Super Bowl snacks cost more this year, thanks to inflation

Cost of Super Bowl food

Super Bowl Sunday is just about here. While it’s a day for football, it’s also a day for food. If you’re hosting a party, inflation may throw a penalty flag as it relates to your wallet.

MCLEAN, Va. - Inflation rates are sky-high.

According to the U.S. Labor Department, consumer prices jumped 7.5% last month – climbing to a four-decade high. With Super Bowl Sunday right around the corner, inflation could end up throwing a penalty flag if you're purchasing food for a Super Bowl shindig.

The National Retail Federation says the average American will spend nearly $79 on the big game – mostly on food. That’s about three-and-a-half bucks higher than last year.

But food prices are higher, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS). Pam Ballard is a McLean resident who says she’s been trying to save money by shopping around.

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"I go to different stores to try and get things that are on sale," she said. "[I] try and save that way."

BLS says poultry costs 10% more than it did last year. Bakery items are up about 7%, while beef and veal have reached a 16% increase.

David Bieri is a Virginia Tech Professor who says food prices, Super Bowl foods or not, are a result of production and shipping costs.

Nowadays, it's costing a lot to get your favorite items onto shelves, and you’re the one who winds up paying more.

"In some ways, it’s actually quite straightforward. Because for once, the world behaves according to the textbook: It’s supply and demand," Bieri explained. "And that’s one of the things that we’ve seen in the crisis. Because of input costs, the things that people need to produce other things, are going up the supply chain. The consumer has to ultimately fork out more."

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FOX 5 reached out to the National Grocers Association, who said they believe there’s plenty of food in the supply chain. But these disruptions, especially for certain foods, make it tougher and more expensive to get to consumers – making them more expensive.

Don Roden, the owner of The Organic Butcher, said his small grocery store is "fortunate" to have such a great customer base and support in the McLean area.

"We're still seeing good traffic," he said. "A lot of our margins have definitely taken a hit. There's certain product categories and specific items that the prices are just so high, and we don't want to take them off the menu, so we end up taking a hit on the margins."