Americans Struggle with High Food Costs, 'Grocery Bootcamp' Expert Offers Tips to Save Hundreds

Depending on where you live, food prices nationwide are a lot higher than pre-pandemic standards.  Shoppers complain that the amount they spend at the grocery store is a lot more than in years past, while they are not getting more food.  In some cases, consumers say they spend more for less food. 

The U.S. Census Bureau announced the average U.S. family with children currently spends an estimated $331 a week on groceries. 

Here in Virginia Beach, VA, shoppers told CBN News they're noticing price hikes across the board.

"Used to be you could get a loaf of bread for two dollars, and now it's like five dollars for a loaf of wheat bread," said Noelle Heath.

"Usually I like to buy my cans of beans for 49 cents. Now they're almost a dollar each," said Elsie Melendez.

"Eggs, milk, stuff like your necessities, have gone up," James said. 

Customers check prices while shopping at a grocery store in Wheeling, Ill., Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

The Consumer Price Index announced the most recent data shows grocery prices continue to increase on top of already inflated prices, but the latest uptick was only slight. 

Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst and Washington Bureau Chief for Bankrate.com, told CBN News, "The price of food at home is actually up just 1.3 percent... that really shows the food prices that are most important to us are simmering."

Nevertheless, consumers in many cases are still reeling from double-digit spikes in food costs during 2021 and 2022 that haven't abated.

"They cut down on the size, but they raise the price. It's high robbery," said shopper Daniel Tillett, referring to what's being called "shrink-flation." 

Speaking of the cost of food, consumer Arthur Daquer told CBN News, "It's a financial hardship for the family."

Today's high food prices motivate shoppers to look for ways to save. CBN News spoke to Tiffany Terczak, author of the blog, "Don't Waste the Crumbs," which offers free tips on how to shrink your monthly food costs.  She also teaches a course called "Grocery Budget Bootcamp." 

"The vast majority of my students save upwards of $300 before the course is over," Terczak said. 

MUST SEE How You Can Eat Healthy for Less: Your Grocery Budget Boot Camp

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Terczak said her number one tip is to eat the food you already paid for, adding most people don't realize how much food they have just sitting in their pantry, refrigerator, and freezer. In fact, she said when she first tried this, she didn't need to go to the grocery store for an entire month. 

Paying attention to sales is "crucial," according to Terczak. She recommends figuring out how often certain foods are marked down, which is called the "sales cycle."

"It's anywhere from 10 to 12 weeks," she said. 

When an item goes on sale, Terczak recommends buying enough of it to last until the next time it goes on sale.   

Another cost-saving tip involves making food from scratch. Terczak offers hundreds of recipes for everything from main dishes to condiments.

"My homemade mayonnaise, which sounds very elusive, but it's ready in two minutes, tastes so much better than anything you could buy at the store, and it's like a dollar to make, versus many dollars at the grocery store."

Terczak says discount stores are often the best places to get items like garbage bags, foil, and napkins.

"Nine times out of ten you're going to find a better deal on typical household items related to the kitchen but are not food, somewhere else other than the grocery store."

So while food prices may continue to climb, shoppers can find ways to minimize the pain and keep their budgets in line.

Want to Save $300? Here Are Some Shopping Hacks from the 'Grocery Budget Boot Camp'