Photo: Jim MacKay/WBZ NewsRadio
PLYMOUTH, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — It's heading down to the wire to get that Easter dinner shopping list finished.
With the high cost of many food items, households are challenged to stay within a budget at the grocery store.
Two Easter staples in particular — eggs, and chocolate — are more expensive than ever.
At a South Shore Market Basket Thursday morning, some shoppers like Rob from Kingston were having a major case of sticker shock.
"I'm not going to buy eggs right now. I can assure you that," he said. "I'm here to get some other things, but eggs are not on the list."
While inflation has eased somewhat, according to the government's Consumer Price Index, U.S. food prices rose 23.6 percent between 2020-2024.
And experts say this year it's expected new tariffs will increase the costs of items including seafood, coffee, wine, nuts, and cheese.
As far as the cost of eggs, the CPI reported egg prices reached an all-time high of $6.23 per dozen in March affected in part by the bird flu outbreaks.
Despite the high prices, Lacy from Plymouth said she and her family are in the Easter spirit.
It's very exciting," she said. "We're having an Easter egg hunt in our backyard, and we have money, prizes, and everything. We have Easter baskets, and everyone has a ball."
WBZ NewsRadio's Jim MacKay (@JimMacKayOnAir) reports.