Historical comparison · Updated May 2026
Which grocery items are below their record highs?
The fixed 24-item grocery basket was $111.46 in May 2026, +47.8% versus May 2020; the dollar difference was $36.05 higher.
$75.41 in May 2020 → $111.46 in May 2026
23 weighted items are below their observed highs
Eggs (−64.8%), Butter (−21.4%), Lemons (−18.3%), Potatoes (−18.0%), Oranges (−14.3%) are among the largest gaps from record levels. A lower-than-record reading does not establish that a price is historically low.
Comparison methodology
Record highs come from each item’s complete published history. The current price is compared directly with that observed maximum.
Baseline observation: 2020-05. Latest observation: 2026-05. The item table includes 21 weighted items with an observed value in both periods; excluded observations are not estimated.
Grocery basket history
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI Average Price Data. Retrieved 2026-06-26. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.
Largest contributors
Coffee contributed $5.04 of increase; Ground beef contributed $4.57 of increase; Orange juice contributed $2.59 of increase; Milk contributed $2.01 of increase; Potato chips contributed $1.59 of increase. Contributions use fixed Basket Report quantities.
Item-level comparison
| Item | 2020-05 | Current | Change | Weighted $ difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs | $6.23 | $2.19 | −64.8% | $-4.04 |
| Butter | $5.00 | $3.93 | −21.4% | $-1.07 |
| Lemons | $2.56 | $2.09 | −18.3% | $-0.47 |
| Potatoes | $1.09 | $0.89 | −18.0% | $-0.20 |
| Oranges | $1.80 | $1.54 | −14.3% | $-0.26 |
| Chicken breast | $4.75 | $4.17 | −12.2% | $-0.58 |
| Bacon | $7.61 | $6.71 | −11.8% | $-0.90 |
| Bread | $2.03 | $1.83 | −9.9% | $-0.20 |
| Spaghetti & macaroni | $1.49 | $1.37 | −7.8% | $-0.12 |
| Ham | $5.90 | $5.46 | −7.5% | $-0.44 |
| Tomatoes | $2.69 | $2.49 | −7.5% | $-0.20 |
| Cheddar cheese | $6.12 | $5.69 | −7.1% | $-0.44 |
| Potato chips | $6.97 | $6.58 | −5.6% | $-0.39 |
| Flour | $0.57 | $0.54 | −4.6% | $-0.03 |
| Bananas | $0.67 | $0.65 | −3.6% | $-0.02 |
| Chicken | $2.09 | $2.04 | −2.6% | $-0.05 |
| Ground beef | $6.90 | $6.75 | −2.2% | $-0.16 |
| Coffee | $9.72 | $9.51 | −2.2% | $-0.21 |
| Sugar | $1.05 | $1.03 | −1.5% | $-0.02 |
| Lettuce | $1.99 | $1.96 | −1.3% | $-0.03 |
| Rice | $1.08 | $1.07 | −0.8% | $-0.01 |
| Pork chops | $4.91 | $4.91 | −0.1% | $-0.00 |
| Milk | $4.22 | $4.22 | −0.1% | $-0.00 |
| Orange juice | $4.97 | $4.97 | +0.0% | $0.00 |
Important limitations
Series start dates differ, so “record” means the record within that item’s available BLS history.
Basket Report uses U.S. city-average BLS observations. Store, region, brand, package-size, and household spending patterns vary. No missing value is filled or forecast.
Frequently asked questions
Does below record high mean inexpensive?
No. It means only that the latest observed price is below that series maximum.
Can a record be revised?
BLS revisions flow through the validated monthly pipeline and may change a historical maximum.