Grocery prices took a breather in August, but many shoppers say it does not feel that way.

Federal data showed grocery prices were unchanged for the month, RFD-TV reported. They were still 2.2% higher than a year earlier. Beef and veal rose nearly 6% because cattle supplies are tight. Egg prices fell 23%. Restaurant prices were up 3.4%.

Shoppers are still worried. A survey of more than 1,200 U.S. and Canadian grocery shoppers, taken in August by workforce company Axonify, found 92% said prices had gone up over the past year. About 67% said they were very or extremely worried about grocery costs, Progressive Grocer reported.

That worry is changing how people shop. Some 88% visit more than one grocery store in a typical month, most often to hunt for lower prices. And 58% said a bad trip, like empty shelves or long lines, stings more when prices are high.

Some families are borrowing to eat. An Urban Institute analysis found more than one in four working-age adults had trouble paying off groceries they put on a credit card last year, according to a Consumer Reports segment on WSLS 10.

How to save, according to Consumer Reports:

Check what you already have before you write a list. Set a budget.

Shop around. In Consumer Reports' price comparison, Costco, BJ's, Aldi and Lidl were among the cheapest places to buy groceries, all beating Walmart.

Use digital coupons and store loyalty deals, and stack them with maker coupons where stores allow.

Try store brands. Many cost half as much or less than name brands, and some taste as good or better.

What we know: Grocery prices paused in August but remain higher than last year, with beef leading.
What we don't: Whether the pause will last as diesel and other costs rise.