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Groceries aren’t cheap. Prices have been climbing in recent years, whether it’s meat, cheese, bread, rice, or anything else. If you’ve been to the store recently, you’ve probably noticed just how much harder it has become to feed yourself or your family.

Because of that, many people have turned to meal planning. They figure out how much money they can spend over a certain period of time, then decide what groceries they can afford based on that. It’s a harsh reality, but one that’s turned familiar. And it’s exactly why one couple turned to Reddit for advice.

A couple asked Reddit for help planning their grocery budget for the next two weeks because they only have $72.

“$72 to feed two people for the next 2.5 weeks,” they wrote in a Reddit thread. “What do I focus on?” The user explained they were looking for affordable ingredients and meals that offered real value. They have access to a kitchen with a fridge, but they’re also severely disabled, so they prefer recipes that are easier to prepare. The budget-conscious shopper wrote, “Where I live, food can be pretty expensive, even at the low-income area stores.”

People came in to help, offering suggestions and full grocery lists in over 300 comments. One of the top replies stood out by sharing a complete list of ingredients along with price ranges. “Stock up on the following staples,” the user wrote, “and you can mix and match them into things like rice and beans, pasta with tomato sauce, omelets with potatoes, oatmeal with banana, stir-fry rice, and veggie soups.”

Reddit

Others offered emotional support, too. “Something I heard that helped a lot in terms of mindset was ‘fed is fed,’” one user said. “Even if your meals don’t look like other people’s standard breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the important thing is that you’re eating something you can manage for that day.”

Some of the recipes shared were both healthy and creative. One user suggested baking or frying frozen cauliflower to make vegan “wings.” With a bit of cornstarch to make them crispier and a homemade sauce, it’s a budget-friendly, filling option that still tastes good.

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The advice leaned heavily on shopping for ingredients instead of convenience foods.

As with most things in life, the less work involved in an activity, the more expensive it is. The more effort you need to put into preparing a meal, for example, the cheaper the food. Because of their disability, intricate recipes weren’t an option, but commenters insisted that there were plenty of simple meals that could be made easily without wasting money on ready-made meals.

One user noted that rice was not only an inexpensive ingredient but one that could be prepared in large batches and mixed with a variety of ingredients from fried eggs to veggies. Cabbage was often recommended as a healthy filler vegetable that was easy to prepare, inexpensive, and yielded a lot of food.

Another great tip was buying bouillon. It’s not just an easy and quick way to make broth for soup. Bouillon can be used as a flavoring ingredient for everything from chicken to beans, and it is shelf-stable, meaning it takes a long time to expire.

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The price of food keeps going up.

Lysenko Andrii / Shutterstock

While it’s beautiful to see people step up to help the Reddit user looking for meal planning advice, it also highlights an ugly truth: groceries are becoming increasingly unaffordable, especially for low-income households.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the cost of food at home rose by 2.4% in the 12 months leading up to June 2025. And it’s not just groceries, as food away from home, like restaurant meals, went up by 3.8% over the same period.

You might assume that rising salaries would help balance out those increases, but that’s not necessarily the case. More data from the Bureau shows that, once adjusted for inflation, wages only went up by 1% in the 12 months ending in March 2025.

Meanwhile, the Economic Research Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, captured the effects of these rising prices. In 2023, 13.5% of U.S. households, around 18 million homes, experienced food insecurity at some point. That means they didn’t have consistent access to enough quality food to live healthy, active lives. Food insecurity isn’t just about going hungry; it’s about living in a constant state of uncertainty about when your next decent meal will be available.

How many more people will need to turn to Reddit just to figure out how to afford their next meal? Food prices keep rising, and it’s painful to watch so many struggle with something so essential. You should consider reaching out to your local and state representatives. Ask for broader and better food assistance programs; that way, you’ll help others eat the food they deserve.

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Matt Machado is a writer studying journalism at the University of Central Florida. He covers relationships, psychology, celebrities, pop culture, and human interest topics.