I don’t know about ya’ll, but we’re definitely paying more attention to our grocery budget and food these days. Eating quality, healthy food is a family value to us, so balancing this value and our budget requires a bit extra time these days.
My friends and family also know I am OBSESSED with grocery stores. When I travel, I seek out what it’s like to shop like a local, and make visiting grocery stores part of my sight seeing. Grocery Store Tourism is a real thing, maybe I’ll make it a future post… ha!
True story, during a conference over the summer, I dragged my co-workers to one of my favorite grocery stores on the east coast. Shout out Wegman’s! Thankfully, they kinda like me and happily agreed lol! For my birthday this year, my little sister sent me a grocery store gift card to my 2nd home, Whole Foods. I was seriously so excited!! Super blessed….
Food Plans?
My curiosity got me one day, and I wondered was there a “food budget” calculation to determine how much a healthy diet should cost? I knew I wanted to incorporate this information in my classes for folks I serve in the community. I believe information is power.
According to the USDA countless foods and are available for purchase, ranging in nutrient density and price. As such, a healthy diet can be achieved at many cost levels, including on a limited budget.
USDA has produced food plans since 1894 to illustrate how a healthy diet can be achieved at various costs. USDA produces four food plans at successively higher cost. food plans are made up of two components:
- Market baskets defining weekly quantities of food categories in their purchasable forms that, together, make up a healthy, practical diet for various age-sex groups.
- Cost levels defining the dollar value of each market basket given national average food prices.
It’s Still Cheaper to Eat At Home?
Most recently, USA Today released an article on food spending. Interestingly, Price increases have stabilized over the past year. Grocery costs increased by just 1.2% over the past 12 months, according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) report from March 2024. In contrast, 2022 saw increases of over 13%. Although any increase is still noteworthy, the same CPI study found that grocery shopping (“food at home prices”) rose less than 1% over the last six months, while dining out (“food purchased away from home”) rose about 2% over the same time period.
Changes from Jan. 2023 to Jan. 2024
- All food costs: up 2.6%.
- Food at home: up 1.2%.
- Food away from home: up 5.1%.
Using the USDA plans, let’s explore the difference in budget for a Single person Female Age 20-50.
| Budget Type | Weekly Grocery Cost | Monthly |
| Thrifty | $55.90 | $242.30 |
| Low Cost | $58.70 | $261.00 |
| Moderate | $73.50 | 317.70 |
| Liberal | $93.60 | $405.70 |
**Please note, if you are trying to build a food plan for your family you do not simply ‘double” or compound the dollar amounts above as you add more family members. There is a formula, but consider it loosely…. everyone in the family does not need their own bottle of ketchup… lol….
Why Does this Even Matter?
I believe an important part of changing your diet is to determine what your “new” or adjusted food budget should be. When our Family made this change, we were very purposeful to move costs we could eliminate (reducing those pricey coffee runs to Starbucks… argh…) and adding those $$ to a high quality healthy food budget. This requires a mindful, and intentional transition so “sticker shock” doesn’t set you back to old habits.
Let’s Do Some Journal Werk….
Take out your journals, and here are your prompts:
- Identify which Food Budget you want for your life? Low Cost? Liberal? How do you desire to nourish your body?
- Guess, if you can what you are spending now on food weekly and monthly.
- Combine grocery AND eating out… no cheating!
- Let’s set a new $$ for your Food Plan
- Also add what you will reduce or eliminate to achieve this goal.
- Talk to your family about this change and how they an support the journey
As always, I’m cheering for you! In peace,
J