The family table, by the numbers
U.S. home cooking
and flavor statistics.
A practical, sourced snapshot of how Americans spend on food, make meals at home, and think about flavor.
Last updated September 22, 2026
Home cooking is never just about a recipe. It is the grocery bill, the time at the stove, the people at the table, and the small choices that help a familiar meal taste finished. The latest public data gives that everyday rhythm some useful context.
Each figure below is linked to its original source and dated to the reporting period behind it. This page is maintained as a quick reference for writers, cooks, and anyone following the changing shape of meals at home.
Food at home
The grocery cart
still matters.
$1.06T
Spent on food at home in 2024
U.S. spending on food at home rose from $1.04 trillion in 2023 to $1.06 trillion in 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Source: USDA ERS, 2024 food spending1.2%
Increase in average food-at-home prices in 2024
Average grocery prices were 1.2% higher in 2024 than in 2023, below the 20-year historical average annual increase of 2.7%.
Source: USDA ERS, 2024 food prices58.9%
Of food spending happened away from home in 2024
Food-away-from-home spending reached 58.9% of total U.S. food expenditures in 2024, a reminder that meals made at home share the table with busy schedules and restaurant spending.
Source: USDA ERS, 2024 food spendingTime in the kitchen
Dinner takes
real time.
63.1%
Did food preparation or cleanup on an average day
Nearly two-thirds of the civilian population age 15 and older did food preparation or cleanup on an average day in 2024.
Source: BLS American Time Use Survey, 202440 min.
Average daily time spent on food preparation and cleanup
Across the full civilian population age 15 and older, Americans spent an average of 0.67 hours a day on food preparation and cleanup in 2024.
Source: BLS American Time Use Survey, 202464 min.
Average daily time among people who did the work
Among people who prepared food or cleaned up on an average day, the average time was 1.06 hours in 2024.
Source: BLS American Time Use Survey, 2024Flavor and sodium
A bigger role
for flavor.
3,400 mg
Average daily sodium intake in the U.S.
The Food and Drug Administration says people in the U.S. consume about 3,400 milligrams of sodium per day on average, compared with a recommended limit of 2,300 milligrams for people age 14 and older.
Source: FDA sodium guidance90%
Of Americans eat more sodium than recommended
The FDA reports that 90% of Americans consume more sodium than recommended, making everyday flavor choices more relevant at the family table.
Source: FDA sodium guidance70%+
Of sodium comes from packaged and restaurant food
More than 70% of the sodium Americans consume comes from processed, packaged, and restaurant foods, not from the salt shaker at home.
Source: FDA sodium guidanceSources and method
Made to be
useful.
This reference uses the latest available public figures from federal sources that directly report food spending, time use, and sodium intake. Figures remain tied to their original reporting year so readers can see exactly what each number represents.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research ServiceFood Prices and Spending, updated September 29, 2025. Figures cover 2024.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAmerican Time Use Survey, 2024 results, published June 26, 2025.
- U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationEating Too Much Salt? Ways to Cut Back Gradually, accessed September 2026.
Cite this page
Hall House Spice Co. (2026). “U.S. Home Cooking & Flavor Statistics.” Updated September 22, 2026.