DAVIS COUNTY — The price of a gallon of gas has taken a significant decrease downward since last July.

And now, with the price of gas going down, food prices are starting to decline as well.

“My grocery bills are starting to get back to where they were a few months ago,” said Jill Moore, a Sunset resident. “Many of the things I get normally have cost me quite a bit more in the past.

“Now, my bill has gotten about $5 or $10 cheaper, depending on what I get.”

Her typical list includes oranges, bananas, bread, milk, and other things she considers “essentials” for her family on a daily basis.

Overall, the price of food has gone down anywhere from five to 10 percent, depending on the food being purchased. Hamburger meat, a common item for Moore, has gone down 10 percent or more depending on the size and brand.

Eggs have dropped down to about 86 cents on average for AA sized eggs, according to a report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“As wholesale prices are down, consumers will see those breaks at the check stand,” said Rand Mickelson of Associated Food Stores. “Our retailers will certainly look for every opportunity to pass the savings on to the consumer.

“We believe that this will serve as a good break for the consumers while they shop around for essential food items.”

Other consumers have stated that they still have their own gift cards from local grocery stores that were offering to add extra money to their gift cards if they were purchased with their stimulus checks.

Smith’s offered to add 10 percent to the total of a gift card that was purchased for either $300, $600 or $1,200.

Consumers are still enjoying the significant price drop in the cost of gasoline per gallon, however. According to a news release from AAA, Utah’s average price per gallon of gas is $1.46, almost 30 cents lower than last month, and significantly lower than it was on July 18, when the price was upward of $4.22.

“I like that the price of gas is down,” said Emily Howard, a local resident filling up at a Maverik gas station. “I don’t expect (the price of gas) to go any lower than it has been, but the price of food going down along with gas is great for my finances.

“Traveling to Salt Lake (City) everyday, it’s been nice to see the prices this low.”

Experts at both AAA Utah and the USDA have stated that even though the price for such essentials are down considerably, consumers shouldn’t expect them to fall any further.

AAA Utah spokesperson Rolayne Fairclough stated that consumers should be more conscious of the current prices, as they will more than likely increase over the summer months.

During the summer months everyone is traveling, going on vacation, and simply travelling more,” she said. “We expect the price of gasoline will go up during those months, more than likely starting in April or May.”

The price of food is said to do the same, according to Mickelson.

“A lot of essential food items have gone down, and people are taking advantage of them,” he said. “However, as these same foods become more essential, the prices for them will go up.”

The current average in Davis County for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is $1.36, down slightly from the reported $1.40 per gallon last month.

The cheapest gas in the county is at the Bountiful Maverik Store, located at 105 South 200 West. Their posted price as of Monday was $1.26 for a gallon of regular unleaded fuel.

sgillet@davisclipper.com