John Schweitzer, a manager for Susan Gage Caterers, moved from Asheville, N.C., to Hyattsville in September 2024, drawn by a bigger paycheck. But he said grocery shopping has now become a balancing act as he manages his budget.
When he started his job in Hyattsville, Schweitzer, 66, said grocery shopping was more affordable. But prices kept rising. He said he used to budget about $25 a day for food and “a few essential items.” Now, he noted, “that’s probably heading more towards $35 to $45, so there’s definitely been an increase.”
To adapt to rising prices, Schweitzer said he has become a diligent shopper, looking for more sales. “I look for them on a daily basis,” he said. “I will usually go through the whole store, see what’s on sale … rather than just go in and choose what I want.”
Adjusting his meals based on discounts is challenging. “It’ll change from day to day. I may not want to make hummus, but the ingredients are on sale, so let’s make hummus.” Schweitzer isn’t the only one making adjustments. Several Hyattsville residents shopping for groceries in September told the Life & Times that they are changing their shopping patterns as food prices increase on staples such as meat, eggs, milk, bananas and coffee. Some said they are splitting trips between stores, hunting for sales and adjusting purchases based on affordability.
David Smith, 32, a data scientist who lives in Hyattsville, said he’s noticed prices rise on meats and coffee. “It’s definitely impacted how I’ve purchased things, looking for more sales, shifting a little bit — and what I buy based on what’s on sale,” he said.
Kaylene Riemen, 54, a communications director for KSM, an advisory, tax and audit firm, said she also has been rethinking the way she shops for groceries, especially for meat.
Riemen said she splits up her shopping to better manage her budget — basic goods from Trader Joe’s because they’re more affordable and specialty items from Whole Foods.
Nyabonyi Kazungu, 73, a Hyattsville resident and retired journalist, said the rising prices have changed what she buys. “I buy onions, tomatoes, chicken, beef and sometimes sausage.” But, she said, “all those prices have been going up in a crazy way.” The rising prices could be attributed in part to supply shortages from tariff hikes and droughts, and slow production recoveries from the pandemic, said James MacDonald, a research professor in the University of Maryland Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, grocery store prices have been climbing steadily for several years — at least since 2021. Though the pace of increases has slowed since the pandemic years, prices remain high and continue to rise.
From August 2024 through August 2025, the national average of the cost of ground beef rose by 12.8%, while chicken increased by 2.8% — largely due to smaller cattle herds and higher feed costs, MacDonald said. Eggs, affected by outbreaks of avian influenza, jumped 10.9% year-over-year, he said. Coffee increased 20.9%, which results, according to MacDonald, from global supply disruptions and the impact of higher import tariffs.
Other items also saw changes. Banana prices rose 6.6%, milk increased 1.7% and bread increased 1.5% on average, compared to the same time last year.
Month-to-month changes from July to August of this year were more subtle. Coffee rose 3.1%, beef increased 2.3% and bananas 2.1%. Chicken prices rose less than a quarter of a percent.
Some prices leveled off or slightly declined. Bread, milk and eggs saw drops in prices of less than half a percent.
Shifting prices for beef and eggs are tied to supply and policy issues, MacDonald said. He said many of the recent changes are tied to supply shortages and slow recoveries in production from the pandemic and droughts. Beef prices have risen sharply because ranchers reduced their herds during tough times, according to MacDonald.
“Beef prices have risen dramatically and will likely keep rising,” he said. “Ranchers lost a lot of money over 2020 to 2022 and cut back on cow herds, which eventually means fewer cattle. Unlike eggs or chickens, those adjustments take a long time to happen.”
MacDonald added that the southern border closure in July to Mexican cattle imports, resulting from New World screwworm infestations, has cut U.S. supplies further. “That closure reduced beef supplies by 5%. It will take a long time to rebuild herds, so the consequence is sharply rising beef prices for now and the foreseeable future,” he explained.
Eggs remain volatile for different reasons. Avian influenza has cut flocks nationally, pushing prices higher, though short-term declines can happen as production rebounds, MacDonald said. “Retail egg prices are up 11% in August [2025] over August [2024], but actually declining in August over July,” he noted.
Other staples, like coffee and bananas, are pressured by import costs, MacDonald said. Global supply disruptions have contributed to increases, including coffee’s 20.9% rise over the past year.
Prices on staples at Giant Food and Aldi stores in Hyattsville on Sept. 26 showed some differences from grocer to grocer:
Item Giant Food ALDI 80% lean ground beef $5.49 (per pound) $5.49 (per pound) White eggs (dozen large) $3.69 $2.59 Whole milk (gallon) $3.99 $2.95 Coffee $15.49 (27.5 ounces) $10.95 (30.5 ounces)
Catering manager Schweitzer said people need to educate themselves to better respond to financial challenges.
“I don’t think that appealing to the government … is the answer,” he said. “I think it’s more about education, and empowering yourself with knowledge.”
Ryan Ross is a graduate journalism student at the University of Maryland.