Butter might be in short supply ahead of Thanksgiving. You can make it yourself for cheap
Everything just tastes better with butter.
With the holidays around the corner, the star cooking ingredient is seeing low inventory across markets due to labor shortages at production companies, according to a November report from the United States Department of Agriculture.
“Cream is becoming more available in most of the West, though contacts in some parts of the region say volumes remain tight,” states the U.S. Department of Agriculture report released Wednesday.
California’s milk production is mostly steady, though estimated forecasting on milk production for the year is not being met, according to a November Daily Market, USDA report. Inflation has already brought groceries in the state to high levels, making prices tough for consumers with the holidays ahead.
Why is butter so expensive?
At the start of the year milk production was down, creating 1.4% decrease, according to a USDA January report. The slower production was a result of expensive costs of feed and labor shortages throughout milk manufacturers.
Though production is slowly picking up, inventory still remains low.
How much has it increased?
There has been price increases across all foods. Specifically for dairy, there has been a 15.3% increase according to a recent October Consumer Price Index from the San Francisco area.
The lack of butter on the shelves has resulted in steep price increases. The national average for a butter stick, salted, grade AA, is at $3.12 as of Nov. 5, though still pricey, it is down from about $4.72 in early September, according the the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Here’s how prices compare at markets throughout Sacramento for 16 oz of butter:
- Trader Joe’s: $3.69
- Raley’s: $5.98
- Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op: $9.49
- Safeway: $7.49
Make it yourself
Like the queen of butter herself, Julia Child would once say, “With enough butter, anything is good.”
If you want to take matters into your own hands this holiday season and opt to making butter at home, here’s an easy recipe from All Recipes, a food-focused online magazine. The cost for a 16-ounce heavy cream is estimated at $2.72.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Steps:
- Pour heavy creamer into a processor and blend for 10 minutes or until cream begins to separate.
- Strain the liquid and pour into a jar, making sure to compact the butter with the back of a spoon. Season and enjoy.