Mar 24, 2025
Ordinary American families aren’t the only ones keeping a close eye on their grocery bills. Even the family living in the White House can’t avoid it.
That’s according to Former First Lady Michelle Obama, who revealed that the president was responsible for covering food expenses during an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live in 2019. “If you say you want some exotic fruit, ‘Yes, ma'am, we'll get that right away,’ and then you get the bill for a peach and it's like, that was a $500 peach!?” she told Kimmel. “I would tell Barack, ‘Barack, do not express pleasure for anything unless I know how much it costs.’”
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Although she was “shocked” to learn about the quirky way grocery bills were handled at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Obama believes the arrangement was perfectly fair. “We shouldn't be mooching off of the taxpayers,” she said.
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Six years since that interview aired, food prices have climbed 28%, according to CNBC. Here’s why ordinary families are feeling the pressure to keep up with grocery bills now more than ever.
Food inflation crisis
A combination of higher operating costs for food producers, retail profits, geopolitical tensions, health scares and supply-chain disruptions have pushed food prices up in recent years, according to an analysis by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The agency predicts that egg prices will rise by another 41.1% this year, primarily because of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak.
Unsurprisingly, these rapidly escalating food prices are impacting consumer sentiment. According to R.R. Donelley’s 2024 CPG + Grocery Consumer Report, 85% of consumers said they were frustrated by their grocery bills and roughly a third said they had cut back on the number of items they buy, according to R.R. Donelley’s 2024 CPG + Grocery Consumer Report.
Unfortunately, there’s more frustration ahead for most households. President Trump’s tariffs on Mexican imports could spur prices even further, Target CEO Brian Cornell told CNBC. With that in mind, this could be a good time to revise your weekly grocery budget.
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Better budgeting for grocery bills
To tackle food inflation in 2025, focus on buying in bulk, especially non-perishables. If you find a pack of canned tuna on sale, it’s probably better to buy more than you need to stock up for the future.
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You could also switch to a more affordable grocery chain. Costco, Aldi and Lidl are some of the most budget-friendly grocery chains in America, according to Ramsey Solutions.
Buy seasonal, local produce to avoid high prices from tariffs. Start a small home garden for herbs and easy vegetables, and cook from scratch to save on processed foods. Preserve bulk purchases by freezing or canning.
You could also save some money on food by using coupons and keeping an eye out for special sales, using a food tracking app to track expenses and planning your meals in advance to avoid unforeseen price shocks. Like the Obamas, try to keep an eye on how much food costs before you consume it.
These simple habits can help you and your family even if or when the food inflation crisis is resolved.
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Vishesh Raisinghani is a financial journalist covering personal finance, investing and the global economy. He's also the founder of Sharpe Ascension Inc., a content marketing agency focused on investment firms. His work has appeared in Moneywise, Yahoo Finance!, Motley Fool, Seeking Alpha, Mergers & Acquisitions Magazine and Piggybank.
