This doesn’t sound right to me. It says the average household in NJ spends 7,549 on grocery bills per year. That averages out to around $145 a week. For two people maybe, but not a family. What are they eating, pop tarts? That sounds like a 1990 bill.
I remember my sister in law complaining about paying 250 a week. They have 2 kids and a couple of dogs. This was 26 years ago when we were staying with them.
Yeah no way that’s accurate. Unless New Jersey is on starvation rations.
Me and my girlfriend spend more money on groceries than that and we are super frugal. And live in Mississippi.
Hell we just planted a garden full of some stuff we want to save money on later this year. Just to cut down on expenses.
No, it sounds right.
I live alone. I spend $120-150 on my biweekly Walmart deliver but that includes not food items such as shampoo and dish soap.
Rule of thumb
Of course, if you eat OUT a lot, you can really have a low grocery bill. 
There are tons of factors that go into “my grocery bill” from person to person.
Grocery prices are definitely up, that’s for sure. But shoppers who are diligent and wily in their shopping behaviors can do (and are doing) a lot to temper the increases. Count me among them.
I buy around 90% stuff I have to prepare. Not because of price, but it usually turns out better.
That statistic of 7,549 just says household. It sounds like a one, maybe two person bill. Not counting a dog.
Same thing in the UK
My guess is this happened at least as sharply here.
I’m guessing time is the reason for this. Back in the 80s people had more free time. People that continue to buy mostly ingredients have more free time. There’s probably more to it, but that’s my best guess.
Free time is very underrated. It’s right up there in importance with expendable cash. Yet no one ever talks about it.
Dr. Gary Chapman wrote a book on the Five Love Languages.
He wrote a follow-up book on the Five Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace.
And interesting observation from his studies for the second book: Younger worker who prefer receiving something as a sign of appreciation lean more toward time off than bonus money. Older workers lean toward the cash. (As I would.)
The book is designed to help workers understand their own preferences, and to help employers understand the preferences of their employees, and for workers understand their teammates. I found it fascinating.
So are your arteries.
Shorter commutes?
Television not so good?
I won’t say you’re wrong, but I don’t see how we are spending our time being “busier” with anyting beside social media.
Understand,
I am trying to avoid the temptation to judge or disparage people. I see it more as “life hacks.” If one focuses on “keeping it simple,” it is neither hard not all that time consuming to prepare one’s own meals “from scratch.”
Just less stuff to keep you busy. Like in the 80s, with the lack of good gaming consoles, kids more often played outside.
It is fascinating. I lean more towards free time both then and now. My entire life I have never, or very rarely worked OT voluntarily. I’ve always considered my commute, workplace, tolls, and where I live before making any decision. I’ll align them to be favorable even if it means making less money. As long as the money is still good. Jobs with less responsibility that still pay well, is better than a stressful job that pays more and has you sitting in traffic every day.
All of these minor conveniences add up. You just have to not want to spend like a drunken sailer.
As far as I know, the BLS makes no attempt to differentiate
between
plain old potatoes &
pre-made frozen french fries
between
plain old chicken &
pre-made breaded chicken tenders.
(Those differences are the point of what I’ve been saying up to now)
That said, according to this morning’s CPI report food at home is up only 2%
But a huge difference in price. Especially french fries.
Shoot me for picking this somewhat irrelevant nit but I happen to be too familiar with CPI:
Potatoes (falling under fruits and vegetables) are separate from french fries (falling under frozen prepared foods). I’m not certain but I strongly suspect chicken is similar divided.
https://www.bls.gov/cpi/additional-resources/entry-level-item-descriptions.htm
The fact that food outside the home is increasing at basically 2x the rate of food at home fascinates me. (also the fact that in 2025 they are pretty equally weighted. I’m guessing 30 years ago it was something like 3 or 4:1 food from home.
We also spent many hours in the ER because of just that. 
LOL. I played outside and sports practically 24/7. But you’re right. Far more injuries whether or not it led to the ER.
