These 7 Trader Joe's Items Might Get Pricier In 2026

The rising cost of groceries has been top of mind for consumers for years, particularly since 2020, and prices have continued to climb. While grocery bills are generally going up across the board, certain food categories are poised to plateau or even decline in the coming year, while others may hurdle to new heights. Factors like the pandemic, bird flu, inflation, subpar harvests, global unrest, and tariff concerns have led to many increases, even at affordable stores like Trader Joe's. That trend is likely to continue in 2026.

While it's impossible to predict exactly what will go up the most, as economic factors are constantly changing, we can take a look at what experts at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Labor Statistics have to say about grocery prices in the recent past, and what looks likely to change in the future. If you're a regular Trader Joe's shopper, you may want to keep an eye on the following products that are expected to cost more this year, and stock up now on the right items if you can.

Of all the grocery items anticipated to jump in price, beef — specifically ground beef — is expected to rocket the highest. That's bad news for shoppers who've relied on Trader Joe's relatively affordable packages and patties for easy protein-packed ground beef dinners. The supply of domestic cattle in the U.S. was already extremely low at the end of 2025. This number has been declining since just before the pandemic, and is currently the lowest it's been since the Kennedy administration. A complex combination of factors has led to this situation, with many cattle companies culling their herds in order to remain operational as the costs of running such a business increased. The Russia-Ukraine war severely affected the price of livestock feed, and while this pressure has lifted somewhat, cattle farmers are still feeling the effects.

While the overall price of beef products eased slightly in January of this year, it still remained significantly higher than the previous year, and the price of ground beef specifically continued to rise. Producers typically combine imported meat with domestic trimmings to make ground beef, and the erratic imposition of tariffs has made the cost of these imports volatile. As many of these issues don't look like they'll be resolved anytime soon, we can expect ground beef prices to remain high and likely get even higher. 

If you're a fan of Trader Joe's imported olive oil, which is sourced from Italy, Greece, and Spain, you may want to keep a close eye on its price. The European olive oil industry has dealt with crises and setbacks in the past few years, which drove prices up to record highs. This price spike has led to lower demand for the golden liquid, as people turned to less expensive oil options. Between 2022 and 2024, production in the E.U. took a major hit due to drought and a devastating infestation by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa. This invasive pest caused severe disruption, particularly in southern Italy, as all affected trees had to be destroyed. New olive trees can take up to five years to begin producing olives, meaning that the industry is going to take a long time to recover.

Recent promising harvests and other positive developments have resulted in lower prices for European olive oil overall, but those numbers are still much higher than they were in years past. Tariffs have added another layer of uncertainty, as the United States gets the vast majority of its olive oil from Italy and Spain. If all goes well, we could see European olive oil prices head down to previous levels, but with the industry in such a fragile state, any negative development could send them shooting back up. If that happens, Trader Joe's offers domestic olive oil options as alternatives.

When it comes to Trader Joe's chocolate treats, it's hard to beat the perennial favorite chocolate peanut butter cups. These bite-sized confections come in milk and dark chocolate varieties, and there are also larger-sized cups that come in packages of two (as well as a sunflower seed butter option, which is great for those with nut allergies). If you, like many Trader Joe's devotees, are hooked on these perfect little chocolatey bites, you may want to stock up. The price of sweets — and sugar itself — rose throughout 2024 and 2025 and is predicted to continue that trend, with chocolate products leading the charge.

West Africa, which provides the vast majority of the world's cocoa beans, has had to contend with drought and disease in recent years, which have decimated harvests. While conditions have improved, costs are still high as chocolate and candy companies have had to make adjustments to stay in the game. Cocoa prices have come down so far in early 2026, but they are still more than double what they were just a few years ago. Tariffs took a toll on chocolate as well, adding to the price spike. As climate issues create more uncertainty for crops like cocoa beans, the world may have to adapt to these higher prices becoming the new normal, and quality chocolate confections like Trader Joe's chocolate peanut butter cups may go from everyday to extravagant.

Coffee experienced one of the highest price surges in 2025, largely due to tariffs and climate issues in major producing nations like Vietnam and Brazil. Instant coffee, specifically, saw a major price hike, which has continued into 2026. While Trader Joe's instant coffee comes from a single supplier in Colombia, which was not as hard hit by weather-related challenges, those effects have rippled throughout the coffee-producing world.

Additionally, the United States' aggressive military action in Venezuela caused strife throughout the region, with Colombian President Gustavo Petro condemning the operation, leading to sanctions and threats from the U.S. While a recent summit seemed to ease tensions between the two nations, there's certainly no guarantee that 2026 won't bring more volatility to the fragile and contentious relationship. Even if things remain friendly, the larger coffee market is still dealing with an array of industry disruptions, including fallout from U.S. tariffs, which is likely to keep prices on the rise. If you rely on instant coffee for your daily buzz, and Trader Joe's is your go-to brand, it may be prudent to stock up now.

Savvy shoppers know to stock up on spices at Trader Joe's, where they're often offered at bargain prices. If this is your strategy to save cash on seasonings, you may want to grab some extras now. Black pepper crops have decreased in recent years, particularly in Vietnam, which is the world's leading provider of the staple spice. The fact that black pepper cannot be reliably grown domestically means the U.S. supply is almost completely reliant on imports, so fallout from the recent spate of tariffs has driven the price up even further.

Trader Joe's offers the ubiquitous culinary superstar, black pepper, in whole and ground varieties, packaged in a grinder and a tin, respectively. Whole peppercorns remain pungent and flavorful significantly longer than ground pepper, so if you're stockpiling for the long haul, the grinder is your best bet — the peppercorns should last you one to three years if stored properly. Ground pepper will begin to fade in flavor in about four months, but it's nice to have on hand if you tend to use a lot of the spice on a daily basis. With the price of black pepper likely to rise and stay high in the coming year, it's worthwhile to pick up more right now if you can.

Early 2026 saw a rise in the price of fresh fish, while the price of processed seafood actually declined year over year. Trader Joe's Atlantic salmon fillets are sourced from Norway, and this category actually bucked the trend in early January with price drops, but that saw a reversal as the month ended. Demand increased partly due to a boost in seafood sales during the Lunar New Year, and supply decreased thanks to low ocean temperatures, resulting in fewer fish being caught.

Prices for Norwegian salmon have been extremely volatile so far this year. Price reductions have been followed by major rebounds seemingly randomly, with outlooks shifting from week to week. What that means for Trader Joe's shoppers is that they should keep an eye out for any shifts, and should consider dedicating some freezer space if they want to take advantage when prices are low. Thankfully, frozen salmon is just as good as fresh, so you shouldn't hesitate to put a few fillets on ice.

A major grocery category that's predicted to see a price increase in 2026 is canned vegetables. While these aren't necessarily expected to skyrocket, you could see a slow but steady rise across the board. Prices for processed vegetables have been going up since 2020, with no signs of slowing down so far this year.

Trader Joe's offers a wide variety of canned vegetables, with items ranging from olives to diced tomatoes to corn. Prices of these canned goods are primed to rise, not just because of the cost of their contents, but also because of how they're processed. With tariffs affecting the cost of metals like aluminum and steel, canned items of all kinds are more expensive to produce. 

This comes alongside a rising demand for affordable and convenient meal options, and even as canned vegetable prices increase, these items are often still more affordable, shelf-stable, and easier to prepare than their fresh counterparts. All of this means that if you've got cabinet or pantry space, look for affordable prices on Trader Joe's canned vegetables, and scoop them up while you can. There are plenty of ways to spruce up canned veggies so they're just as tasty as fresh ones.