How Much Do Potatoes Cost in the US?
Short answer: on October 19, 2026, a 5 lb bag of russet potatoes cost $2.97 at H-E-B (Texas Roots) and $2.99 at Target, checked on the retailers' online listings. That is about $0.60 a pound either way.
Potatoes are the anchor of the cheap end of the basket: filling, storable, and priced within two cents of each other at two competing chains this week. The BLS potato index rose just 1.1% year over year in September 2026, calmer than produce overall.
The prices we verified
H-E-B, Texas Roots russet potatoes, 5 lb bag: $2.97. Target, russet potatoes, 5 lb bag: $2.99. A dead heat, and a useful reminder that some staples are priced as commodities everywhere, while others, like bread and beef in this same basket, swing by dollars between stores.
The week's best verified potato price was an ad price: Meijer listed a 5 lb bag of russets at $2.49 for October 14 to 20, 2026, and the same ad had a 3 lb bag of yellow onions at $2.49, making Meijer the produce anchor of the week in its region.
What is a good deal on potatoes?
Our guidance: at or below $2.50 for a 5 lb bag is a deal, and $2.97 to $2.99 is a fair everyday price. Loose russets from the bin usually cost more per pound than the bag unless you need exactly two potatoes, and 10 lb bags beat 5 lb bags per pound when your household will use them before they sprout.
Potatoes keep for weeks in a cool, dark spot, so the bigger bag on sale is one of the safest stock-ups in the store.
Why potato prices move
Potatoes are a harvest crop: the fall harvest sets the storage supply for the year, and prices drift with storage quality, transport costs, and the size of the crop in Idaho and the other major growing states. The BLS fresh vegetables index rose 2.8% year over year in September 2026, while potatoes specifically rose 1.1%, a mild year.
The USDA forecasts fresh vegetables up 5.7% across 2026, the highest produce forecast, driven by other vegetables more than potatoes. If that forecast lands, potatoes become the budget swap inside the produce aisle: the item to lean on when peppers and salad greens spike.
How to pay less for potatoes
Buy the bag, not the bin, unless you need two potatoes today. The per-pound gap between bagged and loose russets is the most consistent small saving in the produce department.
Match the bag size to your real usage. A 10 lb bag that sprouts is more expensive than a 5 lb bag that gets eaten, so be honest about your household's potato pace.
Check potatoes against our weekly tracker. When a regional chain runs $2.49 bags, that is the week to let potatoes carry a few dinners.
Potatoes will not make or break a budget alone, but the bag-versus-bin habit repeats across the whole cart. Track what you actually pay per item with free receipt scans, and Premium will flag when your regular items change price.