In 1990, Kevin McCallister, the 8-year-old hero of the Christmas classic “Home Alone” paid $19.83 for a 10-item grocery haul. At the time, the figure offered him a harsh dose of adult reality. Now, it seems positively quaint. Calculating the cost of Kevin’s groceries has become a yearly tradition for influencers and news outlets, but the numbers can vary wildly. So, how much would Kevin’s grocery store run really cost?
Going solely off the rate of inflation, Kevin’s $19.83 haul would cost $49.18 in 2025, but the price of groceries doesn’t necessarily rise at the same rate as inflation. “Inflation cannot be measured by an increase in the cost of one product or service,” the website for the U.S. Federal Reserve explains. “Rather, inflation is a general increase in the overall price level of the goods and services in the economy.” Other factors impact the price of groceries, too. Livestock diseases, like the bout of avian flu that caused nationwide egg shortages in 2022, can lead to price spikes. Unusual weather patterns can affect crops, too. And Kevin didn’t have to deal with 2025’s tariffs.
Hold on, I got a coupon for that!
Using prices from a grocery store in Kevin’s Chicago neighborhood, USA Today calculated that Kevin’s haul would cost $52.95. That includes a half gallon of milk, half gallon of orange juice, a loaf of white bread, two frozen dinners (Kraft mac and cheese and Stouffer’s turkey dinner), Tide detergent, plastic wrap, dryer sheets, toilet paper, and plastic army men “for the kids.” Some calculations suggest that Keven would end up paying much more, though. According to Nasdaq’s numbers, Kevin’s grocery run would cost $66.67 — a nearly 300% increase from 1990.
Keven is a savvy shopper, though. He presents the cashier with a coupon for $1 off orange juice. In 2023, Allrecipes calculated that Kevin’s haul would cost just $33.94 at Aldi. Two years later, the same list costs $39 — double the cost of Kevin’s groceries, but still below inflation. With coupons and a few creative swaps, frugal shopping influencers have managed to recreate his shopping list for even less. TikToker @thekrazycouponlady replicated Kevin’s haul for just $24.25 by swapping some name-brand items for discount alternatives. One commenter took issue with the cling wrap featured in the video, though, noting “the cheap stuff is not as good.” If, like Kevin, you plan to use the wrap to trap criminals, feel free to splurge. The moral of the story? Grocery prices may be steep, but you can still find deals if you follow Kevin’s lead and bring a coupon.
