If your grocery receipts have you doing a double take lately, you’re not alone. Across the United States, food prices are rising faster than many paychecks can keep up — and everyday essentials like bread, milk, eggs, and fresh vegetables are quietly turning into budget busters for millions of households.

So, what’s really cooking behind this price surge?
Experts point to a blend of stubborn factors creating a perfect storm. Climate-related crop damage, supply chain hiccups that never fully recovered post-pandemic, and global conflicts that squeeze imports are all part of the puzzle.

For instance, droughts across key agricultural regions have shrunk harvests of grains and vegetables. Meanwhile, unpredictable global shipping routes and higher fuel costs make it costlier to transport everything from chicken feed to fresh fruit. Add labor shortages in food processing and farming, and prices inevitably creep higher — leaving you paying more for the same shopping cart.

Families changing habits to cope
A recent national survey revealed that more Americans are turning to bulk buying clubs, discount grocers, and farmers markets to stretch their dollars. Some households are cutting down on restaurant meals and takeout, opting instead to cook at home — but even pantry staples aren’t spared from price jumps.

“It’s becoming a juggling act,” says Angela Thomas, a mother of two from Ohio. “I’ve switched brands, clipped coupons, and even changed my family’s meal plan to make our budget work.”

Is relief in sight?
Economists say relief may be slow and uneven. While inflation has cooled for some sectors, food costs remain stubborn due to persistent production and transport challenges. The USDA projects prices may stabilize later this year, but don’t expect to see pre-2020 price tags anytime soon.

Tips to weather the storm
Nutritionists and budget experts advise buying seasonal produce, planning meals in advance, and making use of local food co-ops. Freezing leftovers and cooking in batches can also help households fight waste and save money in the long run.

The bigger picture
When food costs soar, it impacts more than just dinner tables. It shapes wage demands, influences interest rate decisions, and puts pressure on policymakers to balance economic growth with the cost of living.

Bottom line?
Your grocery bill may remain a little too high for comfort for a while longer — but smart shopping and mindful planning can help American families navigate these costly times until the tide finally turns.

Food lovers, mark your calendars and loosen your belts — the highly anticipated 2025 USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience Tour is officially on the road again, promising a series of mouthwatering pit stops in some of America’s tastiest cities.

For those uninitiated, the Wine & Food Experience is not your average food festival. Picture dozens of top-tier chefs, local culinary heroes, and renowned wineries gathering under open skies to spoil your taste buds rotten. From curated bites and exclusive pours to live demos and meet-and-greet sessions with culinary icons, each city stop is crafted to celebrate the region’s unique flavors with a generous side of surprise.

This year’s tour will roll through foodie hotspots like Austin, Chicago, Miami, and Denver, turning ordinary weekends into unforgettable feasts. USA TODAY insiders hint that 2025’s edition will up the ante with “secret tasting menus” and “off-menu pairings” unveiled only to guests who dare to ask.

Chef Tanya Holland, one of the headliners for this year’s tour, teased in a recent interview, “I’ve got something special planned that’s not even on my restaurant menu. Let’s just say, come hungry and curious.”

Beyond the bites and sips, attendees can expect immersive cooking demos, wine seminars by master sommeliers, and live music to keep the mood high. Organizers are doubling down on local farm-to-table collaborations and eco-friendly event setups, making each stop a love letter to sustainable indulgence.

Veteran foodies know the real trick: grab your tickets early and come early — because when a chef decides to drop a limited-run bite or a winery uncorks that rare vintage, word spreads fast and lines form faster.

Tickets for the 2025 Wine & Food Experience are on sale now and vary by city. VIP passes include early entry, exclusive tastings, and a chance to clink glasses with the chefs themselves.

One thing’s for sure: whether you’re a wine novice, a seasoned foodie, or just in it for the ‘gram, this year’s tour promises flavors you won’t soon forget — and maybe a few you’ll still dream about next season.

Tristen Epps didn’t just win Top Chef Season 22—he redefined what excellence in New American cuisine can look like when anchored in the deep roots of Black foodways. His victory wasn’t just a trophy moment; it was a triumphant testament to turning grief into greatness, and humble ingredients into culinary royalty.

When his father Russell Long passed away during filming, Epps stood at a crossroads no chef wants to face mid-competition: return home to mourn or stay to finish what he started. It was his mother’s late-night words—“Make it worth it”—that turned a talented chef into a force of nature determined to honor both family and heritage through every plate.

From the bustling filming kitchens in Canada to the grand finale in Milan, Epps channeled memories, flavors, and raw emotion into his craft. His show-stopping oxtail Milanese—tender braised oxtail formed into a classic ossobucco cut, perched on curry-spiced Carolina rice grits—left even the most seasoned judges stunned. The dish weaved together West Africa, the Caribbean, the American South, and a nod to Italy’s culinary tradition, all in a single bite. Guest judge Gregory Gourdet, a Top Chef legend himself, beamed with delight at witnessing Epps ascend to his rightful spotlight.

Long before the lights and cameras, Epps collected flavor stories as a military kid traveling the world. Later, he refined his skills alongside his mentor Marcus Samuelsson, whose praise for Epps—*“a cook’s cook and a chef’s chef”—*says it all. From the Greenbrier’s grand kitchens in West Virginia to projects spanning London, Sweden, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and Miami, Epps built a repertoire as global as his roots.

Today, the Houston-based chef is not slowing down. Between pop-ups, family time with his partner Casey Giltner and their baby son, pickleball matches, and tending his garden of fresh herbs and fiery chiles, he’s also planting seeds for his next big dream: an intimate fine dining restaurant called Buboy, named after his grandfather. Naturally, its emblem will be an oxtail bone—a fitting crown for a cuisine that turns humble cuts into culinary diamonds.

For Epps, winning Top Chef was never about ego. It was about pushing Black cuisine into the mainstream with pride, rigor, and narrative power. As he told judges and fans alike: “I wanted to give validation and format and credibility to my cuisine.” Mission accomplished.