Not every price in the grocery cart moved the same way last month. Tomatoes climbed, whole chicken slipped and a dozen eggs landed at $2.32, according to the latest average-price table from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The figures below are U.S. city averages for October 2026 from the BLS average retail food and energy prices table, published with BLS’s October 2026 consumer price index data, which was released Nov. 10. Each percent change compares October with the previous reading in the table, which is September 2026, because BLS did not collect October 2025 data.
1. Eggs: $2.320 a Dozen
A dozen grade A large eggs averaged $2.320 in October, up 2.1 percent from September, per BLS. The USDA’s Economic Research Service reports that egg prices were still 20.6 percent lower in September 2026 than a year earlier. It credits a recovery in egg production after several years of flock losses.
Frenzhub’s list of things that are actually getting cheaper makes a good companion to that trend.
2. Milk: $4.101 a Gallon
A gallon of whole milk averaged $4.101, down 0.1 percent, which is about as flat as a price can be. Dairy is one of the grocery groups ERS expects to finish 2026 cheaper than 2025, in its October food price outlook.
3. White Bread: $1.861 a Pound
White pan bread averaged $1.861 a pound, up 1.7 percent from $1.830 in September. ERS expects cereal and bakery prices to grow more slowly in 2026 than their 20-year average, so bread is not among the categories pushing the grocery bill upward.
4. Whole Chicken: $2.026 a Pound
A fresh whole chicken was the cheapest protein on the list at $2.026 a pound, down 1.8 percent from $2.064. ERS says poultry prices rose 0.4 percent from August to September and were 1.1 percent above a year earlier, with a 1.2 percent increase forecast for 2026. Craftingyourhome.com’s piece on money habits is a related read.
5. Sliced Bacon: $6.686 a Pound
Sliced bacon averaged $6.686 a pound, down 1.0 percent from $6.756. At that price a typical 12-ounce package would come to about $5, though brand and store make that number swing widely. ERS reports that pork prices were unchanged from August to September and 0.7 percent below a year earlier, and forecasts a 1.0 percent rise for 2026.
6. Ground Beef: $6.755 a Pound
All-beef ground beef averaged $6.755 a pound, down 0.5 percent from $6.792. The one-month dip does not change the bigger picture. ERS says beef and veal prices were 3.5 percent higher in September than a year earlier, and it forecasts an 8.7 percent increase for 2026.
7. Tomatoes: $2.084 a Pound
Field-grown tomatoes were the biggest mover on the list. They averaged $2.084 a pound, up 4.6 percent from $1.992 in September. ERS forecasts fresh vegetable prices to rise 5.8 percent in 2026 and says they were up 2.8 percent in September from a year earlier. Craftingyourhome.com’s list of things smart shoppers never buy at a dollar store is a related read on shopping.
8. White Potatoes: $0.990 a Pound
White potatoes stayed under a dollar a pound at $0.990, up 0.1 percent from $0.989. They were the steadiest item of the eight, and a 5-pound bag works out to about $5 at that average.
The Eight Prices Together, and a Reality Check
The mix is uneven. Four of the eight rose from September: eggs, bread, tomatoes and potatoes. Four slipped: milk, chicken, bacon and ground beef. None of the moves was bigger than 5 percent.
The wider food picture is calmer than a few years ago. ERS said in its Oct. 23 update that food prices in September were 2.5 percent higher than a year earlier, with grocery-store prices up 1.8 percent. BLS’s October consumer price report said the food at home index rose 0.4 percent for the month. For the full year, ERS forecasts food-at-home prices to rise 2.3 percent in 2026.
Frenzhub’s page of wallet-friendly life hacks and its guide to frugal living pair well with a price list like this, and craftingyourhome.com’s list of everyday expenses that quietly drain a budget is worth a look before the holiday shopping starts.
The USDA Economic Research Service update dated Oct. 23, 2026, adds a few more comparisons. It says food away from home was 3.5 percent higher in September than a year earlier, outpacing the 1.8 percent rise at grocery stores. For eggs, the agency forecasts a 29.3 percent decrease in 2026 and says USDA projects egg production will rise above 2025 levels, while for dairy it forecasts a 0.4 percent decline.
These are national averages, not shelf tags. Prices in a given store depend on region, brand, package size and sales, and BLS’s West region figures differ from the U.S. average for several items.
Still, the table gives a household a baseline. A cart with a dozen eggs, a gallon of milk, a pound of bread, a pound of whole chicken, a pound of bacon, a pound of ground beef, a pound of tomatoes and a pound of potatoes would have averaged about $26.80 in October. A store that charges much more on several of these is worth comparing against its rivals.
This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
Image: Tessa Bury – CC BY 4.0/Wikimedia Commons
