The r/whatsinyourcart subreddit has been around for roughly 7 years now. In that time, the wholesome group has grown to 34k members from all around the globe. The founder and head moderator of the online community, u/JackalAbacus, once said that they didn’t expect the group to hit even 1k subscribers.

Sharing one’s shopping cart is a pretty good way to show what kind of person you are. Others can instantly tell what your dietary habits are like, how thrifty you are, and how large your budget is. It’s a very different kind of vulnerability than many of us are used to. (And we suspect some of us would feel embarrassed to share how many snacks and little treats we need just to keep going!)

There’s a whole legion of macro-level factors why groceries have become so darn expensive over the past half-decade or so. The Covid-19 pandemic, the invasion of Ukraine, and rising global instability have had a knock-on effect on product costs in many parts of the world.

Meanwhile, extreme weather damaged crop yields in some parts of the world, while some businesses used the opportunity to raise prices for better profit margins.

Supply chain issues and inflation have been buzzwords that we’ve been hearing practically non-stop on the news and on social media.

Many families have had to adjust their spending habits. You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who didn’t make budget adjustments as prices ballooned. However, things might be changing for the better. Hopefully, for good.

CNN reports that grocery prices actually fell in the United States. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ recent data, prices dropped (an admittedly not-so-dramatic) 0.2% from March to April 2024.

While it might not sound like a huge deal, progress is still progress. If the trend persists, it should make many American shoppers feel more confident about the economy. And who doesn’t like their cash doing more for them than before?

However, not everyone is celebrating groceries getting (ever so slightly) cheaper. The cost of food at restaurants actually increased by 0.3% over that same period.

Meanwhile, if you zoom out a bit, you’ll realize that grocery prices are still 1.1% higher than a year ago. Though, to be fair, that’s still lower than the surge of inflation, which rose 3.4% over those same 12 months.

Over the past year through April, ham in the US became 3.4% cheaper on average. The price of cheese fell a similar amount: by 3.3%. The cost of fish, seafood, and potatoes dropped 2.1%.

Coffee enthusiasts also have something to be happy about, as the cost of that gem of a commodity fell by 2%. Among other food items that got cheaper for the American consumer were milk (down 1.2%) and rice (1% cheaper compared to 2023).

Apple prices were down significantly in the US. They cost 12.7% less when compared to a year ago. Meanwhile, eggs, which were notoriously overpriced in recent years, also got cheaper. They’re 9% less costly compared to last year.

However, you can’t say the same about every grocery item.

For instance, the wildfires in Texas have made beef costs soar. Uncooked beef roasts now cost 10.1% more. Meanwhile, hot dogs are up 7.1%, and uncooked beef steak will set you back 6.5%.

Uncooked ground beef is up by 6%, too. In the meantime, the cost of fruits and veggies has risen by 1.7%. That’s just slightly less than the increase in the price of flour, which stands at 2.5%.

Generally, if you want to save on food costs, you should be willing to do a bit of shopping around. Check out your local supermarkets, markets, and mom-and-pop stores. See what discounts they offer.

Buying food in bulk, on discount, focusing on seasonal items, and eating even slightly less red meat are all good ways to save some cash.

What are your thoughts on grocery prices these days, Pandas? What tips would you give someone who’s new to cutting costs and budgeting? How do you keep food costs down? What's your fave go-to budget meal?

Feel free to tell us all about it in the comments! Now, if you'll excuse us, we need ourselves a little snack...