Why ‘What’s for Dinner?’ Is Harder than Ever

Food prices up 26% in five years combined with flat real wages are reshaping how — and whether — American families cook dinner.

• Food inflation persists: Grocery prices are about 26% higher than five years ago, and WSJ's Jesse Newman says prices "almost never come back down" absent an economic shock.
• Wages lag prices: Real wages fell 0.3% over the past year and barely grew in 2025, so food eats a bigger share of household budgets.

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