BOZEMAN — What started as a routine trip to a thrift store turned into an early-30-year-old snapshot of American grocery shopping.
Last week, I found a pristine grocery receipt from 1997 tucked inside a used book at a local thrift store. The receipt documented roughly 27 everyday grocery items purchased at a Stop & Shop grocery store in Massachusetts for a total of $38.86.
Curious how far that same amount of money would stretch today, I recreated the shopping trip item by item using comparable products at a Bozeman grocery store.
27 grocery items for under $40 — in 1997. That same trip costs $110 today. How does your grocery bill compare? Watch the full story.
The original receipt included everything from produce and yogurt to frozen turkey breast, mayonnaise, and English muffins. Some of the most eye-catching prices included nine yogurts purchased for about $0.03 total and romaine lettuce priced at just $0.69.
By comparison, many of those same staple items now cost significantly more. A jar of mayonnaise that cost $1.79 in 1997 is now closer, but name-brand is now $7, while a head of romaine lettuce rose from 69 cents to $2.49 — an increase of more than 260%.
The final total for the recreated grocery haul came to $110.09.
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According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI Inflation Calculator, the original $38.86 purchase from 1997 would carry the same buying power as about $81 today. My recreated cart surpassed that figure by nearly $30.
Bozeman residents Rhonda and Paul said the price differences did not surprise them.
“All the time you read about eating healthy and the healthy foods have gone up so much too, so a lot of families are eating cheaper food, not as healthy food,” Paul said.
Another resident, Todd David, said rising grocery prices continue to impact families daily.
“Food prices are just unbelievable, gas prices are insane, inflation is driving everything up,” David said.
According to the USDA Food Price Outlook, food-at-home prices are forecast to rise another 2.4% in 2026. The USDA also projects faster-than-average increases in categories including beef, seafood, fresh vegetables, and nonalcoholic beverages.
While the receipt may have started as a forgotten piece of paper tucked inside a thrifted book, it quickly became a striking comparison of how dramatically everyday grocery prices have changed over the last three decades.
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