Your favorite cereal says a lot about you. If you’re a Golden Grahams girl, we bet you’re bougie. 🤩💍 And if you’re more of a Bran Flakes stan, well…we bet you’re regular (in more ways than one). 💩
According to the Labor Department, December was a calm month on the inflation front. It stayed at 2.7%, but we still have a bone to pick. 😐🦴 The cost of our weekly grocery run is still creeping higher.
Here’s Five Fast Facts on grocery prices:
- 🛒 Pay the Price - According to the most recent Consumer Price Index report, the cost of food at home jumped 0.7% in December. That’s significantly higher than the 0.3% jump in September.
- 📈 Jump Scare - Now let’s get into the details. December’s report showed a 0.9% increase in dairy costs, a 0.6% increase in cereals and bakery products, and a 0.5% increase in fruits and vegetables.
- 💰 Big Picture - The increases may not seem like a lot, but zooming out is a different story. In the past year, food at home costs rose a total of 2.4%. The meats, poultry, fish, and eggs index experienced a 12 month increase of 3.9%. Nonalcoholic beverages are up 5.1% and cereal and bakery products 1.5%.
- 🍽️ Take Me to Flavortown - If you’re more of a take out/restaurant house, that got pricier, too. In December, there was a 0.7% increase in food away from home costs. In the last year, those costs have risen by 4.1%.
- 🍳 Mr. Brightside - Want some happy news? In December, the price of eggs fell by a whopping 8.2%. Party time, eggcellent.
🔥Bottom line: As groceries continue to get more expensive, it literally pays to be smart about your finances. Want tips on how to protect your income this year? Head to this article where we highlight all the smart money moves for 2026.
How are grocery prices at your local store?
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