--- title: Grocery Prices Are Finally Expected to Cool This Year. Just Not for These Staples description: USDA forecasts grocery inflation to slow in 2026, but meat, sweets and drinks are still getting more expensive. authors: - name: Adam Hardy role: Lead Data Reporter url: https://money.com/author/adam-hardy/ bio: Adam Hardy is a lead data journalist at Money, where he frequently reports on financial barriers that affect low-income Americans. Adam’s work has also appeared in Business Insider, Forbes, Nasdaq, The Penny Hoarder, Yahoo! Finance and more than a dozen local and regional newspapers. education: University of South Florida, BA, Magazine Journalism at_money_since: 2021 articles: 498 covers: - Shopping - Banking - Business - Career Advice - Credit - Credit Cards - Debt - Economy and Politics - Education - Health and Wellness - Housing - Identity Theft - Insurance - Investing - Lifestyle - Loans - Mortgages - Personal Finance - Pets - Professional Services - Retirement - Taxes - Technology also_seen_in: - The Penny Hoarder - Forbes Advisor - Creative Loafing - The New York Times - The Washington Post - Bloomberg - Harvard Law School - The Federal Register - National Consumer Law Center - CBS News - Becker's Hospital Review - Business Insider - Mother Jones - The Week - Fortune - The Philadelphia Inquirer - National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NAFSAA) - Education Advisory Board (EAB) - The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS) - This Morning with Gordon Deal - Empower - Reddit social: - https://www.x.com/hardyjournalism - https://www.linkedin.com/in/hardyjournalism/ editors: - name: Katherine Peach role: Associate Editor url: https://money.com/author/katherine-peach/ bio: Katherine Peach is an associate editor with a focus on news and email at Money. She didn’t always intend to write about money. She’s a classically trained pianist who dreamed of becoming an archaeologist. However, in 2007 Katherine began working in financial publishing as an editor for Agora Inc. (Apparently, unearthing ideas about improving your personal finances isn’t such a bad career alternative!) Katherine’s writing and editing work has been featured in Investing Daily, Clever, Investor Junkie, The Palm Beach Letter, Truth & Plenty, Independence Monthly, NICHE, AmericanStyle, AntiqueWeek, Millennial Money, Money Done Right, TheStreet, Sure Dividend and many others. Katherine holds a Bachelor of Arts in Ancient Studies with concentrations in Archaeology and Ancient Languages and a minor in Literature from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. education: University of Maryland, Baltimore County at_money_since: 2025 articles: 14 covers: - Shopping - Banking - Career Advice - Credit - Credit Cards - Debt - Economy and Politics - Education - Federal Reserve Rate Cuts - Health and Wellness - Housing - Identity Theft - Insurance - Investing - Lifestyle - Loans - Mortgages - Personal Finance - Professional Services - Retirement - Taxes published: '2026-02-12T16:16:30.000Z' modified: '2026-02-12T16:16:30.000Z' section: Shopping tags: - News word_count: 541 canonical: https://money.com/grocery-prices-2026-outlook/ type: NewsArticle source: structured-blocks --- > **Disclosure:** We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. [Learn more](https://money.com/page/disclaimer/). ![Man grocery shopping for red meat](https://img.money.com/2026/02/News-Grocery-Prices-More-Expensive.jpg) After years of unrelenting price hikes, the cost of groceries is finally expected to level out in 2026, with food-at-home inflation dipping below the average. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is [predicting](https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-price-outlook) that grocery prices will rise approximately 1.7% in 2026, marking a decrease from 2.3% in 2025 and from the 20-year average of 2.6%. This moderation comes as relief for Americans who have been watching their [grocery costs inflate](https://money.com/grocery-prices-may-never-fall/) by more than 25% over the past five years. Much of the easing comes from plummeting prices for eggs and dairy products, which are actually expected [to deflate](https://money.com/deflation-vs-disinflation/) this year, by 22.2% and 0.9%**,** respectively, according to the USDA. On the other hand, some grocery prices are jumping much higher than normal. Here are a few foods that didn’t get the cost-cooling memo. ## Regain financial stability with the help of Freedom Debt Relief ### Freedom can start you on the path to resolve your debt, especially if you owe over $20,000. Why wait? Select your state to get started today! [Get Started](https://money.com/pr/l67257dab4e3?ap_referrer=%2Fgrocery-prices-2026-outlook%2F&apxa1=food-delivery-fees-ftc-rule) ## Red meats The USDA expects prices to jump for all meats — including seafood and poultry — by 4.3% in 2026, higher than the average of 3.1%. Looking closer, a few specific types of red meat are largely to blame. Beef and veal prices are predicted to soar 9.4%, while the cost of other meats like processed cold cuts and hot dogs will rise 4.3%. Meanwhile, fish and seafood prices are expected to increase by a lower-than-average 2.4%. Pork may get 0.3% cheaper. Beef, in particular, has been stubbornly expensive lately. Analysts say farmers have been dealing with droughts, high interest rates and shrinking herds, causing prices to soar. ## Sweets Got a sweet tooth? I have some bad news for you. Sugars and sweets, such as candy, cookies and other desserts, are in line for big price hikes. The USDA says the cost for these types of items will go up 6.7%, more than doubling the historical average of 3.1%. According to the World Economic Forum, [climate-change induced droughts](https://www.weforum.org/videos/sugar-prices/) are affecting sugar production overseas, and at home, the U.S. maintains [a longtime trade policy](https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/crops/sugar-and-sweeteners/policy?) that restricts the amount of sugar food companies can import. Both factors are pushing prices up. ## Non-alcoholic drinks Juices, coffee, teas, sodas and other drinks are about to get more expensive. The USDA categorizes these broadly under “non-alcoholic beverages” and estimates that prices will rise 4.2% this year. Historically, prices for these drinks tend to increase 2.4% annually. Last year, they rose 3.8%. ## Other foods The USDA tracks the prices of 15 subcategories of foods. These largely consist of meat, dairy, eggs, fats, oils, fruits, vegetables, sugar, sweets, cereals, bakery products and non-alcoholic beverages. Groceries such as condiments, spices, sauces, snacks, bars and other products that don’t fit into the above categories are simply labeled as “other foods.” Combined, prices for these types of groceries are estimated to increase 3.1% this year — much higher than last year’s 0.9% as well as the historical average of 2.4%. PepsiCo, the maker of Lay's, Doritos and other major snack brands, is trying to buck that trend. Earlier this month, the company [said](https://www.pepsico.com/newsroom/press-releases/2026/pepsico-makes-iconic-snacks-more-affordable-ahead-of-super-bowl) it is cutting the price of many snacks by up to 15%. ![](https://s3.consumersadvocate.org/prd/image/image/25289/medium_2e7b27ce-b30d-40a3-beef-0139ecba6b47.png) If you owe over $20,000 or more, Freedom Debt Relief can help you get back on your feet! [Get Started](https://money.com/pr/u5c2defb44d4?ap_referrer=%2Fgrocery-prices-2026-outlook%2F&apxa1=food-delivery-fees-ftc-rule) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "@id": "https://money.com/grocery-prices-2026-outlook/#breadcrumb", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://money.com" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Shopping", "item": "https://money.com/shopping/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "News", "item": "https://money.com/tag/news/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Grocery Prices Are Finally Expected to Cool This Year. Just Not for These Staples" } ] }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://money.com/#website", "url": "https://money.com", "name": "Money", "publisher": { "@id": "https://money.com/#organization" } }, { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://money.com/grocery-prices-2026-outlook/#webpage", "url": "https://money.com/grocery-prices-2026-outlook/", "name": "Grocery Prices Are Finally Expected to Cool This Year. Just Not for These Staples", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://money.com/#website" }, "datePublished": "2026-02-12T16:16:30.000Z", "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://money.com/grocery-prices-2026-outlook/" }, "inLanguage": "en-US", "breadcrumb": { "@id": "https://money.com/grocery-prices-2026-outlook/#breadcrumb" }, "dateModified": "2026-02-12T16:16:30.000Z" }, { "@type": "NewsArticle", "headline": "Grocery Prices Are Finally Expected to Cool This Year. Just Not for These Staples", "articleSection": "Shopping", "image": [ { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://img.money.com/2026/02/News-Grocery-Prices-More-Expensive.jpg", "width": 2880, "height": 1920, "caption": "News-Grocery-Prices-More-Expensive" } ], "author": [ { "@type": "Person", "name": "Adam Hardy", "url": "https://money.com/author/adam-hardy/", "@id": "https://money.com/author/adam-hardy/#author", "description": "Adam Hardy is a lead data journalist at Money, where he frequently reports on financial barriers that affect low-income Americans. Adam’s work has also appeared in Business Insider, Forbes, Nasdaq, The Penny Hoarder, Yahoo! Finance and more than a dozen local and regional newspapers.", "image": "https://img.money.com/2022/01/a_adam-hardy.jpg?quality=85&w=400&h=440&crop=1", "email": "adam.hardy@money.com", "jobTitle": "Lead Data Reporter", "alumniOf": "University of South Florida, BA, Magazine Journalism", "subjectOf": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.thepennyhoarder.com/", "name": "The Penny Hoarder" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.forbes.com/advisor/", "name": "Forbes Advisor" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://creativeloafing.com/", "name": "Creative Loafing" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/01/opinion/biden-trump-harris-2024.html", "name": "The New York Times" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/12/26/flexible-spending-account-is-flawed-benefit/", "name": "The Washington Post" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2025-09-20/-100-000-h-1b-visa-fee-is-a-gamble-that-could-protect-us-jobs", "name": "Bloomberg" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/2024/02/08/whoop-and-the-irs-how-tax-avoidance-helps-health/", "name": "Harvard Law School" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/29/2025-23853/weighted-selection-process-for-registrants-and-petitioners-seeking-to-file-cap-subject-h-1b#footnote-33-p60883", "name": "The Federal Register" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.nclc.org/resources/what-states-can-do-to-stop-credit-reporting-abuses/", "name": "National Consumer Law Center" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.cbsnews.com/news/open-enrollment-irs-changes-fsa-hsa-flexible-spending-account-health-savings-account-2023/", "name": "CBS News" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/rankings-and-ratings/20-top-us-hospitals-for-2025-per-money/", "name": "Becker's Hospital Review" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.businessinsider.com/using-chatgpt-ai-write-cover-letters-job-applications-2023-2", "name": "Business Insider" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/04/a-major-strike-of-beef-workers-pauses-in-colorado-but-workers-say-the-fight-isnt-over/", "name": "Mother Jones" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://theweek.com/business/economy/job-market-frozen-thawing", "name": "The Week" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://fortune.com/2023/12/20/workers-lose-money-on-unused-fsa-accounts-deadlines-what-companies-should-do/", "name": "Fortune" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/editorials/liberation-day-tariffs-economy-stock-market-trump-20250401.html", "name": "The Philadelphia Inquirer" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.nasfaa.org/news-item/37955/Student_Loan_Changes_2026_New_Repayment_Options_Taxable_Forgiveness_and_More_on_the_Way", "name": "National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NAFSAA)" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://eab.com/resources/blog/adult-education-blog/graduate-funding-shift-pricing-aid-strategies-aligned/", "name": "Education Advisory Board (EAB)" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://ticas.org/california/state-private-loans-protections-blog/", "name": "The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS)" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://thismorningwithgordondeal.com/b/This-Morning-with-Gordon-Deal-August-04,-2026/421564107823081285.html", "name": "This Morning with Gordon Deal" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.empower.com/the-currency/life/pumpkin-spice-season-spending", "name": "Empower" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/Economics/comments/1va10oa/comment/p0i9bju/", "name": "Reddit" } ], "sameAs": [ "https://www.x.com/hardyjournalism", "https://www.linkedin.com/in/hardyjournalism/" ], "worksFor": { "@id": "https://money.com/#organization" } } ], "publisher": "https://money.com/#organization", "datePublished": "2026-02-12T16:16:30.000Z", "description": "USDA forecasts grocery inflation to slow in 2026, but meat, sweets and drinks are still getting more expensive.", "abstract": "USDA forecasts grocery inflation to slow in 2026, but meat, sweets and drinks are still getting more expensive.", "@id": "https://money.com/grocery-prices-2026-outlook/", "inLanguage": "en-US", "dateModified": "2026-02-12T16:16:30.000Z", "editor": [ { "@type": "Person", "name": "Katherine Peach", "url": "https://money.com/author/katherine-peach/", "@id": "https://money.com/author/katherine-peach/#author", "description": "Katherine Peach is an associate editor with a focus on news and email at Money. She didn’t always intend to write about money. She’s a classically trained pianist who dreamed of becoming an archaeologist. However, in 2007 Katherine began working in financial publishing as an editor for Agora Inc. (Apparently, unearthing ideas about improving your personal finances isn’t such a bad career alternative!)\r\n\r\nKatherine’s writing and editing work has been featured in Investing Daily, Clever, Investor Junkie, The Palm Beach Letter, Truth & Plenty, Independence Monthly, NICHE, AmericanStyle, AntiqueWeek, Millennial Money, Money Done Right, TheStreet, Sure Dividend and many others.\r\n\r\nKatherine holds a Bachelor of Arts in Ancient Studies with concentrations in Archaeology and Ancient Languages and a minor in Literature from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.", "jobTitle": "Associate Editor", "alumniOf": "University of Maryland, Baltimore County", "worksFor": { "@id": "https://money.com/#organization" } } ], "wordCount": 541, "keywords": [ "News" ], "about": [ { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Shopping", "sameAs": [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shopping" ] } ] } ] } ```