Learning How to Combat Rising Food Costs is a two-pronged approach. Below I’ll discuss longer-term policy-driven changes to protect our community from these outrageous prices in the first place, as well as short-term strategies to help you save your grocery budget. Strap in, friends — it’s gonna be a long ride.

I don’t know about y’all, but aside from rent, utilities, and student loan payments, the largest portion of my budget goes toward groceries. A recent study by the US Labor Department shows I’m not alone — as of February 2024, Americans on average are spending a whopping 11.3% of their take-home income on food alone. The share of income going towards food hasn’t been this high in 30 years.
And, as to be expected, the lowest earners are hit the hardest — folks in the bottom 20% of earnings are spending 25% of their take-home income on groceries. Take a minute to let that sink in. 1 out of every 4 dollars earned is going toward food alone. And if you live in one of these 13 states that tax groceries, your spending power is further limited.
Considering that those in the lowest income bracket are also spending an average of nearly 63% of their take-home pay on housing, there’s only $0.12 out of every post-tax dollar left over for other essentials like utilities, medication, transportation, or childcare.
Not into politics? Feel free to use the navigation buttons to skip to the content that is most relevant to you!
Jump to:
- Environmental & Global Factors Increasing Food Prices
- Corporate “Greedflation”
- American Politics & Rising Food Costs
- Let’s Fight Back
- Short-Term Saving Strategies
- Plan for Food Budgeting Success
- How to Shop at the Grocery Store for Maximum Savings
- How to Get the Most Out of Your Food in the Kitchen & Garden
- More Grocery Budgeting Hacks
- 💬 Reviews
People who have lived on limited budgets since before inflation took off often already know the tricks to keeping their grocery bills low. But, when even the basics have become more expensive, there's not much they can do except try and deal with it.
If you need additional food assistance, there are lots of organizations that might be able to help.
When the purchasing power of an already vulnerable population is further decreased by inflation and the bureaucrats are months behind on thousands of increased SNAP and WIC applications, we've found ourselves in a situation where millions of Americans are food insecure.
Worse, grocery price increases are outpacing overall inflation. Since 2021, overall inflation has caused a 19% increase in living expenses. In that same period, grocery prices have increased 25%. So, what’s causing food to be so dang expensive? The answer is complex and multifaceted.

Environmental & Global Factors Increasing Food Prices
First, consider environmental factors — atmospheric rivers causing flooding in California, Hurricane Ian wiping out crops and farming infrastructure in Florida, and droughts in Texas, Louisiana, Canada, and Mexico have all disrupted farm output.
These environmental factors apply to both produce and meat. For example, droughts have reduced viable grazing land for cows and have severely reduced the yield of sugar cane and cocoa crops. Diseases like avian flu and citrus greening disease have also negatively impacted farmers’ ability to produce their crops.

Second, global politics plays a big role. Ukraine was the 5th largest exporter of wheat in the world prior to Russia’s invasion, accounting for 10% of the global supply. While they have since been able to recover 75% of their pre-war exports, there is still a large gap in the market. The same war is also driving fertilizer costs and cooking oil prices up — together, Russia and Ukraine were responsible for 75% of the world’s supply of sunflower oil.
Our food system is far-flung and vulnerable. We should be developing local food systems to ensure that no matter what happens thousands of miles from where we live, we can feed ourselves.
Corporate “Greedflation”
But the third and most nefarious reason driving these major price increases is none other than good ol’ corporate greed. Inflation has hit food producers to the tune of 1% over the last year, while we consumers have paid an additional 3.4%. Seems off, right?

It has been estimated that 53% of food inflation from Q2 and Q3 of 2023 was driven by corporate profiteering. Compare that with just 11% of food inflation being caused by corporate profits in the 40 years prior. Strategies like “shrinkflation” where companies don’t change the pricing, but give you less for the price you’re used to, and using instances of market volatility to train customers to expect higher prices are now the norm.
Considering that the average CEO makes 272 times that of an average employee, and that 93% of the US stock market is owned by the top 10% of earners (with the top 1% owning more than half), these record profits are lining the pockets of the ultra-wealthy at the expense of the average Joe.
More of a visual learner? Here’s a graph demonstrating annual gross profit growth for the 4 biggest agricultural trading corporations from 2011-2022:

American Politics & Rising Food Costs
As if that weren’t bad enough, American politicians continue to favor corporations above citizens, further contributing to the disparity between consumer food pricing and corporate profit. If you’re not yet familiar with the Farm Bill, it’s time to brush up — buried in nearly 1000 pages of text are ways we’re helping the rich get richer while millions of Americans go hungry.

For example, crop subsidies set pricing for soy, corn, wheat, and rice, to name a few. While in theory these subsidies are supposed to help small farmers and consumers, the reality is that the majority of subsidies go to giant agribusinesses. Our tax dollars pay for these subsidies, costing an average of $216 in taxes and $104 in food costs per household per year.
Worse, anti-hunger programs like SNAP have such stringent income and work requirements that most recipients only get an average of 12 months of assistance, with an estimated $184 in monthly benefits per person for 2024. That comes out to an average of $2,208 over the year.

Compare that with the 20,000 farmers that have received — wait for it — 37 CONSECUTIVE YEARS of corporate welfare in the form of subsidies, each averaging $2,122 per month, or just shy of $1 million over the course of the study. Of those, 25% did not provide “personal labor” on their farms, and 150 of them lived in one of the nation’s 50 largest cities. This is despite the provision that subsidies go to farmers who are “actively engaged in farming.”
To be eligible for SNAP in 2024, a single-person household must earn $18,960 or less in gross annual income. To be eligible for farm subsidies, on the other hand, single “farmers” who don’t even work on the farm can earn up to $900,000 in gross annual farming income — not including other sources of income.

Millions of dollars of government-backed payments went to “managers or professionals, including attorneys, executives, or physicians” as well as 4 billionaires who “earned their wealth from a variety of sources in addition to farming, such as mining, real estate, sports, and information technology.” More than 20 of these recipients don’t even live in the USA.
So, if you’re a regular person and earn approximately $19,000 a year, you might get $2,200 in food assistance TOTAL before being cut off. If you’re a business person who earns $900,000 a year just from your farm, you can get roughly that amount every single month without any cut-off — even after decades of payments.
Millionaires and billionaires are receiving welfare payments that our tax dollars pay for while 1 in 8 American adults and more than 17% of households with children don’t know where their next meal is coming from. TELL ME HOW THAT MAKES SENSE.

AND, as if that weren't enough, our agricultural system focuses on growing animal feed and fuel for cars. Don't believe me? For the last 2 decades we've been importing the majority of our fruits and vegetables, and as of 2023, we're importing more food than we export. It's absolutely ludicrous.
Let’s Fight Back
While I certainly don’t have the answer to the behemoth problem of American plutocracy (though campaign finance reform should definitely be on the list), the first step is to stop fighting with each other and to start looking at our leaders with more scrutiny. To that end, I encourage you to do your due diligence by researching candidates and issues and then get out there and vote.
My biggest hope is that our communities will start prioritizing local food production, set aside more public land for community garden plots, increase access to food assistance, bring back "home ec" to teach kids how to grow & prepare their own food, and work together to force change.
And don’t stop there — vote with your dollars, too. Boycott the brand names that have decided to put profit above customers in favor of white-label brands.

Short-Term Saving Strategies
Okay, okay, I’ll shut up about politics. (But seriously, VOTE.) If you’re here to figure out smart ways to save money on groceries until we can fix the larger root problems, I’ve got you.
I’ve broken my favorite grocery shopping tips into sections — how to set yourself up for success before you even leave the house, how to shop once you’re in the store, and how to get the most out of your food once you’re back home.
Plan for Food Budgeting Success
As Antoine St.-Exupery once said, “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” The first step towards reducing your food budget is to prepare! Here’s how:
Empower yourself by learning how to cook.
While grocery prices have risen steeply, eating out has gotten even more outrageous than grocery shopping. It seems you can't get a breakfast of 2 eggs, some bacon, toast, and a cup of coffee for less than $20 these days. Even fast food and fast casual prices are obscene — the other day, Joe and I split a Chipotle burrito and each got a small drink and the final tally was over $20.
That’s why becoming more proficient in the kitchen is the best thing you can do for your food budget.

While you’re at it, don’t just stick to what you know — branch out to other global cuisines. Most non-American food traditions aren't focused on the "meat/starch/veggie" dinner plate that we grew up with. So, rather than trying to figure out how to replace meat with highly-processed (and expensive!) plant-based alternatives, start venturing into global foods that have traditional and authentic vegetarian roots. To that end…
Consider a flexitarian diet.
Eating primarily plant-based foods isn't just better for your health and the environment, it's also a lot cheaper! If you don't want to go totally plant-based, reach for high-flavor-impact ingredients like bacon — a few slices can add tons of flavor without hitting your pocketbook too hard, and you can save the fat to add flavor even after the meat is gone.
Start with a list.
Review the contents of your fridge, freezer, and pantry. What are you out of? What do you need to make the meals you've planned for the upcoming week? Organize the list by aisle to make sure you don't have to wander too much, which always tends to lead to impulse purchases.

Sign up for store circulars.
Plan your meals (and where you’ll shop) around what is on sale during a given week. Also, remember to use those sales as an opportunity to stock your pantry! Rewards points, store coupons, and sales are very powerful when combined.
Shop around.
If you have the luxury, hit more than one store every month. Different shops have different strengths! Costco and Aldi are my primary stores as they’re the cheapest options for my most-purchased foodstuffs.
That said, Publix has incredible BOGO sales and Kroger offers great coupons, while Trader Joe’s has the best pre-made frozen foods and snacks. I also love international markets — the produce is usually beautiful and inexpensive, and their pantry items are often cheaper than elsewhere.
Use every shopping trip as an opportunity to build your pantry.
If calamity strikes, a well-stocked pantry can keep you well-fed from the safety of your house. Remember those early days of the pandemic lockdowns? If we learned anything, it’s that our supply chains are vulnerable. Do what you can to protect yourself by slowly building a well-provisioned larder.
Leaning on pantry meals during rent week is also a great way to skip the grocery store and wait until your payday. Then, every few months, do a no-spend challenge and eat entirely from your backstock.

Check for sales on the following, then add them to your list:
- Dried goods like pastas, beans, flour, etc.
- Canned goods like fruits, tomatoes, beans, and fish.
- Jarred items like peanut butter, jam, spices, etc.
- Dairy items (or their plant-based equivalents)that can be frozen for later use like milk, cream, butter, etc.
- Shelf-stable dairy (or plant-based alternatives) including tetrapaks of milk or dried milk powder.
- Frozen foods.
Fall in love with dried beans and rice.
Beans + Rice = Perfect Protein, and you can't get much cheaper than buying them dried. Canned beans are great for convenience, but can cost up to 3x as much. I suggest meal prepping a large batch of dried beans (they’re so much more flavorful than canned!), and then freezing it in smaller portions for use later.
Make sure your storage is on lock.
If you're purchasing dried goods, make sure you have pest-proof containers to decant them into. For fresh items, make sure you have a plan to use the items or plenty of freezer space. To that end, if you have the space, I recommend saving up for a deep freezer. Doubling up on recipes to freeze half is one of my favorite ways to ensure there’s always something good to eat.
Work your credit cards.
Depending on which cards you've signed up for, groceries might earn you more points or cashback offers on particular cards at particular times. You might even find that your bank or credit card company has partnered with particular stores for even greater savings.
Take these savings a step further by signing up for cashback apps like Ibotta, Fetch, or Receipt Hog. They all work a little differently, but the idea is the same — snap a photo of your receipts and get rewarded for particular purchases.

Go to the Library.
I feel like when people think about cooking, they don’t usually think about libraries — but they should! Here’s why:
- Recipe Inspiration - Cookbooks, cooking magazines, and DVDs about cooking can all be checked out. If your Library uses Libby or Kanopy, you often don’t even need to go to your local branch!
- Equipment Rental - Want to try using a bread maker or making ice cream from scratch? See if your library has a “library of things” so you can check out kitchen equipment you might not have.
- Seed Exchanges - If you want to become more food independent, growing your own fruits and veggies is a great endeavor. Many libraries offer various seeds for free, lowering the cost barrier to getting started.
- Classes - Check your library’s events page. Cooking classes might be on the list!
Never go to the store hungry.
If you're anything like me, being hungry diminishes your impulse control, causes emotions to run high, and makes all the food look delicious. Do yourself a favor and eat a snack before hitting the aisles; your pocketbook will thank you for it. I keep a Costco-sized box of granola bars in my car for just this reason (and to share with the homeless).
How to Shop at the Grocery Store for Maximum Savings
Okay, you’ve put in the work to come up with a plan. But, “the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” Here are some of my favorite grocery shopping strategies to make sure you aren’t knocked off course:
Don't get a cart.
If you are armed with a list, just take your shopping bag (or two) to the store with you. Fill the bag with everything on the list FIRST. You'll have less room for impulse buys. I also find that when I can feel the literal weight of my purchases on my shoulder, I'm more motivated to get out of the store and back to my car.

Don't shop at eye level.
Brands pay big bucks to get prime product placement on the shelves. Looking toward the top and bottom will often show you much cheaper items in the same product category. In the same vein, opt for white-labeled store brands — they're often produced by the same companies as the branded versions and can be significantly cheaper.
Hit the discount bins.
I've gotten super lucky at Aldi, Kroger, and Publix by getting 50% off meat, seafood, and salad kits that were about to expire. If you don't have a plan for the discounted food, vacuum seal it (here’s how to vacuum seal without a machine) and toss it in the freezer for another day. Ugly fruits and veggies are also usually on deep discount but taste just as good as fresh.
Whenever possible, shop in bulk.
This doesn't necessarily mean needing a Costco card, either! Avoid individually packaged foods, since you're paying for packaging, too. Shop the bulk aisle at your local grocery store if they have one. Reach for a tub of oats or yogurt rather than pre-portioned ones. Grab herbs in plastic packets from an international or Latin supermarket instead of buying the ones that come in heavy glass bottles.

Don't pay for packaging.
This goes for "convenience" items like Lunchables, instant oatmeal packets, yogurt or cottage cheese cups, etc. Purchase the primary items in a bulk package and assemble them yourself to save beaucoup bucks!! As an added bonus, making your own grab-and-go snacks means you have greater control over what goes into them.
If possible, go on "off days."
My husband and I like to take our "weekend" as a day in the middle of the week. Grocery shopping on a Tuesday or Wednesday morning or early afternoon is less busy, meaning I don't feel rushed to get out of the way. Price comparison is easier when you have space and time!
Also, our local Aldi restocks new products on Wednesdays, so they often mark older items down to get rid of them on Tuesdays. Figure out when your store receives new shipments to try and time markdown sales.
Don't overlook the frozen aisle.
Frozen fruits, veggies, meats, and seafood are often cheaper than their fresh counterparts. As a bonus, frozen fruits and veggies are already prepped for you, so they'll make your cooking experience easier. They're also just as nutritious! Also, remember that most seafood has been previously frozen anyway, so buying from the fish counter just means they've already defrosted it.

Consider the season.
In-season fruits, veggies (and even meats, like turkey at Thanksgiving) will usually be cheaper than out-of-season options. Not to mention, slicer tomatoes in the midst of winter are never tasty anyway!
If you are on SNAP, it's also great to try out your local farmer's markets. It can be cheaper due to lower transportation costs and many markets have a program where each SNAP $1 gets you $2 of purchasing power.
I also highly suggest signing up for a CSA — while you won't get to choose what your veggies are each week, you're sure to get a lot more bang for your buck, and everything will be super fresh and seasonal!

How to Get the Most Out of Your Food in the Kitchen & Garden
You’re in the home-stretch! Now that you’ve successfully planned and executed your shopping list, it’s time to put all those goodies to use. Here are my favorite ways to save money by cooking:

Consider scratch-cooking your carbs & treats.
Granted, this does take more time which can be difficult if you're working multiple jobs to make ends meet. If possible, using a day a week to meal prep is a great way to get yourself set up for success during the week.
- Buying a bag of Maseca for $2 will yield about 20x what you'd get for a similarly priced bag of pre-made tortillas, tostada shells, or tortilla chips.
- Making your own bread (like this black pepper focaccia or sourdough discard bread), flatbread, and thin-crust pizza dough is much less expensive than buying good-quality alternatives (read: ones that are made with real ingredients, not corn syrup and hyper-processed fillers from all those subsidized crops we talked about above).
- Making homemade pancakes or waffles and freezing them is cheaper than buying them in boxes.
- Dried pasta is usually pretty cheap, but homemade pasta is just as cheap and infinitely more delicious. Same goes for homemade ice cream, and this mint cookies and cream recipe is as easy as it gets.
Always keep an easy cheat on hand.
Semi-homemade always beats take-out, both in terms of cost and typically in terms of nutrition. Our go-to is a frozen pizza and a salad kit, but other great options include simmer sauces, pasta sauces, and stir-fry kits, or frozen leftovers (which is nearly always the cheapest, healthiest option).
Mind your scraps.
Oftentimes, folks toss ingredients that still have more to give. Here are some things to think twice about before you chuck them:

- Veggie & Bone Scraps - Keep onion peels/roots, root ends of carrots, celery, garlic, herb stems, corn cobs, pepper ends, chicken/ham/beef bones, or shrimp peels in zip-top bags in the freezer. Use them to make flavorful stocks to get the most out of your groceries.
- Fruit Scraps - For items like citrus peels, apple skins/cores, or strawberry tops, make no-waste fruit water or no-waste flavored syrups. Citrus peels and zest can also be frozen for future use.
- Random Liquids - Brine or pickle juice of any sort can be used to marinate meat and tofu. Aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) can be used to make everything from fluffy meringues to vegan mayonnaise.
- Sprouting Scraps - It’s pretty easy to regrow onions and green onions using just the root scraps. Sprouted potatoes and sweet potatoes or potato scraps can also be planted to grow lots of new potatoes. You can also propagate herbs like basil, oregano, rosemary, and sage from small cuttings, creating brand new plants.
- Rendered Fat - Everyone knows bacon fat is awesome, right? Strain any fat left in the pan into a mason jar and keep it in the fridge for up to 6 months. It’s perfect for making cornbread, sautéeing veggies for soups/stews/chilis, scrambling or frying eggs, and more. I do the same with sausage fat, which adds a more herbaceous undertone than bacon. When you’re trimming meat, save the fat chunks to render into pork lard or beef tallow. Chicken fat and skin can be rendered to make schmaltz.
- Stale Bread - If your loaf has gone stale, make breadcrumbs, croutons, bread pudding, or a breakfast strata. Stale tortillas can be made into tortilla chips or tostadas, or can be used to make chilaquiles. Stale flatbread makes for awesome homemade pita chips.
For more ideas on how to make the most of your ingredients, Cooking with Scraps and The Waste Free Kitchen Handbook are excellent resources.

Compost & garden.
After you’ve extracted the last bits of flavor from your fruit and veggie scraps, turn them into compost! Using what would otherwise go in the trash to turn into gardener's gold is an easy and amazingly effective process.
If you don't garden yourself, you can always sell it on Facebook Marketplace! But if you have the space, consider starting a small veggie garden with scraps as described above. Even if it's just a windowsill herb garden, you can stop paying $2-3 per tiny clamshell of fresh herbs.
What are YOUR favorite hacks for saving money on groceries? Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments below!!

Alright, friends — as we wrap up our grocery-saving expedition, remember: every little bit helps. Here's to shopping smarter, not harder, and to keeping our wallets as full as our pantries. Until next time, stay frugal and let's work together to make a better, more equitable world!
More Grocery Budgeting Hacks
- Surprising Secrets Revealed: 13+ Unconventional Ways & Places to Slash Your Grocery Bill
- No-Spend January Challenge: Grocery Edition
- Don't Buy It, DIY It! 12 Budget-Friendly Breakfast Hacks So You Can Save $$$ and Ditch the Packaging for Good
- 21+ Egg Substitutes & Egg Replacements For Cooking, Baking, Breakfast, & More!
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Heather says
I use to love grocery shopping; however, the activity has become more of an expensive hindrance than a joyful one with the onset of shrink-flation and the economy being what it is. This is such an informative, wonderfully useful article!! Lots of good nuggets of information I’ll keep in the back of my mind next time I’m being that grocery cart. Thank you!
Ash, The Grocery Addict says
I hear you, girl. I hope this helps! 💛 And remember to get out there and vote! 🗳️