“Americans are getting stronger. Twenty years ago it took 2 people to carry $10 worth of groceries”
A popular inflation joke has needed inflated numbers, from $10 to $100.
“A friend of this column thinks Americans are getting stronger as the years go by. As proof, he points out that back in 1930, it took two men to carry $10 worth of groceries home. Now, one little boy can do it” was written by Joe Parham in the Macon (GA) News on August 6, 1951. “Americans are getting stronger, too. Twenty years ago it took two people to carry $10 worth of groceries. Today a child can do it” was printed in the Changing Times (The Kiplinger Magazine) in December 1956.
“Americans are getting stronger. Twenty years ago it took two people to carry $10 worth of groceries. Today a 5-year-old does it” was printed in the Clovis (NM) News-Journal on September 20, 1974, and credited to American comedian Henny Youngman (1906-1998). Youngman is now usually credited with the joke, but because this is the first Youngman credit and the joke had been cited in print since at least 1951, it’s probable that Youngman did not originate the joke.
Modern versions of the joke have increased the amount of groceries from $10 to $100. “Reminded me of the old joke. I must be getting stronger, because in my youth I could only carry $10 worth of groceries. Now I can carry $100” was posted on the newsgroup alt.child-support on August 14, 2001. “I must be getting stronger. I never used to be able to carry $100 worth of groceries into the house all by myself” was posted on Twitter by Danielle Bean on February 12, 2009. “Americans are getting stronger. 20 years ago, it took two people to carry $100 in groceries. Today a five year old can do it” was posted on iFunny on June 16, 2022.
Wikipedia: Henny Youngman
Henry “Henny” Youngman (16 March 1906 – 24 February 1998) was an American comedian and musician famous for his mastery of the “one-liner”, his best known being “Take my wife… please”.
Newspapers.com
6 August 1951, Macon (GA) News, Joe Parham column, pg. 4, col. 5:
A friend of this column thinks Americans are getting stronger as the years go by. As proof, he points out that back in 1930, it took two men to carry $10 worth of groceries home. Now, one little boy can do it.
Google Books
News and Views
Ohio AFL-CIO. - Volumes 4-6
1955 (This Google Books date might be incorrect by a year or two. It probably came after the citation below.—ed.)
Pg. 5”
Americans are getting stronger. Twenty years ago it took two people to carry $10 worth of groceries. Today a child can do it.
Google Books
December 1956, Changing Times (The Kiplinger Magazine), “Notes on these changing times,” pg. 2, col. 1:
Americans are getting stronger, too. Twenty years ago it took two people to carry $10 worth of groceries. Today a child can do it.
Google Books
Teacher’s Treasury of Stories for Every Occasion
By Millard Dale Baughman
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall
1958
Pg. 27
There is positive proof that Americans are getting stronger. In the early 30’s as a teenage clerk in my father’s store, it required two trips to carry two dollars’ worth of groceries to a customer’s car. Now my little five-year-old can carry that much in one load.
Newspapers.com
20 September 1974, Clovis (NM) News-Journal, “Youngman book is a good bet” by Don Freeman (Copley News Service), pg. 14, col. 3:
And: “Americans are getting stronger. Twenty years ago it took two people to carry $10 worth of groceries. Today a 5-year-old does it.”
(Credited to comedian Henny Youngman.—ed.)
Google Groups: alt.religion.mormon
Masonic Character of the Temple Ceremonies
Guy R. Briggs
Jul 10, 1997, 3:00:00 AM
(...)
I’d also like to observe that children in America are getting stronger. In 1967 it took a grown man to carry $20 worth of groceries, in 1997 any child can do it!
Google Groups: alt.child-support
Coerced Child Support
Tony Dunlap
Aug 14, 2001, 7:59:11 PM
(...)
Reminded me of the old joke. I must be getting stronger, because in my youth I could only carry $10 worth of groceries. Now I can carry $100.
Twitter
igmistro
@igmistro
Americans are getting stronger. Twenty years ago, it took two people to carry $10 worth of groceries. Today, a five year old can do it.
6:06 PM · Oct 27, 2008·Twitter Web Client
Google Books
Friars Club Encyclopedia of Jokes:
Revised and Updated!
Compiled by Barry Dougherty and H. Aaron Cohl
New York, NY: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers
2009
Pg. 190:
Americans are getting stronger. Twenty years ago it took two people to carry ten dollars’ worth of groceries. Today, a five-year-old can do it. —HENNY YOUNGMAN
Twitter
Danielle Bean
@DanielleBean
I must be getting stronger. I never used to be able to carry $100 worth of groceries into the house all by myself.
3:40 PM · Feb 12, 2009·Twitter Web Client
Twitter
Jillianwv
@jillianwv
SuzeOrmanShow must B getting stronger as I age. Used 2 have to use cart 2 carry out $100 worth of groceries..Now I can do it with 1 hand.
10:40 AM · Jul 9, 2009·Twitter Web Client
Twitter
Kunal Punjabi
@kunalpunjabi
RT @viveksingh Indians are getting stronger. Twenty years ago, it took two people to carry Rs. 100 worth of groceries. Today, a five-yea ...
12:50 PM · Jul 23, 2009·Twitter Web Client
Reddit—Quotes
Posted by u/danperegrine October 8, 2012
Americans are getting stronger. Twenty years ago, it took two people to carry ten dollars’ worth of groceries. Today, a five-year-old can do it. -Henry Youngman
Google Books
The Devil’s Financial Dictionary
By Jason Zweig
New York, NY: PublicAffairs
2015
Pg. 116:
As the comedian Henny Youngman said, “Americans are getting stronger. Twenty years ago, it took two people to carry ten dollars’ worth of groceries. Today, a five-year-old can do it.
Reddit—Bitcoin
Posted byu/slimmtl June 19, 2015
“Americans are getting stronger. Twenty years ago, it took two people to carry ten dollars’ worth of groceries. Today, a five-year-old can do it.”- Henny Youngman
r/quotes thought bitcoin might like it
Reddit—Funny
Posted by u/stupid_name August 12, 2018
I must be getting stronger.
I never used to be able to bring in $100 of groceries in one trip.
Twitter
AP Singh
@4apsingh
We are getting stronger. 40 years ago, it took two people to carry 100 rupees worth of groceries. Today, a five year old can do it.
10:36 AM · Oct 2, 2020·Twitter for Android
Twitter
Freedom Radish
@FreedomRadish
Americans are getting stronger by the day.
It used to require a full-grown man to carry $100 worth of groceries.
Today, even a small child can do it.
1:44 PM · Nov 29, 2021·Twitter Web App
Twitter
Dave Burke
@BurkeForOhio
The @POTUS @JoeBiden economy makes me paraphrase a quote by Henny Youngman…
Americans are getting stronger. Two years ago, it took an adult to carry $100 worth of groceries. Today, a five-year-old can do it. @Heritage
businessinsider.com
A former top Obama economist throws cold water on the Biden administration’s favorite inflation…
Jason Furman also pushed back on Joe Manchin’s case that Biden’s big bill would worsen inflation, calling it “a bad reason” to oppose the measure.
9:25 AM · Jan 25, 2022·Twitter for iPhone
Reddit—Bitcoin
Posted by u/abercrombezie April 14, 2022
“Americans are getting stronger. Twenty years ago, it took two people to carry ten dollars’ worth of groceries. Today, a five-year-old can do it.”- Henny Youngman
Henny Youngman died in 1998.
Twitter
Ultra Charged Neutron
@fusion_allusion
Americans are getting stronger.
Last year it took two people to bring in $100 worth of groceries.
Today my 4 year old did it.
7:01 AM · May 12, 2022·Twitter for Android
Twitter
E=MC Hammertime (Stanley Cup Winners)
@scs_real
Not to brag but I can haul in $100 of groceries with one arm.
5:33 PM · May 13, 2022·Twitter Web App
iFunny
brewster2020
16 jun 2022
Americans are getting stronger. 20 years ago, it took two people to carry $100 in groceries. Today a five year old can do it.
Twitter
Bob Kostic
@causticbob
Americans are getting stronger. 20 years ago, it took two people to carry $100 in groceries. Today a five year old can do it.
6:04 PM · Jun 29, 2022·Twitter Web App
Twitter
bob coleman
@profitsplusid
From a stock message board:
” Americans are getting stronger. Two years ago, it took two people to carry $100 worth of groceries. Today, a five-year-old can do it.”
2:17 PM · Jul 25, 2022·Twitter Web App
Twitter
Bob Golen
@BobGolen
I’m getting stronger with age. I can now carry a $100 worth of groceries in one trip!
12:48 PM · Sep 11, 2022·Twitter Web App
Reddit—3amjokes
Posted by u/JoeFas September 18, 2022
Humans have gotten much stronger. Twenty years ago it took two adults to carry $100 of groceries.
Now a toddler can carry that much!
Reddit—Dadjokes
Posted by u/ProfPacific September 23, 2022
Americans are getting stronger, 20 years ago, it took two adults to carry $50 worth of groceries.
Today, a 5-year-old can carry them!
LaffGaff
Stronger Americans
September 26, 2022 by laffgaff
Americans are getting stronger.
20 years ago, it took two adults to carry $50 worth of groceries.
Today, a 5 year-old can carry them!