4 Summer Grocery Items That Are More Expensive Than Ever Right Now
As barbecue season is in full swing, temperatures aren't the only thing rising this summer. In fact, hosting a party of 10 people for the Fourth of July could cost 17% more than it did last year, according to a survey from the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Whether you're gearing up for a cookout tonight, or you're just looking to do your weekly grocery shopping, sticker shock doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. In the U.S. Department of Agriculture's most recent Food Price Outlook report, four key items are forecast to continue rising in price this year. Read on to see what you should look out for, and for more grocery insights, check out 4 Grocery Items Facing Shortages Right Now.
Meat and Poultry
It's no secret that meat prices have soared over the past year—and it's not expected to slow down. The USDA predicts that the cost of pork will increase between 7 and 8% in 2022, meanwhile other meat prices are expected to rise by 11.5 to 12.5%.
The same goes for poultry. Between the "historically low stocks of frozen chicken" to the ongoing highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak that has affected over 40 million birds, poultry prices are predicted to go up between 13 and 14%.
"The disease prevalence also impacts international demand for U.S. poultry," the USDA wrote in its report. "Price impacts of the outbreak will be monitored closely."
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Eggs
Like poultry, eggs have also been affected by the HPAI outbreak. With the bird flu decreasing the egg supply and driving a 5% increase in egg prices in May, the USDA now predicts that the price of eggs will increase by 19.5 to 20.5% in 2022.
Fish
The climbing price of protein continues. Back in May, the cost of fish and seafood grew by 2.3%, which was 12.2% higher than the prices in May of 2021. Looking ahead, the USDA anticipates fish and seafood prices to rise by 8.5 to 9.5% this year.
Dairy
"Rapid increases in the consumption of dairy products have driven increases in retail prices in recent months," the USDA wrote in its report.
This trend has only continued, with the organization predicting that dairy product prices will increase by 10.5 to 11.5% in 2022.
