food prices

Ahead of Super Bowl, Chicken Wing Prices Hit Record Highs

The National Chicken Council has released its projections for chicken-wing consumption on Super Bowl weekend, a staggering 1.23 billion wings. But it's the cost of the appetizer that's the real story: Wholesale chicken wings are now more expensive than they've ever been.

U.S. Consumer Price Index Unchanged in December

Lower gas costs offset more expensive food and higher rents to keep a measure of U.S. consumer prices flat last month. The Labor Department said Wednesday that food prices increased 0.2 percent in December from November. Rents and airline fares also rose. Gasoline prices fell a seasonally adjusted 2.3 percent.

Falling Food, Gas Costs Push U.S. Wholesale Prices Lower Again

U.S. wholesale prices fell for the third month in a row in December, propelled by falling food and gas costs. The drop is the latest evidence inflation is tame, which means consumers have more money to spend. Low inflation also gives the Federal Reserve more freedom to keep interest rates low.

Cheaper Gas Lowers U.S. Consumer Prices 0.3%

The seasonally adjusted consumer price index dropped 0.3 percent in November from October, the Labor Department said Friday. Gas prices fell 7.4 percent, the steepest drop in nearly four years. That offset a 0.2 percent rise in food prices.

CPI Up 0.1% as Rent and Food Costs Rise, Gas Prices Fall

Rising food costs and higher rents offset a drop in gas prices last month, leaving consumer inflation all but flat in October. The consumer price index rose a seasonally adjusted 0.1 percent, after sharp 0.6 percent gains in the previous two months driven by a spike in gas prices that has since receded.

Eat and Grow Rich: How you Can Become a Vegillionaire!

There are roughly 3 million millionaires in the U.S., and nearly everyone else has a plan to become the next one. But there are about 3% of Americans who may not even realize that they're already on the path to prosperity. What's giving their savings scenarios a leg up? They're vegetarians.

Higher Gas Costs in August Push Consumer Price Index Higher

More expensive gas drove up consumer prices in August by the most in three years. But outside of energy costs, inflation was tame. The CPI rose a seasonally adjusted 0.6% last month, the first increase since March and higher gas prices accounted for 80% of the increase.

Why Our Catastrophic Drought Won't Bankrupt U.S. Farmers

If you've been worried that this year's drought will put farmers out of business and leave Americans short of the staple crops they need to survive, relax. In its latest farm income forecast, the Department of Agriculture is reporting that U.S. farmers will make more money in 2012 than ever before, even as the country is facing its worst drought in 50 years. Here's how:

Falling Gas Keeps U.S. Consumer Prices Flat in June

U.S. consumer prices were flat in June as the cost of gasoline dropped, offering some relief for cash-strapped Americans and scope for the Federal Reserve to ease monetary policy further to help the faltering recovery.

Your Summer Forecast: High Temperatures, Higher Food Prices

That unrelenting sun that's been scorching your lawn and straining your air conditioner? It's about to send your grocery bill soaring too. Record-breaking heat and reduced rainfall are wreaking havoc on the corn crop -- and corn goes into practically everything we eat.

8 Easy Ways to Slash Your Food Bills by $2,000 or More

Odds are you overpay for food much more often than you realize, and that can add up to thousands of dollars of wasted money over the course of a year. Check out these overpriced edibles, and how you could save a bundle on them.

Better Inflation Gauge Shows Why Inflation's Much Worse

One of the biggest threats to your financial health is inflation, which destroys the value of your money. Now, according to the Consumer Price Index, inflation is fairly tame. But if that doesn't reflect your economic reality, the people who created the Everyday Price Index think they know why.

After Grocery Prices Surge, Is Home Cooking Still a Bargain?

Everybody knows the basic rules for saving money on food. Don't eat out. Ditch the steaks in favor of ground beef. Stick to staples. But a recent USDA report shows that, in 2011, some classic money-saving guidelines proved useless as food prices went through the roof.

Your Starbucks Fix Is About to Cost More

If your New Year's resolution was to pinch more pennies, Starbucks has some bad news. The coffee king is raising prices due to rising costs of coffee and milk. And they aren't the only restaurant chain getting ready to pass higher expenses on to their customers.

Consumer Prices Were Unchanged in November

Consumer prices stayed flat in November, further evidence that inflation has cooled off. Energy costs dropped for the second straight month, which offset higher prices that Americans paid for food, clothes and medical services. The consumer price index was unchanged in November, the Labor Department said Friday. That followed a 0.1 percent decrease in October.

Thanksgiving Dinner's Pricetag Rises 13 Percent

Nothing is sacred when it comes to the whims of the global economy -- not even your holiday bird. The cost of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner -- turkey, stuffing, cranberries, pumpkin pie and all the trimmings -- will increase about 13% this year, the biggest jump since 1990.

The Middle-Class Squeeze: Falling Wealth, Rising Costs

It's no secret that many middle-class families are in a financial bind, caught between rising costs and falling incomes. But according to recent government reports, the middle-class squeeze is not a recent development, and isn't likely to disappear anytime soon.

Food and Gas Cost More in September

Consumers paid more for food and gas last month, although inflation outside those volatile categories was tame. The Labor Department says the Consumer Price Index rose 0.3% in September, below August's 0.4% rise. Excluding food and energy, so-called core prices increased 0.1%, the smallest rise since March.

Why Beef Is So Pricey -- and How to Pay Less

Beef prices have bulked up so much that thieves are starting to steal it. Consumers might feel like they're getting robbed, too, at the checkout stands. Several factors -- including high cattle feed prices -- mean the prices could continue to climb. Here's how to spend less cash on cows.

Chipotle's Growth Plan May Fall Prey to High Food Costs

While Chipotle's fresh Mexican fare has many fans in the U.S., the company has also been adding new restaurants in Europe and is looking at further expansion worldwide. It reported impressive first quarter numbers -- but will higher food costs put the brakes on its expansion plans?

Rising Food Costs Will Eat Into McDonald's Profits

McDonald's expects food costs to rise between 4% and 4.5% in the U.S. and Europe this year, which puts the fast food leader between a rock and a hard place: Leave prices the same, and profit margins suffer. Raise them, and cash-strapped customers may start foregoing their Big Macs.