Notes From All Over -- The Bacon Edition -- October 18, 2021

Bacon: the poster child for inflation. Why? For several reasons, not least of which, California wants to ban bacon, or at least make it prohibitively expensive. 

I always argue that simply looking at the cost of something does not even begin to tell the whole story.

For example: US Postal Services first-class stamps have become prohibitively expensive for most individuals and all commercial enterprises. But most individuals and all commercial enterprises have quit buying USPS stamps to maximum extent possible. Total USPS mailing costs for the individual have come down considerably over the past decade because folks have so many alternatives. 

So, same with bacon. No matter how expensive bacon gets, a vegan probably won't notice.

I love bacon but have never eaten much -- health and weight issues. But several years ago, I went even further, cutting my intake from three slices of bacon to one slice of bacon when I did have bacon which was not particularly often. A 12-ounce package of bacon sometimes goes "bad" in my refrigerator before I get around to using it all. 

An aside: often when frying one slice of bacon, I offer half to my wife and she gladly accepts. And I eat even less.

But now, I've gone a step further. I don't buy bacon at all. At least not recently. I've replaced it with Spam. And the amount of Spam I eat at any one sitting is actually less than one slice of bacon.

It's important to note this has nothing to do with price. I could care / couldn't care less about the cost of bacon. I eat so little, the cost is negligible in my total monthly expenditures. I eat less bacon simply due to health reasons. 

However, now that bacon has become such a poster child for inflation, I have switched to Spam simply because ... well, simply because ...

Whatever.

So, let's check on-line prices of various products:

• Spam, classic, 12 oz:
• Tom Thumb (local grocery store, chain): $3.29
• Walmart: $2.98
• Bacon:
• Wild Fork, 10 oz: $8.98 - $9.48; equates to $14.40 / pound
• Oscar Mayer Hardwood, Target, 16 ounces: $8.99
• Great Value Hickory, Walmart, 12 ounces: $3.43 (no typo) (equates to $4.57 /pound)

So, I haven't had time to actually compare, but I think my one can of Spam used in place of bacon will last at least twice as long as a typical package of bacon (from ten to sixteen ounces).

So, best price comparison:

• one can of Spam vs 12-ounce package of bacon from Walmart.
• $3.00 vs $5.00 

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On The Nile

Just in her imagination! LOL. Actually on Grapevine Lake, TX, a few miles northwest of DFW airport, but with a feeling of being on a different continent.