# Kitchen Table Project Proposes Federal Buying Plan for 20 Grocery Staples

By Riza Dagoc

Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/regulation/51498
Published: 2026-11-08T09:24:06.000Z
Updated: 2026-11-08T09:24:06.000Z
Section: Regulation

> The proposal would build on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) purchasing programs that supply schools, food banks and food-aid efforts; a model estimates a family of four could save $315 annually.

The Kitchen Table Project proposed a federal purchasing partnership for 20 grocery staples, with a model projecting $315 in annual savings for a family of four that chooses items from the basket.

The Affordable Groceries Partnership would make a common selection of staples available to participating retailers through federal purchasing. Stores would sell the items at an agreed, transparent markup. The proposal does not specify the markup amount or who would set it.

The $315 figure is a model estimate, not savings measured in a pilot. The calculation uses purchase amounts from the USDA Moderate-Cost Food Plan and compares federal procurement prices with national retail averages where available.

Each year, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service purchases $2 billion to $5 billion in agricultural products from vendors selected through competition. The food goes to schools, food banks, households and international food-aid programs. The proposed retail partnership would extend access to a shared basket to participating private stores.

Six of the 20 items—large eggs, 2% milk, butter, ground beef, oats and cooking oil—showed no savings against commercial acquisition prices in fiscal 2025 at current government prices. Those comparisons use acquisition prices, not measured checkout prices. Larger purchase volumes or shifts in market conditions could alter the results.

The proposal describes a limited markup intended to cover retailers’ costs while leaving savings for shoppers. “These plans are responsive to Americans on both sides of the aisle feeling this price squeeze,” Lael Brainard, chair of the Kitchen Table Project, said.

The partnership remains a proposal, not an operating government program. It names no participating grocers or launch date.