Estimated read time: minutes. The good news? The cost of hosting a Super Bowl party is expected to barely budge this year, with an average increase of about 10 cents from the previous year.
The bad news? Consumers might have to use some fancy footwork to ensure their dollars get further down the field. Economists with the Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute found a surprising spread in prices for popular game-day ingredients and prepared foods so finding a balance between more expensive items and those that have dropped in price can help keep the budget from running out of bounds.
While inflation and shrinkflation have been grocery store buzzwords for a while now, coming up with a winning game plan to keep party guests happy could become even more of a challenge as the Trump administration looks for opportunities to impose more tariffs. With no overarching, easily understood theme to explain everything, the Wells Fargo economists say party planners must become "food fluent" to successfully navigate price fluctuations. A review of data from NielsenIQ, which tracks food scanned at retailers across the U.
Potato chips, frozen shrimp and cauliflower also have seen decreases. Salsa and nacho cheese prices are holding steady, but it can get complicated if guacamole dip is on the menu. Fresh avocados have jumped by So making guacamole from scratch can still save money despite the hike in avocado prices.
This scenario, the experts say, underscores the broader trend of price variability within categories. Overall, the review found the total cost of chips and guacamole is just two cents higher than last year. Chicken wings continue to be a favorite, but they come at a premium this year. This is due to increased supply from shrimp-exporting countries and a subsequent softening in demand following price spikes around the coronavirus pandemic.
