CINCINNATI — A new Associated Press poll reveals 86% of Americans say grocery prices are causing stress. Families across the Tri-State have been sharing their money-saving strategies with me, and many are discovering a free budgeting assistant that's already in their pocket.
AI in your pocket: A grocery shopping assistant
ChatGPT is becoming a valuable tool for managing grocery bills, offering several practical ways to stretch your food budget.
WATCH: How you can use AI to help with your grocery shopping
Here's how you can put it to work:
📝 Create custom grocery lists within your budget
First, ask ChatGPT to create a grocery list within your budget. When I typed: "Give me a $50 grocery list with meals for 3 days," it instantly generated a complete list with price estimates for each item and suggested meals using those ingredients.
These estimates were based on Kroger prices in Cincinnati, but for even more accuracy, you can specify your exact shopping location. ChatGPT can build your list by category (produce, pantry, proteins) and even suggest less expensive alternatives, like ground turkey instead of beef.
💲Get cost estimates before shopping
I typed: "Here's my list: chicken, milk, eggs, bread, apples. How much will this cost at Kroger in Cincinnati?"
The AI provides estimated totals and flags higher-priced items, allowing you to adjust your list before shopping.
🍽️ Generate budget-friendly meal plans
Taking it a step further, you can request a five-day meal plan that capitalizes on weekly sales. The response includes your shopping list with estimated prices and weekly deals. It also maps out breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, making meal planning simpler. You can even ask for meal prep recipes that reduce waste and use leftovers effectively.
🔍 Compare values while shopping
For those in-store decisions, Chat GPT can quickly determine the better value. Just ask: "What's the better deal? 18 eggs for $3.69 or 12 eggs for $2.59?"
It calculates the cost per egg, making it easy to quickly spot the smarter buy.
🏠 Use what you already have
Already have food at home? No problem. Tell Chat GPT what's in your pantry, and it will suggest meals using those ingredients, so you only buy what's missing.
🧠 Shop strategically
The AI can suggest the best days and times to shop for markdowns, store-saving tips like digital coupons, and whether warehouse stores, dollar stores or farmers' markets offer better savings for specific items.
You can even ask it to compare prices between stores: "Is Kroger or Walmart cheaper for staples like eggs, milk, chicken, and bread this week?"
✅ Stay on track while shopping
Before heading to the store, have Chat GPT generate a printable or digital checklist that highlights must-haves versus nice-to-haves and recommends ways to avoid impulse spending, such as sticking to the outer aisles.
Grocery Price Comparison
Each week, I track down the prices on five grocery essentials at Meijer, Walmart, Kroger and Aldi to help you easily compare before you head to the store. Here's the results for this week:
5 essential products:
- One gallon of 2% milk
- A dozen eggs
- A loaf of whole wheat bread
- Boneless, skinless chicken breast
- Ground beef
Lowest prices — Week of Aug. 6
Best Grocery Deals This Week 🛒
| Item | Best Price | Location |
| 🥛 Milk | $2.43 | Meijer |
| 🥚 Eggs | $2.72 | Walmart |
| 🍞 Bread | $1.29 | Aldi |
| 🍗 Chicken | $2.67/lb. | Walmart |
| 🥩 Ground Beef | $4.79/lb. | Meijer |
Below is a complete breakdown of all five products, so you don't waste your money.
All prices are current as of August 6, 2025. Prices may vary by location.
Grocery Price Comparison (Aug. 6, 2025)
Kroger
- Milk: $2.49
- Eggs: $2.99
- Bread: $1.79
- Chicken: $2.99/lb.
- Ground Beef: $7.49/lb.
Meijer
- Milk: $2.43
- Eggs: $2.79
- Bread: $1.99
- Chicken: $2.79/lb.
- Ground Beef: $4.79/lb.
Aldi
- Milk: $2.99
- Eggs: $2.99
- Bread: $1.29
- Chicken: $4.99/lb.
- Ground Beef: $7.19/lb.
Walmart
- Milk: $2.56
- Eggs: $2.72
- Bread: $1.97
- Chicken: $2.67/lb.
- Ground Beef: $6.93/lb.
Price Breakdown by Store
| Item | Kroger | Meijer | Aldi | Walmart |
| Milk | $2.49 | $2.43 | $2.99 | $2.56 |
| Eggs | $2.99 | $2.79 | $2.99 | $2.72 |
| Bread | $1.79 | $1.99 | $1.29 | $1.97 |
| Chicken | $2.99/lb. | $2.79/lb. | $4.99/lb. | $2.67/lb. |
| Ground Beef | $7.49/lb. | $4.79/lb. | $7.19/lb. | $6.93/lb. |
Stay updated on the best deals
This information is your weekly resource for smarter shopping — I update it every Wednesday with fresh numbers. Add it to your favorites for easy access so you don't waste your money.
If you have any other products you’d like me to track, email me at Taylor.Nimmo@wcpo.com.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
"Don't Waste Your Money" is a registered trademark of Scripps Media, Inc. ("Scripps").
Follow John:
- Facebook: John Matarese Money
- Instagram: @johnmataresemoney
- X/Twitter: @JohnMatarese
Follow Taylor:
- Facebook: Taylor Nimmo
- Instagram: @tnimms
- X/Twitter: @tnimms
For more consumer news and money-saving advice, go to www.dontwasteyourmoney.com
