Historical comparison · Updated September 2026
Which grocery items are below their record highs?
The fixed 24-item grocery basket was $111.35 in September 2026, +34.4% versus September 2020; the dollar difference was $28.51 higher.
$82.84 in September 2020 → $111.35 in September 2026
21 weighted items are below their observed highs
Eggs (−63.5%), Tomatoes (−25.9%), Butter (−20.9%), Lettuce (−18.7%), Lemons (−16.8%) 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: 2020-09. Latest observation: 2026-09. 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 2026-10-14. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.
Largest contributors
Ground beef contributed $5.43 of increase; Coffee contributed $4.85 of increase; Orange juice contributed $2.56 of increase; Eggs contributed $1.84 of increase; Potato chips contributed $1.64 of increase. Contributions use fixed Basket Report quantities.
Item-level comparison
| Item | 2020-09 | Current | Change | Weighted $ difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs | $6.23 | $2.27 | −63.5% | $-3.96 |
| Tomatoes | $2.69 | $1.99 | −25.9% | $-0.70 |
| Butter | $5.00 | $3.96 | −20.9% | $-1.04 |
| Lettuce | $2.01 | $1.64 | −18.7% | $-0.38 |
| Lemons | $2.56 | $2.13 | −16.8% | $-0.43 |
| Chicken breast | $4.75 | $4.20 | −11.4% | $-0.54 |
| Bacon | $7.61 | $6.76 | −11.2% | $-0.85 |
| Bread | $2.03 | $1.83 | −10.0% | $-0.20 |
| Potatoes | $1.09 | $0.99 | −9.6% | $-0.11 |
| Ham | $5.90 | $5.45 | −7.6% | $-0.45 |
| Spaghetti & macaroni | $1.49 | $1.38 | −7.5% | $-0.11 |
| Flour | $0.58 | $0.55 | −5.2% | $-0.03 |
| Milk | $4.32 | $4.11 | −4.9% | $-0.21 |
| Oranges | $1.81 | $1.72 | −4.5% | $-0.08 |
| Potato chips | $6.97 | $6.67 | −4.3% | $-0.30 |
| Coffee | $9.72 | $9.33 | −4.0% | $-0.39 |
| Sugar | $1.05 | $1.02 | −3.3% | $-0.04 |
| Orange juice | $4.97 | $4.82 | −3.1% | $-0.15 |
| Bananas | $0.67 | $0.66 | −2.1% | $-0.01 |
| Ground beef | $6.92 | $6.79 | −1.9% | $-0.13 |
| Chicken | $2.09 | $2.06 | −1.1% | $-0.02 |
| Rice | $1.12 | $1.12 | +0.0% | $0.00 |
| Pork chops | $4.91 | $4.91 | +0.0% | $0.00 |
| Cheddar cheese | $6.13 | $6.13 | +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.