With grocery bills straining budgets, many Americans have had to find ways to cope. The Guardian spoke with five people who shared their stories and what they changed.
Here's what to know
Despite President Donald Trump's promise that grocery prices would come down "starting on day one" of his second term, Americans have yet to see that come to fruition over two years later.
A majority of Americans say paying for groceries has become a challenge. The rising costs have been credited to supply disruptions, tariff disputes, the wars in Ukraine and Iran, SNAP benefit cuts, and climate pressures. While that pressure looks different from one household to the next, The Guardian talked to several people to gain insight on how it's felt across the country.
The examples covered very different incomes and family arrangements. Erin Hutchins, a 44-year-old unemployed resident of Maine, said she spends $300 a month on groceries for one person — roughly 75% of her monthly budget.
A 60-year-old construction project manager said his grocery bills were $1,800 a month for a two-person household.
While each household was different, the coping strategies sounded remarkably similar across income levels with people eating less beef, fewer snacks, more leftovers, frozen produce instead of fresh, and far fewer meals out.
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More background
Even households with relatively high incomes said they were trading down. Bee Henderson, a 27-year-old contract worker in Kansas, said her three-adult household earns about $100,000 a year but shops mainly at Aldi and Walmart. "There is no way we could afford Kroger, Target, or Whole Foods," Henderson told The Guardian.
For shoppers with disabilities or dietary restrictions, the burden can be even heavier. After losing $200 a month in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, Hutchins said she had to limit how much she eats. Unable to drive, she depends on online grocery orders, which add fees and sometimes result in spoiled perishables. "I try to eat as little as possible: a protein bar in the morning, popcorn and mixed nuts for lunch, and a full meal for dinner," she said, according to the newspaper.
Big families are making adjustments too. Frances Sabahive, a laboratory worker in a household of two adults and five children, said she spends $1,200 a month on groceries and had cut back on beef, organic vegetables, and name-brand snacks. To lower the electric bill, they turned off the garage fridge.
A 47-year-old college professor in Texas said the impact extended beyond supermarket spending. As dining out has become more expensive, it has changed how she meets friends and thanks people.
What can be done?
People can stretch a food budget by buying in bulk; choosing chicken, turkey, beans, tofu, or eggs instead of pricier meats; relying more on frozen fruits and vegetables; and planning meals around weekly shopping trips.
Readers also described cutting back on takeout, skipping delivery apps, and using store pickup instead of browsing multiple locations.
Assistance programs such as SNAP and student food pantries can provide relief, though benefit cuts have made that support hard to rely on.
For many households, the shift has been a gradual narrowing of options.
"I miss when the biggest stressor I had at the grocery store was if I should get scoop chips or flat chips for nacho night. I also miss nacho night," Henderson told The Guardian.
Where can I learn more?
Here are some more stories on the pressures behind higher grocery bills.
• In the U.S., difficult trade-offs families are making now include cutting back on groceries and energy use.
• Across U.S. farms, major factors driving up grocery costs begin with weather, fertilizer, and transport.
• New research suggests wildfire smoke and grocery costs are linked through livestock and crop stress.
• In Europe, European Central Bank analysis showed surprising factors driving surging food prices beyond farms.
• In Australia, experts say a misconception driving up the cost of groceries is hurting shoppers.
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