evidence: Inflation may finally be trending in the right direction after more than two years of the worst inflation crisis seen in a generation. [...] Even so, consumers may still feel the pinch of inflation. Since February 2020, consumer prices have increased 21.2 percent, a Bankrate analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows. That’s well above the historic average for a four-year period. For comparison, inflation rose 18.9 percent in the 2010s, 28.4 percent in the 2000s and 32.4 percent in the 1990s. The post-pandemic price burst means Americans would need about $1,212 to buy the same goods and services that cost $1,000 when the coronavirus-induced recession occurred. [...] - Meats: up 2.7 percent over the past year and 27.8 percent since February 2020 - Fish and seafood: down 2.3 percent from a year ago but still up 16 percent since the start of the pandemic-induced recession - Dairy: up 0.4 percent over the past year and 19.6 percent more expensive since the pandemic - Fruits and vegetables: down 0.2 percent over the past year and 17.4 percent more expensive than before the pandemic - Sugar and sweets: up 1.9 percent from a year ago and 29.2 percent since the pandemic