How can Idaho shoppers lower grocery costs as prices rise nationwide? See tips
Dreading your next trip to the grocery store? You aren’t the only one.
Food prices have been increasing steadily since 2025, according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Gas prices are also rising in Boise and the rest of Idaho.
“These are economically challenging times, to say the least,” Consumer Reports home and tech editor Chris Raymond wrote in an April 13 article. “Between the effects of the (coronavirus) pandemic, natural disasters, shifting tariffs and military turmoil overseas, the prices of consumer products have been in steady flux.”
Before you go shopping, check out these expert tips to keep your food budget under control:
How much have food prices increased?
According to the USDA, prices for food purchased at grocery stores and supermarkets were 2.4% higher in February, compared to February 2025.
Meanwhile, food from restaurants was 3.9% more expensive in February than a year earlier, the federal agency said.
Foods in four categories — beef and veal; fresh vegetables, nonalcoholic beverages and sugar and sweets — experienced “large price increases” from January to February, the USDA said, while prices fell for eggs and other meats.
Prices for all food are predicted to increase 3.6% in 2026, with grocery costs rising 3.1%, according to the USDA report.
How can I save money while shopping?
One easy way to save money is to avoid panic shopping, according to Consumer Reports. It could lead to overspending and spender’s remorse.
“Don’t lose your cool and buy things you’ll regret owning later,” Raymond wrote.,
Burt Flickinger III, a director from Strategic Resource Group, a New York based consumer industry consulting firm, told Consumer Reports in November that choosing store-brand products benefits both shoppers and grocers.
Grocery stores “have bigger profit margins on store-brand foods,” Flickinger said. “Shoppers make no sacrifice in quality by choosing store brands. They cost 15% to 25% less than their brand-name versions.”
Next Steps Idaho, a government resource for career and educational opportunities, recommends buying generic trash bags, cotton swabs and other items as well.
Can I get discounts or coupons with supermarket apps?
According to Consumer Reports, downloading mobile apps for your favorite supermarket chains can help you save on groceries — even if you still shop in person.
Grocery store shopping apps can give you access to discounts, coupons and member savings programs, the publication said.
Plus, browsing prices online before you visit the store can help you compare costs and know how big your bill will be before you make it to the register, according to Consumer reports.
How can meal planning help me save on groceries?
“Organizing is actually a huge part of saving money on groceries, especially if you’re getting started,” Rebecca Firkser, a professional cook, said in The Dinner Plan, a food-related newsletter on Substack. “I’m only buying what I truly need to feel well-stocked without going overboard with multiples.”
You can also save money by avoiding risky and adventurous recipes, another chef, Meghan Splawn, told The Dinner Plan creator Maggie Hoffman.
Splawn, who runs a budget food series, said she created a “ dinner log” to give her “a bird’s eye view of what we eat on repeat, which allows me to stock at bulk stores like Costco or buy and freeze our favorite staples when they go on sale.”
Being real about what you and your family actually enjoy eating can help you avoid wasting foods, the chef added.
Check on which perishable items are left over and need to be used up first, then plan your list around those items first, Maxine Sharf, author of the recipe Substack Maxi’s Kitchen, said. “It’s a small habit, but it helps you waste less food and makes your grocery bill noticeably lighter over time.”
Plan your meals to complement each other, experts says. This will help you cut down on how many ingredients you need for recipes.
“Choose four or five seasonal ingredients and cook them in different ways throughout the week,” Guilia Scarpaleggia, who has written multiple cookbooks, said in The Dinner Plan newsletter.
You can also sign up for educational courses on shopping advice with the Idaho Foodbank to learn how to read food labels, price by unit, find whole grains and techiniques for picking out produce.
How can I save money at the grocery store?
For starters, do more shopping in the freezer section.
Not only is frozen produce typically more affordable than fresh, keeping perishable items in the freezer also makes them last longer, according to several chefs that contributed to Hoffman’s newsletter.
You can also start buying more affordable substitutes for your meals and be open to make swaps to take advantage of cheaper prices.
“Chicken drumsticks are a fraction of the price of boneless, skinless, chicken breasts,” Bridget Lancaster, executive editorial director for America’s Test Kitchen, said. “Chuck roast is much cheaper per pound than top sirloin. A bunch of collards is often cheaper than that plastic tub of arugula.”
Lukas Volger, co-host of “Salt Pig: A Home Cooking Podcast,” said that researching swaps for grains, spices, herbs and even produce can help use up what you already have at home or take advantage of seasonal and store discounts.
How tasty can affordable cooking be?
Farideh Sadeghin, who authored The Hot Dog Cookbook, advised shoppers to use meat as a flavor enhancer instead of the main ingredient.
“Use grains and beans and things to bulk out and stretch proteins like chicken and ground beef,” Sadeghin said.
Proteins shouldn’t be “star of a small plate,” Mia Castro, a private chef and the author of Cocina Puerto Rico said. Instead, incorporate “expensive cuts of meat” into meals with more filling ingredients like pasta dishes.
“It still feels indulgent and luxurious, just smarter,” Castro said.
Instead of throwing away scraps, repurpose them, Scarpaleggia recommended.
Bread and veggie scraps can provide a thick and flavorful base to filling soups, the cookbook author said.
Try heirloom foods
Experts also recommend trying recipes that are historic “heirlooms.”
The Black Wall Street Times dove into the “resilience” of Black culinary developments such as gumbo, sweet potato pie and cornbread mark “the history, resilience, and soul of a people.”
“Enslaved Africans, stripped of their native lands and ingredients, demonstrated incredible culinary genius,” Times author Ezekiel Walker wrote in an October article. “They adapted and transformed meager rations and overlooked scraps — like pig’s feet, chitterlings, and greens — into what we now celebrate as soul food.”
Dishes including meatloaf, dandelion salad and a “wacky” chocolate made with no eggs or dairy gained popularity during the Great Depression, and are still flavorful money savers today, according to All Recipes.
