Local
Grocery Prices Steady After Last Month’s Jump
Area grocery prices were steady after last month’s jump, while gasoline surged over 7.5%.
[Kirkland, WA – WBHG News] – It’s been more than eight months since President Donald Trump was inaugurated after campaigning on controlling inflation to lower grocery and fuel prices. Two hundred and fifty-one days later, has the situation improved?
On January 21, 2025, our team benchmarked grocery, fuel, and fast food prices in Kirkland to track over the next four years. This is our eighth update.
Based on actual retail prices, today’s grocery trip costs 70 cents less than last month and $6.53 more than our first trip in January. The prices of hamburger, Hot Pockets, and Land-O-Lakes butter declined, while the cost of Starbucks coffee and Dawn dishwashing soap rose. Hot Pockets no longer includes the cardboard reflector that helps crisp the outside during microwaving, according to complains posted on social media. Although this is an example of skimpflation, we have no realistic way to put a value on the insert.
Today’s grocery bill decreased from $243.53 to $242.93, a drop of $0.60, which is almost unchanged from a month ago.
A 12-gallon fill-up of regular gasoline increased $4.08 from a month ago, factoring in the 6-cent increase in gasoline tax that went into effect on July 1. Gasoline is now 76 cents a gallon higher than it was on January 21.
McDonald’s is running a national special on the price of a Big Mac Extra Value Meal in response to declining sales and public pressure about prices. The new price is $8,00, down $3.39 from a month ago. There were no changes to the cost of any other meal deals.
Here are the Products
We are tracking the prices of 27 popular items, including regular unleaded gasoline and meals from three major fast food brands.
| Item | Weight, Volume, Quantity | August 21, 2025, Non-sale Price | September 21, 2025 Non-sale Price | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dairy Products | ||||
| Whole Milk – Kroger Brand | 128 fluid ounces | $3.69 | $3.69 | |
| Land O Lakes Unsalted Butter | 4 count – total weight 16 ounces | $5.69 | $5.49 | Decrease, 20 cents |
| Kraft Singles American processed cheese food product | 24 individual slices – 16 ounces by weight | $5.49 | $5.49 | |
| Household Products | ||||
| Tide 3-in-1 Pods laundry detergent | 102 count – 85.0 ounces | $24.99 | $24.99 | |
| Dawn Ultra dishwashing soap | 38 fluid ounces | $6.49 | $6.79 | Incease, 30 cents |
| Bounty 6=12 doubles paper towels | 6 2-ply rolls, 50 11 inches X 10.2 inches sheets per roll, 211 square feet | $14.99 for 211 square feet | $14.99 for 211 square feet | |
| Breakfast Foods | ||||
| Cheerios toasted oat cereal | 20 ounces | $6.99 | $6.99 | |
| Starbucks Pike Place Roast ground coffee – medium roast | 18 ounces | $15.29 | $15.49 | Increase, 20 cents |
| Meat | ||||
| Kroger Brand “Simple Truth” prepackaged natural ground beef – 90/10 | 16 ounces, individual vacuum pack | $11.49 | $10.99 | Decrease, 50 cents |
| Oscar Mayer Beef Franks – Classic | 10 count – total weight 15 ounces | $6.79 | $6.79 | |
| Infant/Baby | ||||
| Pampers baby-dry stage 6 diapers | 64 count | 64 count – $28.99 | 64 count – $28.99 | |
| Health and Beauty | ||||
| Tampax Pearl Large Light Day tampons | 36 count | $11.49 | $11.49 | |
| Charmin Ultra Strong 12=48 Mega roll toilet paper | 12 2-ply rolls, 220 3.92 inches x 4 inches sheets per roll, 287 square feet | $16.99 | $16.99 | |
| Snack and Convenience Foods | ||||
| Red Baron brick oven crust pepperoni pizza | 17.89 ounces | $5.49 | $5.49 | |
| Hot Pockets Pepperoni Pizza flavor | 8 count – total weight 36 ounces | $10.99 | $10.59 | Decrease, 40 cents |
| Oreo cookies | 18.12 ounces | $5.29 | $5.29 | |
| Doritos – Cool Ranch Flavor – party size | 14.5 ounces | $6.99 | $6.99 | |
| Coca-Cola – canned, sweetened with corn syrup | 12 count – 12 fluid ounce cans | $10.99 | $10.99 | |
| Soups and Broths | ||||
| Swanson chicken broth | 32 fluid ounces | $2.99 | $2.99 | |
| Quick Meals | ||||
| Prego Traditional jarred prepared pasta sauce, tomato | 23 ounces by weight | $2.79 for 23 ounces | $2.79 for 23 ounces | |
| Barilla rotini pasta | 16 ounces | $1.99 | $1.99 | |
| Kraft Mac & Cheese Dinner, original flavor | 7.25 ounces | $1.29 | $1.29 | |
| Wonder Bread, white, sliced | 20 ounces | $3.49 | $3.49 | |
| Staples | ||||
| C&H premium pure cane granulated sugar in bag | 64 ounces | $4.99 | $4.99 | |
| Pillsbury Best All Purpose Flour, bleached and enriched | 80 ounces | $5.69 | $5.69 | |
| Condiments | ||||
| Hidden Valley Ranch ranch salad dressing | 16 fluid ounces | $4.49 | $4.49 | |
| Heinz real tomato ketchup in the easy squeeze bottle | 20 ounces | $3.99 | $3.99 | |
| Gasoline | ||||
| Regular unleaded E-10 87-octane gasoline at the Totem Lake Fred Meyer location | 128 fluid ounces | $4.25-9/10, which includes 18.4 cents federal motor fuel tax, 55.4 cents Washington state gasoline tax, and approximately 43.4 cents for Washington state cap and trade fees | $4.59-9/10, which includes 18.4 cents federal motor fuel tax, 55.4 cents Washington state gasoline tax, and approximately 43.4 cents for Washington state cap and trade fees | Increase, 34 cents a gallon |
| Fast Food | ||||
| McDonald’s Big Mac meal at the 124th Ave NE, Kirkland, location | Big Mac with 2 2-ounce beef patties, medium fries, and medium 21 fluid ounce Coca-Cola with regular ice | $11.39 before tax | $8.00 before tax | Decrease, $3.39 after McDonald’s announced a price promotion |
| Taco Bell 3 Crunch Taco Combo at the 124th Ave NE, Kirkland, location | 3 hard shell tacos with ground beef filling, included toppings, and a large 30 fluid ounces Pepsi with regular ice | $8.99 before tax | $8.99 before tax | |
| Domino’s large Ultimate Pepperoni pizza for store pickup at the 100th Ave NE, Kirkland location | 14″ pizza with hand-tossed crust, pepperoni (extra), shredded parmesan asiago and provolone cheeses, and tomato sauce | $21.99 before tax | $21.99 before tax |
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