As temperatures drop and gumbo pots heat up across South Louisiana, there’s one question on everyone’s mind: how much is this comfort going to cost me this year?
According to Dr. Walter “Dub” Lane, professor of economics and researcher behind the Gumbo Inflation Index, or G.I.I., the answer is simple: more than last year.
Lane says nearly every key ingredient in a traditional gumbo has seen a price jump.
“From the andouille sausage to the flour for the roux, even the trinity; each cherished vegetable is costing more,” Lane explains.
And those thinking of upgrading to seafood gumbo will feel an even bigger pinch.
“If you’re adding seafood, you’re adding higher prices,” he says. “Seafood gumbo is going to cost significantly more than it did a year ago.”
While some may point to tariffs as a possible culprit, Lane says the data doesn’t back that up, at least not for the ingredients most gumbo lovers rely on.
“I don’t see strong evidence that tariffs are driving these increases, especially on locally sourced sausage,” Lane says. “What we’re seeing is simply inflation and higher food prices across the board.”
So what does that mean for your holiday or Sunday supper?Latest estimates put that pot of chicken and sausage gumbo running at about $38, while a seafood gumbo climbs to around $55.
It may be pricier, but in South Louisiana, the cost of skipping gumbo season might be even higher.