A Realistic Guide to Grocery Shopping in Expensive Times

Hey, did you hear? Grocery prices are crazy expensive. But I have a feeling I don’t need to tell you this. You can see it right on the screen when you go to check out. A report from Instacart shows that Maryland is the 16th most-expensive state for grocery spending. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average cost of groceries in the U.S. was $519 per month in 2024. This figure includes everyone, including single-person households. Your own mileage (and number of mouths to feed) may vary.

So how do we keep up? We are going to share with you tips, tricks, and strategies for getting that grocery bill down without sacrificing your family’s favorite foods. However, even the best advice for one person won’t work for another. In fact, sometimes the exact opposite advice is what you need! We are going to share five pieces of advice…and the counter strategies that might work even better.

Shop in the Store…or Order Pickup or Delivery

Many stores have different prices depending on whether you are shopping in person or online. Some of these costs come in the form of fees for the people in the store picking the items, and others come in the form of inflated prices. And delivery is even more expensive with separate fees and a tip for the driver. Either way, it’s often much less expensive to shop in-store for your groceries. Stick to your list, don’t shop when you’re hungry, and set clear expectations for any kids who have to come with you. (“Yes, you can have a small container of strawberries and blueberries. No, you cannot have a toy car.” I’m quoting myself, here.)

However…shopping for pickup or delivery can have its advantages:

You are forced to stick to your list. There’s no chance to impulse-buy when you’re not doing the buying.
You can see the total price before you purchase, making it easy to stick to that budget.
You can compare prices between in-store and pickup, or with other stores.

Ordering for pickup is what works best for my family. I can get the order in, select substitutions, and get back to doing all the Paw Patrol voices (it’s the same voice, I’m not gonna lie).

Buy in Bulk…or Buy Only What You Need, When You Need It

Big bulk stores, such as Costco and Sam’s Club, can be lifesavers for families. You may only need one shopping trip every month or two to fill up your fridge, pantry, and cupboards. Fresh meat, which you can split up and freeze, is very wallet-friendly when you look at price-per-pound. And non-consumables, such as toilet paper, laundry detergent, and diapers will happily sit in your closet until you use them up. No panicked, last-second trips when you realize you’re out of baby wipes!

However…shopping at a big bulk store doesn’t work for every family. Some people may not have that much money to spend up-front. Or they may not have the space in their freezer or cabinets for all of those items. It can cost less for a family only to buy exactly what they need, when they need it, and when it will fit on the shelf.

But if you want the best of both, you can shop in bulk at a store such as BD Provisions. Grab a bag or bring any container of your own, then scoop or pour what you need. They have dry goods, such as rice, flour, and cereal. Also, you can get olive oils, honey, and freshly made peanut butter. Plus, they have bath products and cleaning products that are sustainably manufactured and sustainable to use. And don’t forget about their coffee! They roast beans in-house so you can have the freshest brew possible. Want to taste-test something before buying? Just ask! They also have a coloring space for the kids while you shop (bless you!). Now that I bought some snacks for my kids, I can guarantee I’ll be back for more cheddar whales!

BD Provisions makes it easy to buy exactly what you need. Need a tablespoon of a random spice for a recipe you’re dying to try? Bring in a small container (which they will weigh) just for that. As someone who prefers to buy things in glass containers, I’m aware that the extra money I spend is mostly related to the non-plastic packaging. But with BD Provisions, I can keep the same glass jars and reuse them, so I don’t have to spend more money every time I need dried oregano.

Shop Around…or Stick to One Place

When you start looking, you realize that different stores have higher prices for some items and lower prices for others. Keep a list of the items you buy every shopping trip, then compare with the stores near you, looking particularly at sale items. Then do a couple of hops from one place to the next. This also works for splitting your shopping into different categories. Maybe you like produce from your local farmer’s market or co-op, meat from the nearby grocery store, and a couple treats from Trader Joe’s.

However…that much hopping around can take a lot of time. And even though you are seeing better grocery prices, you may end up paying a bit more in gas. Depending on how far you travel, there may be a small amount of extra wear and tear on your car, as well. Choosing a larger store that is more likely to have everything you need in one trip may help you get your errands over and done with.

If you want to shop around but want to maximize your time and cost-savings, Ann M. Covington, CFP®, CPWA® of CovingtonAlsina has a solution. “[Y]ou can rotate stores. Maybe I alternate stores—Giant and Aldi’s-–and throw in a warehouse club run once a month.”

And she suggests taking advantage of sale items. “For example, if chicken is on sale, maybe I make it three times this week, and also buy some to freeze.”

Meal Prep…or Focus on One Ingredient

Meal planning and prepping may be one of the best ways to save money on groceries.

“Make a plan,” Ann Covington said. “Put your family’s favorite meals on index cards with the list of ingredients. Looking at your calendar, plan meals for the week. Maybe on Monday you brown hamburger for spaghetti sauce and make extra for tacos on Tuesday after practice. Friday everyone grabs whatever leftovers they want; different meals but one family meal—reduces waste and gives you a night off cooking. Once you have the plan, use the index cards to build your grocery list. Check what you have in the house, too.”

Write down everything to post in a place where the whole family can see. Then as soon as you buy your groceries every week, while you are still in the right frame of mind, prep all of the ingredients and cook your meals for the fridge and freezer.

However…while this method is highly recommended for most families, it didn’t work for us. And by “us” I mean me. Breakfast and lunch were straightforward, but dinner was a challenge. It probably didn’t help that I’m an Olympic-level, Type A overthinker. Researching meals that everyone in the house might like, comparing prices for ingredients, shopping, and food prepping took a lot of time and a lot of brain space. And anyone with kids knows the struggle of hearing, “I don’t like that!” Especially when they loved it yesterday. The only meals that both of my children have never wavered from are chicken nuggets and fried dumplings.

So I changed my approach. Instead of planning based on recipes and prepping for the entire week, I only focus on the main ingredient for dinner. One of my kids hates all things beef, and my husband doesn’t care for fish, so when dinner rolls around we cook some chicken, pork, or pasta. Then we’ll see what grains and produce we have for sides. That’s it. I add some meat to my shopping list for the week, make sure we have pasta, beans, and rice, buy the fruits and veggies that I know my kids will eat, and call it a day. Might not be adventurous, but it has saved us a lot of money. (And saved me a great deal of sanity.)

Buy from Low-Overhead Stores…or from Stores with Points

Outside of bulk stores such as Costco and Sam’s Club, or big box stores such as Walmart and Target, the lowest prices you’ll find are at stores such as Aldi and Lidl. These stores keep overhead low by having a smaller footprint, fewer staff members, and no fancy displays. You need a quarter to access the locked carts so you are forced to return them. Then they can pass the savings on to shoppers. And oh, the savings! Aldi is where I do most of my shopping. In the past, they only accepted cash or debit cards. But now you can use credit cards and order online for pickup. You know how I said I prefer to order for pickup? It’s a breeze, and no quarter required!

However…even though some stores have higher prices, there may be benefits that work for you. Giant, Food Lion, and Safeway have points that you can earn and then redeem. If you use your points for gas, you could save up to a dollar per gallon! And did you know you could earn double (and occasionally triple) points when you buy gift cards from one of these stores? For anyone who gets more sticker shock at the gas station than the grocery store, this could be a win-win!

Bonus Suggestions

Here are some other tips that might work for you:

Track your most-bought ingredients over a three-month period. Ann Covington offers this great strategy and says, “[G]roceries have a price range over a three-month period. To seriously save on groceries, track your top three to five items for three months. Identify the low price in the cycle. Then, any time the item hits the low point, buy three months’ worth (assuming it’s a non-perishable). Coupons (on the store app now) often come out at the high point of the price cycle. If you can clip it and save to the low point, that’s how you pay the least for groceries.”
Use a coupon-clipping app, website, or clip actual coupons.
Try out generic products instead of name brands. You might like them better.
Did your box of cereal have a hole in the package? Submit a complaint to the manufacturer. It doesn’t take long to submit online, and you’ll get a coupon to get the money back. One time I had a pack of popsicles that was missing one—for real, there was a sealed, empty wrapper! I got a coupon that covered the cost of a whole box, rather than the $0.50 I was expecting. Just remember to be kind!
This one is for the kids: If you run out of your favorite food, it’s OK to be without it for a few more days until the next shopping trip. The word of the day is…cope!
Get frozen fruits and veggies. According to AARP, frozen produce was found to be just as nutritious as fresh produce, and in some cases more nutritious. And according to me, the frozen blueberries that I use for overnight oats are much sweeter than fresh.
Make your own food! Have a garden, go fishing or hunting, or keep your own animals for honey, eggs, or meat.
If your kids eat two decent meals in a day, they’re probably fine. This piece of advice was given to me by my older child’s pediatrician years ago. If your kid only wants a bite of their dinner, but they had a good breakfast and lunch, they’re not going to starve. Of course, check with your own pediatrician to make sure you don’t have to worry, either.
Finally, as one friend to another (or however many friends are reading this), don’t devalue your time. Driving an extra 20 minutes to a big bulk store may save money, but your time is worth something.

Everyone has different needs and situations. One mom might prefer to shop in-store, while I prefer to order for pickup. One family might do all organic food and budget around it, while another buys whatever is the least expensive. But guess what? Everyone is right! Because we all have done the math and come up with the best solution. Grocery prices might be so high they make us dizzy, but we’ve got lots of options that can get food on the table without breaking the bank.

And Lastly, Some Resources

Budgeting

Meal planning, shopping, and budgeting from the USDA’s website.
“Planning Meals for a Family” from Clemson Cooperative Extension.
“Grocery Budget Calculator” from Iowa State University.
“How Much Meat Do You Need Per Month?” from Wild Country Meats. Doing the math for my family, the answer seemed a bit high. I try to buy two or three meats on my shopping trips, depending on how much the rest of my groceries cost that week.
“Average Retail Food and Energy Prices” from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Budgeting websites:
- Monarch
- You Need a Budget (YNAB)

Saving Money

Coupon apps and websites:
- Ibotta
- Fetch Rewards
- RetailMeNot
- Coupons.com
- The Krazy Coupon Lady
- Download your grocery store’s app to clip their coupons. For some, you have to actually click on them to get the savings. For others, they are applied automatically as long as you have an account.
“How to Eat Organic on a Budget” from U.S. News and World Report.