The price of food has increased 1.9% between February 2024 and February 2025 and it's expected to keep rising, according to a new reportfrom the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA is predicting the overall cost of food will increase 3.2% this year, with the cost of food you eat at home to increase 2.7%.
Denver7 spoke with Karen Padrevita from Metrum Community Credit Union about ways you can save on groceries. Some tips you may have heard before: don't go shopping when you're hungry, buy store brand instead of name brand and use apps to find coupons. But Padrevita said to save more over time, it's all about planning.
"You can use the weekly ads that come in a mail, or use the digital apps and plan your meal around the sale items, and you can even make things stretch a little bit more," Padrevita said.
But she also warned, you shouldn't just buy something because it seems like a good deal.
"If you don't need them and you're not going to use them in the next few months, don't add them to that shopping list, because you can actually end up overspending," Padrevita said.
Letting food go to waste can also cost you a lot over time. Earlier this month, Denver7 spoke with AdventHealth dietitian Alex Burgess, who said one of the best ways to avoid food waste is to buy produce that lasts longer.
"It’s important to choose fruits and vegetables that won’t spoil quickly. For instance, carrots and broccoli tend to keep better than more perishable items like spinach and berries," Burgess said.
To set yourself up for the most success, Padrevita suggested creating a budget for yourself. "You can look at the last two to three grocery shopping receipts," she explained. "Even you can identify the needs versus treats, maybe you can work with your family to reduce those, those spending leaks."
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