Grocery budget calculator
Last updated July 8, 2026
A realistic grocery budget for most US households lands between the USDA's Thrifty and Moderate food plans — roughly $300–$410 per adult per month, with children somewhat less and larger households cheaper per person. Pick your household below for a concrete monthly and weekly number to aim for.
Monthly groceries
~$726
Per week
~$168
Estimate based on the USDA Food Plans (2025, rounded, groceries only — no restaurants), with the USDA household-size adjustment. Your local prices vary; your receipts are the real answer.
Where these numbers come from
The USDA publishes the Food Plans — the cost of a nutritious diet purchased at grocery stores, at four spending levels from Thrifty to Liberal, updated monthly. The calculator uses rounded 2025 figures and the USDA's household-size adjustment (small households pay more per person; large ones less). It covers groceries only — no restaurants, takeout, or delivery.
Is my budget “too high”?
Compare your last month of receipts against the number above. If you're well over, the gap usually isn't willpower — it's where you buy: the same basket commonly differs 10–30% between stores in the same town. That's exactly what a receipt-based price history shows you, item by item.
Three moves that lower it without eating worse
- Know your per-item prices — a price-per-unit comparison beats any coupon.
- Buy your repeat staples when they cycle on sale (most run on a 4–8-week rhythm), not when you run out.
- Split the basket: no single store is cheapest for everything — route each staple to the store that wins on it.
In Westchester County, NY?
Pantry Deals does this from your receipts — automatically.
Snap a receipt and every line joins your price history — then we show where your basket is cheaper across the stores you already shop. No points, no coupons, no data entry.