According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for food are 1,925.01% higher in 2026 versus 1944 (a $385 difference in value).
Between 1944 and 2026:Food experienced an average inflation rate of 3.74% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, food costing $20 in the year 1944 would cost $405 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.62% during this same period, inflation for food was higher.
In the year 1944: Pricing changed by -1.32%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for food during the 1944-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1944 (1.64%), inflation for food was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Food, over time, for $20 beginning in 1944. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1944 | $20.00 | -1.32% |
| 1945 | $20.45 | 2.27% |
| 1946 | $23.49 | 14.82% |
| 1947 | $28.51 | 21.40% |
| 1948 | $30.91 | 8.42% |
| 1949 | $29.71 | -3.90% |
| 1950 | $30.09 | 1.30% |
| 1951 | $33.45 | 11.16% |
| 1952 | $34.04 | 1.77% |
| 1953 | $33.50 | -1.60% |
| 1954 | $33.47 | -0.09% |
| 1955 | $32.97 | -1.50% |
| 1956 | $33.21 | 0.75% |
| 1957 | $34.28 | 3.21% |
| 1958 | $35.75 | 4.29% |
| 1959 | $35.15 | -1.69% |
| 1960 | $35.58 | 1.21% |
| 1961 | $35.98 | 1.14% |
| 1962 | $36.31 | 0.91% |
| 1963 | $36.82 | 1.41% |
| 1964 | $37.30 | 1.31% |
| 1965 | $38.13 | 2.22% |
| 1966 | $40.07 | 5.08% |
| 1967 | $40.37 | 0.74% |
| 1968 | $41.83 | 3.62% |
| 1969 | $43.98 | 5.15% |
| 1970 | $46.46 | 5.64% |
| 1971 | $47.82 | 2.93% |
| 1972 | $49.89 | 4.32% |
| 1973 | $57.10 | 14.45% |
| 1974 | $65.32 | 14.41% |
| 1975 | $70.86 | 8.48% |
| 1976 | $73.05 | 3.08% |
| 1977 | $77.65 | 6.30% |
| 1978 | $85.40 | 9.98% |
| 1979 | $94.72 | 10.91% |
| 1980 | $102.84 | 8.58% |
| 1981 | $110.88 | 7.82% |
| 1982 | $115.38 | 4.05% |
| 1983 | $117.82 | 2.11% |
| 1984 | $122.35 | 3.85% |
| 1985 | $125.12 | 2.26% |
| 1986 | $129.12 | 3.20% |
| 1987 | $134.50 | 4.17% |
| 1988 | $140.06 | 4.13% |
| 1989 | $148.24 | 5.84% |
| 1990 | $156.88 | 5.83% |
| 1991 | $161.48 | 2.93% |
| 1992 | $163.43 | 1.20% |
| 1993 | $166.94 | 2.15% |
| 1994 | $170.99 | 2.43% |
| 1995 | $175.90 | 2.87% |
| 1996 | $181.67 | 3.28% |
| 1997 | $186.40 | 2.60% |
| 1998 | $190.44 | 2.17% |
| 1999 | $194.49 | 2.13% |
| 2000 | $198.89 | 2.26% |
| 2001 | $205.14 | 3.14% |
| 2002 | $208.85 | 1.81% |
| 2003 | $213.30 | 2.13% |
| 2004 | $220.65 | 3.44% |
| 2005 | $226.04 | 2.44% |
| 2006 | $231.32 | 2.33% |
| 2007 | $240.49 | 3.97% |
| 2008 | $253.76 | 5.51% |
| 2009 | $258.32 | 1.80% |
| 2010 | $260.30 | 0.77% |
| 2011 | $270.03 | 3.74% |
| 2012 | $277.07 | 2.61% |
| 2013 | $280.93 | 1.39% |
| 2014 | $287.67 | 2.40% |
| 2015 | $293.02 | 1.86% |
| 2016 | $293.84 | 0.28% |
| 2017 | $296.37 | 0.86% |
| 2018 | $300.51 | 1.40% |
| 2019 | $306.15 | 1.88% |
| 2020 | $316.70 | 3.45% |
| 2021 | $329.19 | 3.94% |
| 2022 | $361.94 | 9.95% |
| 2023 | $382.77 | 5.76% |
| 2024 | $391.42 | 2.26% |
| 2025 | $402.24 | 2.76% |
| 2026 | $405.00 | 0.69%* |
* 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:
| Year | 1913 | 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 | 1919 | 1920 | 1921 | 1922 | 1923 | 1924 | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929 | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 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 | 2025 | 2026 |
| CPI | 9.917 | 10.150 | 10.058 | 11.275 | 14.508 | 16.700 | 18.575 | 20.975 | 15.900 | 14.892 | 15.383 | 15.233 | 16.500 | 17.050 | 16.433 | 16.242 | 16.450 | 15.650 | 12.900 | 10.725 | 10.417 | 11.608 | 12.458 | 12.567 | 13.083 | 12.142 | 11.825 | 11.983 | 13.075 | 15.383 | 17.100 | 16.875 | 17.258 | 19.817 | 24.058 | 26.083 | 25.067 | 25.392 | 28.225 | 28.725 | 28.267 | 28.242 | 27.817 | 28.025 | 28.925 | 30.167 | 29.658 | 30.017 | 30.358 | 30.633 | 31.067 | 31.475 | 32.175 | 33.808 | 34.058 | 35.292 | 37.108 | 39.200 | 40.350 | 42.092 | 48.175 | 55.117 | 59.792 | 61.633 | 65.517 | 72.058 | 79.917 | 86.775 | 93.558 | 97.350 | 99.408 | 103.233 | 105.567 | 108.942 | 113.483 | 118.175 | 125.075 | 132.367 | 136.250 | 137.892 | 140.858 | 144.275 | 148.417 | 153.283 | 157.275 | 160.683 | 164.100 | 167.817 | 173.083 | 176.217 | 179.975 | 186.175 | 190.725 | 195.175 | 202.916 | 214.106 | 217.955 | 219.625 | 227.841 | 233.777 | 237.037 | 242.725 | 247.235 | 247.931 | 250.065 | 253.558 | 258.316 | 267.219 | 277.756 | 305.388 | 322.965 | 330.263 | 339.386 | 341.721 |