What is United States's food inflation right now?

Food Inflation in United States is 2.9% as of Jul 2026.

What are the historical extremes for United States's food inflation?

The all-time high is 20.2% (Feb 1974); the record low is -7.1% (Jul 1949), over a series starting in 1948.

How often is this series updated?

Food Inflation for United States is a monthly series; values refresh when new data is published or revised.

Where does this data come from?

See our methodology page for how we source and verify every series.

United States Food Inflation

2.9%▼ −0.05 pt

Jul 2026 · Monthly

United States food inflation eased to 2.94% in July 2026 from 2.99% in June. The latest reading remains far below the all-time high of 20.18% recorded in February 1974. The data series dates back to January 1948.

United States Food Inflation, 1990–2026

Actual	Previous	Highest	Lowest	Dates	Frequency
2.9%	3.0%	20.2%Feb 1974	-7.1%Jul 1949	1948 – 2026	Monthly

About this series

Food Inflation in United States averaged 2.8% from 1948 until 2026, reaching an all-time high of 20.2% in Feb 1974 and a record low of -7.1% in Jul 1949. The series is reported monthly with history from 1948.

Food Inflation measures the monthly percentage change in the price of food items in the United States. The indicator is reported on a monthly basis, with the series spanning from January 1948 onward.

Source & methodology

We use primary economic sources for every country. See our methodology page for how we source and verify this data.

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