President Donald Trump’s tariffs could impact a lot of the food you keep in your kitchen.
Fresh produce is expected to cost more — and so is everything else, from coffee to vegetables. The rising prices could hit lower-income shoppers the hardest.
“A few extra dollars to some people could make a big difference,” Austin Metzler said.
Metzler relies on SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits to help feed his young son. He gets around $140 a month, which he uses to buy eggs, chicken, and other nutritious foods.
“My son does like the fresh fruits,” Metzler said. “He does like fresh vegetables, nuts and bananas and cheese and different things.”
However, the cost of his grocery trips could go up under the president’s tariffs. Louisville economist Jose Fernandez said this includes the price of seafood, coffee, chocolate, alcohol, and tropical fruits.
“Think of things like tequila or your a daily cup of Joe,” Fernandez said. “Even your good old fashioned banana is probably being imported in.”
Beef, nuts, rice, cheese, and olive oil round out the top ten list. Fernandez said it’s important to also think about cooking ingredients like spices and vanilla extract.
“Some of the products that you like that are really niche products may disappear off the shelves altogether,” he said. “You do want to run out and get those now.”
Earlier in April, Governor Mike Braun signed an executive order banning candy and soft drinks from SNAP benefits. This means Indiana families, like The Metzlers, can’t rely on those cheaper options to fill their bellies.
So far, Indiana has not announced if people on food stamps will get more money to offset rising costs.
“We’re in it to eat,” Metzler said. “We’re trying to sustain our families. My son benefits the most. The kids benefit the most, so adding a few extra dollars to [our EBT cards] could help us out in a way.”
President Trump said negotiations are going well with several countries, so the tariffs may be put on hold.
“We’re dealing with many, many countries,” Trump said on Wednesday. “They all want to be involved with America.”
Fernandez said there are some substitutes that are produced in the United States, but not for everything.
“You may have to change your recipes or look for other types of substitutes,” he said.
Metzler said using coupons and shopping at New Albany’s farmers market helps him save money. He encourages other families to do the same to make ends meet.
“Just give us some tools,” he said. “Give us some education so we can go out and be smarter shoppers.”
Several local economists, including Fernandez, told WDRB you could go ahead and stock up on some of your favorite non-perishable items. However, the increase in demand may cause the cost to rise anyway.
They also warned that we could see shrinkflation. This means the cost won’t go up on some grocery items, but we could see smaller sizes or quantities.
