Guide · 8 minute read
How much should a family spend on groceries in the US?
By Muhammad Ishaq · Last updated:
Groceries are one of the biggest flexible costs in a US household budget, and one of the easiest to underestimate. A few extra trips to the store, a couple of delivery orders and the month's food money is gone.
This guide gives you official reference points: what US households actually spend on food at home, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and how the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Plans describe a reasonable food budget at four cost levels. Then it shows how to turn those into a number that fits your family.
Quick answer: average US grocery bill per week and per month
The average US household spent $6,491 on groceries in 2025, about $125 a week or $541 a month, according to the BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys. The average household has 2.4 people.
| Household | Groceries per week (our calculation) | Groceries per month (our calculation) |
|---|---|---|
| Single person | about $65 | about $282 |
| Two people | about $120 | about $521 |
| Four people | about $171 | about $743 |
| All households (average 2.4 people) | about $125 | about $541 |
We divided the BLS annual averages by 52 for a week and by 12 for a month, rounded to the nearest dollar. They cover food at home only; eating out is extra. Grocery prices rose 1.8% in the 12 months to September 2026 (BLS), so today's bills are a little higher.
US grocery spending at a glance
The table shows average spending on food at home (groceries) and food away from home (restaurants, takeout and similar) by household size, from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys for 2025, published in October 2026, next to the monthly cost of the USDA Food Plans for September 2026. BLS calls a household a "consumer unit".
| Household | Groceries, per year (2025) | Groceries, per month (our calculation) | Eating out, per month (our calculation) | USDA Food Plans, per month (Sept 2026, Thrifty to Liberal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single person | $3,385 | about $282 | about $192 | $304.68–$584.16 |
| Two people (e.g. a couple) | $6,249 | about $521 | about $349 | $630.19–$1,008.04 |
| Four people (e.g. a family of 4) | $8,912 | about $743 | about $512 | $1,024.00–$1,681.80 |
| All households (average 2.4 people) | $6,491 | about $541 | about $345 | – |
How we worked out the monthly figures: the BLS annual average divided by 12, rounded to the nearest dollar. They are our calculation, not BLS figures. Source: BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2025, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit). BLS groups households by size, not by age or family type, so "four people" may include different mixes of adults and children. The USDA ranges come from the Food Plans table in the next section: a single woman on the Thrifty plan to a single man on the Liberal plan, a couple aged 19–50, and a couple with two children aged 6–8 and 9–11. Our calculator's typical US amounts come from official sources like these; how we work out these figures explains the method and when each country was last reviewed.
Average spending vs a reasonable budget
An average tells you what households spend, not what you should spend. The BLS figures include households that are cutting back hard, households that buy mostly premium brands, and everyone in between.
The USDA Food Plans: what a healthy diet costs
The U.S. Department of Agriculture publishes the cost of four Food Plans: Thrifty, Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost and Liberal. Each one prices a nutritious diet at a different level of spending. All four assume that every meal and snack is made at home, so restaurant meals, takeout and delivery are not included. USDA updates the costs every month using the Consumer Price Index for food. The Thrifty Food Plan is the one used to set SNAP benefits: its reference family of four sets the maximum SNAP allotment.
These are the monthly costs from the September 2026 report, issued in October 2026.
| Household (per month) | Thrifty | Low-Cost | Moderate-Cost | Liberal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single woman (aged 19–50) | $304.68 | $331.56 | $403.68 | $515.52 |
| Single man (aged 19–50) | $382.80 | $381.24 | $478.08 | $584.16 |
| Couple (aged 19–50) | $630.19 | $653.40 | $808.28 | $1,008.04 |
| Family of 4 (couple, children aged 6–8 and 9–11) | $1,024.00 (USDA figure) | $1,126.90 | $1,389.20 | $1,681.80 |
How these were worked out: the Thrifty cost for a family of four, $1,024.00 a month ($236.30 a week), is USDA's own reference-family figure. Every other figure in this table is our calculation using USDA's household-size adjustments: add up the cost for each person, then add 20% for a one-person household or 10% for a two-person household; a four-person household needs no adjustment. Adults are aged 20–50 in the Thrifty plan and 19–50 in the other three plans.
Cost per person
For other household mixes, use USDA's monthly cost per person below. These figures are for people in four-person households. Add up everyone in your home, then apply USDA's adjustment for your household size: add 20% for one person, 10% for two and 5% for three, or subtract 5% for five or six people and 10% for seven or more.
| Person (per month) | Thrifty | Low-Cost | Moderate-Cost | Liberal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woman, 19/20–50 | $253.90 | $276.30 | $336.40 | $429.60 |
| Man, 19/20–50 | $319.00 | $317.70 | $398.40 | $486.80 |
| Child, 6–8 | $209.10 | $261.50 | $304.70 | $357.20 |
| Child, 9–11 | $241.90 | $271.40 | $349.70 | $408.20 |
The full report also lists younger children, teenagers and older adults.
Which plan fits your budget?
Because the plans are built around a nutritious diet rather than what people happen to buy, they are a better guide to a reasonable budget than an average. Thrifty or Low-Cost suits a tight budget; Moderate-Cost or Liberal suits a household with more room.
The USDA figures and the BLS averages measure different things, so they don't line up. The plans price a full diet made entirely at home, at September 2026 prices. The BLS averages are what households actually spent on groceries during 2025, alongside what they spent eating out. For example, the BLS average for four-person households was about $743 a month on groceries plus about $512 eating out, while the Thrifty plan for the reference family of four is $1,024.00 a month with no eating out.
Using both
Compare your real spending with the BLS average for your household size and with the USDA plan that matches your goals. If you are far above both, there is probably room to save without eating worse. If you are far below the Thrifty plan, check whether money pressure is forcing cuts to a healthy diet, and whether you qualify for help such as SNAP or WIC.
What affects your grocery bill
- Household size. In the 2025 BLS data, grocery spending rises from $3,385 a year for a single person to $8,912 for a four-person household, and to $12,008 for households of five or more.
- Food prices. The BLS Consumer Price Index for food at home rose 1.8% over the 12 months to September 2026, so prices are a little higher than in the 2025 survey.
- Where you live. Grocery prices vary between regions, cities and rural areas.
- How you shop. Grocery delivery can add service fees, delivery fees and tips to every order. If you use it, compare the total with a pickup order or a trip to the store, and count those extras in your grocery budget so the true cost stays visible.
- Ages and diets. Teenagers usually eat more than young children. Allergies, special diets and baby formula add cost.
- Eating out. The average household spent $4,142 on food away from home in 2025, on top of $6,491 on groceries. Restaurants, takeout and delivery are often the easiest place to cut.
How to set your family's grocery budget
- Find your real number. Add up four weeks of grocery store, warehouse club and online grocery orders. Keep restaurants, takeout and delivery apps separate.
- Compare it with the table and with the USDA plan that matches your household.
- Set a weekly limit. If you are above both benchmarks, trim about a tenth first. Small changes are easier to keep.
- Plan meals and shop with a list. Our family grocery budget guide covers meal planning, unit prices and cutting food waste.
- Review after a month and adjust the limit to something you can keep.
Worked example
A family of four in Ohio tracks a month of grocery receipts and finds they spend $230 a week, about $997 a month ($230 × 52 ÷ 12). That is above the BLS average of about $743 a month for four-person households. Takeout adds another $60 a week.
They set a first target of $205 a week by meal planning, buying store brands for staples and doing one big shop instead of several small ones, and they cut takeout to $40 a week. Together that frees about $45 a week, roughly $195 a month, which they put towards their emergency fund. This is an illustrative example, not a recommendation for every family.
Add your grocery figure to the US budget calculator to see it alongside your other bills, in dollars.
Ways US families spend less on groceries
- Try store brands for staples such as cereal, canned goods, pasta, rice, milk and cleaning products.
- Compare unit prices on the shelf label, per ounce or per pound, not the package price.
- Use the weekly ad and digital coupons only for things already on your list.
- Buy in bulk carefully. Warehouse clubs save money on things you use up, and cost money on things that spoil.
- Cook once, eat twice. Make extra for lunches or freeze portions.
- Check what help you can get. SNAP, WIC and free or reduced-price school meals can make a big difference for eligible families.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the average US family of four spend on groceries?
In the BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys for 2025, four-person households spent an average of $8,912 a year on food at home, about $743 a month by our calculation. For comparison, USDA's Thrifty Food Plan for a reference family of four cost $1,024.00 a month in September 2026.
How much does a single person in the US spend on groceries?
Single-person households spent an average of $3,385 on food at home in 2025, about $282 a month by our calculation. On the USDA Food Plans for September 2026, one adult aged 19–50 living alone would need $304.68 to $584.16 a month, depending on plan and sex (our calculation using USDA's household-size adjustments).
How much does the average American household spend on groceries per week?
The average US household spent $6,491 on food at home in 2025, according to the BLS, which is about $125 a week or $541 a month by our calculation. Single-person households spent about $65 a week and four-person households about $171.
What are the USDA Food Plans?
They are four monthly cost estimates for a nutritious diet with every meal and snack made at home: Thrifty, Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost and Liberal. USDA updates them every month, and the Thrifty plan is used to set SNAP benefits. In September 2026, a family of four ranged from $1,024.00 a month (Thrifty, USDA figure) to $1,681.80 (Liberal, our calculation).
Do the BLS grocery figures include restaurants and takeout?
No. Food at home covers groceries. Food away from home, which includes restaurants, takeout and delivery, is counted separately; the average household spent $4,142 on it in 2025.
What is a reasonable grocery budget for a US family?
Start from what you really spend, then compare it with the USDA Food Plan that matches your budget and with the BLS average for your household size. For a family of four in September 2026, the plans ran from $1,024.00 to $1,681.80 a month, assuming all meals are made at home.
Related guides
Sources
- BLS: Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2025, Table 1400, size of consumer unit (xlsx)
- BLS: Consumer Expenditures news release, 2025 data (October 2026)
- USDA Food and Nutrition Administration: USDA Food Plans, Cost of Food at Home monthly reports (page updated October 19, 2026)
- USDA: Thrifty Food Plan, cost of food at home, September 2026 (PDF)
- USDA: Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost and Liberal Food Plans, cost of food at home, September 2026 (PDF)
- BLS: Consumer Price Index news release (September 2026 data)
This guide is for general education only. It is not financial, tax or legal advice. Figures are examples or general guidelines; check what applies to you.