Inflation, the effects of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, and an increased interest in healthy living are all affecting the way people shop for groceries, experts say.

As consumers look for ways to stretch their food budgets while prioritizing nutrition, grocery shopping strategies are evolving.

Most Americans (54%) still prefer shopping at physical grocery stores, the Food Industry Association reported in its U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends for 2026.

“Shoppers value the in-store grocery experience more than ever, and expect stores to deliver many of the conveniences they’ve grown accustomed to online,” the association said.

In-person shopping is generally a smart choice, according to celebrity television chef, author and entrepreneur Jason Smith, of Lakeland, Florida – “but that doesn’t mean shopping online is a bad thing,” he told Fox News Digital.

“When I shop, I like to touch, smell and see what I’m picking out,” he said. “This allows me to really make my food pop on the plate and creates the best flavors.”

Shopping at larger grocery chains can be a cost-effective option when cooking for a large group, Smith said.

“Walmart, Kroger and Target are always on my list,” he said. “Over the years, I have found their store brands  are some of the best and cheapest around.”

Generally, though, Smith recommends choosing smaller, local grocery stores.

“Most of the time, we are helping our local mom-and-pop shops,” he said. “I’m always about shopping local if possible.”

He also advised shoppers to consider “name brand versus store brand” and “freshest versus almost-fresh” when buying groceries.

“We have all grown up with certain brand names that we recognize just by the look of the package, but the well-known brands can be a little more in cost versus the store brand,” Smith said.

Most well-known companies also package the store brands and just change the labels, he noted, adding, “Why pay 75 cents more for something just because it has a name-brand label on it?”

When it comes to choosing produce or meat, Smith said, “If it’s fresh, it will smell like it looks. That’s to say if a banana looks like a banana and has no smell, then it’s not fresh or ripe.”

“Fish should not smell like fish,” he added. “When touched, it should spring back. If whole, the eyes will be wet and clear — not dried out. Most meats that are cut in store will be a better price compared to meat that’s packaged and shipped in, and an in-store butcher is always fresher.”

Austin Beckett — a Florida private chef and winner of the fourth season of Gordon Ramsay’s Next Level Chef — said where he shops depends on his clients’ needs and cuisine preferences.

“Most of the time, all they want is organic and local,” Beckett told Fox News Digital. “Those are two super-common phrases that they use.”

The chef said he purchases some products from Whole Foods and Bedner’s Market, but “most of the time, I try to source straight from farmers.”

Beckett encourages people to start by simply cooking more at home.  

“It doesn’t have to be organic,” he said. “It doesn’t have to be locally sourced right away. You want to eventually get to that finish line. But just start by cooking your own food.”