What Groceries Are Cheapest in February? (20 Years of Prices)

At their cheapest in February

Ham −2.8%
Held in 18 of 18 years · about $4.03 a lb at today’s prices
Sirloin steak −2.4% cheapest month
Held in 15 of 20 years · about $13.63 a lb at today’s prices
Bacon −2.3% cheapest month
Held in 17 of 20 years · about $6.39 a lb at today’s prices
Pork chops −1.6%
Barely moves all year · about $4.08 a lb at today’s prices
Steak −1.5%
Barely moves all year · about $12.69 a lb at today’s prices
Chocolate chip cookies −1.4%
Barely moves all year · about $5.15 a lb at today’s prices
Ground beef −1.4% cheapest month
Barely moves all year · about $6.66 a lb at today’s prices
Potato chips −1.3% cheapest month
Barely moves all year · about $6.50 a 16 oz bag at today’s prices
Rice −0.9% cheapest month
Barely moves all year · about $1.10 a lb at today’s prices
Chicken breast −0.6%
Barely moves all year · about $4.08 a lb at today’s prices
Whole chicken −0.5%
Barely moves all year · about $2.03 a lb at today’s prices
Beef roast −0.5%
Barely moves all year · about $9.09 a lb at today’s prices

The percentage is how far below that year’s trend price the food typically sits in February, the median across every year since 2006. “Today’s prices” = the latest national average (October 2026) moved to February’s typical level.

In stores or not

Mostly out of stores (BLS can’t find enough to price): peaches, cherries.

The whole year

Every food’s cheapest month is on the grocery price calendar. Last month: what’s cheap in January. Next: what’s cheap in March.

Questions

What groceries are cheapest in February?

Going by 20 years of U.S. government shelf prices: ham (2.8% below trend), sirloin steak (2.4% below trend), bacon (2.3% below trend), pork chops (1.6% below trend), steak (1.5% below trend), cookies (1.4% below trend), ground beef (1.4% below trend), potato chips (1.3% below trend), rice (0.9% below trend), chicken breast (0.6% below trend), whole chicken (0.5% below trend), beef roast (0.5% below trend).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Average Price Data (U.S. city average, not seasonally adjusted), the shelf prices BLS collects every month for the Consumer Price Index, through October 2026. Seasonal pattern and every number on this page computed by Online List Maker; how.