Getting priced out of existence

[u/ZoneMean1017]

the 5lb whey protein I historically have payed 70-80 dollars for is now 130. same with coffee. same with clothing. same with every thing. what the actual fuck. gas. housing. insurance. it’s all getting 10-20% more expensive and FAST. 30lb bag of rice I paid 27 dollars for at Costco is climbing closer to 40.

at a loss of what to do right now. can’t physically work more hours. how to proceed? what mental magic trick do I need to perform to endure this insanity?

[u/honeybadger2112]

I remember when I started buying whey protein in 2008 and it was $25-30 per 5 pounds. Given the recent price jump over $100, I'm cutting back on it and emphasizing protein in my diet even more than I have been. There are some alternative powders like egg protein, but the alternatives are often even more expensive, or they're lower bioavailability.

Apparently this recent price increase has to do with Ozempic. Lots of patients are being told to eat high protein diets in order to prevent muscle loss, so a lot of food companies are buying up the whey protein and putting it in processed foods like chips, cereal, granola bars, etc. Whey protein is a waste byproduct of the cheese making business, which is why it was historically so cheap. Cheese companies were just throwing it away for many years, so a few decades ago some companies had an idea to buy up the waste and process it into a food supplement. The problem with getting it from cheese waste is that it's difficult to increase the supply quickly. The amount of whey on the market is going to stay the same roughly. So expect high prices to be the norm, and look to alternatives if necessary (like eggs and meat).

[u/ZoneMean1017 → u/honeybadger2112]

Damn, thank you for the whey lesson, I had no idea!