Current:Home > MyKevin McCallister’s grocery haul in 1990 'Home Alone' was $20. See what it would cost now.-InfoLens
Kevin McCallister’s grocery haul in 1990 'Home Alone' was $20. See what it would cost now.
View Date:2024-12-23 23:07:43
"Home Alone" fans are reminiscing about lower grocery bills after a TikTok video pointed out how much Kevin McCallister spent on his solo shopping trip in 1990 versus what it would cost today.
The film follows the antics of the young boy, played by Macaulay Culkin, as he is accidentally left behind by his parents who jet off to Paris for Christmas.
As the fictional 8-year old is left to fend for himself, he makes a trip to the local grocery store to pick up some food, toiletries and household necessities.
His bill comes out to about $20. One TikToker estimated that Culkin would spend close to $70 on the same grocery haul if the goods were purchased this year from Target, an increase of 250%.
We did our own calculations. Here is what we found.
Protect your assets: Best high-yield savings accounts of 2023
Groceries from 1990 versus 2023
In the film, Kevin buys his groceries at the family-owned supermarket called Rockford Schnucks, located in Illinois.
He picks up a half-gallon of milk, half-gallon of orange juice, TV dinner, a loaf of Wonderbread, frozen mac and cheese, liquid detergent, saran wrap, a bag of toy soldiers, Snuggle dryer sheets and toilet paper. McCallister uses a dollar off coupon for a grand total of $19.83.
According to the Schnucks grocery store's website, here's how much Kevin's groceries cost today:
- Half a gallon of milk: $1.71
- Half a gallon of OJ: $3.99
- Butternut large white bread: $2.79 (Wonderbread not available)
- TV dinner: $4.49 (Stouffer's classic meatloaf frozen meal)
- Frozen mac and cheese: $1.49
- Tide liquid detergent: $12.99
- Saran wrap: $3.39
- Snuggle dryer sheets: $2.94
- Toilet paper: $7.99
- Toy soldiers (not available so Amazon price listed): $9.99
Kevin would have spent a grand total of $54.94 (with Illinois sales tax) in 2023 or $53.94 with his dollar off coupon.
Here's what government data shows on how grocery prices have changed:
Milk
- Average price in November 1990: $1.34 per half gallon of fresh, low fat milk, according to Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
- Average price in November 2023: $4.85, per half gallon organic reduced fat 2% milk, according to USDA.
Bread
- Average price of white bread (per pound): .70 cents in 1990, according to the St. Louis FED.
- Average price of white bread (per pound): 1.70 cents in 2022.
What to know about 'Home Alone':From filming locations to Macaulay Culkin's age
How has inflation changed since 1990?
Inflation is a generalized rise in prices. It can occur across the board in an economy, or it could affect individual products or services, such as gas, rent and groceries.
$1 in 1990 has the same purchasing power as $2.30 today. Over the past 33 years, this is a change of $1.30. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' inflation calculator, $19.83 in December 1990 has the same buying power as $45.62 in October of 2023 − the most recent CPI data available for this year.
From 2021 to 2022, U.S. retail food prices rose by 11% − the largest annual increase in over 40 years, according to the Government Accountability Office. While average inflation was increasing in 1990 at 5.4%, it was not nearly as high as 8% last year.
veryGood! (45)
Related
- Ford agrees to pay up to $165 million penalty to US government for moving too slowly on recalls
- Jennifer Lopez Returns to Social Media After Filing for Divorce From Ben Affleck
- Prominent civil rights lawyer represents slain US airman’s family. A look at Ben Crump’s past cases
- Portrait of a protester: Outside the Democratic convention, a young man talks of passion and plans
- Rachael Ray Details Getting Bashed Over Decision to Not Have Kids
- Boy, 8, found dead in pond near his family's North Carolina home: 'We brought closure'
- Pickle pizza and deep-fried Twinkies: See the best state fair foods around the US
- Delaware election officials communicated with lieutenant governor’s office amid finance scandal
- Sofia Richie Reveals 5-Month-Old Daughter Eloise Has a Real Phone
- Polaris Dawn mission: Launch of commercial crew delayed 24 hours, SpaceX says
Ranking
- Louisiana House greenlights Gov. Jeff Landry’s tax cuts
- Daniel Suarez's car catches fire during NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona
- Erica Lee Carter, daughter of the late US Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, will seek to finish her term
- New York City man charged with stealing sword, bullhorn from Coach Rick Pitino’s St. John’s office
- LSU leads college football Week 11 Misery Index after College Football Playoff hopes go bust
- Police search for the attacker who killed 3 in a knifing in the German city of Solingen
- Gossip Girl's Jessica Szohr Shares Look Inside Star-Studded Wedding to Brad Richardson
- Mail thieves caught after woman baits them with package containing Apple AirTag: Sheriff
Recommendation
-
Statue of the late US Rep. John Lewis, a civil rights icon, is unveiled in his native Alabama
-
Michigan man sentenced to life in 2-year-old’s kidnapping death
-
Pickle pizza and deep-fried Twinkies: See the best state fair foods around the US
-
Here's Prince William's Next Move After Summer Break With Kate Middleton and Their Kids
-
Judge weighs the merits of a lawsuit alleging ‘Real Housewives’ creators abused a cast member
-
Judge rules Breonna Taylor’s boyfriend caused her death, dismisses some charges against ex-officers
-
LMPD officer at the scene of Scottie Scheffler's arrest charged with theft, misconduct
-
Police search for the attacker who killed 3 in a knifing in the German city of Solingen