🥜 Summit Staples Snapshot, Week 8: Drinks & Shelf Goods (November 2025)
Part of the Summit City Scoop Series. Tracking Fort Wayne’s Real Grocery Prices
📊 This Week’s Prices & Changes
| Item |
Kroger |
Meijer |
Walmart |
Aldi |
| Orange Juice (52 oz) |
$4.29 ✅ (↓ $0.20) |
$4.49 — |
$3.96 — |
$4.19 ✅ (↓ $0.20) |
| Coca-Cola (2 L) |
$2.49 🔺 (↑ $0.20) |
$2.99 — |
$1.98 ✅ (↓ $0.76) |
$3.05 — |
| Cooking Oil (48 oz) |
$3.49 🔺 (↑ $0.50) |
$3.89 ✅ (↓ $0.30) |
$3.57 — |
$3.85 — |
| Peanut Butter (16 oz) |
$2.19 🔺 (↑ $0.40) |
$2.29 🔺 (↑ $0.10) |
$1.94 — |
$2.19 🔺 (↑ $0.04) |
| Cheerios (15.4 oz Aldi / 18 oz others) |
$4.99 — |
$5.39 — |
$4.93 — |
$4.45 — |
✅ = Price Down 🔺 = Price Up — = No Change
💵 Total Basket Comparison
| Store |
Current (Nov) |
Last Month (Oct) |
Change |
| Kroger |
$17.45 |
$16.55 |
🔺 + $0.90 (↑ 5.4 %) |
| Meijer |
$18.05 |
$18.05 |
— No Change |
| Walmart |
$16.38 |
$17.20 |
✅ – $0.82 (↓ 4.8 %) |
| Aldi |
$17.73 |
$17.89 |
✅ – $0.16 (↓ 0.9 %) |
📊 Walmart and Aldi led price drops this month, while Kroger saw the largest increase from higher oil and peanut-butter prices. Meijer held steady overall.
🧠 What We’re Seeing in Fort Wayne
-
🥤 Orange juice prices softened slightly at Kroger and Aldi as supply improved.
-
🛢️ Cooking oil stayed flat or rose a bit with retailers adjusting post-holiday inventory.
-
🥜 Peanut butter crept up at every store but remains under $2.30 for most brands.
-
🧂 Walmart now has the cheapest five-item basket for the second straight month.
🌎 How Fort Wayne Compares
Statewide food-at-home inflation is hovering near 3 %, while Fort Wayne’s five-item basket rose just 1.2 % month-to-month — showing local grocery costs are still cooler than the Indiana average.
Nationally, the USDA reports slight price increases for cooking oils and snack foods, but orange-juice and cereal costs continue to ease.
📈 Summit Staples Index Number Month-to-Month
| Store |
October 2025 Total (20 Items) |
November 2025 Total (20 Items) |
Change ($) |
Change (%) |
| Kroger |
$55.66 |
$58.07 |
🔺 +$2.41 |
🔺 + 4.3 % |
| Meijer |
$55.94 |
$56.24 |
🔺 +$0.30 |
🔺 + 0.5 % |
| Walmart |
$50.13 |
$49.68 |
✅ – $0.45 |
✅ – 0.9 % |
| Aldi ¹ |
— |
$55.45 (est.) |
— |
— |
¹ Aldi’s first full 20-item cycle began in November; month-to-month change will be available next report.
🧾 Month-to-Month Highlights
-
🏷️ Walmart held the lowest overall basket for the second month in a row, finishing under $50.
-
🛒 Kroger posted the largest rise (+ 4 %) driven by cooking oil, peanut butter, and lettuce.
-
🧺 Meijer stayed remarkably stable (+ 0.5 %), absorbing dairy increases with produce savings.
-
🍞 Aldi’s first full basket came in mid-range ($55.45), strong in dairy and pantry staples.
📊 Bottom line: Fort Wayne grocery prices rose less than 1 % overall, compared with Indiana’s statewide 3 % increase, proof our local costs remain more stable than most of the state.
🥛 Category Snapshots
Dairy & Basics:
Milk, eggs, and butter stayed mostly flat; Walmart kept the cheapest five-item basket.
Proteins & Pantry:
Chicken and beef prices eased, while pasta crept up slightly. Kroger and Meijer led the drop.
Produce & Fresh Goods:
Harvest season helped lower apple and potato prices; lettuce and carrots edged higher.
Drinks & Shelf Goods:
Orange juice ticked down, cooking oil up, peanut butter up a touch, but no major swings overall.
🌎 How Fort Wayne Stacks Up
✅ Our local market is outpacing both state and national stabilization trends.
Local grocers appear to be holding steady through year-end despite national transport and packaging cost pressure.
🔮 Looking Ahead
Next month launches the Summit Staples Holiday Edition, tracking key seasonal items like baking supplies, canned veggies, and holiday beverages.
By December, we’ll have a three-month trend line showing which stores are truly saving Fort Wayne families the most.
📌 Disclaimer
Prices recorded between October 19 – November 5, 2025 from Walmart (46818), Meijer (46818), Kroger (46825), and Aldi (46818).
Prices may vary by time, store, or promotions. Summit Staples tracks overall trends, not guaranteed checkout totals.
💬 Join the Conversation
Spot a deal? Drop your price finds or receipt pics in our Summit Secret Scoops Facebook Group, your insight might appear in next week’s chart!
