Because there are questions as to whether inflation is going to accelerate, I began a simple price index – the PracticalDad Index – with the market basket priced at three local and unrelated grocery stores. The basket consisted of 47 items covering basic food categories such as dairy, meat, produce, staples, baby items and health/beauty products. The pricing will occur during the first several days of each month and the results posted during the second week.
Listed below are the items, with store and average prices, that compose the market basket. The average cost of the basket is $178.39 with a basket range from $174.37 to $181.42 and whenever possible, the items sampled were store brand.
PracticalDad Price Index – November 2010
| Item | Size | Category | Store A | Store B | Store C | Average |
| hot dog rolls, store brand (count) | 8 | bread | 1.09 | .99 | 1.19 | 1.09 |
| loaf, white bread, store brand (oz) | 20 | bread | 1.19 | 1.19 | .99 | 1.12 |
| spaghetti, store brand (oz) | 16 | bread | .99 | 1.09 | 1.25 | 1.11 |
| children cereal, sugar flakes, store brand (oz) | 17 | cereal | 2.99 | 2.10 | 2.50 | 2.53 |
| cereal, rice chex, store brand (oz) | 12.8 | cereal | 2.59 | 2.59 | 2.89 | 2.69 |
| oatmeal, one-minute, store brand (oz) | 42 | cereal | 3.19 | 2.99 | 3.19 | 3.12 |
| milk, 2% (gal) | 1 | dairy | 3.54 | 3.54 | 3.54 | 3.54 |
| butter, unsalted (lb) | 1 | dairy | 3.79 | 3.29 | 3.59 | 3.56 |
| vanilla ice cream, store brand (qt) | 1 | dairy | 1.71 | 1.71 | 2.13 | 1.85 |
| grated parmesan cheese, store brand (oz) | 8 | dairy | 2.99 | 2.99 | 2.99 | 2.99 |
| American cheese (lb) | 1 | dairy | 5.99 | 6.99 | 4.58 | 5.85 |
| peanut butter, store brand (oz) | 28 | grocery | 2.99 | 2.89 | 2.99 | 2.96 |
| grape jelly, store brand (oz) | 32 | grocery | 1.99 | 1.69 | 1.79 | 1.82 |
| kidney beans, dark, store brand (oz) | 15.5 | grocery | .85 | .83 | .89 | .86 |
| can green peas, store brand (oz) | 15 | grocery | .89 | .89 | .89 | .89 |
| can diced tomatoes, store brand (oz) | 14.5 | grocery | .99 | .95 | .89 | .94 |
| can cut green beans, store brand (oz) | 14.5 | grocery | .89 | .89 | .89 | .89 |
| can corn, store brand (oz) | 15.25 | grocery | .89 | .89 | .89 | .89 |
| spaghetti sauce, store brand (oz) | 26 | grocery | 1.07 | .89 | 1.42 | 1.13 |
| cola, store brand (L) | 2 | grocery | .88 | .89 | .89 | .89 |
| caffeinated coffee, store brand (oz) | 13 | grocery | 3.19 | 2.99 | 2.69 | 2.96 |
| diapers, size 3 (count) | 100 | baby | 16.82 | 18.41 | 16.82 | 17.35 |
| formula, Enfamil (premium Lipil) (oz) | 23.4 | baby | 23.19 | 22.59 | 23.02 | 22.93 |
| child ibuprofen, OS, store brand (fl oz) | 4 | hlth/bty | 4.49 | 4.69 | 4.89 | 4.69 |
| adult ibuprofen,caplet, store brand (ct) | 100 | hlth/bty | 7.69 | 7.69 | 4.99 | 6.79 |
| shampoo, Suave brand (oz) | 22.5 | hlth/bty | 1.69 | 1.65 | 1.89 | 1.74 |
| pads, long, Poise brand (ct) | 42 | hlth/bty | 15.99 | 15.99 | 16.29 | 16.09 |
| bath soap, Dial brand (ct) | 8 | hlth/bty | 5.39 | 5.39 | 5.39 | 5.39 |
| aluminum foil, store brand (sq ft) | 75 | hshold | 2.99 | 2.92 | 2.79 | 2.90 |
| kitchen trash bags, store brand (ct) | 26 | hshold | 4.24 | 4.46 | 3.63 | 4.11 |
| paper towel, 2-ply, store brand (rolls) | 8 | hshold | 8.19 | 4.99 | 8.59 | 7.26 |
| hot dogs, meat franks, store brand (oz) | 16 | meat | 3.0 | 2.69 | 1.69 | 2.46 |
| ground beef, 80% lean, per lb (in bulk) | 5 | meat | 2.99 | 2.99 | 3.09 | 3.02 |
| eggs, large (doz) | 1 | meat | 1.49 | 1.79 | 1.59 | 1.62 |
| lunchmeat, ham (lb) | 1 | meat | 5.29 | 6.79 | 4.59 | 5.56 |
| chicken, roaster (lb) | 1 | meat | 1.69 | 1.39 | 1.49 | 1.52 |
| fish sticks, Gortons (ct) | 44 | meat | 7.99 | 7.59 | 7.49 | 7.69 |
| tuna, water packed, store brand (oz) | 5 | meat | .79 | 1.29 | .79 | .96 |
| banana (lb) | 1 | produce | .59 | .59 | .55 | .58 |
| apples, Red Delicious, bag (lb) | 3 | produce | 3.49 | 3.99 | 3.49 | 3.66 |
| carrots (lb) | 2 | produce | 2.19 | 1.89 | 1.99 | 2.02 |
| orange juice, original, store brand (oz) | 64 | produce | 2.89 | 2.59 | 2.49 | 2.66 |
| potatoes, Russet (lb) | 5 | produce | 3.99 | 3.49 | 3.99 | 3.82 |
| sugar, store brand (lb) | 5 | staple | 3.19 | 2.99 | 3.19 | 3.12 |
| flour, all purpose, store brand (lb) | 5 | staple | 1.89 | 1.89 | 2.09 | 1.96 |
| canola oil, store brand (oz) | 48 | staple | 2.99 | 3.39 | 2.99 | 3.12 |
| rice, white, long-grain (lb) | 2 | staple | 1.59 | 1.99 | 1.49 | 1.69 |
| total | 181.42 | 179.39 | 174.37 | 178.39 | ||
As time progresses, the November 2010 average will serve as the basis index level of 100.
We’ll see.