Food costs are now shoppers' biggest holiday money worry
Groceries beat gifts for holiday stress: 44% of shoppers say food, beverages, and hosting supplies are a source of financial stress this holiday season, compared with 43% who cited gifts.
Nearly half feel financially insecure: 45% of consumers surveyed described their household finances as insecure heading into the holidays.
Shoppers are hunting for deals: 40% say looking for promotions is their response to price pressure, ahead of cutting back on gifts or switching to cheaper brands.
Forget finding the perfect Christmas gift. For many Americans, just feeding everyone may be the bigger holiday money worry this year.
A new Ibotta survey of 1,002 U.S. consumers found 44% are stressed about the cost of food, beverages, and hosting supplies this holiday season.
That's slightly higher than the 43% stressed about gifts and other seasonal purchases. Travel ranked further down the list, with 29% concerned about gas and 17% worried about airfare.
The findings are particularly interesting when compared with Ibotta's holiday research from a year ago.
In 2025, fewer than 1% of shoppers surveyed said they planned to cut back on food purchases for the holidays. At the time, Ibotta described food as a "strong, stable category" for holiday spending, with 66% expecting to buy food or beverages.
This year's survey doesn't mean food stress jumped from less than 1% to 44%. The surveys asked different questions, and Ibotta told ConsumerAffairs that the specific question comparing holiday stressors wasn't asked in previous years.
But the contrast shows just how important grocery costs have become as families plan for Christmas and other year-end celebrations.
Nearly half say they're under financial strain
The grocery concern comes against a broader backdrop of financial pressure.
Ibotta found 45% of shoppers describe their household finances as insecure heading into the holidays, while 72% say saving money is important this season.
And shoppers appear reluctant to simply buy less.
When asked how they're responding to price pressure, 40% said they're looking for deals and promotions. That's more than the 30% cutting down on gifts, 28% switching to cheaper brands, and 24% moving to private-label products.
Some shoppers are also starting earlier.
Thirty percent expect to begin holiday shopping earlier than they did last year, and 44% of early shoppers say they're doing so to spread spending over a longer period or find better deals. Another 39% are starting earlier to catch early sales.
That's another interesting contrast with 2025, when 86% of consumers said they expected to do the majority of their holiday shopping in November or December.
Black Friday isn't just for Christmas presents anymore
One of the more surprising findings is what's ending up in shoppers' carts during big holiday sales.
More than half still plan to buy gifts during major deal events, but about a third are also using them to stock their pantries.
Twenty-eight percent plan to buy holiday food, beverages, and entertaining supplies during October Prime Day, rising to 31% during Black Friday and Cyber Week.
Chocolate and candy see the biggest holiday bump, with 50% saying they buy more during the season. Snacks and nonalcoholic beverages follow at 46%, while 39% buy more dairy and 36% stock up on bread and bakery products.
For shoppers, the main takeaway is that your holiday shopping list this year may be worth starting in the grocery aisle.
This is especially true if you know you'll need baking supplies, drinks, candy, snacks, and other shelf-stable foods later in the season. Watch prices early and stock up when the deal is good.
And don't assume Black Friday is only about TVs and Christmas presents. If the grocery items you'll need in December are discounted in October or November, buying them early can spread out the cost of the holidays and keep one very expensive grocery trip from hitting your budget at once.
Posted: 2026-09-30 17:43:40
