflation calculator, that works out to about $5.59 per pound in 2023 dollars. You might decide to eat the 33 cent bologna instead, but even that works out to $3.77 per pound.

If you were shopping for dinner in 1954, what would you buy?