Eleven staples, priced by USDA every week, next to the range a kitchen pays at a distributor, a cash and carry, or the grocery store.
Staple
Market this week
Distributor
Cash & carry
Grocery
vs last week
12 weeks
Ground beef 81% lean (80/20)USDA National Daily Boxed Beef Cutout (LM_XB403), ground beef · 09/30/2026
Market$3.43/lb
Distributor$4.63-5.00measured, 4 prices
Cash & carry$4.63-5.00borrowed*
Grocery$4.63-5.00borrowed*
Week+3.8%
Chicken breast, boneless skinlessUSDA Weekly National Chicken Report · 09/21/2026
Market$1.22/lb
Distributor$1.84-2.06measured, 4 prices
Cash & carry$1.84-2.06borrowed*
Grocery$1.84-2.06borrowed*
Week+0.4%
Chicken wings, wholeUSDA Weekly National Chicken Report · 09/21/2026
Market$1.10/lb
Distributor$1.66-1.86measured, 4 prices
Cash & carry$1.66-1.86borrowed*
Grocery$1.66-1.86borrowed*
Week-0.4%
Cheese, 40-lb block (mozzarella prices key off it)USDA National Dairy Products Sales Report · 09/26/2026
Market$1.50/lb
Distributor$2.92-3.05measured, 5 prices
Cash & carry$2.83-2.92measured, 4 prices
Grocery$4.07-5.53thin, 2 prices
Week-3.1%
Butter, Grade AA bulkUSDA National Dairy Products Sales Report · 09/26/2026
Market$1.39/lb
Distributor$2.70-2.83measured, 5 prices
Cash & carry$2.62-2.70measured, 4 prices
Grocery$3.77-5.13thin, 2 prices
Week-3.8%
Russet potatoesUSDA Chicago Terminal Market, onions and potatoes · 09/30/2026
Market$0.58/lb
Distributor$0.58-0.78measured, 22 prices†
Cash & carry$0.66-1.05measured, 19 prices
Grocery$0.70-1.59measured, 14 prices
Week0.0%
Yellow onionsUSDA Chicago Terminal Market, onions and potatoes · 09/30/2026
Market$0.56/lb
Distributor$0.56-0.75measured, 22 prices†
Cash & carry$0.63-1.00measured, 19 prices
Grocery$0.67-1.52measured, 14 prices
Week0.0%
Roma tomatoesUSDA Chicago Terminal Market, vegetables · 09/30/2026
Market$1.02/lb
Distributor$1.02-1.37measured, 22 prices†
Cash & carry$1.14-1.83measured, 19 prices
Grocery$1.22-2.76measured, 14 prices
Week+4.1%
Green bell peppersUSDA Chicago Terminal Market, vegetables · 09/30/2026
Market$0.73/lb
Distributor$0.73-0.97measured, 22 prices†
Cash & carry$0.81-1.30measured, 19 prices
Grocery$0.87-1.97measured, 14 prices
Week-20.0%
White mushroomsUSDA Chicago Terminal Market, vegetables · 09/30/2026
Market$2.60/lb
Distributor$2.60-3.48measured, 22 prices†
Cash & carry$2.91-4.65measured, 19 prices
Grocery$3.12-7.05measured, 14 prices
Week0.0%
Jalapeno peppersUSDA Chicago Terminal Market, vegetables · 09/30/2026
Market$1.08/lb
Distributor$1.08-1.45measured, 22 prices†
Cash & carry$1.21-1.93measured, 19 prices
Grocery$1.30-2.93measured, 14 prices
Week0.0%
How it's built
Market is USDA's own number for the week: terminal-market produce, the boxed-beef and chicken reports, and the dairy survey. "Typically pay" is that number times the range kitchens actually paid over market at each kind of supplier, from real invoices; grocery adds BLS retail averages. We publish the ranges only, never anyone's item prices. Notes: Grocery: few data points.
* We don't have receipts of our own from that kind of store for that category yet, so it shows the distributor range. It sharpens as kitchens send invoices.
† Some kitchens buy under the market price (produce bought direct, or a good deal), so the low end of that range sits at the market price rather than under it.
Not on the index yet: Eggs (USDA's daily index is a loose, packer-level price that sits well under what kitchens pay; the delivered carton price is weekly and we need more invoices before we range it); Romaine (USDA quotes it per carton without a weight, so there is no honest per-pound price); Flour, 50 lb (no weekly public wholesale flour price (BLS retail is monthly)); Fryer oil (no weekly public wholesale fryer-oil price); Green coffee (the C-price is an ICE futures quote, not free to republish).
Rebuilt every Monday morning.