Grocery prices remain high, even though the sharp price increases of recent years have eased. As a result, many households are still trying to solve the puzzle of how much to budget for food.
According to the most recent Consumer Price Index report, the cost of food climbed 4.2% from May 2025 to May 2026. Food-at-home prices rose 3.1%, while food-away-from-home prices increased 2.7%.
Those increases are far below 2022, when food-at-home prices jumped 11.4% and food-away-from-home costs rose 7.7%. Although inflation has cooled, food prices continue to rise, leaving many shoppers feeling the strain.
So how much should you spend on groceries?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Your grocery budget depends on factors such as household size, where you live, dietary needs and income.
Still, budgeting benchmarks can help you set a realistic grocery budget and keep spending under control.
How Much to Spend on Groceries Per Month in 2026
Finding ways to lower your grocery bill is important, but it also helps to know what’s typical. =
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s most recent figures, in 2023, U.S. consumers spent an average of 9.7% of their disposable personal income on food. While that isn’t a recommended target, it can serve as a useful benchmark.
[Read: Costco vs. Sam’s Club: Which Membership Is Worth It in 2026?]
USDA Grocery Budget Guidelines
For more detailed guidance, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) publishes monthly food plans that estimate weekly and monthly grocery costs. The plans are based on household size and include four spending levels: thrifty, low-cost, moderate-cost and liberal.
Here’s how the USDA estimates monthly grocery costs for a family of four with two children ages 6 to 8 and 9 to 11.
— Thrifty plan: $235 a week, or $1,018.20 a month. The USDA uses the Thrifty Food Plan to determine Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
— Low-cost plan: $258.90 a week, or about $1,122 a month.
— Moderate-cost plan: $320 a week, or $1,386.70 a month.
— Liberal plan: $386.60 a week, or $1,675.30 a month.
Your household’s grocery budget may differ based on factors such as age and household size. For example:
— Teenagers generally require a larger food budget: The USDA estimates that a moderately priced diet for a boy ages 14 to 18 costs $92.60 a week, compared with $80.70 for a child ages 9 to 11.
— Teenage boys typically have the highest estimated food costs: Under the USDA’s moderate plan, a teenage girl ages 14 to 18 is budgeted at $74.40 a week, or $18.20 less than a teenage boy.
— Adult men also have higher estimated food costs than adult women: Under the USDA’s moderate plan, a man ages 20 to 50 is allocated $91.60 a week, compared with $77.50 for a woman in the same age group.
How Grocery Spending Has Changed
Food prices have fluctuated dramatically over the past several years. Here’s a look at how grocery inflation has changed since 2022.
How Much Should You Spend per Meal?
There’s no ideal amount to spend per meal. Restaurant meals, special occasions and even impulse purchases can quickly change your food costs.
Using the USDA’s monthly grocery estimates for a family of four, here’s the approximate cost per person for each meal, assuming three meals a day over 30 days.
| Year | Grocery Inflation Trend |
| 2022 | Food-at-home prices jumped 11.4%, while food-away-from-home prices rose 7.7%, marking the largest increase in food inflation since 1979. Egg prices surged 49%. |
| 2023 | Egg prices declined, but food-at-home prices still increased 5%. Restaurant prices rose 7.1%. |
| 2024 | Food prices increased 2.3%. Inflation continued to cool, but prices remained higher than before the pandemic. |
| 2025 | Food prices rose 2.9%. Egg prices spiked again, with some retailers charging about $9 per dozen. |
| 2026 | Beef prices have led food inflation, rising about 13% from a year earlier. |
These figures aren’t spending targets. Instead, they provide a useful benchmark if you’re trying to stay within a grocery budget.
Tips if You Can’t Afford Groceries
If you’re struggling to afford groceries, community resources may be able to help, says Leigh Zydonik, executive director of the Foothills Food Bank & Resource Center in Phoenix.
Meals on Wheels serves many older adults, while the USDA’s National Hunger Hotline (866-3-HUNGRY) can connect you with emergency food providers and other local resources. Food banks, churches and other community organizations may also offer assistance.
[READ: Cheap Foods to Buy When You’re Broke.]
“Many of these resources can be found through apps like FindHelp.org and 211,” Zydonik says. “Organizations such as The Salvation Army, St. Vincent de Paul, community centers, YMCAs and houses of worship often have programs designed to help people get back on their feet.”
How to Stay Within Your Grocery Budget
Creating a grocery budget is one thing. Sticking to it is another. These strategies can help.
Plan Your Meals
Planning meals before you shop can reduce overspending and food waste.
“Plan your meals around what’s already in your fridge and pantry to avoid buying ingredients you don’t need and to use what you already have,” says Kara Myers, founder and recipe developer at the family meal website Sweetly Splendid.
“Is there a rogue can of beans that’s been in your pantry for a while? Make chili that week,” she says.
Create Shopping Lists
A shopping list is more effective when it’s based on what you already have at home.
Eileen Roth, an organizing expert and co-author of Organizing for Dummies, recommends adding staples to your list when they’re about two-thirds gone.
That gives you time to look for sales while helping avoid last-minute purchases.
Create a Meal Routine
Assigning meals to specific days can simplify grocery shopping and reduce impulse purchases.
“Every Wednesday is spaghetti night. Every Friday is fish night. Every Sunday is chicken,” Roth says.
Use Leftovers Creatively
Planning for leftovers can stretch your grocery budget and reduce waste.
“Even if you aren’t someone who typically likes leftovers, there’s always the opportunity to make them into a completely new meal,” Myers says.
Examples include turning leftover pot roast into shepherd’s pie or baked chicken into a casserole.
Buy in Bulk Carefully
Warehouse clubs can save you money, but only if you’ll use what you buy.
“Buy in the right quantities,” Myers says. “It may seem cheaper per ounce, but if you throw half away, you haven’t saved any money.”
Shop Consistently
Shopping at the same store each week can make it easier to find products, compare prices and spot sales.
“If you shop on the same day each week, at the same grocery store, you will know what they carry and where it is — saving you time as well as money,” Roth says.
Use Coupons Strategically
Coupons only save money if they help you buy products you already planned to purchase.
“Don’t just use them because you have a coupon,” Roth says.
She also recommends avoiding bulk purchases of unfamiliar products simply because they’re discounted.
Shop Sales
Learn when your grocery store starts its weekly sales cycle. Many stores release new ads on Wednesdays, although schedules vary.
Shopping after major holidays can also lead to steep discounts on seasonal items. “Once a big sale is over — like a holiday sale — stores will discount the excess,” Roth says. “Valentine’s candy the day after Valentine’s Day, and turkeys the day after Thanksgiving Day.”
Consider Ordering Online
Shopping online can reduce impulse purchases and make it easier to compare prices.
Jessica Randhawa, owner of The Forked Spoon, a website featuring family-friendly recipes, says grocery delivery has saved both time and money because it eliminates browsing the aisles.
Online shopping also lets you build your cart over several days instead of making rushed decisions in the store.
Join Rewards Programs
Most major grocery chains offer loyalty programs that provide automatic discounts and personalized offers. Signing up for these programs can help you access savings on everyday purchases and take advantage of member-only deals.
Buy Store Brands
Store brands, also known as private-label products, typically cost less than national brands and often offer comparable quality.
Shop More Often, Not Less
More frequent shopping trips can actually help reduce waste. Buying only what you’ll use over the next few days may prevent food from spoiling before you can eat it.
Use Technology
Many grocery stores offer apps with digital coupons, loyalty rewards and weekly specials. Some also let you track your spending as you shop.
You can also use cash-back apps and rewards credit cards to lower your grocery bill, provided you pay your balance in full each month.
Tips for Finding Grocery Deals
Beyond budgeting, smart shopping strategies can help stretch your food dollars. Adam Schwartz, CEO of the website CouponSurfer, recommends these approaches.
Shop Where Competition Is Strong
Stores in competitive markets often offer lower prices than those with fewer nearby competitors. If you’re making a large grocery trip, it may be worth driving a little farther to save money.
Compare Prices Before You Shop
Price-comparison apps can help you identify the lowest prices before you head to the store. “This can be a dedicated price-comparison app or even something like Instacart,” Schwartz says.
Apps like Flipp and Price Cruncher can also help you compare prices across retailers.
Review Weekly Ads
Check your grocery store’s weekly circular before you shop to plan purchases around sale items. Shopping early in the sales cycle may improve your chances of finding advertised products in stock.
If an item sells out, ask whether the store offers rain checks.
Use Surplus Food Apps
Apps such as Flashfood and Too Good To Go sell surplus food approaching its best-by or sell-by date at a discount. “You can save up to 50%,” Schwartz says.
Look for Manager’s Specials
Ask whether meat or other perishable items nearing their sell-by date have been marked down. “You can usually save 30% to 40%,” Schwartz says.
Make sure you freeze items you won’t use immediately to avoid waste.
Stack Coupons When Possible
Manufacturer and store coupons can sometimes be combined, a strategy known as coupon stacking. “Many times they can both be used,” Schwartz says.
In addition, try to buy only items you already planned to purchase.
[Read: Grocery Receipt Scanning Apps to Save Money During Inflation]
How to Budget for Restaurants
Groceries are only part of most households’ food budgets. Dining out can have an equally significant impact.
In 2025, consumers spent 4.9% of their disposable personal income on food at home and another 4.9% on food away from home.
[These Are the Cheapest Restaurants to Feed a Family]
Eating at home is generally less expensive because you can use ingredients for multiple meals and having leftovers reduce waste.
If you’re trying to cut food costs, review your spending on restaurants, takeout and food delivery over the past month. Knowing where your money is going can help you identify opportunities to cut back.
If you frequently visit the same restaurants, consider joining their loyalty programs through a restaurant’s app. Many offer discounts, rewards or free menu items.
Picking up takeout instead of paying for delivery can also lower costs by eliminating delivery fees and reducing tipping expenses.
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How Much Should I Spend on Groceries? originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 07/09/26: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
