“Are you sure?” I asked the checker at the grocery store.

I couldn’t believe the cost of two small bags of groceries was over $100.

“Yes, that’s right,” he said.

I checked over the receipt to be sure I hadn’t been charged $20 for a can of beans by accident.

“Every item is at least $5 or $6,” my husband said as we rolled our cart out of the store.

On average, food prices are 2.9% higher than a year ago, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Restaurant prices, on average, are 3.9% higher than a year ago.

To put it in perspective, that’s the percent that some retailers are adding if you pay with a credit card.

We aren’t alone in feeling the pinch. An Associated Press consumer affairs poll revealed that about 86% of people are feeling stressed by the grocery store prices.

What’s a savvy consumer to do? Shop smart and avoid wasting your valuable food.

Check out the food you have on hand at home. What’s in your cupboard, refrigerator or freezer? Do you have the makings of a casserole, stew, soup or something else?

See NDSU Extension’s “Pinchin’ Pennie$ in the Kitchen” series of dozens of online publications that show how to use what you have to make personalized meals for less money, including many recipes.

Visit www.ag.ndsu.edu/food, then “Food Preparation,” then “Pinchin’ Pennie$” or “Cooking on a Budget” or any of the others.

Do you find that you are throwing away food that has gone bad, or at least, the dates have passed? Dates on food packages are not “expiration” dates, as they are commonly called by mistake. Product dates are quality dates, and they say “Best if used by” for that reason. They are not necessarily unsafe or lower in quality.

Baby food and formula, however, should be used by the package date for nutritional and safety reasons.

Label your ingredients with the purchase date. Use leftovers within four days or freeze.

North Dakota State University Extension’s “Food Storage Guide” provides guidance on how long your food is safe and of high quality. It is located under “Food Safety” at the NDSU Extension website (www.ag.ndsu.edu/food).

Be sure to arrange your foods in a “first in, first out” (FIFO) manner, so you use the oldest food first.

Plan your meals a week at a time, and use what you have on hand and purchase only what you need. Be sure to work your on-hand foods into your meal plan.

Compare prices. Explore other forms of the same food, such as fresh, frozen and canned green beans. Compare brands, too.

Be cautious about buying the “economy” size and use your freezer. If you buy meat in bulk, freeze it in recipe-sized amounts and be sure to use an appropriate package, such as a freezer bag or a freezer container. 

See “Food Preservation” at NDSU Extension for details.

Enjoy more beans and rice (especially whole-grain brown rice) in your meal plans. Not only are these foods nutritious with their protein and fiber content, but they also are budget-friendly. Use beans to stretch the animal-based protein in tacos, casseroles, soups and stews.

While we can’t control food prices, we can stretch our dollars by reducing waste, planning ahead and enjoying simple, nutritious meals like this bean taco recipe courtesy of Bean Institute. You can make your taco spice mix without added salt. Draining and rinsing canned beans reduces the sodium content by up to 40%.

Baja Bean Tacos

½ cup onion, chopped
1 tablespoon cooking oil (such as canola, sunflower, soybean)
1 (15.5-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5-ounce) can pinto or black beans
2 teaspoons chili powder
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon garlic powder or dry or fresh minced garlic
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
½ cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
12 (6-inch) corn or flour tortillas
1 ½ cups lettuce, shredded
¾ cup tomato salsa
¾ cup sour cream or plain yogurt

Saute onion in oil until tender. Drain and rinse beans. Coarsely chop or mash kidney beans. Combine beans, onions, spice and cheese. Pour mixture into a greased 1 ½-quart casserole. Bake, covered, in a 350 F oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until heated through. To serve, scoop ¼ cup filling into each tortilla, then top with 2 tablespoons lettuce and 1 tablespoon each of salsa and sour cream or yogurt. Roll tortilla and serve.

Note: the filling mixture also can be used as a bean dip with chips or vegetables.

Makes six servings. Each serving has 452 calories, 19 grams (g) fat, 19 g protein, 49 g carbohydrate, 12 g fiber and 736 milligrams sodium.

(Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., R.D., L.R.D., is a North Dakota State University Extension food and nutrition specialist and professor in the Department of Health, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences.)

NDSU Agriculture Communication – Sept. 18, 2025

Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, 701-231-7187, julie.garden-robinson@ndsu.edu

Editor: Dominic Erickson, 701-231-5546, dominic.erickson@ndsu.edu