Grocery inflation has been a little crazy lately, am I right? Let’s take a look at food prices in 2019 compared to what they are now in 2024, plus talk about how you can still save money on groceries even with today’s higher prices.
Have you ever looked at your receipt after going grocery shopping or looked back at your monthly food costs and thought “man, I don’t think I used to spend this much!” Well, if you’ve thought that you’re not alone – and you’re not wrong. The cost of food has definitely gone up.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says food prices here in the United States rose by 25% from 2019 to 2023 (a rapid increase!), and if you check out the consumer price index on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics website you can see the prices increases for specific things.
However, many U.S. consumers, myself included, have noticed that the grocery prices we’re paying now in 2024 seem even higher than just a 25% rate of inflation from 5 years ago.
Inflation rates do vary depending on where you live and there are a number of factors that contribute, with certain areas seeing higher prices than other areas. So in light of this, I got curious to look back at some of my grocery orders (from grocery lists with prices that I’ve shared here on the blog, plus online receipts) in order to get a clearer picture of just how much grocery prices have increased since 2019.
I took a look back at multiple grocery orders from both 2019 and 2020 and – unsurprisingly – I’ve found that I wasn’t wrong about the higher food prices.
Back in July of 2019 I shared this meal plan and grocery list that cost me $50.66 at my local Aldi (one of the cheapest grocery stores around.) I took that same grocery list back to Aldi now in 2024 and purchased all the same items. My new total in 2024 for the exact same items was $77.68.
(I made a video about this grocery haul last month with all the price comparisons which you can see here if you’re interested.)
2019 Grocery Prices Compared to 2024 Prices
Here is a closer look of my exact grocery list. The original 2019 prices are listed first followed by the 2024 prices in parentheses.
- Apples – $3.89 (2.89)
- Bananas – $0.92 (1.57)
- Blueberries – $1.19 (2.69)
- Broccoli – $1.79 (2.70)
- Romaine lettuce – $1.99 (2.89)
- Cucumber – $0.49 (.65)
- Grape tomatoes – $1.69 (2.29)
- Milk (2) – $2.98 (5.46)
- Eggs (2 dozen) – $1.36 (4.10)
- Feta cheese – $2.19 (1.89)
- Shredded cheddar (4 cups) – $2.49 (3.69)
- Chicken breasts (5 lbs.) – $8.95 (12.52)
- Ground beef (3 lbs.) – $5.97 (10.49)
- Applesauce – $1.95 (3.09)
- Bread – $1.09 (1.85)
- Hamburger buns – $0.89 (1.29)
- Tortillas – $0.89 (1.95)
- Tortilla chips -$0.89 (1.95)
- Pasta – $1.09 (.98)
- Cereal (2 boxes) – $3.08 (4.54)
- Fruit bars – $1.35 (2.25)
- Crackers – $1.25 (2.49)
- Rice (3 lbs.) – $1.79 (2.65)
- Black beans – $0.49 (0.81)
Total = $50.66 ($77.68 in 2024) – a difference of $27.02
While 27 bucks may not seem like all that much, that’s a 53 percent increase which is pretty astonishing. Just imagine if you typically spent $200 at the grocery store in 2019 – now in 2024 you’d be paying $308 for the exact same items. Yikes!
Taking a closer look at the list, it’s interesting to see which prices have changed a lot and which are about the same.
A few observations on the grocery price changes
– Egg prices have changed pretty drastically, which I’m sure you’re not surprised to hear. I paid $1.36 for 2 dozen back five years ago. WHAT? That was low even for then, but then again this is Aldi we’re talking about. 🙂 But that jump from $1.36 to $4.10 is pretty drastic.
– Meat prices are another category that have seen some big price hikes. Look at the ground beef – I paid almost double now compared to five years ago. And the chicken breasts had a pretty big jump in price as well.
– Most dairy products have gone up in price (milk close to doubled) but interestingly feta cheese went down in price. (Thanks Aldi!)
– While many fresh vegetables and fresh fruits have gone up in price, I found it interesting that apples had actually gone down in price, although that price of 2.89 for a bag is definitely not typical for other grocery stores. (I think a 3 lb bag of apples usually costs me close to $5 at Walmart.)
– Snack items at Aldi have really jumped, with crackers and tortilla chips essentially doubling in price.
Why am I sharing about grocery price inflation?
Well, for a couple reasons!
First off, if you’ve been feeling discouraged about sticking to your grocery budget in recent years, know that you’re not alone. While we can all work on finding ways to be more frugal, the rising food costs are not your fault. If you compare your spending to even just last year you’re likely to be spending more now. So if you’ve been beating up on yourself a bit for spending so much on groceries maybe just throw some of that blame over on the food inflation rate where it belongs. 🙂
Secondly, I think you have to be aware of what you’re dealing with – in this case some pretty hefty inflation – before you can make a plan for how to deal with it. Now obviously, we can’t actually change the food price growth. It is what it is. But knowing what we’re dealing is good, because then we can shift to problem solving mode: how can I feed my family on a budget even with rising grocery store prices?
The good news is that even with the inflation that we’ve seen in the recent months and years it is still possible to shop smart and save money on groceries. Here are a few quick tips:
5 Ways to Save Money On Groceries Even With Inflation
1. Make a plan
It’s important to first make a meal plan (learn how to do that here) and then make a grocery list. If you go shopping or order groceries without a list you’ll likely end up over spending. I cannot emphasize this enough – making a plan and sticking to it is KEY if you want to avoid overspending on groceries.
2. Check the ads for what’s on sale
Before meal planning and making your grocery list, check your local ads. While grocery prices are rising in general, you can still get great deals when you shop the ads.
For example, I can often get ground beef on sale at my local Kroger for $2.99/lb, much better than Walmart’s regular price of $4.94/lb!
Sites like The Krazy Coupon Lady and Money Saving Mom are helpful for finding sales and coupons as well.
3. Watch for markdowns
If you choose to shop in person you should always keep your eye out for markdowns. There will often be little red or yellow stickers on meat, produce, bakery items, etc. that are about to expire. Take advantage of those markdowns, stick the food in your freezer until you’re ready to use it, and enjoy the money you saved. I often find these markdowns at Kroger and I share more about how to save at Kroger here.
4. Choose to eat more simply
Sometimes saving money on groceries when the prices are rising comes down to being willing to eat more simply. Store brand instead of name brand. Chicken instead of red meat.
Also, keep in mind that there will always be a trade off between cost and convenience. If you are really trying to save money on groceries you need to be willing to buy food that takes a bit more effort to prepare. A whole chicken is cheaper than chicken tenderloins. A simple bag of lettuce costs much less than a fancy salad kit.
Remember, there isn’t a right or wrong option. Just know that cost of living is higher these days and it’s up to you to decide what your priorities are.
You may also be interested in: The Best Groceries to Buy When You’re Broke
5. Stock up when something is on sale
Buying extra can be tough when prices are rising and your goal is to save money on groceries, but if you plan ahead you can do it a little at a time.
For example, when baking supplies are on sale during the holidays buy a few extra bags of flour and sugar to use later.
Butter is another great thing to stock up on when it goes on sale (usually around Christmas and Easter.) It freezes super well and you can save a lot if you take advantage of a good sale.
To wrap this up, the price of food has gone up. There’s no arguing that. But with careful planning and careful spending you can still live frugally and feed your family on a budget.
Now I’d love to hear from you. How have the high food prices affected you? What are your best tips for still getting good deals on groceries? Let me know in the comments.
