Inflation is causing grocery prices to climb as well as food insecurity.

In the tri-state area food prices rose more than 8%. This impacts not only wallets, but for many also the quality of the food to eat.

Rising food prices have been one of the most difficult and visible aspects of inflation, with some households needing to cut back on purchasing pricier items at the grocery store.

News 12's Elizabeth Hashagen was joined by Maggie G. Lyon, of University of New Haven School of Health Sciences - a registered dietitian with experience in community education and inpatient clinical medical nutrition therapy.

In the year through January, egg prices soared 70.1%. In the wholesale market, egg prices hit a record peak in December but have been steadily falling since then. So far, those declines haven't reached consumers, as seen in January's numbers.

Compared to other grocery items, egg prices rose most dramatically, but other foods got more expensive this year as well. Some dairy product prices increased sharply - butter spiked 26.3% and margarine rose 44.7%.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics' monthly consumer price index report for January released last week showed that prices for food at home were up 11.3% compared to last year. That figure is well-above the overall inflation number, which came in at 6.4% year over year as of January and is down from a 40-year high of 9.1% in June 2022.

The USDA says more than 34 million people, including 9 million children, in the United States are food-insecure. Many households that experience food insecurity do not qualify for federal nutrition programs and visit local food banks or other food programs for extra support.