If you're spending the day grilling this Labor Day, the family barbecue is going to cost you more.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, food at home is up over 3% this year. The company Pattern broke down which Labor Day food items are seeing the biggest increase.
The list includes mayo, with a 16% increase in price over the past year, potato chips, soda and ketchup.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says beef is now over $5 a pound, compared to $4.64 in January. The cost of pork is also up. It's an issue Adriana Zapata, owner of Cocina Adamex has been dealing with this past year.
"Carnitas, which is a pork meat, got to a point where we couldn't sustain it. The price wouldn't be comparable to our other prices where it would stand out too much and then I don't think that would be fair to our customers," she said. "Other items, you just find a substitute for a while, like produce. Maybe we use cabbage, instead of lettuce."
Bankrate has some tips to save at the grocery store:
- Stick with generic brands, because many are manufactured in the same facilities as your favorite name-brand products.
- Consider swapping your meat choice. Ground chicken or turkey may come at a lower price than beef.
- Buy in bulk when you see a good deal and freeze the extras.
- Take advantage of curbside pickup, so you get exactly what you need and don't overspend while shopping in the store.