I listened to Planet Money from NPR in August[0] where it claimed that inflation was based on feeling rather than data. The summary was that groceries are not a good measure of inflation since they're seasonal and the best way to buy groceries was the same as dollar cost averaging investment - buy the groceries when you need them and the prices will average out.

[0] https://www.npr.org/2025/08/15/nx-s1-5500523/when-our-inflat...