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You can lower grocery costs without giving up a varied, nutritious diet. Start by planning around food you already have, then compare prices for foods that fit your meals. Use USDA food-plan estimates as broad benchmarks—not as a promise of what your own household will spend.
Start with a realistic budget benchmark
USDA publishes four food plans—Thrifty, Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost and Liberal—that model nutrient-dense foods and beverages at different cost levels. The plans are national estimates based on average food prices for age-and-sex groups, not local checkout quotes or a personalized budget. USDA updates cost levels monthly using the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers. The Thrifty Food Plan basket and cost levels were last updated in 2021; Alaska and Hawaii adjustments were published in 2023. See the USDA Food Plans and Cost of Food Reports for the applicable month and details.
For July 2026, USDA estimated the Thrifty Food Plan at $58.60 per week, or $253.90 per month, for a woman aged 20–50; for a man aged 20–50, it estimated $73.30 per week, or $317.40 per month. The report rounds costs to the nearest ten cents. These figures describe the listed groups under the plan, not what an individual will necessarily pay in a particular place. The Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost and Liberal monthly estimates for the same age range were $276.10, $337.10 and $430.20 for women, and $317.40, $398.70 and $487.50 for men. USDA cautions that these three plans use older underlying market-basket work, so they are not nutritionally or methodologically interchangeable with the 2021 Thrifty plan.
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USDA notes that a healthy diet can be achieved at many cost levels, including on a limited budget. Treat the plans as context for setting expectations, then make decisions using your own local prices, household needs and food preferences.
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Plan the week from what is already at home
Before shopping, check the refrigerator, freezer and cupboards. Note ingredients that can become meals and perishable foods that should be used soon. MyPlate recommends making a plan before going to the store to get organized, save money and choose healthy options. Its guidance is available at Make a Plan.
- Take inventory. List usable ingredients, leftovers and foods that need attention soon.
- Build meals around overlap. Plan dishes that share ingredients, such as vegetables used in a meal early in the week and a soup later. Leave room for busy days and give leftovers a specific meal rather than assuming they will be eaten.
- Write a shopping list. Group items by food group or store section, and add staples as they run out. A paper list, phone note or free weekly calendar and list template can all do the job.
- Balance foods for now and later. Pair fresh foods you can use soon with frozen or shelf-stable options for later meals.
- Shop the list, then compare. Check unit prices among similar items, consider planned sale or seasonal options, and read labels where nutrition details matter.
Compare prices without losing sight of what you will use
Unit prices make it easier to compare similar products in different package sizes. Check the shelf label or calculate the price per ounce, pound or other comparable unit. Compare like with like: a larger package is not automatically a better value if it contains a different product or more food than you can store and use.
- Choose bulk selectively. Larger amounts can make sense for dried beans, whole grains, canned goods or frozen vegetables when you have storage space and expect to use them. Food that spoils or gets discarded is not a saving.
- Use sales and discounts for planned purchases. MyPlate suggests checking sales, coupons, seasonal foods, store brands and loyalty discounts. A discount helps only when the item fits a meal or replaces something you already planned to buy.
- Compare brands by need, not label alone. A store brand may suit the meal and budget; check the package and Nutrition Facts label rather than assuming all versions are equivalent.
These tactics can help you make price-aware choices, but no specific savings amount is guaranteed. Actual costs depend on local prices, household needs and what gets used.
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Keep meals varied by planning across fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy or fortified soy alternatives. Lowering cost need not mean relying on one food or removing a food group. USDA MyPlate’s Shop Smart guidance offers budget-minded ideas for choosing foods from each group.
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Use beans and vegetables to extend meals
Beans can add fiber and increase the amount of a meal. Canned or frozen vegetables can add vegetables and nutrients to dishes, including when fresh produce is costly or unlikely to last until you need it. A planned chili, soup, grain bowl or pasta dish can make these ingredients part of a satisfying meal rather than an afterthought.
Pick produce forms to match the meal and storage
Fresh, frozen, canned, dried and dehydrated produce are all options. Choose based on price, how long it will keep, and how you intend to use it; fresh is not automatically cheaper or more nutritious. MyPlate notes that frozen fruits and vegetables are picked ripe and frozen quickly. For canned fruit, look for packing in water or 100% juice; for canned vegetables, compare options marked low-sodium or no-salt-added.
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Check labels on packaged foods
When comparing packaged products, use the Nutrition Facts label to check the nutrients that matter for your choice, including added sugars, saturated fat and sodium. A lower price alone does not tell you whether two products are nutritionally alike.
Make discounts work for your household
Coupons, loyalty offers, sales and seasonal prices are tools—not reasons to add unplanned food to the cart. Compare the discounted price with alternatives, check that the item belongs in a meal, and consider whether you can use it before it spoils. Frozen and shelf-stable choices may reduce the risk of waste when fresh foods would otherwise sit unused; the best choice depends on your recipes, storage and schedule.
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There is no established fixed percentage that an average household will save by following any one of these tactics. Focus instead on avoiding purchases you will not use and choosing among realistic options at your store.
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