Updated August 2026 with the latest USDA food price forecasts and monthly food cost estimates.
Are you feeling your budget tighten a little more each year?
Does it feel more challenging to transition to more anti-inflammatory foods?
You weren’t wrong! Grocery prices have risen substantially since 2020, and eating away from home has generally become even more expensive. That makes cooking more meals at home one practical way to create more wiggle room in the budget for nutritious foods.
Grocery prices are now roughly 30% higher than they were at the start of 2020, and USDA forecasts suggest the cumulative increase could reach about 33% by the end of 2026. In other words, a grocery cart that cost $100 at the start of 2020 would cost about $133 by the end of 2026.
Although grocery-price inflation has slowed since its 2022 peak, prices are still expected to rise in 2026 and 2027.
Keep reading for updated food-price expectations and practical ways to save money so you can make more room in your budget for anti-inflammatory foods.
Start with my top 10 anti-inflammatory foods to eat every week to know what is worth prioritizing on a tight budget.
Food at Home vs. Eating Out: Where Have Prices Increased More?
Food costs are still rising, but groceries and eating outside of the home aren’t increasing at the same pace. In 2024, food-at-home prices increased just 1.2%, compared with 4.1% for food away from home. In 2025, the difference was 2.3% versus 3.8%. USDA currently forecasts a similar pattern for 2026, with grocery prices increasing about 2.5% and food-away-from-home prices increasing about 3.6%.
| Year | Food at home | Food away from home |
| 2020 | +3.5% | +3.4% |
| 2021 | +3.5% | +4.5% |
| 2022 | +11.4% | +7.7% |
| 2023 | +5.0% | +7.1% |
| 2024 | +1.2% | +4.1% |
| 2025 | +2.3% | +3.8% |
| 2026 forecast | +2.5% | +3.6% |
| 2027 forecast | +2.1% | +2.7% |
From 2020 through 2025, food-at-home prices rose by about 30%, compared with roughly 35% for food away from home. While groceries are certainly more expensive than they were a few years ago, preparing more meals at home can still help create room in the budget for nutrient-dense foods.
If cost is one of the biggest barriers to getting started, see my guide to following an anti-inflammatory diet on a budget for affordable foods, grocery strategies, and simple meal ideas.
If anti-inflammatory eating is new to you, start with my guide to what an anti-inflammatory diet is and the foods and eating patterns that support it.
How Much Should You Budget for Food?
The USDA publishes monthly estimates for the cost of preparing nutritious meals and snacks at home at four spending levels: Thrifty, Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal.
According to the USDA, monthly food costs for one adult age 20–50 range from about $250 to $480 per month, depending on food plan and sex. These estimates assume meals and snacks are prepared at home rather than purchased from restaurants or takeout meals and are designed to meet nutrient recommendations and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans for each age and sex.
For a family of four with two adults ages 20–50 and two children ages 6–8 and 9–11, the Thrifty Food Plan is about $1,023 per month, or roughly $236 per week.
Your actual food costs may be higher or lower depending on your family’s ages, food preferences, location, and how often you eat away from home.
And no, eating on a budget does not mean living on ramen noodles. You can still build a nutritious diet without spending excessively.
Start by reviewing what you currently spend on food each month and where that money is going.
Questions to Ask About Your Food Budget
Where is most of your food budget going? Compare what you spend eating out with what you spend on food purchased for home.
What types of foods are you purchasing?
Are you purchasing lots of pre-packaged and convenience foods?
Are there foods you regularly throw away before you use them? I’m thinking of the spinach forgotten in the crisper drawer.
Where can you make changes? Think about where you want to make a change, too. Maybe buying prepared fruits and vegetables helps you eat more anti-inflammatory foods. In that case, cutting that convenience may not be the best place to save.
8 Ways to Save Money on Healthy Food
1. Buy Frozen Fruits, Vegetables, and Fish
Frozen fruits, vegetables, and fish last much longer than fresh versions, which can help reduce food waste. And choosing frozen produce doesn’t mean sacrificing nutrition. Depending on the food and nutrient, frozen fruits and vegetables can be just as nutritious as fresh.
Use frozen fruit in smoothies or oatmeal, frozen vegetables in soups, casseroles, and stir-fries, and frozen fish for easy weeknight meals.
2. Use Lower-Cost Proteins
Choose lower-cost protein options when you can. Canned tuna or salmon can work well in salads, sandwiches, or grain bowls, while beans, lentils, eggs, and edamame can help stretch more expensive proteins.
You can also use a smaller portion of beef or chicken and add beans or edamame to increase fiber and help the meal go further.
For more ideas, see my 12 anti-inflammatory dinner recipes.
3. Plan Meals Before You Shop
Plan a few meals before you shop so you can buy ingredients with a purpose and avoid purchasing foods that go unused. Look for meals that use the same ingredients throughout the week to help reduce waste and stretch your grocery budget.
A simple way to build meals is to aim for about ¼ protein, ¼ high-fiber carbohydrates, and ½ vegetables, then add a source of healthy fat (during the cooking process or as a dressing).
Use my meal planning tool to build a balanced plate with your budget in mind.
4. Compare Unit Prices
Don’t just compare the total price of two products. Check the unit price, which shows the cost per ounce, pound, or individual item. Many stores list it in smaller print on the shelf tag, or you can calculate it yourself by dividing the total price by the number of units.
Unit pricing makes it easier to compare similar foods and see which option is actually the better value.
The example below compares store-brand canned black beans, name-brand canned black beans, and dry black beans. Dry beans are typically the least expensive per ounce, but store-brand canned beans can still be an affordable option when convenience matters.
5. Stock Up When Staple Foods Are on Sale
When foods you regularly use go on sale, consider stocking up on shelf-stable or freezer-friendly items. Beans, whole grains, canned fish, frozen fruits and vegetables, nuts, and other staples can often be stored for weeks or months.
As you save money in other areas of your food budget, you may have a little more flexibility to buy extra when your favorite staples are discounted.
6. Consider Online Grocery Shopping
Online grocery shopping can make it easier to stick to a plan and track your total as you shop. You can also check your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer while adding items to your cart, which may help prevent duplicate purchases.
It can also reduce impulse buys and eliminate the surprise of seeing your total only after everything has been scanned at checkout.
7. Make Simple Snacks at Home
Pre-packaged snack packs can be convenient, but making your own is often less expensive. Pair a protein or healthy fat with a fruit, vegetable, or whole-grain carbohydrate.
Easy combinations include:
- Hard-boiled eggs and fruit
- Cheese and whole-grain crackers
- Nuts and dried fruit
- Greek yogurt and berries
- Hummus and vegetables
You can keep hard-boiled eggs in their shell in the refrigerator for up to one week, making them an easy make-ahead option.
8. Grow Foods You Actually Use
If you enjoy gardening, growing a few foods you regularly eat can help stretch your grocery budget. Start small with something you know you’ll use, such as cherry tomatoes, lettuce, or fresh herbs.
Even a container garden can work if you don’t have much outdoor space. The taste of freshly picked vegetables can’t compete with store-bought.
Can You Still Afford Anti-Inflammatory Foods?
Anti-inflammatory eating does not require a cart full of expensive specialty foods. Many foundational foods, including beans, lentils, oats, frozen fruits and vegetables, potatoes, whole grains, eggs, nuts, seeds, and canned fish, can fit into a modest grocery budget.
Where you spend matters, too. Saving on foods such as store-brand staples, frozen produce, and lower-cost proteins can leave more room for foods that may cost more, such as salmon, extra-virgin olive oil, nuts, or convenient produce that your family will actually eat.
The goal isn’t to buy the cheapest food possible. It’s to use your food budget in a way that makes a nutritious eating pattern realistic and sustainable.
For specific foods, shopping strategies, and meal ideas, see my guide to following an anti-inflammatory diet on a budget.
Takeaways
Food prices are still higher than they were a few years ago, but you can still make your grocery budget go further without giving up balanced meals.
Start with the strategies that fit your household best, like cooking more meals at home, reducing food waste, comparing unit prices, choosing lower-cost proteins, and using frozen or store-brand staples when they make sense.
A limited budget can make it harder to prioritize certain anti-inflammatory foods, but you don’t need to overhaul your grocery cart all at once. Small swaps can help create more room for foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, and fish.
Use my printable anti-inflammatory food list to see which foods you already eat and find a few affordable options to add next.
Let’s get UNstuck and stay UNstuck!