In November, Growing Produce forewarned of a lettuce shortage, and seeing recent social media reactions from consumers, we’re right in the thick of it. The outlet noted that the unseasonably high temperatures and crop disease in California affected the amount of iceberg and romaine lettuce harvested, which led to supply issues on the heels of shortages already brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. As it stands, consumers are having a harder time finding lettuce in stores, and those lucky enough to get it are paying a significantly higher price than usual. One user took to Twitter to share his frustration at not being able to find a head of lettuce despite visiting “three different stores.” Another was visibly shocked to see that three romaine hearts were labeled at $8.99 each. Not even restaurants and fast food chains are immune, as Parade previously reported the likes of Taco Bell, Chick-fil-A, and Panera have all been forced to display messages about the shortage, warning customers that due to the industry shortage, they may be out of the ingredient at certain locations. FarmBox Foods tweeted earlier this month that because of the shortage and spike in prices, some restaurants have temporarily stopped offering salads and leafy greens altogether. The lettuce shortages include both romaine and iceberg lettuce with prices skyrocketing nearly 400% since 2019. The average price for a box of iceberg lettuce in October was $67, up significantly from the $14 it cost just a few years ago, per Restaurant Business Online. The good news is that there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel, as the shortage will hopefully become less severe by January, at the latest, as batches of lettuce from southern California and Arizona, which weren’t affected by crop disease, become available. In the meantime, you could use this shortage as inspiration to tweak eating habits, as nutritionists suggest swapping iceberg lettuce for kale, which is considered a more “nutritious vegetable.” As for the upcoming holiday dinners, we’ll just leave this right here.
