How to stretch your paycheck when grocery prices are high, according to an expert
Learn how to stretch your grocery budget amid rising prices with these seven tips from a Registered Dietitian. Including meal planning, strategic coupon clipping, unit pricing, and more.
Despite being located in America’s breadbasket and one of the states that produces the most food in the country, grocery prices in Iowa are increasing, and every day Iowans are feeling the strain. According to an analysis by Consumer Affairs, Iowa is one of the 12 states seeing the largest increase in grocery prices, a 6.4 percent increase year-over-year as of July 2025.
For many, seeing these grocery prices continue to increase can be stressful and disheartening. The good news? “Though prices are high, it is possible to reduce your grocery spending by planning ahead and sticking to your plan,” says Jody Gatewood, a Registered Dietitian and the Assistant State Nutrition Program Specialist at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.
In her role, Gatewood works with Spend Smart. Eat Smart., which is an online suite of tools that provides information and resources to help people plan, shop, and cook healthy meals on a budget.
We talked to Gatewood to find out the best tips for stretching a grocery budget between paychecks.
1. Meal planning is your friend
It may not be the most fun task, but meal planning can help you save some serious cash and reduce food waste.
Start by looking at what’s already in your home and prioritize using up any perishables. Then look at the items on sale for the week and try to plan your meals around them. The combination of using what you have on hand, paired with sale items, can really help you stretch your budget. Spend Smart. Eat Smart. has menu planning tools and resources to make this easier.
Next, create a grocery list and stick to it; that’s the key. If you find sticking to your list to be tough, you’re not alone. Doing your grocery shopping online can be a great strategy to limit temptation and impulse buying. Plus, online shopping makes it easy to see how much you are spending as you add items to your cart.
“Remember, planning meals doesn’t mean you have to make elaborate dishes. You can plan to have scrambled eggs, with canned fruit, toast, and a glass of milk. That is an easy, inexpensive, nutritious meal,” says Gatewood.
2. Get comfortable with prepping produce
The convenience of pre-prepped produce can be very helpful; however, to get the most for your dollar, you are better off prepping the produce yourself. “Buying and cutting up a head of broccoli will be cheaper than buying a bag of fresh broccoli. If you’re not familiar with how to cut up fresh produce, take the time to learn how. We have videos on Spend Smart. Eat Smart. that show how to prepare various produce, including broccoli, bell peppers, onions, and potatoes,” says Gatewood.
3. Check the unit price for the best deal
Prices can sometimes be misleading. Getting the cheapest option isn’t necessarily the best deal. That’s where unit pricing comes in. Unit prices require you to look at the cost of an item by weight or volume.
For example, you might see two options for baby carrots while shopping. A one-pound bag costs $0.99, and a two-pound bag costs $1.89. In this case, the first bag is $0.99/lb while the second bag costs $0.94/lb. The two-pound bag is the better deal.
Gatewood suggests using a unit price calculator, like the one on the Spend Smart. Eat Smart. app, while you are in the store to get the best deal possible.
4. Prioritize low-cost, high-impact ingredients for filling meals
Another way to stretch your grocery budget is to buy low-cost but high-protein and high-fiber foods. These kinds of foods tend to make you feel fuller, longer. Here are three ingredients Gatewood recommends keeping on hand for quick, filling meals.
Canned beans
“Canned beans are a good source of protein and fiber and are versatile. There are many types of beans, including black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, and more. They can be used in soups, casseroles, and salads,” Gatewood shares.
Frozen produce
“Frozen fruits and vegetables are a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals that you don’t have to worry about going bad. They can be used as a side dish or included in soups, casseroles, stir-fry, salads, and smoothies,” per the expert.
Brown rice
“Instant brown rice is a good source of fiber and is shelf-stable. It can be used in soups, stir-fry, rice bowls, casseroles, and salads,” she explained.
5. Be careful with coupons
While coupons can be an excellent way to save some cash, you need to be careful.
First, make sure you are actually getting a good deal. Coupons are often for higher-cost, name-brand items. “The lower price with the coupon may still be higher than store brand or generic brand items,” says Gatewood.
Once you know if the coupon is a good deal or not, make sure you actually need the item. “Coupons can encourage people to buy items they may not really need but they want to buy just because they have a coupon,” says Gatewood.
6. Have a plan for leftovers
With grocery prices so high, one of the worst things you can do is let the food you buy go to waste. Having a plan for leftovers is essential and reinforces the importance of meal planning, helping you buy and make exactly what you need to limit excess food right from the get-go.
Gatewood recommends including “planned-overs” as part of your meal planning. “This way you know what you are going to do with leftover food,” she says. For instance, “if you have tacos one night, you can have burrito bowls later in the week to use up the leftover taco ingredients.”
Another good way to avoid waste and utilize leftovers is by freezing them for later. For example, you can freeze leftover soup in individual portions to have for lunch or a quick dinner down the road. If your freezer starts to get a little too full, “plan a night where each person gets to choose a frozen leftover to have for their meal,” suggests Gatewood.
7. It’s okay to ask for help
Sometimes, even when you follow all the advice—you do the meal planning, you clip coupons strategically—it’s still not enough to get the food you need between paychecks. If this is you, know that you are not alone and that there are resources and people who want to help you.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, a good place to start is 211, a free information and referral system that provides information on resources for food, housing, utility assistance, and more. “People can search 211iowa.org or call 866-813-1731 for information,” says Gatewood.
Another resource is Iowa Concern, through Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. “It offers free, confidential support to help lowans navigate stress, legal issues, financial challenges, and crisis situations,” says Gatewood. “It is available 24/7 and is offered at no cost. Call 800-447-1985 or visit their website.”
Another Iowa State E23axtension resource is EFNEP Nutrition Education, which “provides no-cost nutrition education classes to help lowans access nutritious food, cook healthy meals at home, and handle food safely,” says Gatewood. “Depending on your location in lowa and eligibility, classes can be delivered in person or virtually.”
On a local level, you can go to food pantries and look for free community meals. Larger organizations like Food Bank of Iowa has online resources to help you find food banks in your community.
There are also government-funded nutrition assistance programs like SNAP or WIC that can help you out. See if you qualify and find other resources at Get Help Buying Healthy Foods on the Spend Smart. Eat Smart. website.
Quotes have been edited for clarity.
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