After a couple of years of soaring grocery prices, a glimmer of hope has appeared: The costs of some items at the supermarket are now falling a tad.
To be sure, prices remain sky-high on many items, with the overall cost of groceries 11.3% higher in January 2023 compared with one year prior. And even many foods with falling sticker prices are much pricier than they were a year ago.
But in the middle of the worst inflation in four decades, even a modest decline in prices is worth celebrating.
Following are the items that saw the biggest one-month price drops over the month of January, according to the Consumer Price Index, one of the federal government’s gauges of inflation.
With any luck, these foods will be a little cheaper the next time you load them into your grocery cart.
Lunchmeats
Last one-month price change: 1.7% decrease
The next time you get a hankering for a ham and turkey sandwich, you might not have dig quite so deep into your wallet to purchase the meat.
Whether it’s a good idea to enjoy that sandwich is a separate question. To find out why, read “Should You Stop Eating Any Processed Meats?”
Butter
Last one-month price change: 1.7% decrease
It was cheaper in January to spread a pad of butter across your morning toast.
Now, if we can just get the soaring price of eggs to reverse course, breakfast will feel like a treat again.
Shelf-stable fish and seafood
Last one-month price change: 2.3% decrease
Fish and seafood can be expensive, so even a small price decrease is welcome.
Incidentally, this category refers to nonfrozen fish and seafood. Frozen varieties were also down in price, by 1%.
Fresh potatoes
Last one-month price change: 2.9% decrease
Potatoes are an affordable staple of many people’s diets. So, a price decrease here is welcome.
Pork
Last one-month price change: 3.5% decrease for pork chops; 2.3% decrease for other pork, which includes roasts, steaks and ribs
Meat lovers, rejoice! Everything from pork chops to a slab of ribs is now a bit less expensive.
Even in the best of times, meat is not cheap, though. For more on reducing meat consumption — and its impact on your wallet — read “8 Easy Ways to Cut Back on Meat.”
Frankfurters
Last one-month price change: 3.5% decrease
Baseball season is around the corner, so the price of frankfurters is dropping just in the nick of time for this spring and summer treat.
Fresh lettuce
Last one-month price change: 3.6% decrease
Not only are salads good for your health, but they should be less expensive now, thanks to falling lettuce prices.
Lettuce salad — and leafy greens in general — are among the “9 Foods That Might Help Fight Off Dementia.”
Fresh tomatoes
Last one-month price change: 7.7% decrease
Tomatoes saw the biggest price decline of any grocery item in January — and by a large margin.
For more on reducing your grocery bill, check out “How to Beat High Food Costs at ‘Salvage’ Grocery Stores.”