One visit down the grocery aisle and you can clearly see that prices for the food we eat continue to head skyward. You may be wondering which items have seen the largest increases in recent months.
In this article, I’ve compiled a list of several common foods that have increased in price according to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
When Will Grocery Prices Get Cheaper?
Money expert Clark Howard says consumers have begun to pull back from spending as food prices have been on a steep incline since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to federal statistics.
“The buyer’s strike is now solid in restaurants and in groceries. Consumers have had enough and they’re fighting back in different ways,” Clark says in a recent podcast episode.
Retailers are slowly starting to listen: Stores such as Target, Walmart and Amazon have vowed that consumers will see cheaper prices on thousands of items. Clark says retailers are also opting to focus on higher quality goods. For example, Walmart recently launched BetterGoods, a new premium private label.
But in the meantime, some key items for our pantries have price tags that continue to increase.
Let’s take a look at how much some of America’s food staples have increased of late, according to the CPI.
These Grocery Items Are Increasing in Price the Most
| Food Item | Seasonally Adjusted Increase Since April 2024 |
|---|---|
| Butter | 4.3% |
| Breakfast sausage and related products | 3.4% |
| Ice cream and related products | 3.3% |
| Flour and prepared flour mixes | 3.2% |
| Breakfast cereal | 3.2% |
| Butter & margarine | 2.8% |
| Lettuce | 2.3% |
| Cereals and cereal products | 2.2% |
| Ham (excluding canned ham) | 2.0% |
| Rice, pasta, cornmeal | 1.2% |
How You Can Save at the Grocery Store
One way Clark saves money at the grocery store is by comparing the price of the store brand product over the name-brand item.
Check out Team Clark’s full list of 20+ ways to save money on groceries to reduce your bill when you make your next trip to the grocery store.
