Price of beef and tomatoes hit record high as Americans struggle with rapid price increases on everyday goods

Through no fault of its own, the beefsteak tomato may have the most unfortunate name of the summer.

Beef and tomato prices are soaring, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ April inflation report, likely leaving many consumers wondering if burgers with all the fixings are the best choice for summer barbecues.

The inflation report provides price movements for certain grocery and everyday items based on month-to-month and year-on-year comparisons.

And while beef prices have risen by double digits year on year, they aren’t even close to the increase tomatoes have seen.

Beef gets bougie

Beef prices are 14.8 percent higher year-on-year. Ground beef is 14.5 percent higher – it’s $6.90 per pound, on average, according to the Federal Reserve.

One year ago, a pound of ground beef was $5.80.

While the Iran war has contributed to higher prices – the diesel fuel needed to transport beef is around 48 percent higher than it was last year, Yahoo Finance reported – other factors are involved.

Limited supply has led to pricier beef. In February, the U.S. cattle supply reached its lowest point since the early 1950s, Texas-based bulk beef producer Circle J Meat Co. wrote.

The re-emergence of a dangerous pest, the New World screwworm, has contributed to higher prices, too. The worm threatens cattle populations across the globe, according to data from the federal Farm Bureau. The U.S. had to order a one-day stop to cattle imports from Mexico because of the screwworm threat.

Barbecue alternatives for beef

While there’s nothing that quite replaces the flavor and texture of beef, there are alternatives that can cut down on the cost of a backyard burger bash, said Christine Pittman, CEO of recipe site COOKtheSTORY.

Pittman recommends cutting beef with other ingredients. For example, ground beef can be cut with sautéed mushrooms. A half-and-half mix is surprisingly good, Pittman said.

“They have a lot of umami and great meaty flavor and texture, sometimes you can’t even really tell they’re in there, so you use half as much sautéed mushrooms as ground beef,” she told The Independent in an email.

Towering tomato prices

Month-on-month, tomatoes cost 15 percent more in April than they did in March, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Tomato prices have jumped 40 percent since April 2025, transforming it from an affordable option for salads and burgers to a far pricier addition in those dishes.

A pound of field-grown tomatoes cost an average of $2.89 in April, according to the Federal Reserve – $1.10 more than a year earlier.

Tomato prices have risen because of supply issues. Freezing temperatures in Florida, disease, and heavy rains in Mexico, and darker-than-normal winter months in Canada have diminished the tomato harvest, according to the fresh produce industry publication The Packer. The estimated losses in Florida alone as high as 80 percent.

High diesel prices due to the war in Iran are also contributing to the skyrocketing costs.

Tomato alternatives

While there’s no spot-on match for tomatoes, Jessica Randhawa, founder of family-friendly recipe site The Forked Spoon, said red peppers can be a solid alternative.

“Red bell peppers can add a similar sweetness and body to tomatoes in soups, sauces and stews,” she told The Independent in an email.

Bell peppers are missing the acidity that tomatoes provide – a splash of lemon juice or vinegar can suffice, Randhawa recommended.

Milk madness

The price of milk rose 1.6 percent from March to April, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A gallon of whole milk was up 2.9 percent month-on-month – it averaged $4.14 in April, up around six cents compared to a year before, according to the Federal Reserve.

The average price of whole milk reached $4.01 in April 2022, marking the first time it had surged past $4 a gallon in the 39-year history of the Fed tracking its price.

The dynamics behind milk’s high prices are complicated. Milk production has been booming over the past two years, which normally means prices go down since supply is plentiful.

However, foreign demand for U.S. milk and a consumer push to buy protein-heavy foods like yogurt have boosted demand and, in part, raised prices, noted the industry publication Dairy Herd Management.

Eggs are an exception

For the longest time during the pandemic, eggs were the poster child of inflation. Their price rose from $1.53 per dozen of large Grade A eggs in March 2020 to a record $6.23 in March 2025 – that’s more than a 400 percent increase.

While inflation played a part in eggs becoming so expensive, disease was the driver – a strain of bird flu killed some 20 million egg-laying chickens in 2024, according to the University of Nebraska’s Global Center for Health Security department.

Yet since reaching their highest point just over a year ago, egg prices have plummeted to $2.25 in April, thanks, in part, to fewer chickens dying from bird flu, the Farm Bureau noted.