Retail food prices have fallen about 1 percent in the past three months. The latest Arizona Farm Bureau Federation Marketbasket Survey shows the total cost of 16 basic grocery items was down 60 cents to $50.79 from the fourth quarter of 2011.
But the 2012 first quarter Marketbasket shows that food prices in Arizona are up 6 percent from a year earlier.
Nationally, the price for those items climbed 7 percent to $52.47.
The Farm Bureau says cooking at home and buying fruits and vegetables in season can help families get the best value for their dollar.
