Whether you decide to shop in bulk, visit the grocery store many times a week, or simply pick up whatever you’re in the mood for, one thing is for sure: you need to buy some food. However, how much you spend on groceries can widely differ, depending on your diet, where you live, shop, your budget, and the size of the household.
On average, households that rely on lower incomes spend fewer dollars. At the same time, a larger proportion of their income goes on groceries. In 2022, families who registered the lowest earnings spent an average of $5,090 on food, which equaled around 31% of their income.
In the meantime, the highest-earning households spent way more than three times as much—$15,713, which represented only 8% of their income, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

How much should you spend on groceries on a monthly basis?
The total cost of your groceries might vary depending on the size of your household and who is in it. Also, the USDA categorizes the average grocery costs depending on the types of spenders: low-cost, moderate, and liberal.
For instance, a family with a mother, father, and two kids between the ages of 9 and 11 would have to pay between $1,074 to $1,635 a month for groceries. Prices that are shown here and below are from October 2023.
Three spending plans: USDA grocery costs for single adults
Monthly spending averages for individuals could also differ depending on their age and budget. For males with low and moderate grocery budgets, spending maxes out among men in between 14 and 19. Among those with the highest budgets, the biggest spenders in the 20 to 50 age group.
How to save money without sacrificing nutrition
Trust me, eating healthy meals won’t drain your bank account. Two many key principles include:
- shop for vegetables and fruits that are in season, as those are usually cheaper.
- stock up on various nutritious canned and dry foods such as beans, rice, and vegetables.
Here’s how to shop more cost-effectively:
Check your cupboards before shopping
Start by shopping in your own cabinets, refrigerator, and freezer right before you go to the store or browse online. You can use the food you have before spending more money on new food.
Find out what’s in season and what’s on sale
Seasonal fruits and vegetables are generally much cheaper because they are plentiful and they’re generally not being shipped in from warmer regions. They are also likely to be fresher and more delicious. Here’s a rough schedule for fruits and veggies:
Spring
- apples
- apricots
- asparagus
- avocados
- bananas
- broccoli
- cabbage
- carrots
Summer
- cherries
- corn
- cucumbers
- eggplant
- garlic
- green beans
- honeydew melon
- lima beans
Fall
- pears
- peas
- pumpkin
- raspberries
- spinach
- sweet potatoes and yams
- swiss chard
- winter squash
Winter
- kale
- leeks
- lemons
- limes
- onions
- oranges
- parsnips
- pears
Buy in bulk
Buying in bulk is definitely cheaper than buying smaller quantities. Probably the most accurate way in which you can compare prices is to check the unit cost. Grocery shelves generally have two price tags: the retail price per container, which comes in larger print, and the unit price, which is oftentimes in smaller print right beneath the retail price.
The unit price shows you how much you are paying by weight or volume, rather than the container size. Unit costs will point you how much you need to spend on larger and smaller quantities.

Make a proper meal plan
Weekly meal plans will help you reduce additional costs because you will be able to buy in bulk, use the same ingredients in many different dishes for multiple meals, and also avoid impulse spending. Postmates, DoorDash, and any other meal delivery services are ideal when you’re hungry, but they’re your biggest enemies when you are trying to cut costs.
Eat before shopping
Hunger will often lead to overspending. Studies have repeatedly shown that people who decide to shop on an empty stomach spend way more on groceries but also on non-food items, like paper clips and hair supplies. Schedule your shopping trips right after a meal or snack so you can keep your spending in check.
Join a grocery store’s rewards programs
The majority of grocery stores have this free-to-join rewards program that gifts members all kinds of savings. If you’re not quite sure if your store has such a program, simply ask a cashier or manager the next time you go there. You could be surprised to find free savings by simply signing up.
Clip the coupons
Before you buy any kind of food, try to find out if there are coupons for it online or in the in-store flyers. Also, you might want to check to see if your store has a price match program.
Use cash-back or even reward credit cards
There are plenty of credit card companies that come with perks and rewards for grocery spending. If you’re looking for ways to boost your earnings, just choose a credit card that has benefits you can actually use (like cash back or airline miles).
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