Hood County Supper Prices Soar Beyond Inflation

A classic Hood County supper of hamburger and steak has become increasingly expensive over the past five decades. In August 1977, this meal could be made for just $1.94 with four servings of ground beef, russet potatoes, green beans, corn, and dinner rolls. According to a reconstruction from old advertisements in the Hood County News, the ingredients cost a total of $1.94.

Fast forward to 2026, and the same meal now costs between $11.69 and $16.40 at three Granbury grocery stores. The main contributor to this price increase is the rising cost of ground beef, which has surged from 89 cents per pound in 1977 to $4.22 today if it followed general grocery inflation.

However, prices have actually increased by more than just inflation alone. A meal following national grocery inflation would cost about $9.19 today, but the same ingredients totalled $11.69 at Walmart, $11.97 at H-E-B and $16.87 at Brookshire’s. The U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasts beef and veal prices will increase 9.8 percent during 2026.