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How to Choose the Best Credit Card for Groceries

Published December 5, 2024
5 min read

Table of contents

Key points about: the best credit card for groceries

  1. A credit card with grocery rewards could help you manage rising food costs.

  2. The right card can earn you rewards anytime you make everyday purchases, including groceries.

  3. To choose the best rewards card for you, consider the amount you spend on groceries and whether the rewards you’ll earn outweigh the APR or fees associated with the card.

Inflation has strained families’ budgets across the United States. The USDA reports that grocery prices increased by 5.8% between May 2022 and May 2023. Higher costs make it harder to put food on the table. Fortunately, many strategies could make food costs easier to manage, like developing careful budgets, growing produce in a garden, and even choosing a beneficial credit card. With the right rewards credit card, you could earn rewards on every trip to the grocery store.

See if you’re pre-approved

With no harm to your credit score1

What is a grocery credit card?

A “grocery credit card” is any card offering special rewards for grocery shopping. Rewards credit cards encourage you to use your credit card to reap benefits like airline miles or cash back on eligible everyday purchases. Once you earn a certain amount, you can redeem your rewards in whatever form they’re offered, which could also include redeeming them as a statement credit.

How can a grocery credit card help with your budget?

A rewards credit card that aligns with your shopping habits and financial goals could help you manage your budget more easily. Typically, you earn rewards as a specified percentage of your purchase. You could rack up rewards quickly if you often make big shopping trips for your household.

Where you go on your shopping trips could matter as much as the amount you spend. Do you shop at chain grocery stores, wholesale clubs, or through delivery apps? Does the rewards card include your favorite shops among the places you could earn rewards? You may be able to redeem your rewards as gift cards from the places you shop most.

Whether you want to work toward long-term financial goals or simply save money on groceries, a rewards card could help. One approach is letting your rewards grow, then redeeming them as statement credits.

What to consider when comparing the best credit cards for groceries

You have options if you’re looking for a rewards credit card to help with groceries. As you shop for the best fit, consider the following factors.

Rewards for grocery store spending

You could earn cash back rewards every time you buy groceries with a rewards credit card. Cash back programs give you a certain percentage of an eligible purchase back as cash. Each credit card may work differently. Many offer a flat rate across all purchases, with bonus cash back in specific categories. The best credit card for groceries provides additional rewards at grocery stores.

Certain cards allow you to change bonus categories over time. They could suit your family if your expenses tend to vary. For example, you may want to shift bonus categories from groceries to clothes or other back-to-school needs around the fall if you have school-aged children.

Did you know?

With the Discover it® Cash Back Credit Card, you can earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, you earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases–automatically.

Also, be on the lookout for credit cards that offer new cardmembers additional opportunities to earn rewards. This could mean your grocery spending can take your rewards even further. For example, Discover automatically matches the cash back you earn on your credit card at the end of your first year.2

Credit card fees

As you compare credit cards, consider how fees may affect your rewards. Some cards charge late payment fees or annual fees. Discover charges no annual fee on every credit card. However, other rewards credit cards sometimes come with high annual fees. It’s usually a good idea to make sure annual fees aren’t likely to exceed the rewards you earn. For example, choosing a card that gives you 5% in rewards on groceries but charges a $95 annual fee means that you would have to spend more than $1,900 before your rewards offset the annual fee. If you don’t typically charge that much in a year, you may want a card with a lower fee or no fee at all.

Interest rates

Interest may build quickly and eat away your rewards. Make sure to pay off your entire balance every month to avoid interest charges. If you think you might carry a balance, consider the card’s interest rate and whether they offer a low introductory APR. While rewards cards often have higher interest rates than standard cards, they may also offer low promotional interest rates for new customers. You should have extra time to repay purchases made during the introductory period without high interest charges being applied.

As grocery prices increase, using a rewards credit card wisely could help you better manage your budget. The best grocery credit card for you should align with your purchases, needs, and lifestyle. With the right credit card, you can earn rewards each time you fill your cart.

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  1. There is no hard inquiry to your credit report to check if you’re pre-approved. If you’re pre-approved, and you move forward with submitting an application for the credit card, it will result in a hard inquiry which may impact your credit score. Receiving a pre-approval offer does not guarantee approval. Applicants applying without a social security number are not eligible to receive pre-approval offers. Card applicants cannot be pre-approved for the NHL Discover Card.

  2. Cashback Match: We’ll match all the cash back you’ve earned on your credit card from the day your new account is approved through your first 12 consecutive billing periods or 365 days, whichever is longer, and add it to your rewards account within two billing periods. You earn cash back only when they’re processed, which may be after the transaction date. We will not match: rewards that are processed after your match period ends; statement credits; rewards transfers from Discover checking or other deposit accounts; or rewards for accounts that are closed. This offer may not be available in the future and is exclusively for new cardmembers. No purchase minimums.

  • Legal Disclaimer: This site is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional advice. The material on this site is not intended to provide legal, investment, or financial advice and does not indicate the availability of any Discover product or service. It does not guarantee that Discover offers or endorses a product or service. For specific advice about your unique circumstances, you may wish to consult a qualified professional.