Eggs, strawberries, and other groceries that dropped in price in May
Lizardflms // Shutterstock
Eggs, strawberries, and other groceries that dropped in price in May
Person shopping at the grocery store with cart
Grocery shoppers felt a slight reprieve this spring as grocery prices finally fell, after a run of increases spanning back to September 2020.
Grocery prices remained relatively unchanged in May at a 0.1% increase, following two consecutive months of decreases, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. It certainly didn’t undo the two years of historically high inflation, and prices were still up 5.8% from May 2022. But urban prices have fallen in many grocery categories, including eggs, meats, vegetables, grains, and dairy products.
Many factors have contributed to past surges in pricing, including producers’ increased cost to package goods, extreme weather conditions that destroyed crops, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the lasting effects of COVID-19.
While costs remain high overall, the decreases mean dollars can stretch a bit farther at the grocery store. Stacker used monthly Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the grocery items that experienced the largest price decreases in May, using year-over-year changes as a tiebreaker where needed. Stacker excluded some hyper-specific meat categories in order to better understand grocery price fluctuations more broadly.
You may also like: States with the largest unionized workforces
Canva
#12. Spaghetti and macaroni (per lb.)
Dried macaroni noodles.
– One-month decrease in cost: -0.2%
– Annual change in cost: +12.9%
– May 2023 cost: $1.46
pkajak201 // Shutterstock
#11. Chocolate chip cookies (per lb.)
A plastic clear container of chocolate chip cookies.
– One-month decrease in cost: -0.8%
– Annual change in cost: +14.4%
– May 2023 cost: $5.15
You may also like: Most popular grocery stores in America
Canva
#10. Bananas (per lb.)
Bananas in a pile.
– One-month decrease in cost: -1.1%
– Annual change in cost: -2.2%
– May 2023 cost: $0.63
Canva
#9. Navel oranges (per lb.)
Baskets of naval oranges.
– One-month decrease in cost: -1.2%
– Annual change in cost: -2.2%
– May 2023 cost: $1.51
Stefan Malloch // Shutterstock
#8. Cheddar cheese, natural (per lb.)
Grocery shelves stocked with various cheeses.
– One-month decrease in cost: -1.7%
– Annual change in cost: +3.5%
– May 2023 cost: $5.84
Canva
#7. White bread (per lb.)
A loaf of sliced white bread on a cutting board.
– One-month decrease in cost: -1.9%
– Annual change in cost: +21.5%
– May 2023 cost: $1.95
Sheila Fitzgerald // Shutterstock
#6. Whole wheat bread (per lb.)
A grocery store shelf filled with various brands of bread.
– One-month decrease in cost: -2%
– Annual change in cost: +12.7%
– May 2023 cost: $2.50
MM Stock // Shutterstock
#5. Ice cream, prepackaged in bulk (per 1/2 gal.)
The ice cream aisle at the grocery store.
– One-month decrease in cost: -2.4%
– Annual change in cost: +8.5%
– May 2023 cost: $5.81
Angie Yeoh // Shutterstock
#4. Potato chips (per 16 oz.)
A full aisle of various chips at the grocery store.
– One-month decrease in cost: -2.6%
– Annual change in cost: +14.9%
– May 2023 cost: $6.45
You may also like: States where food stamps are used the most
Canva
#3. Tomatoes (per lb.)
Bright red tomatoes with green tops.
– One-month decrease in cost: -4.1%
– Annual change in cost: -1.2%
– May 2023 cost: $1.80
Dusan Petkovic // Shutterstock
#2. Strawberries (per 12 oz.)
Strawberries arranged in pint baskets ready for sale.
– One-month decrease in cost: -7.8%
– Annual change in cost: +9.4%
– May 2023 cost: $2.67
Canva
#1. Eggs (per doz.)
Closeup of white eggs in a carton.
– One-month decrease in cost: -18.5%
– Annual change in cost: -6.9%
– May 2023 cost: $2.67
