Grocery Budget Calculator

See what the USDA says your household should spend on groceries — and how your budget compares.

Data source: USDA Official Food Plans (January 2026). The USDA publishes four weekly cost-of-food benchmarks for U.S. households: Thrifty, Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal. View source ↗

Build Your Household

added. Add household members above.

Compare to Your Actual Spending

per week

Optional — include all grocery spending (store + delivery + warehouse club). Exclude restaurants and takeout.

USDA data: January 2026 · fns.usda.gov

USDA Weekly Benchmark

For your household of

Add household members to see your benchmark.

Your Spending vs. Benchmark

vs. USDA Thrifty plan

Annual grocery spend:

What the USDA Plans Mean

Thrifty

Maximum budget-stretching. Requires careful meal planning, buying in-season produce, and minimal convenience foods. Used as the basis for SNAP benefit calculations.

Low-Cost

Moderate flexibility. More variety than Thrifty, still requires weekly planning. Achievable without extreme couponing.

Moderate-Cost

Closest to the average American household's actual food spending. Includes convenience items and less rigorous meal planning.

Liberal

Generous budget with plenty of variety, higher-quality proteins, and organic options. No significant trade-offs needed.