Grocery Store Math

I put this curriculum together for my adult special

education life skills students to use on community
outings to the grocery store. Some of the sheets are
more difficult than others and my students use
calculators for some of the math problems. I highly
recommend that these worksheets be done with help
from an adult or staff member. Some of the
worksheets will require stores that show cost per
ounce. The Walmart in my area has it displayed so
that is an option. I hope you and your kids enjoy the
worksheets as much as me and mine have.

Thanks,

Karen
 Healthy Produce
The produce section of the grocery store carries a large variety of fruits and vegetables. These
foods are important to eat because they keep our bodies healthy.
Fruits and vegetables are sold either by the pound (lb.) or by each piece. Find each of the following produce
items in your store. Circle whether they are sold by the pound (lb.) or each.

Banana Lettuce Cantaloupe Oranges Asparagus Bell Pepper Red Onion

lb. each lb. each lb. each lb. each lb. each lb. each lb. each

Let’s weigh some produce: Using the scales in the produce section, weigh each of the produce items below
trying to get as close as you can to the pound amount listed. Try not to go over.

How many carrots does it take to get 3 pounds? ______________

How many lemons will it take to get to 2 pounds? _____________
How many potatoes will you need for 4 pounds? ______________
How many limes will it take to get 3 pounds? _______________

Cost per item: to figure out the cost of buying multiple items you will need to use your calculator to multiply
(x) the amount of items by the cost per item. 2 watermelons at $1.00 each would cost. 1.00 x 2 = $2.00

Produce Cantaloupe Lettuce Watermelon Avocado Cabbage

Cost Each

How Many? 3 2 2 4 3

Total Cost

Do the Math: Find the cost of purchasing the following items:

1 lb. Onions _______ 1 lb. Green Beans _______ 1 lb. Lemons _______
1 Head Lettuce _______ 1 Head Cabbage _______ 1 Squash _______
Total = Total = Total =

1 Avocado _______ 1 lb. Tomatoes _______ 1 lb. Mushrooms _______

1 Eggplant 1 Cantaloupe 1 bag shredded
_______ _______ carrots _______
Total = Total = Total =

Name 6 non produce items you found in the produce section of your store:
1. _____________________________________ 2. ___________________________________ 3. ________________________________ _____
4. _____________________________________ 5. ___________________________________ 6._________________________________ ____
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 Frozen Foods
The frozen food section of the grocery store carries a variety of foods like meats, vegetables, and sweets.
Foods like ice cream need to be kept frozen or they will melt. Other items are kept here so they will last longer.
Items in the freezer section can last for months compared to if they were kept on the shelf.
Find the items below in the freezer section. Find the expiration date on each item and write it in the second
box below. In the third box write how long each item will last in your home freezer.

Corn Pizza Waffles TV dinner Pie

exp. exp. exp. exp. exp.

Ice cream comes in many flavors! Find the Bryers brand ice cream. How many flavors is there to
choose from? __________. How many ounces are in each container? _________.
What is the cost? ________________.
Let compare ice creams. Write down 3 different brands of ice cream besides Breyers in the graph below.
Write down the cost of each brand.

Brand name A Breyers B C D

$ Cost $ $ $ $

Which brand was the most expensive? ________. Which brand was the least expensive? ________.
How much would it cost to purchase both brand A and brand C? ________ + ________ = _________.
How much would it cost to purchase both brand B and brand D? ________ + ________ = _________.

TV Dinners
A TV dinner is a prepackaged frozen meal that usually comes in individual portions. It requires
very little preparation and contains all the elements for a single-serving meal. It just needs to be
reheated to eat.
Find three TV dinners that you would enjoy. Fill in the answer on the graph below.

Name Ounces Calories Cost $

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 Canned Goods
Canning is a method of packaging food so that it can last for a long time.
Foods are processed and sealed in airtight containers usually made from tin.
Many cans require opening by cutting the top open while others have removable covers.
Foods that have been canned have a typical shelf life of one to five years.
Find the canned section of your store. Besides vegetables what other products does your store carry that are
canned?

Expiration Date - Canned foods will eventually expire. You should not eat food that has passed it’s expiration
date. Find the following foods (or similar). What is the expiration date? Write it on the lines provided.

BEST BY
AUG 14 2015

____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________

Canned goods are made by a variety of companies. Find 3 companies that can each of the goods below. Make
sure the cans are of similar size. Write the price of each good.
$ $
Black
Beans
$ Corn $

$ $

Which brand cost the most? _____________________________ Which brand cost the most? _____________________________

Which brand the least?___________________________________ Which brand the least?___________________________________

$ $
Tomato
Tuna $ Sauce
$
$ $

Which brand cost the most? _____________________________ Which brand cost the most? _____________________________
Which brand the least?___________________________________ Which brand the least?___________________________________

Canned foods come in a variety of sizes. Find each of the products below and list each of the different sizes by
ounce.

Chicken Broth Tomato Sauce Baked Beans Beef Stew

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 Baking Goods
The baking section of the grocery store can take up a whole complete aisle.
Everything you need to make breads, cookies, and cakes can be found in this section.
In most stores the spices will also be found in this aisle.
Lets stock up on items from this section of the store. Find and write down the price of each
item listed below. Find the total cost for all the items.

5 lb. Sugar Baking Soda 5 lb. Flour Salt Bread Crumbs Total =

$ $ $ $ $ $

Vegetable Oil Sprinkles Cake Mix Frosting Cupcake Liners Total =

$ $ $ $ $ $

There are a number of companies that provide cake mixes to grocery stores. Write down
three different companies that provide them to in your store. What is the cost of each one?

$ $ $

Which one was the most expensive? ____________________________________ Cost? ____________________

Which one was the least expensive? _____________________________________ Cost? ____________________
How much more money was the expensive brand from the cheapest? ___________________

Spices
Spices are the dried parts of plants and vegetables that are ground up to help flavor
food. Many ethnic food like Chinese, Mexican, Thai, and Italian use certain spices
that are common to their countries in their cooking. Spices can also be very expensive. See if
you can find the following spices in your store. What is the cost?
Cinnamon Oregano Curry Dill Ginger Cumin Nutmeg

$ $ $ $ $ $ $

Name two spices you have never heard of: ________________________ and ___________________________
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 What’s for Breakfast?
It is said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. No wonder there
are so many choices to choose from in the breakfast section of your store.
Cereal
There are many brands of cereal on the market. Some are made by name brand companies like Kellogg©,
General Mills©, and Post©. You will also find almost identical items sold as generic. These are items that are
sold in less attractive packaging for a much cheaper price. See if you can find the generic brand for each of the
cereals below. What is the price for each and what would your savings be if you bought the generic brand?

Name $ $ $ $ $ $
Brand
Generic $ $ $ $ $ $
Brand
Savings $ $ $ $ $ $
There are many other items in the breakfast aisle besides cereal. There are things to grab for quick breakfasts
like granola bars and Pop-tarts. There are also items you can buy to cook a breakfast like pancakes, oatmeal,
and waffles. Find 5 things in the breakfast aisle besides cereal that someone can have for breakfast. What is
the cost?

$ $ $ $ $
There are other breakfast item in the grocery store that are not stored in this aisle. Items like eggs,
bacon, and sausage need to be kept cold. These items can be found in the refrigerated section of
the store. Locate the following items in your store and answer the questions about them below.
Eggs: eggs come in a variety of sizes. How many different size egg containers does your store carry ? ________ .
How many eggs are in each size? _______ _______ _______ _______ _______.

Bacon: There are many different brands of bacon in the store. Some are much more expensive than others.
Find the most expensive brand of bacon. What is the cost? ___________
Find the least expensive. What is the cost? ____________

Sausage: Sausage is spiced meat that can be used in cooking. Sausage is a great addition to breakfast as well
and comes in a variety of shapes like patties, links, and bulk. List 3 companies that make sausage for your
store? ____________________________________ _____________________________________ ____________________________________ .
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 The Meat Department
You can buy many kids of meats in the meat department of your grocery
store. Meat is cut from animals and portioned into smaller containers for
consumers to buy and cook.
Most meats are sold by the pound. After the butcher packages the meats into individual
containers, the packages are weighed and the price is marked on each one. Each pre-
packaged meat will have the following three things on it.
1. The weight of the meat
2. The cost per pound
3. The total cost you will owe
1. 2.2 lb. 2. $2.99 3. $6.59
Sometimes you can find great sales on items in your meat department.
Find 4 items that are on sale. Write the name of each item, the sale
price per pound, and the total cost.
Item

Sale price $ $ $ $
Total cost $ $ $ $
Find the following meats in the meat department of your store. Looking at the sticker, find
out how much each item costs per pound?
Sirloin Steak Chicken Thighs Pork Chops Ground Beef Whole Chicken

$ $ $ $ $
Do the Math:
Write down the weight, price per pound, and total cost of the following items. Add to find your total.
Meat item: Weight $ per pound (lb.) Total cost
Chicken Breast $
Ground Beef $
Total = $
Meat item: Weight $ per pound (lb.) Total cost
Round Steak $
Ham Steak $
Total = $
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 The Bread Aisle
Bread is a staple food prepared by baking a dough of flour and water. It is popular around
the world and is one of the world's oldest foods.

Bread comes in a variety of flavors. The most common being white and wheat. Look through
your bread aisle at your store and write down each of the different bread types you find.

White Wheat

All different companies make bread and your store probably carries it’s own generic brand as
well. Find the section of the store where the white bread is. Write down the name of 5
companies that make white bread. Write down the cost of each brand.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

$ $ $ $ $

Which brand was the most expensive? ______________________________ Which brand was the least
expensive? ______________________________.
Breads come in all shapes and sizes. Besides loaves, bread also comes in shapes like
hot dog and hamburger buns, muffins, bagels, and rolls. Count how many brands
(not flavors) there are of each type of breads below.

Bagels Hot Dog Buns English Muffins Dinner Rolls Hamburger Buns

Which bread had the most brands? _____________________________ Least? ____________________________.

The bread aisle also carries products that can be put on bread like peanut butter, jelly, and
honey. Find each of the products below. Find a similar size brand that is less expensive. Write
the new brand and the cost of each in the graph below.

Jif peanut butter Smuckers Jam ____________ honey

$ $ $

$ $ $
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 Dairy
All fluid milk products and many foods made from milk are considered part of the dairy food group. Dairy
items need to be kept cold so they do not spoil. Your grocery store will have a special refrigerated section
where dairy items are stored.
Write down 9 products that you find in your dairy section.
1. ______________________________________ 2. ______________________________________ 3. ____________________________________ __

4. ______________________________________ 5. ______________________________________ 6. ______________________________________

7. ______________________________________ 8. ______________________________________ 9. ______________________________________

Cheese: There are many kinds of cheeses available at the store. Can you find 8 different cheeses? List them
below.

Find the cost of the following dairy products.

How much would it cost to buy the eggs and butter _________ + _________ = _________
How much would it cost to purchase two cream cheeses? _________ + _________ = _________
How much would it cost to buy the sliced cheese and the milk? _________ + _________ = _________
How much would it cost to purchase each of these items?
___________ + ___________ + ___________ + ___________ + ___________ + ___________ = ___________
Milk: Milk comes in a variety of sizes. List each of the sizes below from smallest to biggest along with the price.

Size

Cost

Yogurt: Yogurt comes in a variety of flavors. Look at the yogurts in your store. Which brand has the most
flavors? ______________________________. How many flavors can you count? ________________. How many different
brands can you find (Yoplait, Dannon etc)? ______________. List each brand and its cost below.

$ $ $ $ $ $
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 Name Brand vs. Generic
For most common items in a grocery store, you will find two distinct types of brands. You have
the “name brand” items, which are made by large companies like Kraft©, Kellogg©,
and Coca Cola©. Then they will have the “generic” items which may be in simpler packaging with the store’s name or
the stores brand name. Generic items can be significantly cheaper than name brands.
Find the following name brand items in your store (if you can’t find the exact item find another name brand). Make sure
the items your are comparing are approximately the same size. Write down the generic name and the price of each item.

Name brand $ __________________ Name brand $ __________________

Generic brand $ __________________ Generic brand $ __________________
Which brand was cheaper? Which brand was cheaper?
Brand name Generic Brand name Generic
By how much? $ ____________________ By how much? $ ____________________
Name brand $ __________________ Name brand $ __________________
Generic brand $ __________________ Generic brand $ __________________
Which brand was cheaper? Which brand was cheaper?
Brand name Generic Brand name Generic
By how much? $ ____________________ By how much? $ ____________________
Name brand $ __________________
Name brand $ __________________
Generic brand $ __________________
Generic brand $ __________________
Which brand was cheaper?
Which brand was cheaper?
Brand name Generic
Brand name Generic
By how much? $ ____________________
By how much? $ ____________________
Name brand $ __________________ Name brand $ __________________
Generic brand $ __________________ Generic brand $ __________________
Which brand was cheaper? Which brand was cheaper?
Brand name Generic Brand name Generic
By how much? $ ____________________ By how much? $ ____________________

Name brand $ __________________ Name brand $ __________________

Generic brand $ __________________ Generic brand $ __________________

Which brand was cheaper? Which brand was cheaper?

Brand name Generic Brand name Generic

By how much? $ ____________________ By how much? $ ____________________

Name brand $ __________________ Name brand $ __________________

Generic brand $ __________________ Generic brand $ __________________
Which brand was cheaper? Which brand was cheaper?
Brand name Generic Brand name Generic
By how much? $ ____________________ By how much? $ ____________________
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 Following a Recipe
Recipes are instructions you can follow to prepare a meal. You will have to follow a recipe
carefully to make sure that you add the proper amounts of each ingredient. If your amounts
are not correct your dish may not turn out and you will have wasted your ingredients.
Let’s plan a meal. Look at the recipe below. Make a grocery list of the items you will need to
purchase to make this meal. Find each of the items at the store and write down the cost of
each one. Add each item to find out your total cost to make this meal.

Recipe - Taco in a Bag

Recipe makes 6 servings
Grocery List
1 lb. ground beef 1. _________________
1 packet taco seasoning 2. _________________
6 ( 2 oz.) bags Frito© corn chips or one (10.25 oz.) bag
2 cup lettuce 3. _________________
1 chopped tomato
1/2 cup salsa 4. _________________
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
½ sour cream 5. _________________
6. _________________
Directions:
[Link] ground beef in a large skillet. Cook and stir over medium
heat until browned. Drain excess oil. Mix in the taco seasoning 7. _________________
and prepare according to the directions on the package.
[Link] the bags unopened, gently crush the corn chips. Cut the 8. _________________
bags along the side edge so the bags are open. Spoon equal
amounts of the beef mixture, lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese,
salsa, and sour cream into the bags on top of the crushed chips.
9. _________________
Serve in the bag and eat using a fork.

What was the cost of each item? How much would it cost to make this recipe?
Ground beef $ Salsa $
Taco seasoning $ Cheddar cheese $
Frito© chips $ Sour cream $
Lettuce $
Tomato $ Total = $
Would you make this recipe at home? _________
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 Following a Recipe
Recipes are instructions you can follow to prepare a meal. You will have to follow a recipe
carefully to make sure that you add the proper amounts of each ingredient. If your amounts
are not correct your dish may not turn out and you will waste your ingredients.
Let’s plan a meal. Look at the recipe below. Make a grocery list of the items you will need to
purchase to make this meal. Find each of the items at the store and write down the cost of
each one. Add each item to find out your total cost to make this meal.

Crockpot Cinnamon Apples Recipe

Recipe makes 6 servings
Grocery List
1 cup golden raisin
1. _________________
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2. _________________
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
3. _________________
3 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons butter, sliced
4. _________________

Directions: 5. _________________
1. Put all ingredients EXCEPT BUTTER into crock pot; stir 6. _________________
well coating all apple slices. Place slices of butter on top.

2. Cook on HIGH for 1-1/2 to 2 hours OR cook on LOW 3-

7. _________________
1/2 to 4 hours, stirring once half way through.
8. _________________
3. Serve and enjoy!
9. _________________

What was the cost of each item? How much would it cost to make this recipe?
Raisin $ Cornstarch $
Sugar $ Butter $
Brown Sugar $
Cinnamon $
Nutmeg $ Total = $
Would you make this recipe at home? _________
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 Cost per Ounce
Each item in the store will have a product tag posted on the shelf below the item.
This tag shows the name of the product and the cost. Some stores even list the
cost per ounce (shown with the arrow). This information is important to know so
that you can get the best deal. Even though a price may be cheaper on an item, if
the cost per ounce is lower you will be getting more product for your money.
Look at the following price tags for salad dressing. There are three different sizes available. You will
need to look at the cost per ounce to determine which dressing is the better deal.
Salad Dressing Salad Dressing Salad Dressing
1. 2. 3.
$2.40 $2.88 $4.40
.36 per .44 per
.40 per
6 oz. 8 oz. 10 oz.
What size dressing has the lowest price tag? _________________.
What size dressing has the lowest price per oz? _______________.
Which size dressing cost the most per oz? _______________.
What size dressing is the best deal for your money? _______________.

What is the cost per ounce on the following items?

Which item had the lowest price per oz? _____________________________________ How much? ______________ per oz.
Which item had the highest price per oz? _____________________________________ How much? _______________ per oz.

Find the following items in your grocery store. Write down how many ounces are in each size and the cost per ounce.

ounces ounces ounces ounces Which size had the

best price per ounce?
$ per oz. $ per oz. $ per oz. $ per oz. _____________ oz.

ounces ounces ounces ounces Which size had the

best price per ounce?
_____________ oz.
$ per oz. $ per oz. $ per oz. $ per oz.

Which size had the

ounces ounces ounces ounces
best price per ounce?
$ per oz. $ per oz. $ per oz. $ per oz. _____________ oz.

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 Cleaning Supplies
Cleaning agents are substances, usually liquids, powders, or sprays that are used to remove dirt, including dust,
stains, and bad smells on surfaces. Some cleaning agents can kill bacteria and clean at the same time.
Find the cost of the following cleaning products in your store. Find the store brand or generic of each
product. Which was more expensive (circle)? By how much?

Cost $ $ $ $ $ $ $
Generic $ $ $ $ $ $ $
Most Name Brand Name Brand Name Brand Name Brand Name Brand Name Brand Name Brand
Expensive Generic Generic Generic Generic Generic Generic Generic

Difference $ $ $ $ $ $ $
Tide is a name brand product that comes in many types and sizes. Log each size, amount
of loads per item, type of cleaning agent, and cost on the graph below.
Ounces

Loads

Type Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid

Powder Powder Powder Powder Powder Powder
(circle) Pods Pods Pods Pods Pods Pods

Cost $

Air Fresheners are used to help eliminate bad odors. They come in a variety of scents. Can you find 6
different scents of air fresheners in your store? Write the scent and the cost of each.

$ $ $ $ $ $
Many different companies sell the same products. How many different brands of each of the cleaning
supplies below does your store carry?

________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________

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 Personal Care Products
Personal care products, or toiletries, are the items we use to take care of our
hygiene and personal needs. These items make us smell good and look nice.
Find the section of your store where personal care products are kept. Find each of the following products and
write the generic or name brand price for each. If there is no generic, find the brand that cost the least.

_________
$ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________
Find the following products and write the names of 3 companies that produce them.

Deodorant Conditioner Foot Powder Toothpaste

There is a huge variety of shampoos to choose from at the store. Find each of the products below. Find the
smallest size available. How many ounce are in each bottle?

Aussie AXE Suave Pantene Herbal Head &

Essence Shoulders
oz. oz. oz. oz. oz. oz.
Find the brands you use at home. Write down the cost of each one and add the 3 items to find a total cost.

Toothpaste Deodorant Shampoo Total

$ $ $ $

Toothbrush Conditioner Shower Soap Total

$ $ $ $
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 Paper Goods
Paper plates, plastic & paper cups, napkins, toilet paper, tissues, paper towels, garbage bags,
re-sealable bags, aluminum foil, and more are located in the paper section of your grocery store.
Find the following products in your store. How many come in each package? What is the cost?

Paper Plates Sandwich Bags Foil Toilet Paper Garbage Bags Paper Towels Tissues

__________ Plates __________ Bags __________ Feet __________ Rolls _________ Bags _________ Rolls ________ Tissues

$ $ $ $ $ $ $

Many companies make and sell toilet paper. Find 8 different brands and list them below
1. ______________________ 2. ______________________ 3. _____________________ 4. ____________________

5. ______________________ 6. ______________________ 7. _____________________ 8. _____________________

Toilet paper comes in single, double, triple, and mega rolls. In order to figure out how many
additional rolls your are getting per roll you will need to multiply (x) each roll 2, 3 or 4. Find
packages that contain the rolls listed below. Find how many single rolls each package contains.
Example- 6 double(2) rolls would equal how many single rolls 6 x 2 = 12 single rolls
Single = 1 Double = 2 Triple = 3 Mega = 4

12 double rolls = ________ single rolls 4 triple rolls = ________ single rolls 8 mega rolls = ________ single rolls

12 triple rolls = ________ single rolls 16 double rolls = ________ single rolls 6 mega rolls = ________ single rolls

Storage bags come in a variety of sizes. Ziploc is a major brand of baggies you will find in your store. What
sizes do Ziploc re-sealable bags come in?

1. ____________________ 2. ______________________ 3. _____________________ 4. _____________________ 5. _________________ ___

Find the tissue section of your grocery store. Find the single boxes similar to the ones next to our graph.
Write down 5 different brands along with the price.

$ $ $ $ $

Which brand was the most expensive? _______________________________ How much? ____________________
Which brand was the least expensive? ________________________________ How much? ____________________
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 The Pet Aisle
Most grocery stores have a full aisle dedicated to our furry friends. Large superstores like
Target and Walmart have multiple aisles full of everything you would need take care of a pet.
Find each of the items below for each pet. Add to find your total cost. If you cannot find the exact item,
find a similar item.

Total
$ $ $ $ $

Total
$ $ $ $ $
Dry dog and cat food comes in a variety of flavors or names. Find the Beneful© brand dog food
in your grocery store. List each of the varieties of that brand your store sells.

Most dog food is sold by the pound. Pounds can also be written like this - lbs. Look through all the different
brands of dog food and see how many different size bags you can find. List each of the pound sizes you find.

_______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______

Besides dog and cats. Can you find products your store carries for other pets? List the pet, the product, and
the price in the graph below.

Pet Item Cost

$

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