Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on Trace One.
What began as a disruption in supply chains during the early stages of COVID-19 quickly evolved into the fastest period of food price increases since the 1970s.
From meat and dairy to pantry staples and coffee, Americans faced higher grocery bills across nearly every category and are still feeling the repercussions today. Even as overall inflation has cooled in 2024 and 2025, grocery prices remain elevated — and for many items, these increases have not subsided.
Persistent food price inflation has had measurable effects on household budgets and food security. According to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the price of food at home — groceries purchased for consumption at home — climbed 29.4% between March 2020 and December 2025.
These higher food costs have pushed the average monthly household grocery budget to nearly $700. Moreover, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Price Outlook projects a 2.3% increase in food-at-home prices in 2026, all but confirming that elevated grocery prices are likely to persist.
Food purchases represent one of the largest recurring expenses for American households, and as a result, food-at-home prices remain a heavily weighted component in the Consumer Price Index. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, groceries account for approximately 7.4% of total household consumer spending nationwide.
Following is a breakdown of price changes for the most popular grocery store items. The analysis was conducted by Trace One — a PLM and regulatory compliance software company for the food and beverage sector. Learn about the methodology at the end.
20. Spices and condiments
- Change in price since March 2020: +27.2%
- One-year change in price: +0.3%
- Two-year change in price: +2.0%
- Three-year change in price: +7.4%
19. Breakfast cereal
- Change in price since March 2020: +28.5%
- One-year change in price: +2.4%
- Two-year change in price: +1.4%
- Three-year change in price: +5.4%
18. Lettuce
- Change in price since March 2020: +28.9%
- One-year change in price: +5.7%
- Two-year change in price: +7.3%
- Three-year change in price: -3.2%
17. Bread
- Change in price since March 2020: +29.6%
- One-year change in price: +1.7%
- Two-year change in price: +1.0%
- Three-year change in price: +4.7%
16. Butter and margarine
- Change in price since March 2020: +30.2%
- One-year change in price: -3.7%
- Two-year change in price: -2.9%
- Three-year change in price: -3.9%
15. Juices
- Change in price since March 2020: +30.3%
- One-year change in price: +0.9%
- Two-year change in price: +3.8%
- Three-year change in price: +7.4%
14. Chicken
- Change in price since March 2020: +31.0%
- One-year change in price: +1.3%
- Two-year change in price: +2.4%
- Three-year change in price: +2.3%
13. Fruits and vegetables (canned)
- Change in price since March 2020: +32.3%
- One-year change in price: +2.5%
- Two-year change in price: +1.5%
- Three-year change in price: +3.2%
12. Cakes, cupcakes and cookies
- Change in price since March 2020: +33.2%
- One-year change in price: +3.6%
- Two-year change in price: +5.1%
- Three-year change in price: +8.4%
11. Salad dressing
- Change in price since March 2020: +34.1%
- One-year change in price: +2.0%
- Two-year change in price: +2.6%
- Three-year change in price: +4.7%
10. Biscuits, rolls and muffins
- Change in price since March 2020: +34.1%
- One-year change in price: +2.4%
- Two-year change in price: +0.8%
- Three-year change in price: +6.7%
9. Carbonated drinks
- Change in price since March 2020: +34.4%
- One-year change in price: +0.7%
- Two-year change in price: +3.8%
- Three-year change in price: +7.5%
8. Sugar and substitutes
- Change in price since March 2020: +38.3%
- One-year change in price: +0.5%
- Two-year change in price: +3.9%
- Three-year change in price: +10.9%
7. Flour
- Change in price since March 2020: +39.4%
- One-year change in price: +2.2%
- Two-year change in price: +0.6%
- Three-year change in price: +3.6%
6. Candy
- Change in price since March 2020: +43.0%
- One-year change in price: +10.1%
- Two-year change in price: +13.6%
- Three-year change in price: +20.7%
5. Coffee
- Change in price since March 2020: +47.3%
- One-year change in price: +18.8%
- Two-year change in price: +21.0%
- Three-year change in price: +20.6%
4. Eggs
- Change in price since March 2020: +51.4%
- One-year change in price: -13.2%
- Two-year change in price: +19.4%
- Three-year change in price: -7.2%
3. Ground beef
- Change in price since March 2020: +52.5%
- One-year change in price: +14.9%
- Two-year change in price: +20.4%
- Three-year change in price: +29.2%
2. Beef steaks
- Change in price since March 2020: +57.0%
- One-year change in price: +14.7%
- Two-year change in price: +20.4%
- Three-year change in price: +31.2%
1. Beef roasts
- Change in price since March 2020: +73.8%
- One-year change in price: +17.5%
- Two-year change in price: +25.8%
- Three-year change in price: +37.0%
Methodology
Data sources include:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) December 2025 Consumer Price Index
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis’ (BEA) 2024 Personal Consumption Expenditures by State (released September 2025)
- U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 2024 Food Expenditure Series
- U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey
To determine the grocery store items that increased the most in price, researchers calculated the percentage change in CPI between March 2020 and December 2025 across the most common grocery (food at home) items.
Researchers also calculated the one-year, two-year, and three-year change in CPI for those periods ending in December 2025. Grocery items were ranked by largest change in price since March 2020, and in the event of a tie, the grocery item with the larger one-year change in price was ranked higher.
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