New USDA food pyramid could add $1,000 to your grocery bill

An analysis of the cost for a shopper to follow the U.S. Department of Agriculture's new food pyramid would add more than $1,000 to your grocery bill per year.

That can be troublesome as consumers are grappling with higher grocery prices and strained budgets.

The USDA updated its dietary guidelines in January, essentially flipping the previous recommendations and suggesting that proteins, dairy, healthy fats and fruits and vegetables be the largest portion of a diet.

But this comes at a time when food costs ‒ particularly proteins such as beef ‒ are at elevated price levels.

Following new guidelines comes at a cost

Research by Numerator found that if every American household followed the new USDA guidelines, grocery bills would increase by $1,012 per year, an increase of 32%.

"The new food pyramid reflects a shift toward healthier eating, but it comes with higher costs," Shawn Paustian, Numerator analyst, told USA TODAY. "That conflicts with the fact that 49% of consumers who would need to change their habits say that affordability is their biggest barrier."

In addition to the cost factor, there's also the awareness factor. Among more than 2,000 people surveyed by Numerator in February, only 2 out of 5 people knew there were new dietary guidelines.

Shopping behaviors have started to change

However, some data was already starting to show that shoppers' buying behaviors were changing before the new guidelines were announced.

Trips to fresh departments of the grocery store, known as the perimeter, began accelerating in 2023 and were up 7.5% in December 2025 vs. the prior 52 weeks, according to Numerator data.

But grocery sales are still led by the center of the store, where products are typically packaged or processed. Nearly half of total grocery sales, or 49%, are bought from the center of the store, according to Numerator, compared to 42% for the perimeter and 9% for frozen goods.

Also, as family size increases, the spending in the perimeter of the store decreases. Single-person households spend 43% of their grocery bill from the perimeter of the store, while families with five or more members spend 40%.

Other sources of protein could save money

Amelia Finaret, a food economist at Allegheny College and a dietician, has some concerns about the costs for shoppers trying to follow the new dietary guidelines.

While animal-sourced foods can provide complete proteins, those sources of nutrition can also be found in cheaper options such as plant-based foods, she said.

"So instead of buying beef, which is one of the most expensive forms of protein that you can get right now, combining rice and beans or combining any kind of grain with any kind of lentil is another way to get a complete protein," Finaret told USA TODAY. Another good and affordable source would be combining nuts and vegetables, she said.

Also, sticking to the perimeter of the grocery store where you can find the fresh meats, fruits and vegetables and avoiding the more processed foods that can be in the center aisles is good advice, Finaret said. But there can still be nutrient-dense food in the middle aisles that are easier to prepare and still healthy, she said.

Canned, jarred and frozen items can save time and bring some monetary savings as well, she said.

Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] or follow her on X, Facebook, or Instagram @blinfisher and @blinfisher.bsky.social on Bluesky. Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, which breaks down complex consumer and financial news. Subscribe here.