Whether real or inflation-adjusted, yearly food spending in the United States increased steadily from 1997 to 2022, except in 2008 and 2009 during the Great Recession and COVID in 2020.
Food spending includes food at home, described as food intended for off-premises consumption from retailers like grocery stores. Spending also includes food away from home, described as food bought at outlets like restaurants or cafeterias.
Total food spending increased 70 percent from 1997 to 2022. Food spending totaled $1.81 trillion during 2020. Between 1997 and 2022, food at home spending increased at a slower rate, 53 percent, than food away from home at 89 percent. Total food spending increased on a yearly basis by 7.2 percent in 2021 and 4.5 percent in 2022. Food away from home spending drove the overall increases in food spending. Food at home spending rose four percent in 2021 before falling two percent in 2022.
