The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Consumer Price Index shows grocery store food prices increased 12% from November 2021 to November 2022, and prices are predicted to increase another 3 – 4% in 2023.

The Division of Consumer Protection says there are several ways consumers can save money on groceries including:
– Plan your meals. Planning meals in advance, including breakfast, lunch and dinner, will reduce food waste and cut down on expensive meal delivery or dining-out costs. Make a grocery list to support the plan and reduce impulsive purchases.

– Look for deals. Plan meals around a few bulk ingredients or based on the weekly grocery sales circular to ensure you’re buying items on sale. Take advantage of store savings and enroll in store reward programs. Search for online coupons, use store savings and rewards cards, and watch for manufacturer coupons attached to the items in-store.

– Shop strategically for food. Take inventory of what you have at home before going shopping. Go to the grocery store with a list, having planned out your meals until your next grocery trip.

The DCP also said consumers can reduce food waste by learning about food product dating. According to the FDA, confusion over date labeling accounts for an estimated 20 percent of consumer food waste.

Important tips to know include:
Except for infant formula, manufacturers are not required by Federal law or regulation to place quality-based date labels on packaged food.

Manufacturers apply date labels at their own discretion and for a variety of reasons. The most common is to inform consumers and retailers of the date to which they can expect the food to retain its desired quality and flavor.

“Best if Used By” is the standard phrase to indicate the date until which a product will be at its best flavor and quality, not the date an item will spoil. Consumers should examine foods that are past their Best if Used By date for signs of spoilage before they throw them away.

For example, bread past its “Best if Used By” date may be stale, but if it is not moldy or spoiled, it could be used to make French toast, croutons, breadcrumbs and several other items you may otherwise buy at the store.

To learn more tips on how to cut food waste, visit fda.gov.

For more consumer protection tips, follow the Division on social media on Twitter and Facebook.