The wincing can begin seconds after the cashier begins scanning your cart of food at the checkout.

One dozen eggs, $1.84, up 75 cents when compared to last year.

A pound of cheddar cheese, $4.03. That's 81 cents higher per pound.

And the bacon, $4.52 per pound. That's 51 cents more than last year.

The result is a pretty expensive omelet.

It's not your imagination. You are spending more money on food when compared to last year.

What's to blame? Take your pick.

A falling dollar, rising fuel prices, higher demands for food from India and China and corn being used to make energy are combining to increase the cost of your trip to the grocery store, experts say.

Some of us will try and cut back.

Other shoppers may switch to less-expensive stores while some may keep a better eye on sales, choosing to hop from one store to the other depending on the items on sale.

The most recent survey of 20 food items in 26 communities gathered by the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation shows that the overall price of the items increased to $53.27. That's up $5.42 when compared to the first quarter of 2007.

Wisconsin food prices

Ground sirloin per pound

2004 - $2.24

2007 - $3.23

2008 - $3.48

Tomatoes per pound

2004 - $1.75

2007 - $1.52

2008 - $1.81

Apples - Red Delicious per pound

2004 - $1.06

2007 - $1.43

2008 - $1.37

Butter per pound

2004 - $3.21

2007 - $3.00

2008 - $3.28

White bread

2004 - $1.09

2007 - $1.24

2008 - $1.14

Frozen orange juice - 12-ounce can

2004 - $1.20

2007 - $1.60

2008 - $1.91

Whole milk per gallon

2004 - $2.87

2007 - $2.72

2008 - $3.39

Eggs per dozen

2004 - $1.06

2007 - $1.09

2008 - $1.84

Source: Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation

— Barry Adams