Grocery Prices - Food at Home
Meats Price Increase in April 2026
Meats prices have changed by +8.8% compared to a year ago, that is, a elevated rate of inflation. This is 5.6 percentage points above overall food inflation. For the average household, this adds roughly $113.0/year to meats spending.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) CPI-U | Latest data: April 2026
Annual Change
+8.8%
year-over-year | April 2026
Monthly Change
+1.8%
seasonally adjusted, month-over-month
Overall Food Inflation
+3.2%
all food categories | April 2026
What This Means for Your Wallet
The average U.S. household spends approximately $107.0/month on meats. At a 8.8% annual inflation rate, that same amount costs about $116.4/month today — $9.4 more per month than a year ago, or roughly $113.0/year in extra spending.
Average monthly spending estimates are based on the latest available BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey, expressed in 2025 dollars using food item inflation. Actual amounts vary by household size and location.
Meats vs. Overall Food Inflation
Overall food inflation is running at +3.2% annually. The price change of Meats at +8.8% is one of the main contributors to your grocery bill increase.
| Category | Annual Change | Monthly Change |
|---|---|---|
| Food at Home | +2.9% | +0.7% |
| Cereals & Bakery Products | +2.6% | +0.1% |
| Meats ◀ | +8.8% | +1.8% |
| Beef & Veal | +14.8% | +2.7% |
| Poultry | +0.5% | -0.9% |
| Fish & Seafood | +6.2% | +1.5% |
| Eggs | -39.2% | +1.5% |
| Milk | +0.5% | +1.6% |
| Fresh Fruits | +2.1% | +0.8% |
| Fresh Vegetables | +11.5% | +3.9% |
| Coffee | +18.5% | +2.0% |
| Fats & Oils | -0.2% | -0.7% |
Why Did Meats Prices Rise?
Food prices are shaped by several layers of cost: farm-level input costs (feed, fertilizer, energy), processing and packaging, transportation and logistics, and finally retail markup. When inflation runs through the economy, all of these layers add cost simultaneously.
The BLS measures meats prices monthly as part of the Consumer Price Index, collecting data from thousands of stores across the country. The annual figure of +8.8% reflects the average price change in April 2026 compared to the same time last year.
Track All Food Categories
Other Food at Home Categories
Data Source
Price data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), updated monthly upon BLS release. Annual figures use unadjusted data (CUUR series) and reflect year-over-year change. Monthly figures use seasonally adjusted data (CUSR series) and reflect month-over-month change. Dollar-impact estimates are based on BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey latest data, expressed in 2025 dollars using food item inflation. bls.gov | Money & Prices