What You Can Do About Soaring Grocery Prices

Do you feel like September, the entire fall, and basically the whole year are crashing in on you at once? I’m not ready to say goodbye to summer, but I know that what happens in these next few weeks can set anyone up for the rest of the year. Personally, it’s still been a bit of a rude awakening to get pitches about Thanksgiving turkey prices just days after Labor Day.

The emails I’ve gotten about turkey already are understandable especially when considering that soaring grocery prices are top of mind for many. Consumer Affairs estimates food costs are up 5% so far this year, and up 25% over the past two years. And the Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service predicts food prices will increase another 2.9%. CNN, CNBC and Axios have all covered the alarming trend.

Sometimes it feels like there’s nothing to do in the face of all these rising costs. But I liked these two roundups with some classic—and some wackier—ideas from CNBC (consider the store’s own brand, which can be cheaper) and Investopedia (avoid prepared foods, shop without kids in tow, and look down—stores often put the most expensive items at eye-level).

Then there’s the news of the Kraft-Heinz mega merger from a decade ago getting completely unwound—and I have to wonder, how much did that $23 billion disappointment wind up costing the average American buying food in grocery stores? That’d be an interesting question for a business school professor to tackle in a study.

And even though it’s back to work, I hope you get outside this week. Enjoy the warmth while it lasts!

— Chloe Sorvino


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Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/chloesorvino/2025/09/03/what-you-can-do-about-soaring-grocery-prices/