Grocery prices keep climbing for many Americans. Federal food assistance initiatives are advocating their position with an unyielding administration. Food banks nationwide are striving to cope.
Families, caught in the midst of political and economic choices made by federal authorities, are seeking to minimize expenses while still providing themselves and their families with balanced, nutritious meals.
How are they managing? Through some calculated decision-making, online bargain hunting, and, as always, assistance from their communities.
Familiarize yourself with grocery stores
Although grocery costs have surged universally — jumping over 29 percent since 2020 — pricing and availability still differ depending on a shopper’s location. States and counties may experience their own price variances, and households that shop in person compared to those using delivery services are noticing a growing disparity in totals. Regions lacking major grocery store chains, often termed food deserts, have long dealt with inflated prices, a situation set to worsen.
Meanwhile, advocates such as New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani are advocating for additional publicly-funded grocery outlets, expanding upon nonprofit co-ops and military store concepts which could combat the profit-oriented pricing strategies of corporate grocery brands.
In the meantime, consumers are navigating their available options, so understanding which grocery stores consistently offer lower prices is an excellent starting point.
According to shoppers, top choices among mainstream grocery stores include Walmart, Aldi, Lidl, Grocery Outlet, WinCo, and Trader Joe’s — most provide a significant number of private label products. If you are able to utilize wholesalers like Costco, visit to compare unit prices (and often secure them at a lower rate).
One recommendation: Consider checking prices against those at your local independent grocer or, if fortunate enough, your nearby farm. They might offer better deals than the larger retailers.
Explore digital discounts
It’s always beneficial to browse your local newspaper’s pages for the best grocery discounts, but many of those traditional circulars have transitioned online.
Once you identify which store is reliable for you, see if they offer any exclusive online or app deals. For instance, Aldi and Kroger frequently feature weekly digital offers.
There are also general applications that provide coupons, deals, and low-cost or complimentary food in your vicinity. One of the most recognized is Flipp, a digital circular that also has its own app, allowing you to consolidate your loyalty accounts in one location.
Before placing orders online, however, ensure you aren’t incurring additional charges, such as Walmart’s reintroduced basket fee. (And for those concerned about privacy, registering for a grocery store account may not be the wisest choice.)
Another alternative is Flashfood, which connects local consumers with nearby offers, online orders, and pickup options. General coupon websites like Slickdeals (and its app) and Coupons.com often include promotions from major retail and grocery outlets, such as Walmart and H-E-B.
For inexpensive prepared meals and surplus food, explore platforms such as Too Good To Go, which links users to surprise bags of food, ready-made meals, and more from local eateries and grocers.
There are also applications like Lemontree that concentrate on delivering completely free produce and pantry goods, hot meals, and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funds to those in need. Lemontree is currently accessible only in select cities, primarily on the East Coast.
Engage with online communities
A large online community of deal seekers and creators is sharing grocery tips worth investigating as well. Many gather on subreddits like r/budgetfood (77,000 weekly visitors) and r/frugal (1 million weekly visitors), exchanging strategies on meal planning and cost-effective shopping.
Rebecca Chobat, the mind behind the popular account Dollar Tree Dinners, has been posting extremely budget-friendly meals and grocery hauls for years, now sharing her insights with over 3.5 million followers. Other TikTok creators such as Nicole Svenson, @itsmekatevee, and @at.home.cook present affordable dinners and grocery finds. Additionally, there are budget-conscious YouTube channels such as Frugal Fit Mom and Julia Pacheco.
Seek assistance from food support organizations
If you are in need, do not hesitate to seek help. Federal food assistance programs such as SNAP, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) collaborate with a network of national