Global tariffs on imported food items are currently in effect.
As a White House Fact Sheet indicates, Canada and Mexico are now being taxed at 25% on certain food items. Fortunately, under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), agricultural products are fully exempt from these tariffs. In addition to taxed goods from Mexico and Canada, price increases can be seen on other items such as seafood, coffee, nuts, and cheese that are imported from other tariffed countries. There are money-saving strategies that can help reduce the effects of these tariffs.
Freezing Fruits and Vegetables
After boiling the vegetables, transfer them to ice water to preserve their texture and color.
The Seattle Times published an AP article titled “Save more than $700 per person with expert freezer hacks.” One hack relates to fruits and vegetables, which are certainly items that can fluctuate in price. The recommendation is to briefly boil fruits and vegetables before freezing them to preserve quality.
Using the Pantry
Food products with extended shelf lives contribute to long-term cost savings.
Business Insider featured an article titled “I built a ‘tariff pantry’ for my family. These are my top 4 hacks.” One recommendation by the author is to focus on low-priced clearance items with long shelf lives. One app she recommends for this is Flashfood. It presents the most up-to-date savings information so that retailers and consumers can connect in real-time.
AI
AI can analyze shopping lists and recommend money-saving alternatives.
In a CNET article titled “How to Save Money on Groceries With the Help of AI,” Amanda Smith recommends using the Copilot app to organize and save on groceries. She feeds her list into the app with a prompt asking it to find savings, and it offers alternatives that can reduce the overall budget. She also uses it to plan her weekly meals, allowing her to save money through Copilot’s ability to recommend a wide array of meal substitutes.
Buy U.S. Products
One way to avoid the tariffs is to buy only domestic goods.
It was reported in USA Today that we currently import 15% of our food. Therefore, the remaining 85% that’s made in the U.S. is not subject to tariffs. Of course, an item such as coffee will continue to come from abroad, but savings can be found on domestic products.
Conclusion
New food tariffs have taken effect, including a 25% rate on certain goods from Canada and Mexico—though agricultural products remain exempt. Other countries face varying tariff rates, leading to broader price increases. To manage costs, consumers can freeze produce, stock up on long-lasting clearance items, use AI tools for grocery planning, and prioritize buying domestically produced goods.