November’s Gumbo Inflation Index: The Cost to Make Gumbo in South Louisiana

LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL News) - With temperatures dropping again, there's more and more talk around the house, in our communities, and online about pulling out the gumbo pots and starting up a roux.

But, even with inflation having fallen a bit from last year, prices are still higher than many people were expecting, and what is normally a very cheap dish that can feed a lot of people (or feed a few people several times) isn't as cheap as it used to be.

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That brings us to the Gumbo Inflation Index, which is our tracker of food prices through the fall and winter that might affect how much gumbo ingredients cost.

The index is based on the cost of ingredients necessary to make a simple gumbo (chicken and sausage) and seafood gumbo (shrimp, crawfish, and crab) using typical ingredients (okra and tomatoes not included).

The basic ingredients we'll track are the following:

• Flour
• Vegetable Oil
• Garlic
• Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Yellow Onion
• Chicken breasts or thighs
• 1 package andouille sausage
• 1 lb. shrimp
• 1 lb. crawfish
• 1/2 lb. crab
• bay leaves
• rice

The prices we're measuring are based on supermarket values in the Lafayette area.

The Price of Chicken and Sausage Gumbo in November is DOWN

The cost of a standard chicken and sausage gumbo is down a bit this month, due largely to a drop in the price of chicken. Chicken breasts are down $0.66 and thighs are down $0.30. However, some of those savings are offset by some of the vegetable prices rising.

In particular, celery is up big from last month to this month. Bell pepper and garlic are up, too, though yellow onions have come down a bit.

If you're making a chicken and sausage gumbo with chicken breasts, using the prices below, a grocery run to make gumbo will now cost you $29.99. If you use chicken thighs instead, it's a little more expensive at $33.24, which is up from last month but you can find cheaper prices for boneless, skinless thighs.

The Price of Seafood Gumbo in November is UP

To make a seafood gumbo using shrimp, crab, and crawfish, you will be paying $58.95. That price hike comes from the rise in vegetables and the rise in shrimp - which has gone up $4.01.

Here is the complete shopping list, along with prices. Where possible, generic brands were selected, but there are some items you can't (or shouldn't) trust the generic brands with, right?

Don't limit yourself to just gumbo, however. One of the best things about the fall in south Louisiana is the sheer number of different amazing foods we're known for making this time of year.