For a snapshot of grocery prices in 1957, this ad for Thorofare Super Markets appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, December 17, 1957.  The prices look like bargains, but according to this online inflation calculator, a dollar in 1957 equates to $11.23 in 2024 money.  So the Swanson TV Dinner for 69 cents was actually equivalent to $7.75 today.

If you were shopping for dinner for the Class of 1957, what would you buy?  And since you now have that song stuck in your head anyway:

For a look at grocery prices in 1928, this A&P ad appeared in the Washington Evening Star, September 20, 1928. Even considering inflation (according to this online inflation calculator,
one dollar in 1928 was the equivalent of $31.77 in 2024) some of the prices look reasonable. For example, 12 pounds of flour would only set you back 47 cents, the equivalent of about $1.20 per pound in today’s money. And grapes were only about 8 cents a pound, or about $2.40 in today’s money.

But eggs were 47 cents per dozen, or almost $15 in 2024 dollars. What would you make for dinner in 1928?

For a snapshot of grocery prices in 1985, this ad appeared in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Septeber 4, 1985. A pound of ground beef was 85 cents, and bacon was $1.39 per pound. Cucumbers were five for a dollar, and five pounds of potatoes were $1.09. A package of frozen waffles was 79 cents.

Of course, there’s been a lot of inflation since then. According to this online calculator, one dollar in 1985 is the equivalent of $2.92 in 2024. To see comparable prices today, click the links above, which will show you the current prices on Amazon.

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For a snapshot of grocery prices in 1965, this ad for Loblaw’s supermarket appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on July 15, 1965.

Chicken was 39 cents a pound, sugar was just over a dime a pound, and a six pack of Pepsi was only 39 cents, plus deposit.

Of course, there’s been a lot of inflation since then. According to this inflation calculator, you need to multiply those prices by about 10 to get the equivalent in 2024 dollars.

What would you buy for dinner in 1965?

For a snapshot of the cost of living in 1927, this ad for Sanitary Grocery Co. appeared in the Washington Evening Star on June 20, 1927. To keep the prices in perspective, this online inflation calculator reveals that one dollar in 1927 was the equivalent of $18.05 in 2024 dollars. So the chum for 14 cents a pound works out to $2.53 in today’s money.

A half pound of bacon was 23 cents, which would be $4.15, which sounds like a better deal than the chum. Coffee was 32 cents per pound, which works out to about $5.80. Potatoes were five pounds for a quarter, or about $4.50 in today’s money.

For a snack, for just 29 cents a pound ($5.26), the “Educator Toasterettes” don’t sound bad. They were a butter-sprayed whole wheat cracker that both children and grown folks could eat like peanuts. And the were surprisingly good with salads or cheese.

What would you make for dinner in 1927?

For a snapshot of how much groceries cost in 1926, this ad for Piggly Wiggly appeared in the Washington Times on April 22, 1926.

The prices look low, but there’s been a lot of inflation since then. According to this online inflation calculator, one dollar in 1926 was the equivalent of $17.65 in 2024. So ten pounds of potatoes for 69 cents sounds like a bargain, but that works out to over $12 in today’s money. And the chuck roast for a quarter a pound sounds cheap, but it works out to $4.41 per pound.

What would you make for dinner if you were shopping in 1926?

For a snapshot of grocery prices sixty years ago, these ads appeared in the January 27, 1964, issue of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

Some of these prices look like a bargain, but there’s been a lot of inflation since 1964. In fact, 1964 was the last year that American coins were made out of silver. So one dollar meant one silver dollar, or four silver quarters, or ten silver dimes, each about one ounce of silver. Today, that ounce of silver is worth about $23, so you can multiply these prices by 23 for a fairly good idea of the value in today’s money. So the hamburger for 39 cents a pound is about the same as $9 per pound today.

If you were shopping for dinner 60 years ago, what would you buy?

For a snapshot of grocery prices 50 years ago, this ad for A&P appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on January 16, 1974.

The prices look like a bargain, but there’s been a lot of inflation in 50 years. According to this online inflation calculator, one dollar in 1974 is the equivalent of about $6.18 in today’s money. If you wanted a fast dinner, you could buy the Freezer Queen two pound package of Charcoal Beef Patties for $1.49, and a package of frozen vegetables for about 22 cents (4 for 89 cents). For the side, you can get a loaf of bread for about 33 cents (3 for a dollar). The Kroger ad in the same issue of the paper shows that margarine is also 33 cents a pound. For desert, you can have ice cream for $1.19 a gallon, and coffee, $1.59. So the cost to feed a family (with food left over) would be $5.15, or about $32 in today’s money.

If you were in a hurry, you could get the 13 ounce frozen pizza for 69 cents, and an 8 pack of Coke for 89 cents, for a total of $1.58, or almost $10 in today’s money.

If you were shopping for dinner in 1974, what would you buy?

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?

For a snapshot of grocery prices in 1959, this ad for A&P appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on August 31, 1959.

The prices might look low, but there’s been a lot of inflation since 1959. According to this inflation calculator, one dollar in 1959 is the equivalent of $10.50 in 2023 dollars. The make the math easier, let’s just call it $10. So a can of beans or peas for a dime is really a dollar. And ham for 39 cents a pound is actually $3.90.

The minimum wage was $1 per hour, so an hour’s labor could buy you two cans of Spam at 49 cents each, with two cents left over. And if Junior needed a new shirt for back to school, you could get one for a dollar.

If you were shopping for dinner in 1959, what would you buy?