[…] According to the BLS December Consumer Price Index (CPI), although the rate of two of the most important essentials, energy and food at home, are still rising relative to their seasonally adjusted prices a year ago, the pace at which prices for both have gone up are slowing down. In September, the CPI rate for food at home had rise 0.8% from the previous month. By December, that rate of growth had slowed to 0.3%. …