How to fight rising grocery costs

I look at my bank statement and sigh. Daily needs are so expensive — gas, utilities, medical costs, and, of course, food.

Several years ago, as a stay-at-home mom of three living on a single income, I started researching and writing about cutting food costs to help my own budget. After a ton of reading on the subject, and through experimentation and trial-and-error, I figured out which methods lowered our grocery bill while providing healthy meals, even against the backdrop of a pandemic and continued price spikes. Two books later, it’s fair to say I am intimately familiar with the rising cost of feeding a family.

All that is to say, if you’ve felt the slow drain in your bank account, you aren’t alone. Between 2020 and 2025, food costs rose by 27.14%. For context, if you were spending $600 per month on groceries in 2020, that price tag today would be $762.84. And, although food inflation is rising at a slower rate than in previous years, according to the USDA, prices are predicted to continue rising another 3.1% in 2026.

Some things are rising more precipitously than others. Beef prices are 14.4% higher than a year ago and are up a whopping 52.5% since 2020. Fresh vegetables, sugar, sweets, and other nonalcoholic beverages have also spiked in cost. And with the current volatility of diesel prices affecting shipping, food inflation is unlikely to slow anytime soon.

So how do families put healthy meals on the table without going broke? The trick is to control how you shop and cook. Here are a few of my best hacks:

Shop your pantry, fridge, and freezer

Look through your pantry, fridge, and freezer, and take an inventory. Then, see if you can make a meal plan for the week with what you have. After that, try doing a “pantry challenge” every few months: create meals out of what you already have, shopping only for fresh items as needed.

Shop at a cheaper store 

Convenience is king when it comes to grocery shopping, but if there is a less expensive store, even if it is more out of the way, head there to stock up on staples. WinCo is a discount win in my area. For families with food allergies and intolerances, Grocery Outlet offers lower prices on specialty items.

Make a meal plan and a list

Plan your weekly meals based on what is on sale and what you already have. Leave one night open for leftovers to cut down on food waste. Once you have a plan, make a shopping list and stick to it.

Seeing a lot of impulse purchases come home? There may be  a nominal fee for ordering online and picking up your groceries, but in-store shoppers won’t get anything that isn’t on your list!

Switch to store brands

Store brands average 20-25% less than name brands. At my local Fred Meyer this week, a family-size can of Kroger brand Cream of Mushroom Soup cost $1.89, while the comparable Campbell’s cost $3.49.

Shop the sales cycle

Stores tend to put staple items on sale every four to eight weeks. Note when you see an item that you purchase regularly on sale, then pay attention to when the next discount happens. Once you figure out the cycle, you can plan to buy enough to get you through to the next sale.

Save on and stretch meat

For ground beef, buying in bulk is almost always cheaper. Current prices at my local Fred Meyer are $7.99/pound or $18.99 for three pounds. Bulk is clearly the better deal at $6.66/pound.

Divide the package into one-pound bags for the freezer. Many recipes for soups or casseroles call for one pound of ground beef. Use three-quarters of a pound instead of a whole pound of meat, then put that extra quarter pound back in the freezer. Three dishes later, you’ll have another ¾ pound of meat in the freezer. Trust me, no one will miss that quarter pound.

The same method helps cut chicken costs. I am a huge fan of Costco’s $5 rotisserie chicken: remove the meat and freeze in one-pound amounts. I usually get almost three pounds of meat from each Costco bird.

Last, don’t forget to check the marked-down, soon-to-expire section at the meat counter. Cook these right away, or toss in the freezer.

Two to try at home

These tasty dishes are easy, delicious and filling. And, they great for the budget.

King Ranch Chicken (Serves 6-8)

I invite you to rediscover the casserole. I’m from the Midwest, where everyone has a favorite casserole recipe. These comforting, hearty meals can feed a crowd and are kind to your budget. Here is one of my family’s favorites.

Ingredients

8 corn tortillas

1 cup chicken or vegetable broth

2 cups shredded chicken (shredded rotisserie chicken works well)

1 onion, diced
(or 1 cup frozen, diced onion, defrosted and drained)

1 green bell pepper, diced (seeded, membranes removed)

1 tbsp chile powder

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 family-sized can
of Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 cup salsa

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Dip tortillas into broth, then lay them out in the bottom of the pan, covering the bottom evenly. 
2. Layer the shredded chicken evenly over the tortillas. Sprinkle the onions and bell pepper over the chicken, then sprinkle chile and garlic powder over. 
3. Using a large spoon, add dollops of the soup, then spread evenly over the top. Add salsa in the same way. Top with shredded cheese. 
4. Cover pan with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until mixture is hot and bubbly.

Bean taco or burrito filling (Makes 7, 1/2 cup servings)

This dressed-up version of canned refried beans makes a great filling for tacos, burritos, or quesadillas on its own, or can be added to any of these to cut down on the amount of taco meat needed.

Ingredients

1 cup chopped onion

4 tbsp olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced (if using refrigerated minced garlic, 2 tsp)

2 16-ounce cans of fat-free refried beans

¼ cup taco seasoning

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, saute the onion in oil over medium heat until translucent.
2. Add minced garlic and saute one minute, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
3. Turn the burner heat to low. Add beans and mix well, then add taco seasoning and mix again.
4. Simmer on low for 20-30 minutes to allow flavors to blend, stirring occasionally.
5. If you have a stick blender, you can blend the mixture for a smoother texture.

**Seattle writer Tiffany Doerr Guerzon is the author of “Save Money on Groceries Without Losing Your Mind: 15 Strategies Anyone Can Use.” She’s been a featured grocery shopping expert on local news stations and speaks on grocery budgeting for the MOPS Speaker Network.