This post is part of a series chronicling news coverage of rising prices in the United States. See more here.
Houston, Texas' KPRC 2 News: “Another painful inflation wave is headed for the grocery store”
KPRC Reporter: Higher food prices are “expected to intensify even more come this fall, around November”
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Citation
From a May 28, 2026, video uploaded to the YouTube channel of KPRC 2
DANIELLA VUZMAN (CO-ANCHOR): Well, as Americans confront a surge in prices at the pump, another painful inflation wave is headed for the grocery store.
SOFIA OJEDA (CO-ANCHOR): Yeah, a combination of factors including the war, bad weather, international tariffs, and dwindling cattle herds already pushing up grocery prices. KPRC 2 News reporter Bill Spencer is here to bring us the latest on things that are coming price-wise and what you can actually do about this bill.
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BILL SPENCER (REPORTER): In April, food prices at the grocery store rose by the most they have in 4 long years, and the hit to all of us price-wise is expected to intensify even more come this fall, around November.
Let's look at the numbers right now. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, food prices overall have jumped 3.2% over just the last 12 months. Now, part of this is being blamed on harsh weather across the country, affecting farmers in the form of record breaking heat, historic cold, and wildfires. Add to that the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, and farmers have been having trouble getting fertilizer for their crops.
MOHAMMAD ELAHEE (QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY ECONOMIST): Many farmers could not get the fertilizers at the most crucial period of the year, and these are all going to have some negative impact.
SPENCER: OK, so what can you do about any of this right now? Well, here are some solid moves you can make at the grocery store. Whenever possible, of course, buy store brands like HEB and Kroger over the big name brand products when buying things like spaghetti, bread, ice cream, and sauces and soup. Also buy larger portions of each product, you know that you're going to save money that way. That's always cheaper. And look for loss leader sale items. So, those are at the grocery store, usually at the end of the aisle, and then plan your meals around those items. Those items are on sale. Don't just go to the store with a menu in mind and start buying everything. Plan out your meal before you go to the grocery store — I mean, go to the grocery store first, see what's on sale, and then plan out your menu. That's a smarter way to go.
Economists are saying that the impact of the Iran war and a potential El Niño weather pattern will only add to this rise in food prices, that's again, expected to intensify in the months ahead.