Following new USDA food pyramid would raise grocery bills by nearly one-third [View all]

Source: Scripps News

Posted 11:35 AM, Apr 11, 2026


There is a new food pyramid, and analysis shows that following the updated guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture could cost Americans significantly more.

Data compiled by market analysis firm Numerator indicates a typical household would spend $1,012 more annually to follow the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans compared with the previous version. The guidelines, published every five years, place greater emphasis on meat and fat sources, such as butter, and less on whole grains and plant-based proteins, such as beans.

According to Numerator, grocery bills would rise by nearly one-third under the new guidance. Changes involving protein have the biggest effect: The new guidelines recommend Americans eat nearly twice as much protein — especially from meat — as prior guidelines.

The report advises adults to consume 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. For example, a 200-pound person should eat between 109 and 146 grams of protein each day. Previous recommendations from the Food and Drug Administration for a person that weight were about 73 grams.

Read more: https://www.scrippsnews.com/life/money/following-new-usda-food-pyramid-would-raise-grocery-bills-by-nearly-one-third