• by Sarah Mahoney , Staff Writer @mahoney_sarah, May 9, 2025

Even when prices bite, grocery shopping still sparks joy. Despite several years of food inflation sticker shock, and new economic unease, most Americans say they enjoy buying food. And they are more committed to eating well.

That’s one of the standout findings from FMI’s new deep dive on consumer sentiment. While the food industry association detects ongoing anxiety — 70% are extremely or very worried about rising prices, for example, and 78% are fretting about tariffs — the Grocery Shopper Sentiment Index is holding steady at 72 out of 100.

The optimism seems to stem from adaptive shoppers. Three-quarters say they feel in control of their grocery spending, even if that confidence has dipped slightly since last fall. And they’re getting more strategic, with list-making (83%), pantry-checking (79%), and meal planning (69%) now routine.

“Consumers overwhelmingly tell us they enjoy grocery shopping and are willing and able to budget to ‘eat well’ based on their specific values and needs,” says Leslie G. Sarasin, FMI’s CEO, in the report.

Increasingly, those values include health, convenience, and a little exploration. That shift is especially visible in the freezer aisle, where younger shoppers are rethinking what frozen means. A new report from the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association shows that social media — especially TikTok and YouTube — is turning frozen foods into wellness tools. For Gen Z and millennial shoppers, the right grocery haul video or protein-rich meal prep reel can transform frozen meals from fallback to feature.

It helps that the health halo is growing. Seventy-three percent of shoppers now say frozen meals can be tasty and affordable, and 69% believe they support healthy eating. GLP-1 users, in particular, are driving interest in portion-controlled, high-protein frozen meals.

But amid all the planning, pinching, and freezer-stocking, there’s another quiet throughline: fairness. As Congress gears up for budget bills that will likely try to reduce SNAP, the federal food assistance program, it’s clear most consumers believe in protecting food programs for low-income people. The FMI-commissioned voter survey finds 70% of Americans back the program, and a majority oppose efforts to cut its funding.

“The future strength of this program isn’t just a policy issue — it’s a moral imperative and an economic necessity,” says Sarasin.

So yes, food prices remain unpredictable. But shoppers are still finding satisfaction, using frozen meals, smart lists, and believe that a decent dinner should be within reach for everyone.