U.S. cost of common food items (2024)

FAQs

What is the average food cost in the US? ›

The average American household spends an average of $475.25 a month on groceries, according to the most recently available dataset from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics from 2022. That's a total of $5,703 spent on groceries in a year.

Single-person households, as you might expect, spent the least on food: $5,235 in 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Two-person households spent $9,363, up from $8,242 in 2021. The national average for three-person households was $11,158. Four-person households spent $13.055.

The average cost of a restaurant meal in the US is $23. Of course, it depends on the restaurant, the city and what you order, but that is the official average.

Food Cost Percentage = (Cost of Goods Sold/Revenue)*100

In this formula, cost of goods sold (COGS) is how much money you spent purchasing the inventory that went into a menu item. It's the total cost of the ingredients in the dish(es) in question. Revenue is how much you charge customers for that dish.

1. California

In California, the average weekly grocery spending is $297.72.

How much would it cost to end hunger in the US? Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America, has calculated the cost of ending hunger in the US at $25 billion. Hunger in the United States isn't a direct result of war, or crop failures, or massive inflation. Americans who are hungry simply don't have enough money to buy food.

The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings. The savings category also includes money you will need to realize your future goals.

Overall, housing accounted for the largest share (33.3 percent), followed by transportation (16.8 percent), food (12.8 percent), personal insurance and pensions (12.0 percent), and healthcare (8.0 percent). Each of the remaining categories contributed less than 5.0 percent of total expenditures.

They each weigh at least one ton. According to NPR's food blog, "The Salt," the average American eats a whopping 1,996 pounds of food (approximately one ton) each year.

depending on which state you're ordering in. According to Slice's numbers, the U.S. average for a large cheese pizza is $17.81. On average, the cost of a large cheese pizza from an indie pizzeria jumped from $16.74 in 2021 to $17.81 in 2022, an increase of 6.4%.

How much does a burger cost in the US? ›

Rising beef prices have pushed the average price of a burger to nearly $16. That's according to new data from Toast, which tracked beef inflation and burger prices from November 2022 to June of this year. Beef prices fluctuated over that time, bouncing between as low as $3.20 per pound to more than $4.

Food prices are expected to continue to decelerate in 2024 compared to recent years. In 2024, all food prices are predicted to increase 2.2 percent, with a prediction interval of 1.0 to 3.5 percent.

To calculate the ideal food cost, first determine the food cost of each menu item. Then multiply the cost of each menu item by the number of times it was sold in a given period of time. In other words, you multiply by the sales mix.

A static menu is the most widely used out of the menu categories. These menus are common because of their consistency, easy navigation, and options. Many successful restaurants are known for their consistent and dependable options, and a static menu helps communicate that message to customers.

Average monthly food spending: $779 (13% increase)

Food spending includes groceries and food away from home, which is any food that you pay someone else to prepare for you. Average food spending increased 13% from 2021 to 2022. On average, Americans spent $779 per month on food in 2022 and $9,343 over the full year.

The average cost of monthly groceries for one adult on the thrifty plan ranges from $242 to $303. And when it comes to a family of four, the average cost for their monthly grocery bill is about $975. Those averages might seem low to you, spot on or crazy high.

On average, groceries cost between $290 and $548 per month for one person. However, expenses can vary depending on location, dietary choices and personal spending habits. If you don't budget for groceries and instead just buy what you need — and want — at intervals throughout the month, you could be overspending.

The average household in California spends approximately $297 a week on grocery shopping, according to the data released in November. That is almost $30 more than the reported national average. Here's how much California spends based on household size: One person - $176.81.

For a low-cost budget for a family of four, you can plan on spending $243.80 a week or about $1,055.80 a month. Moderate-cost plan. For a moderate budget for a family of four, you would spend $302.80 a week for groceries or $1,311.50 a month.