Food prices increased 0.3 percent in May meaning that over the year to May prices have increased by 6.8 percent. Grocery food prices increased by 1.0 percent in May and are up 7.2 percent on the year.

As we can see from the graph, food prices have eased back quite a bit over the last 9 months averaging 0.2 percent per month.

Downward pressure came from only one subgroup, fruit and vegetables, with prices down 2.6 percent on the month, driven by lower prices by mandarins, lettuce and kiwifruit. Prices in the fruit and vegetable subgroup have eased from that July/August 08 spike but still remain 3.1 percent up on a year earlier.

All price groups are up on a year earlier, with meat, poultry and fish prices up 11.3 percent, restaurant meals and ready-to-eat foods up 4.9 percent, and non-alcoholic beverages up 6.7 percent.

Looking at individual items, the greatest increases on the month were from soft drinks (up 2.1 percent), bread (up 2.6 percent, poultry (up 3.1 percent) and cakes and biscuits (up 2.9 percent. The greatest falls were from beef (down 6.7 percent), mandarins (down 45.3 percent), lettuce (down 18.9 percent), kiwifruit (down 49.8 percent) and yoghurt (down 5.7 percent).

On the year, bread prices have increased 16.4 percent, while ready-to-eat food prices are up 5.2 percent. However, tomatoes are 34.7 percent cheaper, and lettuce is down 34.4 percent, than a year ago.

Recipes

Meal of the month starts with a beef fillet with couscous salad and tomato yoghurt salsa followed by a fresh fruit salad with orange tuiles.