As the price of groceries remains high into the beginning of 2026, University of Tennessee Extension experts suggest several ways shoppers can stretch their dollars while filling their carts at the store.
Faculty in the UT Extension Department of Family and Consumer Sciences combined information about healthy meal planning and food safety with ways to make a grocery list, use coupons, check unit prices and avoid uneconomical marketing tactics in a series of publications called Aisle by Aisle about saving money at the grocery store.
“Budgeting is an important way to save money when you shop for groceries. Grocery prices are going up, which means your budget can change each month,” said Kristin Riggsbee, assistant professor and nutrition and food safety specialist. “In the long run, grocery shopping and cooking meals at home is less expensive than eating in restaurants or convenience stores, and cooking at home is much healthier.”
The authors of the publications include Riggsbee; Ann Berry, professor and consumer economics specialist; Christopher Sneed, associate professor and consumer economics specialist; and Kristen Johnson, associate professor and nutrition specialist…