I told you to stock up on picnic foods for cookouts and summer meals (thinking beyond Memorial Day weekend) after I reviewed the local grocery fliers this week.

My hunch was right. CNN reports Brace yourself for barbecue shock.

A snippet:

Food inflation is the highest in almost two decades, driven by record prices for oil, gas and mounting global demand for staples such as wheat and corn, and for proteins such as chicken. And that’s reaching into Americans’ backyards.

The price of an average barbecue — with burgers, hot dogs, beer, soda, condiments, salad, paper plates and lighter fluid — could run families about 6 percent more than last year.

And there’s a handy little chart showing the average price increase for specific picnic items.

What to do?

• Find alternatives to paper plates. You’ll do the environment and your pocketbook a favor. We use paper plates when tailgating at Michigan International Speedway because water and plumbing in the parking lot is limited to what you can bring yourself and portable potties. But when we have company at the house, we use our everyday plates. My sisters have suggested I buy a couple of pieces of kid-friendly dinnerware for their little ones, which is a reasonable request.
• Look at the picnic food promotions this week and stock up on family favorites. If there’s limited room in the freezer for extra buns, you can still buy a couple of bottles of the barbecue sauce that’s on sale. Don’t fret about coupon tricks not being available for most items. They aren’t necessary this week, most prices are pretty good on their own. You do, however, want to read the fliers carefully as specials do vary.
• When you’re participating in a potluck, aim for low-cost contributions. For example: Do not buy a decorated cake at the bakery. Buy a cake mix (you can get them for 79 cents this week at Hi-Lite in Monroe Township), add a half cup of raisins or nuts or chocolate chips to the batter, bake it in a Bundt pan, sprinkle powdered sugar or make a half-batch of powdered sugar icing to drizzle on top. You just spent about $1 to $1.25 creating a picnic-friendly dessert.
• Grow your own backyard garden this season. You could have tomatoes, pickles, and many other produce items later this summer for minimal cost. I’m growing peppermint and strawberries (Yes the peppermint plant is more for fun than cost-saving, but this is a big step because I have not grown anything edible previously).