Household grocery expenditure varies substantially by the age of the household reference person. In 2023, average U.S. spending on food at home ranged from $3,149 among households with a reference person under 25 to $7,639 among households aged 45–54. The figures below come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report Consumer expenditures in 2023 and refer to annual household averages.
Contents
- Key grocery spending figures by age
- Food at home and total food spending
- Meat, poultry, fish, and eggs
- Fruits and vegetables
- Cereal, bakery, and dairy spending
- Broad household age bands
Key grocery spending figures by age
The BLS uses the age of the household reference person to organize consumer expenditure data. “Food at home” is the closest measure here to grocery expenditure. It describes food purchased for preparation or consumption at home, while total food spending also includes food away from home.
In 2023, households with a reference person under 25 spent an average of $3,149 on food at home. The average rose to $5,537 for ages 25–34 and $7,211 for ages 35–44. Spending reached $7,639 for ages 45–54, then declined to $6,324 for ages 55–64.
For older households, the BLS reported $4,973 in average food-at-home spending for reference persons aged 65 and older. The more detailed older groups show $5,432 for ages 65–74 and $4,321 for ages 75 and older. These are 2023 annual averages, not recommended grocery budgets for individual households.
| Age of reference person | Average annual food-at-home spending, 2023 |
|---|---|
| Under 25 | $3,149 |
| 25–34 | $5,537 |
| 35–44 | $7,211 |
| 45–54 | $7,639 |
| 55–64 | $6,324 |
| 65 and older | $4,973 |
| 65–74 | $5,432 |
| 75 and older | $4,321 |
Source: Consumer expenditures in 2023, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, measurement period 2023.
Food at home and total food spending
Total food spending is broader than grocery spending because it includes food at home and food away from home. In 2023, total food spending averaged $5,953 for households with a reference person under 25. The corresponding averages were $9,704 for ages 25–34, $12,006 for ages 35–44, and $12,941 for ages 45–54.
After the 45–54 age group, total food spending averaged $10,069 for ages 55–64 and $7,714 for households with a reference person aged 65 and older. Within the latter group, the average was $8,566 for ages 65–74 and $6,508 for ages 75 and older.
The comparison below places the two measures side by side. It can help meal planners distinguish the household’s full food spending from the portion represented by groceries and other food consumed at home.
| Age of reference person | Food at home | Total food spending |
|---|---|---|
| Under 25 | $3,149 | $5,953 |
| 25–34 | $5,537 | $9,704 |
| 35–44 | $7,211 | $12,006 |
| 45–54 | $7,639 | $12,941 |
| 55–64 | $6,324 | $10,069 |
| 65 and older | $4,973 | $7,714 |
| 65–74 | $5,432 | $8,566 |
| 75 and older | $4,321 | $6,508 |
Source: Consumer expenditures in 2023, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, measurement period 2023. The age categories are household groups defined by the BLS.
Meat, poultry, fish, and eggs
Spending on meats, poultry, fish, and eggs followed a pattern similar to overall food-at-home spending. In 2023, households with a reference person under 25 spent $594 in this category. The average was $994 for ages 25–34, $1,383 for ages 35–44, and $1,507 for ages 45–54.
The average then fell to $1,223 for ages 55–64 and $973 for households aged 65 and older. The detailed older categories were $1,093 for ages 65–74 and $802 for ages 75 and older.
These figures show the annual category averages used in the BLS expenditure report. They do not identify how much was spent on any one meat, seafood, poultry, or egg product, and they do not describe quantities purchased.
Source: Consumer expenditures in 2023, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, measurement period 2023.
Fruits and vegetables
Average fruit and vegetable spending was $452 in 2023 for households with a reference person under 25. It rose to $907 for ages 25–34 and $1,193 for ages 35–44. The highest detailed age-group average was $1,235 for households with a reference person aged 45–54.
For ages 55–64, average spending was $1,033. Households with a reference person aged 65 and older spent an average of $818, including $869 for ages 65–74 and $746 for ages 75 and older.
The figures combine fruits and vegetables into one reported category. They are useful for comparing annual spending patterns by age, but they do not separate fresh, frozen, canned, or otherwise prepared items.
Source: Consumer expenditures in 2023, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, measurement period 2023.
Cereal, bakery, and dairy spending
The BLS reported average cereal and bakery spending of $409 for households with a reference person under 25 in 2023. The average was $773 for ages 25–34, $955 for ages 35–44, and $1,054 for ages 45–54. It then measured $875 for ages 55–64 and $692 for ages 65 and older.
Within the older group, cereal and bakery spending averaged $745 for ages 65–74 and $616 for ages 75 and older. Dairy spending showed the same broad rise and decline across the detailed age groups: $322 for under 25, $537 for ages 25–34, $724 for ages 35–44, $717 for ages 45–54, $637 for ages 55–64, and $516 for ages 65 and older. The two older subgroups averaged $546 and $474, respectively.
| Age of reference person | Cereal and bakery | Dairy |
|---|---|---|
| Under 25 | $409 | $322 |
| 25–34 | $773 | $537 |
| 35–44 | $955 | $724 |
| 45–54 | $1,054 | $717 |
| 55–64 | $875 | $637 |
| 65 and older | $692 | $516 |
| 65–74 | $745 | $546 |
| 75 and older | $616 | $474 |
Source: Consumer expenditures in 2023, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, measurement period 2023.
Broad household age bands
The 2023 BLS data also report food-at-home averages using broader age thresholds. Households with a reference person under 30 spent an average of $4,022 on food at home, compared with $6,318 for households with a reference person aged 30 and older.
Using a 50-year threshold, average food-at-home spending was $6,341 for households with a reference person under 50 and $5,805 for those aged 50 and older. With a 55-year threshold, the averages were $6,510 for households under 55 and $5,505 for households aged 55 and older.
The under-65 and 65-and-older comparison reported $6,464 for households with a reference person under 65 and $4,973 for those aged 65 and older. The broad-band figures use different cutoffs, so each pair should be read as its own comparison rather than combined into one age trend.
| Broad age grouping | Average annual food-at-home spending, 2023 |
|---|---|
| Under 30 | $4,022 |
| 30 and older | $6,318 |
| Under 50 | $6,341 |
| 50 and older | $5,805 |
| Under 55 | $6,510 |
| 55 and older | $5,505 |
| Under 65 | $6,464 |
| 65 and older | $4,973 |
Source: Consumer expenditures in 2023, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, measurement period 2023. All dollar amounts are annual household averages as reported for the specified age bands.
Using the statistics for meal planning
The age-group figures provide reference points for household meal planning, especially when comparing a grocery budget with broader food spending. Food-at-home spending was highest among the 45–54 detailed group at $7,639, while total food spending for that group averaged $12,941. For households with a reference person aged 75 and older, the corresponding averages were $4,321 and $6,508.
Category figures add more detail to the overall grocery measure. Among households with a reference person aged 45–54, annual averages were $1,507 for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs, $1,235 for fruits and vegetables, $1,054 for cereal and bakery products, and $717 for dairy. Among households aged 75 and older, the comparable averages were $802, $746, $616, and $474.
Because these are population-level 2023 averages, a household’s own grocery plan may differ from every age-group figure. The statistics are best used as measured comparison points for reviewing spending categories, setting planning questions, and understanding how food-at-home expenditure differed across the reported household age groups.