[nradov]

Which numbers feel like a lie? You can drill down into the BLS CPI data and see prices for specific items like ground beef. Are they wrong?

Food is just one component of the CPI so it's possible for food prices to increase a lot even while overall inflation remains low.

[ceejayoz]

I suspect a lot of people were living closer to “paycheck to paycheck” state than they realized. No raise plus even 5-10% bumps in food prices feel like a much bigger impact when you’re suddenly running out of money when you never have before.