CPI, food
CPI, food is up 2.9% from a year ago and has held roughly steady over the last 3 months. That is in its normal range: higher than 58% of readings since 2006.
Latest (vs. a year ago)
2.9%
As of
Oct 2026
3-month change
−0.05 % pts
1-year change
−0.22 % pts
20-year percentile
58th
20-year median
2.4%
What it is. Grocery and restaurant prices. A higher reading means more inflation pressure in the Inflation reading. Shown as the change from a year earlier.
What it affects next
It is close to normal and not moving much, so there is no ripple to trace right now.
What is driving it
None of its tested drivers is moving much right now.
All tested links
Food is a component of CPI. Typical lag: same month. Strongest match in the same period (correlation 0.69, 369 observations since 1996).
Source: BLS via FRED (series CPIUFDSL).