As food prices skyrocket, both consumers and sellers are finding ways to cope.

Among food producers, one trend has been to decrease the amount per package without necessarily decreasing the price. The consumer - advocacy Web site, mouseprint.org, is filled with examples of products such as ice-cream cartons that have been crafted to contain 1½ instead of 1¾ quarts and bars of soap that are ounces smaller than previous versions.

"Yes, I've noticed it, but what can you do about it?" said Regina Metheys of Bellevue, who was shopping at Copps Food Center in Bellevue last week.

"I guess food companies have decided people will react less negatively to less food than higher prices," said Kevin Quinn, an economics professor at St. Norbert College. "So now when you buy cereal you get a big bag of air.

"Chips, too, there's a window to show how full the bag is, but there's nothing but air above the window."

During a trip to a local grocery store, Judy Knudsen, director of the Brown County University of Wisconsin-Extension office, found the cereal aisle especially confusing.

"The packing sizes are very inconsistent," she said. "Every box is different, ranging from 11 ounces to 24 ounces."

She found boxes of cereal ranging in sizes from 11, 12, 12.9, 13 ounces and up.

"There's a huge variance," she said. "People need to really pay attention. Eleven ounces of cereal really isn't that much, so a bigger box might be a better deal."

Mouseprint.org found some boxes of cereal looked to be about the same size as predecessors, but were actually narrower and contained several ounces less product, according to Gannett News Service.

Some of these techniques are similar to tactics used in the tough economic times of the 1970s, when unemployment and inflation were high and fuel prices spiked.

"I think they're pulling out some of the old tricks," Quinn said. "They're trying to do things that maybe people won't notice or won't complain about."

But as prices continue to escalate, he expects another 1970s trend will reappear: smart shopping.

"I think you'll see more people looking for sales, using coupons or buying store brands," he said.

A few local shoppers already are shopping with care.

"Some items I won't buy unless they're on sale," said Theresa McKenna of Green Bay, who was shopping at Copps in Bellevue last week.

Metheys also makes adjustments.

"I buy less and try to do the sales," she said. "Especially meat, I try to buy on sale."

Knudsen said most consumers understand the need for producers to increase food prices. The cost of milk has increased 26 percent, Knudsen said, and eggs have jumped about 38 percent. Quinn noted it takes energy to produce food and to ship it.

Still, there are ways to save, Knudsen said.

She encourages consumers to weigh the advantages of convenience. For example, you can purchase chips in single-serve bags at 38 cents each, or you could buy a larger bag and divide them into smaller, individual servings.

"Convenience items are more expensive because there's a lot more packaging," Knudsen said.

Similarly, you can save money by buying a carton of regular oatmeal and adding maple syrup, raisins or cinnamon rather than buying the separate packages of instant oatmeal, she said.

Suggestions for keeping costs down include using grocery lists and being prepared. She also suggests paying attention to what you throw out.