If you've done a double take when picking up a half-gallon of milk or a loaf of bread at the supermarket, you aren't the only one. Consumers, still reeling from sticker shock at the gas pump are now facing sticker shock at the supermarket. Talk about hitting you where it hurts! There are numerous options available to people who choose to "stick it to the man" when it comes to soaring gas prices, whether it be by carpooling, walking, biking or taking the subway or bus. But when it comes to food, you can't exactly go without! Why is the cost of food through the roof?

Blame it on corn. What does a kernel of corn have to do with increasing food prices? A lot. According to CNNMoney.com, "corn demand and [food] prices began surging over a year ago when [President] Bush first touted ethanol in his 2006 State of the Union speech." What is ethanol? Ethanol is an alcohol used in the production of gasoline. It is a cleaner burning fuel pegged to be more environmentally friendly and it is hoped will eventually decrease our dependency on imported oil. This is where corn comes into play. Corn is the main ingredient in ethanol. Not only is corn a key ingredient in almost every processed food you consume it's also what farmers use to feed their livestock, which, in turn, greatly affects the rising cost of nearly all household food staples like milk, bread and eggs.

Recently, Congress has been kicking around an economic stimulus package to help boost the economy. While certainly providing a temporary solution, the package won't exactly fix the problem. Abcnews.go.com, in an article on rising food prices, reiterated, "economists say consumers shouldn't expect [food]price increases to stop." Aside from coupon cutting, what
is the average person supposed to do?

First, buy in bulk. Warehouse clubs, such as BJs or Costco are a great place to start. Save those quick trips to the grocery store for specialty items. On that note, if an item that you normally buy is on sale, buy that in bulk as well. Second, control convenience purchases. Do you really need individually wrapped slices of cheese? Or could you instead buy this at the deli for a lower price? Third, store brands are better than or equal to the name brand. If you can sacrifice fancy packaging you'll save a bundle. Fourth, most of us try to comparison shop but if the supermarket is crowded it isn't exactly easy to do. Try limiting grocery shopping to Monday or Tuesday, which in most supermarkets are usually the least busiest days of the week.

While these four tips may help cost cutting measures, ultimately if the rising cost of food prices can be directly attributed to ethanol, the logical next step would be to buy food closer to home. Fresh and locally grown organic food is not only more beneficial to your health but with food prices trending upward it could benefit both your budget and your peace of mind

Learn more about this author, Christine A. Obrien.
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