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Chicken Wing Dip

February 5, 2012 by · Comments Off on Chicken Wing Dip 

Chicken Wing Dip, Sue Morris shops strategically for food, making a game plan and going for the best deals.

“Everything has gone up,” said the 51-year-old Utican.

Morris said she’s noticed the price of everything from dairy products to vegetables has increased.

It’s one thing to have to worry about food prices on regular basis, but when it comes to celebrations such as Sunday’s Super Bowl, grocery shopping can get pricey.

Prices for party favorites such as chicken wings, burgers and chips might have game watchers shouting — but not for victory.

Morris’ defense: looking for sales.

She’s making chicken wing dip, sausage rolls and baby-back ribs to bring to a party at her son’s house.

“I try to buy stuff on sale ahead of time,” she said.

The ribs were purchased last week when they were on sale and are in the freezer, she said. This week, chicken is on sale.

“Certain things you have to buy. You may cut back on extra things or plan around them,” she said.

Wings flying high

Increased costs of production, supplies and transportation, as well as the devaluation of the dollar have caused the cost of food to rise, said David Maloni, president of the American Restaurant Association Group.

The cost for a pound of hamburger, for example, has increased about 58 percent, from $1.32 in January 2008 to $2.09 last month, according to the American Restaurant Association. Corn, for items such as tortilla chips, has increased 43 percent, and jumbo chicken wings have increased 39 percent.

The cost of chicken wings rises with the increased demand, Maloni said.

“Wings typically go up through the football season,” he said. “They peak around the Super Bowl.”

The cost of chicken has risen over the past few years, as well as pork and beef, he said.

Chicken producers really are struggling, Maloni said. Chicken production is expected to decline this year for only the second time in the last 35 years due to low profit margins and high cost of feed, he said.

“Chicken prices haven’t been able to keep up,” he said.

The cost to the farmers must at some point be passed on to the consumers either through the supermarket or restaurants.

Utican Anessa Mitchell, 39, also has noticed her grocery bill grow.

Normally, when hosting a party for her friends, she would take care of all the food expenses. She can’t anymore.

Mitchell and her friends are hosting a “tattoo party” Sunday instead of a Super Bowl party, where a tattoo artist will visit their home. Each of the friends will pitch in bringing food and beverages.

Sue Morris shops strategically for food, making a game plan and going for the best deals.

“Everything has gone up,” said the 51-year-old Utican.

Morris said she’s noticed the price of everything from dairy products to vegetables has increased.

It’s one thing to have to worry about food prices on regular basis, but when it comes to celebrations such as Sunday’s Super Bowl, grocery shopping can get pricey.

Prices for party favorites such as chicken wings, burgers and chips might have game watchers shouting — but not for victory.

Morris’ defense: looking for sales.

She’s making chicken wing dip, sausage rolls and baby-back ribs to bring to a party at her son’s house.

“I try to buy stuff on sale ahead of time,” she said.

The ribs were purchased last week when they were on sale and are in the freezer, she said. This week, chicken is on sale.

“Certain things you have to buy. You may cut back on extra things or plan around them,” she said.

Wings flying high

Increased costs of production, supplies and transportation, as well as the devaluation of the dollar have caused the cost of food to rise, said David Maloni, president of the American Restaurant Association Group.

The cost for a pound of hamburger, for example, has increased about 58 percent, from $1.32 in January 2008 to $2.09 last month, according to the American Restaurant Association. Corn, for items such as tortilla chips, has increased 43 percent, and jumbo chicken wings have increased 39 percent.

The cost of chicken wings rises with the increased demand, Maloni said.

“Wings typically go up through the football season,” he said. “They peak around the Super Bowl.”

The cost of chicken has risen over the past few years, as well as pork and beef, he said.

Chicken producers really are struggling, Maloni said. Chicken production is expected to decline this year for only the second time in the last 35 years due to low profit margins and high cost of feed, he said.

“Chicken prices haven’t been able to keep up,” he said.

The cost to the farmers must at some point be passed on to the consumers either through the supermarket or restaurants.

Utican Anessa Mitchell, 39, also has noticed her grocery bill grow.

Normally, when hosting a party for her friends, she would take care of all the food expenses. She can’t anymore.

Mitchell and her friends are hosting a “tattoo party” Sunday instead of a Super Bowl party, where a tattoo artist will visit their home. Each of the friends will pitch in bringing food and beverages.

Without a team effort, Mitchell said there’s no other way she could afford it and still be able to support herself the rest of the month.

“We’re sharing the responsibility.”

Passing the buck

Frank Cristiano, owner of Tony’s Pizzeria and Sports Bar in Washington Mills, said he’s noticed increases across the board and tried to absorb costs as long as he could. Last week, he raised his prices for the first time in three years.

“I had to just because the cost is so high,” Cristiano said. “Last year at this time, a pound of chicken wings was $1.35, now it’s $2.40.”

A pound usually contains seven wings, and Cristiano sells them in 10s. Adding the extra cost of wings as well as labor and frying oil and it can get pretty pricey.

“The days of 10-cent wing nights are close to being over,” Cristiano said. “At a certain point every retail store has to eat that cost. There’s only so much you can charge for that item.”

To make up for increased costs, restaurants must focus on increasing the volume of their customers. Having the New York Giants playing in the Super Bowl, Cristiano expects to have 20 percent more business Sunday.

Steven Burline, owner of O’Scugnizzo Pizza in Utica, said he’s also seen prices rise.

“What have really gone crazy are oil prices,” he said. “Fryer oil is $27 per container, where as last year and the year before it was $15 to $16 per container.”

His restaurant’s prices have remained the same for the past three years.

“Right now I’m working hard to try to keep the prices low,” Burline said. “I hate to raise my prices, but it’s getting to that point where I’m almost going to have to.”

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