Consumer Expenditure Survey · BLS CE 2024

Cereals and cereal products spending

U.S. households spent $240/yr on cereals and cereal products in 2024 - 0.3% of the average budget . Down 6.3% vs 2023 ; the top income quintile outspends the bottom by 2.3×. Figures from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.

2024 avg
$240
Budget share
0.3%
vs 2023
-6.3%

CES spend plate

Line CEREALS-AND-CEREAL · Cereals and cereal products $240 · 0.3%

SHARE-TRACE · QUINT-MOD · YOY-DOWN · REAL-EASE · REGION-NE · BOOK-LOWER

  • SHARE-TRACE 0.3% of budget
  • QUINT-MOD 2.3× Q5/Q1
  • YOY-DOWN -6.3% YoY
  • REAL-EASE Below CPI
  • REGION-NE Northeast leads
  • BOOK-LOWER #79/99 dollars

Nearest dollar peer: Bakery products (+$299)

Instrument codes from this line’s budget share, income-quintile gap, YoY move, real change vs ~21% CPI-U (2020-2024), regional lead, and corpus book size, not a budgeting recommendation.

Spend neighbourhood around Cereals and cereal products

Lowest and highest poles plus nearest dollar peers among sibling lines, not a full-board reprint. Figures from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.

Dollar neighbourhood · Cereals and cereal products

Average annual spending · 2024 · poles + near peers

Source: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey As of 2024-12-31

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Spending Trend (2020–2024)

Cereals and cereal products spending per household, 2020–2024

National average annual spending

Source: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey As of 2024-12-31

$200$220$240$260 20202021202220232024 $240
Year Annual Amount
2024 $240
2023 $256
2022 $215
2021 $210
2020 $212

Income stretch on a smaller cereals and cereal products line

A smaller CES line: even the top quintile is $359/yr, with the bottom at $156 (2.3× gap).

Income Group Annual Amount
Lowest 20% $156
Second 20% $191
Middle 20% $223
Fourth 20% $270
Highest 20% $359

See full income breakdown →

Northeast leads cereals and cereal products geographically

Northeast leads at $275/yr.

Region Annual Amount
Midwest $215
Northeast $275
South $217
West $275

See full regional breakdown →

Lifecycle peak · 35–44

35–44 heads spend the most on this line at $309/yr - the lifecycle peak on a smaller book line.

Age Group Annual Amount
25–34 $223
35–44 $309
45–54 $300
55–64 $231
65–74 $204
75 and older $167
Under 25 $162

See full age breakdown →

Frequently Asked Questions (show 6)
How much does the average household spend on cereals and cereal products?
The average American household spent $240 on cereals and cereal products in 2024, according to the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey. This represents 0.3% of total household spending.
Is cereals and cereal products spending increasing?
Cereals and cereal products spending decreased by 6.3% from 2023 to 2024 ($256 to $240). Over 5 years (2020–2024), it changed by +13.2%.
How does income affect cereals and cereal products spending?
The lowest income quintile spends $156/year on cereals and cereal products, while the highest quintile spends $359/year, a 2.3x difference. Higher-income households spend more in absolute terms but may allocate a smaller share of their budget.
Which region spends the most on cereals and cereal products?
The Northeast region spends the most at $275/year, while the Midwest region spends the least at $215/year on cereals and cereal products.
Which age group spends the most on cereals and cereal products?
Households headed by someone in the 35–44 age group spend the most on cereals and cereal products at $309/year.
Does household size affect cereals and cereal products spending?
Yes. 1 Person households spend $124/year on cereals and cereal products, while 5 or More households spend $430/year. Larger households generally spend more in absolute terms on most categories.

Other smaller CES lines near cereals and cereal products

Dollar-amount and budget-share neighbours from BLS CE 2024 (this category excluded).

Similar dollar amount

Nearest other categories by 2024 average annual spending ($240 here).

Category 2024 avg
Medical supplies $233
Sugar and other sweets $230
Other apparel products and services $252
Fish and seafood $224
Pork $260
Poultry $267
Laundry and cleaning products $209
Processed fruits and vegetables $203

Similar budget share

Nearest other categories by share of the household budget (0.3% here).

Category Budget share
Fish and seafood 0.3%
Laundry and cleaning products 0.3%
Medical supplies 0.3%
Other apparel products and services 0.3%
Pork 0.3%
Poultry 0.3%
Processed fruits and vegetables 0.3%
Sugar and other sweets 0.3%

Average household budget · Methodology · BLS CEX source

Informational only - not advice. See disclaimer.

Every figure on PlainHousehold is rendered directly from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.