You’re getting less for more at the store these days. Here’s what experts agree is the one important way to cut grocery costs right now in 2026.
The affordability of groceries has long been something I wrote about here on Sarah’s Cucina Bella. And to some extent, the advice is often focused around similar themes: plan your meals, shop deliberately and cook more. These are tried and true techniques that will help you spend less.
But since 2020, we’ve seen unexpected things happening in grocery stores. There was the egg shortage, flour shortage and now a rise across the board in costs. The old advice still stands, but with unique market factors affecting everything, it’s no longer enough.
According to the Consumer Price Index for January 2026, the overall cost of food rose 2.9% over the previous 12 months. For food at home, costs rose 2.1 percent. Beyond food, Americans are seeing rising costs in everyday items like dishwasher detergent and fuel.
My wallet hurts. How about yours?
I turned to experts in the field to get their take on what’s effective right now for cutting costs and their answers surprised me because they all centered around one theme: Stop paying for convenience.
Here are some specific ways to follow this advice.
Ditch Bottled Dressings, Save with Simple Vinaigrettes
Here’s a tip from someone who runs two Sacramento restaurants: make your own salad dressing. A.
That array of bottled dressings in the store might be tempting, but it’s also adding to your grocery bill. Get exactly the dressing you want without the cost by making your own salad dressing.
“At Zinfandel Grille, a simple vinaigrette with lemon juice and olive oil costs way less and tastes better than anything bottled. You’ll be surprised how much you save. The same goes for dips and sauces, since those markups just keep climbing,” said Allen Kou, owner and operator of Zinfandel Grille in Sacramento, California.
And as long as you’re making dressing, also make your own marinades. Store bought marinades are pricey, but like vinaigrettes, it’s easy to make your own at home. Lemon Garlic Marinade is my go-to. What’s yours?
Avoid Pre-Seasoned Foods
Grocery stores have gotten smart over the last few years, pre-packaging already marinated meats and seafood. Sometimes they even include the sides to serve with them. As convenient as this may seem, it’s also going to cost you.
“There is a growing trend among food retailers to add large amounts of pre-packaged seasoning and sauces to increase their appeal, and, in many cases, to hide the increased cost per pound. When you purchase ‘value-added’ products, you will typically pay an additional 40% over the actual cost of the item (or the ingredient) simply to get a generic salt rub or a low-cost sauce that you can easily create at home,” said Gary Gray, CEO of CouponChief.com.
This goes beyond the weight that the marinade adds though.
“When you buy pre-marinated meat such as lemon-pepper chicken or fajita strips, you’re not only paying for the weight of the marinade (which is mostly water and cheap oil), but you are also being charged a ‘convenience fee’ for the time and expense it takes for the manufacturer to open a jar of spices,” Gray said.
Moreover, those convenient pre-seasoned rice and pasta kits are giving you less value at an added cost.
“You’re essentially paying for a small amount of salt and dried herbs packaged in a tin foil packet that is three times as expensive as purchasing the base grain in a larger bag,” Gray said.
Make Deli Salads at Home
If you’ve read Sarah’s Cucina Bella for more than a minute, you know I love making deli salads at home. In fact, in a lot of cases they taste better when homemade. Case in point: The Kale Feta Pasta Salad that my kids love.
So when Bennett Maxwell, CEO of Franchise KI, suggested that making your own deli salads was a way to cut costs I was all in for this advice.
“Those pre-made deli salads cost a fortune and usually don’t even taste as good as what you can make yourself. You can throw together a batch at home in 10 minutes and have lunch covered for the week. You control all the ingredients and after just a couple grocery runs, you’ll see your bill actually go down. It’s one of the easiest ways to save money,” Maxwell said.
So very true!
Skip Single-Serve Snacks
It’s become a pricey habit: buying conveniently packaged snacks that are grab-and-go. But this is also one of those habits that worth breaking if you want to hold onto more of your money.
Ryan Nelson, founder of Stock Calculator, calls this the easiest way to cut your grocery bill.
“Stop buying those single-serve snacks and pre-cut produce. Just get the big bag of chips or whole fruits and portion them out yourself. You’re literally paying extra for the convenience of someone else doing the work. It’s the exact same food for less money,” Nelson said.
Brew Coffee at Home Instead of Buying Fancy Bottled Coffees
This tip from Ben Rose, founder & CEO of CashbackHQ, might feel like the eye rolling advice that the older generation has been doling out for years. But really, it’s an important reminder and Rose’s take is a little different.
“Stop buying those fancy bottled coffees. Make it at home. I’ve seen people cut a decent chunk off their weekly spending this way, and it only takes a minute or two in the morning. You’re basically not paying for the brand and packaging anymore, and honestly, the store-brand beans taste just as good,” Rose said.
With so many fancy bottled and canned options today, they are tempting. But your wallet will be happier for you making your own.