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Grocery spending statistics are everywhere, and almost all of them seem to contradict each other. One source says the average American household spends $6,224 per year on groceries. Another says $9,986. A Delish survey puts it at $1,080 per month. So which figure is right? All of them, depending on what’s actually being measured.
Understanding the difference is the key to benchmarking your own budget accurately.
Why Grocery Spending Statistics Vary So Wildly
The biggest source of confusion is the distinction between “food at home” and “total food spending.” The Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks both, but many articles cite them interchangeably, which is where things go sideways.
Here’s how to read the numbers correctly:
- Food at home covers groceries and supermarket purchases only, averaging around $6,224 per year per household, according to WalletHub’s analysis of BLS data.
- Total food spending includes restaurants, takeout, and food away from home. The BLS 2023 Consumer Expenditure Survey puts this at $9,986 annually, or roughly $832 per month.
- Survey-based figures like the Delish estimate of $270 per week reflect self-reported spending, which consistently runs higher than measured data.
When you see a statistic about average grocery costs broken down by category, check whether it includes restaurant spending before using it to benchmark your own budget.
What the Average American Actually Spends on Groceries
Stripping out dining and takeout, the per-person numbers become much clearer. Move.org estimates $370 per month per person in 2025, while Instacart’s analysis puts the figure slightly lower at approximately $363 per person per month. These two figures align closely and represent food-at-home spending for a single individual.
For households, $6,224 per year works out to about $519 per month, or roughly $120 per week. That number has risen 2.83% year over year, reflecting continued pressure from food inflation even as broader CPI has cooled.
How Spending Varies by Age and Gender
The USDA publishes monthly food plan cost reports that break spending down by age, gender, and budget tier, making them the most authoritative per-person figures available.
For males aged 20 to 50, weekly costs range from $62.60 on the thrifty plan to $271.40 on the liberal plan. For males 51 to 70, that range shifts slightly to $60.90 and $263.70. Costs remain nearly flat for those 71 and older, suggesting dietary changes in later life stabilize food budgets rather than shrink them significantly.
Females in the same age brackets fall within similar ranges, with modest differences reflecting caloric and dietary variation. The USDA’s four tiers, thrifty, low-cost, moderate-cost, and liberal, give households a practical framework for evaluating whether their spending is lean, average, or generous relative to national norms.
Geographic Variation
Where you live matters more than most people realize. State-by-state data shows meaningful variation in grocery costs driven by local labor markets, supply chain proximity, and overall cost of living. Hawaii and Alaska consistently rank among the most expensive states for groceries, while Midwest states tend to fall below the national average.
If your household spending looks high compared to national benchmarks, regional pricing may explain part of the gap before lifestyle factors even enter the picture.
How to Use These Benchmarks Practically
Rather than chasing a single “correct” number, a tiered approach gives you a more honest read on your grocery budget:
- Start with the USDA thrifty plan as your floor. For a single adult, that’s roughly $250 to $270 per month.
- Compare your actual spending to the $363 to $370 per-person monthly average as a realistic midpoint.
- If your household total exceeds $6,224 annually and you’re not feeding a large family, audit for dining charges that may be counted as groceries.
Meal planning consistently ranks as the highest-ROI habit for cutting food-at-home costs. Structured weekly planning can reduce grocery waste by 20% or more, which translates directly to lower spending without changing what you eat. Switching to store-brand staples for pasta, canned goods, and dairy can shave 15% to 30% off those categories alone.
For a broader look at tools that help households track and manage food budgets more effectively, our grocery savings resource guide covers options worth considering.
The Bottom Line
The average American household spends approximately $6,224 per year on groceries, or about $519 per month, when counting food-at-home purchases only. Per person, that figure lands between $363 and $370 monthly in 2025. Total food spending, including restaurants and takeout, pushes closer to $10,000 annually per household.
Knowing which number applies to your situation is what makes this data useful rather than just confusing.