Have you ever left a restaurant and couldn’t stop staring at the bill? That’s happened numerous times to my family. Sometimes, we just simply can’t believe how much wonderful food we’ve gotten for such a great price. 

Other times, we’re debating whether two peas, a bite of salmon, and an artistic drizzle of sauce should really cost half a mortgage payment.

So today? We’re talking food. We’re talking prices. We’re talking affordability. Yep, it’s all on the table this afternoon, and I’m so glad you’re here to pull up a seat.

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By Michael O’Connor

As gas prices rose across Virginia this year, Hampton Roads area Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (R) removed parts of her campaign website discussing the cost of gas and the economic struggles of Virginians. 

Kiggans represents Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District and is up for reelection this year in one of the most competitive races in the country. There are four Democrats vying to challenge Kiggans for her seat, which she has held since 2023. 

Like most political candidates, Kiggans has a campaign website with a page that discusses her stances on different issues and her record. A section on this page called, “The Cost of Living,” was previously called, “Cutting Inflation & The Cost of Living,” according to an April version of the webpage archived on the Wayback Machine, a digital repository.

This section previously began by tying President Joe Biden and Democratic policies to “historic price increases that taxpayers are still struggling to keep up with.” 

The section continued: “For Virginians, this means paying more for gas, groceries, meals, cars, houses, and everything in between. High cost of living continues to eliminate wage increases for Americans (including active duty military) who are struggling to make ends meet in Joe Biden’s economy.”

Kiggans’ issues page no longer mentions gas prices, which have risen sharply since President Donald Trump launched the war on Iran in late February. In the Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News area, gas prices are averaging $4.318, up from $2.997 a year ago, according to AAA. 

By Amie Knowles

Driving around Danville last week, I saw gas prices hovering just below $4 for the first time in what felt like forever. My son, Colton (age 8), remarked about how “good” that was. My husband and I laughed one of those sarcastic “ha’s” and then accidentally turned into our parents for a single, fill-in-the-blank generational line: “When we were growing up, gas was only $_.__ a gallon.”

That got me thinking about affordability, and how everything feels like it’s going up—from gas to groceries to other everyday living expenses. And I wondered, can I feed my family of three for the price of a gallon of gas? I quickly set off on a mission to see if that was possible.

The truth is, I got lucky. I hinged my idea on ramen noodles, which I was fortunate enough to find on sale for $0.50 per pack. If they would’ve been full price, my idea would’ve gone down the drain faster than the broth. Then, I found a bag of frozen stir-fry veggies for $1.29. I knew I had a tiny bit left in the budget, so I walked to the deli and asked for a single slice of roast beef.

The girl slicing the meat was very sweet, but also looked at me like I’d lost my mind. She confirmed that I only wanted one piece. I explained what I was trying to do, and she immediately got on board, saying it was “so cool,” and that she’d never heard of anyone trying to match grocery and gas prices like that. The grand total of the groceries came to $3.93—the exact price of gas I’d seen in Danville.

I went home and made the “upscale” ramen for my family. It had much more flavor than I honestly thought it would. In fact, we enjoyed the meal so much that we made it again a few days later. But the reality? While, I tried to make it as healthy as I could for the budget I had by adding a variety of vegetables and a little meat, it’s not something I’d feel nutritionally comfortable serving to my husband and son day-in and day-out. 

The wildest part to me, though, isn’t that it was technically possible to feed three people for less than $4. It’s that without the sale on one of the already-cheapest known foods to humankind, it wouldn’t have been. And that, my friends, is hard to swallow. 

By Dorothy Scott

Remember last week when we revealed that there are places “Happy” singer Pharrell Williams enjoys dining at when he’s in the Virginia Beach area? Well, we’ve uncovered another one. 

The Pink Dinghy is another of the singer’s favorite restaurants, according to his Penta interview—and if it’s good enough for the “Sangria Wine” performer, it’s good enough for us. 

“When I am home, I am definitely eating,” he told the outlet of his periodic returns to the area, and The Pink Dinghy is a great place for such tasting. It specializes in small plates and wine, creating an unforgettable experience through tantalizing bites and punchy sips that complement its dishes without overwhelming them.

Stephanie Dietz and Chase Pittman cemented The Pink Dinghy as a local institution, a restaurant that doubles as a small market to keep community members happy, fed, and involved. And you’ll naturally want to come back because this restaurant’s menu evolves with the seasons, consistently putting new, fresh ingredients center stage. 

On the menus, you’ll find innovative meals like Masa Pancakes, French Toast served with Horchata Butter, and Build Your Own Fish Tacos served with Chili Crunch. Our mouths are watering just thinking about them!

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Amie Knowles. Amie is a lifelong Virginia resident and mom to a fantastic 8-year-old who loves Pokémon. This edition includes stories from Aila Boyd, Michael O’Connor, and Dorothy Scott. It was edited by Brook Bolen.

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