What would morning breakfast be without the sound and taste of crispy and salty bacon combined with the yellow richness of eggs? It’s a mainstay on diner menus, whether served as a dish or as a sandwich. Like so many food items, inflation is lifting their cost.

To determine the cost of bacon and eggs the year you were born, 24/7 Wall St. adjusted the average price of a pound of sliced bacon and a dozen large grade A eggs in U.S. cities for every year from 1939 to 2022 based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Bacon prices were adjusted using the annual consumer price index for bacon and related products, and egg prices were adjusted using the consumer price index for eggs. Historical prices of bacon and eggs were adjusted for overall inflation using the annual consumer price index for all items. Data for 2022 is based on monthly data for August 2022.

The cost of bacon and eggs, like other food items, has been rising. The average price for a pound of bacon was $7.37 in August, a 5.7% increase from August 2021, according to data published Sept. 13, 2022, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average annual per-pound cost of bacon was $6.64 in 2021 compared with $5.58 in 2020, a 19% increase. 

The average price for one dozen eggs was $3.12 in August, a nearly 40% jump from August 2021. The average annual cost of eggs was $1.67 in 2021 and $1.51 in 2020, a nearly 11% increase. (The price of this household item is soaring.)

This classic American breakfast has come under fire for not being the most healthy start to the day. But according to Healthline journalist Kris Gunnars, bacon has oleic acid, which is the same type of heart-healthy essential fatty acid found in avocados. Eggs are high in protein, which helps build and maintain muscle tissue. They also contain the B vitamins and vitamins A, D, E and K as well as phosphorus. (Yet eggs are among the items you might want to avoid in times of soaring prices. Fight inflation, don’t buy these nine items.)

Click here to see the price of bacon and eggs the year you were born.