According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for food at home are 274.27% higher in 2024 versus 1979 (a $54.85 difference in value).
Between 1979 and 2024: Food at home experienced an average inflation rate of 2.98% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, food at home costing $20 in the year 1979 would cost $74.85 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.30% during this same period, inflation for food at home was lower.
In the year 1979: Pricing changed by 10.81%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for food at home during the 1979-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1979 (11.26%), inflation for food at home was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Food at home, over time, for $20 beginning in 1979. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | $20.00 | 10.81% |
| 1980 | $21.60 | 8.00% |
| 1981 | $23.18 | 7.30% |
| 1982 | $23.98 | 3.45% |
| 1983 | $24.23 | 1.06% |
| 1984 | $25.13 | 3.70% |
| 1985 | $25.49 | 1.44% |
| 1986 | $26.22 | 2.86% |
| 1987 | $27.35 | 4.32% |
| 1988 | $28.49 | 4.17% |
| 1989 | $30.36 | 6.57% |
| 1990 | $32.34 | 6.53% |
| 1991 | $33.21 | 2.66% |
| 1992 | $33.45 | 0.72% |
| 1993 | $34.24 | 2.37% |
| 1994 | $35.22 | 2.87% |
| 1995 | $36.36 | 3.24% |
| 1996 | $37.72 | 3.73% |
| 1997 | $38.66 | 2.49% |
| 1998 | $39.39 | 1.89% |
| 1999 | $40.14 | 1.91% |
| 2000 | $41.04 | 2.24% |
| 2001 | $42.38 | 3.27% |
| 2002 | $42.93 | 1.30% |
| 2003 | $43.85 | 2.15% |
| 2004 | $45.51 | 3.79% |
| 2005 | $46.39 | 1.93% |
| 2006 | $47.21 | 1.76% |
| 2007 | $49.19 | 4.21% |
| 2008 | $52.34 | 6.40% |
| 2009 | $52.59 | 0.47% |
| 2010 | $52.76 | 0.33% |
| 2011 | $55.30 | 4.80% |
| 2012 | $56.66 | 2.46% |
| 2013 | $57.17 | 0.90% |
| 2014 | $58.54 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $59.22 | 1.17% |
| 2016 | $58.44 | -1.31% |
| 2017 | $58.32 | -0.20% |
| 2018 | $58.59 | 0.45% |
| 2019 | $59.10 | 0.88% |
| 2020 | $61.17 | 3.50% |
| 2021 | $63.29 | 3.46% |
| 2022 | $70.51 | 11.42% |
| 2023 | $74.05 | 5.02% |
| 2024 | $74.85 | 1.08%* |
* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.
Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Food at home:
| Year | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| CPI | 25.838 | 28.000 | 26.900 | 27.254 | 30.308 | 30.862 | 30.285 | 30.123 | 29.508 | 29.677 | 30.638 | 31.977 | 31.208 | 31.492 | 31.762 | 31.985 | 32.385 | 32.769 | 33.515 | 35.238 | 35.115 | 36.254 | 38.023 | 39.923 | 40.892 | 42.708 | 49.669 | 57.046 | 61.754 | 63.062 | 66.800 | 73.831 | 81.815 | 88.362 | 94.815 | 98.085 | 99.123 | 102.792 | 104.269 | 107.254 | 111.885 | 116.554 | 124.208 | 132.315 | 135.838 | 136.823 | 140.062 | 144.085 | 148.754 | 154.300 | 158.138 | 161.131 | 164.208 | 167.885 | 173.369 | 175.615 | 179.392 | 186.185 | 189.777 | 193.115 | 201.245 | 214.125 | 215.124 | 215.836 | 226.201 | 231.774 | 233.869 | 239.456 | 242.250 | 239.065 | 238.589 | 239.661 | 241.775 | 250.233 | 258.892 | 288.451 | 302.929 | 306.208 |