Across the country, prices for food are reaching all-time highs as inflation picks up and COVID-19 restrictions loosen, driving more consumers to resume dining, shopping and traveling. Food costs have climbed 0.8 percent in July 2021, its largest monthly increase since February 1981, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Wholesale costs for meat and poultry have also skyrocketed more than 20 percent since the start of the year, separate government data shows, while U.S. producer prices for processed poultry in May hit a record high.Â