If you've noticed your grocery bills rising, you aren't alone. The increasing cost of a basic grocery bill has grown large enough that many are struggling to afford food, and a viral social media trend has Instacart users pulling up old receipts to see exactly how much prices have raised.
The results are shocking, but are they real? We dug into our own Instacart order history from 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to do our own price check. See some of the worst offenders we found in price hikes.
Earn cash back on everyday purchases with this rare account
Want to earn cash back on your everyday purchases without using a credit card? With the Discover®️ Cashback Debit Checking account (member FDIC), you can earn 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month!1
With no credit check to apply and no monthly fees to worry about, you can earn nearly passive income on purchases you’re making anyway — up to an extra $360 a year!
This rare checking account has other great perks too, like access to your paycheck up to 2 days early with Early Pay, no minimum deposit or monthly balance requirements, over 60K fee-free ATMs, and the ability to add cash to your account at Walmart stores nationwide.
Don’t leave money on the table — it only takes minutes to apply and it won’t impact your credit score.
Apply for a Discover Cashback Checking account today
Food Lion
In June 2020, an order of 31 items totaled $110.64 from Food Lion. In July 2024, slapping that "reorder" button on Instacart added only 21 items to the cart — but it still totaled $110.31. A few of the missing items are simply unavailable now; however, many items are standardly stocked and seem to be missing because the item's name was slightly altered.
It's not just Food Lion where we saw this occurring, as next, we checked in on Kroger.
Kroger
We checked a Kroger order from September 2020 and found 35 items totaling $137.74. Comparatively, hitting the reorder button today dropped to 18 items in our cart, totaling $114.61.
Once again, the items that didn't automatically reorder were a mix of not available or were available under a slightly changed product title.
This makes direct comparisons difficult, but we can still see the price differences on each product that made it back into the cart. See which items had the most significant increases in the past four years.
Coca-Cola
Soda prices have skyrocketed since the pandemic but have also skyrocketed during the pandemic. There was a time when most groceries sold a 12-pack case of cans under buy one, get one deals or similar sales that allowed soft drinks to be purchased very affordably.
That was brought to an abrupt halt with the onset of the pandemic, and pricing reverted to $7.99 for a 24-pack. Ordering that same case of 24 12-ounce cans of Coca-Cola now costs $13.99 — almost double the cost.
Get a protection plan on all your appliances
Did you know if your air conditioner stops working, your homeowner’s insurance won’t cover it? Same with plumbing, electrical issues, appliances, and more.
Whether or not you’re a new homeowner, a home warranty from Choice Home Warranty could pick up the slack where insurance falls short and protect you against surprise expenses. If a covered system in your home breaks, you can call their hotline 24/7 to get it repaired.
For a limited time, you can get your first month free with a Single Payment home warranty plan.
Food Lion brand canned corn
Canned veggies are commonly stocked in pantries and are typically low-priced, but that price has increased. A small can (8.5 ounces) previously cost $.59 and is now $.78. That might not seem like a lot when it's just one can, but it starts adding up quickly when you purchase multiples.
Stouffer's frozen dinners
Taking a day off from cooking with frozen microwave meals has significantly increased prices from pre-pandemic pricing.
A simple spaghetti with meat sauce used to cost $3.09 but is now $4.39. Workers who like to pop a frozen meal in the microwave for lunch hour can really feel that hit each week in their wallet, and that is only compounded for families using this as an alternative solution to pizza night.
Trending Stories
Maruchan ramen noodles
The signature staple of starving college students everywhere is a reliable pack of crackered ramen noodles, but the price has doubled since 2020. A 10-pack previously cost $3.20, but that same pack today costs $7.90.
Charmin toilet paper
We all remember the great toilet paper shortage of 2020, but with that well and over, why are prices even higher now? A Charmin six-roll pack of "mega" rolls rang in at $7.99. This was one of the items that did not automatically add back to the cart but is still available.
The price now is $9.99, but the price hikes look even more outlandish on the larger packs — 24 rolls now cost $34.39. Food isn't just more expensive going in; it now also costs more on the way out.
Panera Bread soup
Panera Bread is one of the many restaurant chains that integrated an at-home grocery store product line, but the price has nearly doubled. A 16-ounce tub of their chicken tortilla soup went from $4.99 to $7.99.
Drano
Keeping a clean home is more expensive than ever, and items that used to slide on to our bills without noticeable impact on our wallets are becoming a burden. For example, keeping a bottle of Drano drain cleaner on hand for emergencies went from $3.99 to $6.59.
Stop overpaying when you shop online
Shopping online has its perks. It's super convenient, but it can be time consuming to find the best deals. Instead of hunting for coupon codes (that don't always work!) and opening tons of browser tabs comparing prices, you can try Capital One Shopping.
Capital One Shopping makes saving money effortless. Just add the browser extension and when you check out, it'll scour the internet for coupon codes to help you save cash. And before you check out at 25+ major retailers, Capital One Shopping will notify you with a friendly pop-up if the item you're buying is available cheaper somewhere else.
Capital One Shopping is free to use and won't show you ads. Add it today and stop overpaying!2
Kroger brand granola bars
Granola bars are perfect for breakfast, a snack, or tossing in a packed lunch — but now they're packing a punch to the wallet, too. Kroger brand granola bars went from $2.49 up to $3.99. Quaker-brand granola bars currently cost $5.99.
Kroger brand salsa
Grabbing a family-size 70-ounce jar of salsa from the Kroger brand used to cost $4.99, less expensive than much smaller jars of brand-name options. Today, that same amount of salsa costs $8.49 — nearly double the price.
Bottom line
Consumers are told inflation has been in the single-digit percentiles, often cited as around 4%, but that contradicts the data we can all see with our own eyes. Grocery bills have roughly doubled, along with similar increases across other necessities, but paychecks have not.
A notable exception to these price increases is the Aldi grocery store chain. Its rotating weekly Aldi Finds and changing seasonal stock make it difficult to copy exact orders, but the prices remain very similar between receipts from 2020 and 2024.
More from FinanceBuzz:
- 7 things to do if you’re barely scraping by financially.
- Are you a homeowner? Get a protection plan on all your appliances.
- 6 genius hacks Costco shoppers should know.
- Learn how you can escape the paycheck-to-paycheck grind.
Lucrative, Flat-Rate Cash Rewards
FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Current Offer
$200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards Rate
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
Benefits
- Low spend threshold for its welcome offer — $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
- Cell phone protection benefit (subject to a $25 deductible)
- Can redeem rewards at an ATM for literal cash
Drawbacks
- Foreign transaction fee of 3%
- No bonus categories
- Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
- Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
- 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 19.74%, 24.74%, or 29.74% Variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
- $0 annual fee.
- No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
Subscribe Today
Want extra-cash moves to come right to you?
Stop browsing endlessly. Get proven ways to earn pocket money, help cover rent, and crush your debt — sent to your inbox daily.
Author Details