© Provided by City AMInflation has forced consumers to fork out more for kitchen staples such as cheddar cheese which has increased by an average of 28.3 per cent over the past year, according to data from consumer choice platform Which?
The cost of popular family meals such as pasta bake, fish fingers, chips and beans, plus home-made spaghetti bolognese has increased by up to 27 per cent over the last year, figures show.
Which found the prices of pasta sauce, penne pasta and cheddar cheese to make a quick pasta bake for four people have jumped from £2.68 (67p per portion) in the three months to the end of last May to £3.39 (85p per portion) for the same period this year - an increase of 27 per cent.
The consumer group analysed the prices of almost 26,000 food and drink products in May for its inflation tracker at eight major supermarkets - Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Waitrose.
The overall price of a regular fish finger supper with chips and beans went from £3.06 (76p per portion) to £3.79 (95p per portion) - an increase of 24 per cent.
This was mainly driven by baked beans, which went up by an average of 36 per cent and by 77 per cent for HP Baked Beans in a Rich Tomato Sauce bought at Asda.
The price of frozen chips increased by an average of 23 per cent , but Sainsbury's 900g own-brand French fries increased from 83p to £1.75, or 110 per cent, according to the tracker.
A similar item at Lidl - Harvest Basket French Fries 900g - went up 99 per cent from 68p to £1.35 over the same period.
Which also looked at a standard spaghetti bolognese recipe including beef mince, onion, carrots, stock, garlic, chopped tomatoes and dried spaghetti, as well as olive oil.
The meal went up from £5.53 on average (£1.38 per portion) in the three months to the end of last May to £6.63 (£1.65 per portion) this year - or an extra 20 per cent on average across the eight supermarkets.
Some of the key ingredients saw much bigger increases, however, with own-label beef mince 4 per cent fat 500g rising from £2.89 at Tesco to £4.60 - an increase of 59 per cent.
Which? found the cost of a typical Sunday lunch of roast chicken, potatoes, peas, broccoli, carrots and gravy, as well as vegetable oil to cook with, had increased by 13 per cent over the year.
Vegetable oil has increased in price by 43 per cent, and chicken gravy granules by 40 per cent, while a 1kg bag of Asda own-label peas surged in from 76p to £1.33 - an increase of 74 per cent .
Once again, Which found that, despite generally being the cheapest option, inflation on value ranges far outstrips other foods.
According to the tracker, inflation on own-label budget goods continued to increase from 25 per cent in April to 26.6 per cent in May, higher than regular own brands (19.1 per cent ), premium own brands (12.9 per cent) and branded food and drink (13.2 per cent ).
The watchdog said the examples of "massive price hikes" on everyday ingredients showed how difficult it had become for households, particularly those on low incomes, to feed a family.
Sue Davies, Which head of food policy, said: "The cost of food during this period of economic uncertainty has turned the pleasure of mealtimes with loved ones into a nightmare for the millions that are struggling to afford food.
"Supermarkets must put their customers first by stocking budget lines in all of their stores, including convenience stores, to ensure easy access to basic, affordable food ranges as well as provide transparent pricing so people can easily work out which products offer the best value.
"Official inflation data due out next week is still expected to show food prices at an elevated level. If supermarkets can't do the right thing by their customers, it's time for the government to take action."
By Josie Clarke, PA Consumer Affairs Correspondent
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