CRISIL Intelligence’s latest monthly thali tracker shows household food bills holding steady for vegetarians while non-veg meals turn marginally cheaper, as cheaper staples battle rising tomato, oil and fuel costs.

The cost of preparing a home-cooked vegetarian thali in India remained unchanged year-on-year in March 2026, as falling prices of onions, potatoes and pulses offered some relief to households. At the same time, the non-vegetarian thali became 1 per cent cheaper, mainly because of softer broiler prices, according to a report released by CRISIL Intelligence.

The findings, based on average input prices across north, south, east and west India, underline the mixed trends shaping everyday food expenditure for millions of Indian families. While vegetable prices provided some breathing space on a monthly basis, persistent rises in tomatoes, edible oils and cooking gas limited the overall benefit, the report noted.

Vegetarian Thali Holds Firm Despite Sharp Declines in Staples

The stability in vegetarian thali costs came from a classic price-offset phenomenon. Cheaper onions, potatoes and pulses pulled costs down, but these gains were neutralised by sharp increases in tomato, edible oil and fuel (LPG) prices.

Tomato prices surged 33 per cent year-on-year to Rs 28 per kg in March, driven by delayed transplantation in major producing states such as Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Late arrivals and lower crop yields tightened supply, pushing up retail prices and directly affecting the common man’s kitchen budget.

In contrast, onion prices dropped a significant 25 per cent year-on-year. Excess supply from overlapping late kharif and rabi harvests, coupled with weak export demand, led to distress sales in mandis across the country. Potato prices also eased 13 per cent, reflecting subdued demand from the hotel, restaurant and catering (HORECA) sector and active liquidation of stored stocks.

Pulse prices fell 6 per cent year-on-year, supported by comfortable opening stocks. Tur (arhar) inventories are estimated to be 20 per cent higher than last year for the July-June marketing season, while Bengal gram stocks remain about 10 per cent higher. These comfortable buffer stocks helped keep dal prices under check.

However, global uncertainties kept upward pressure on two critical inputs. Edible oil prices rose 6 per cent year-on-year amid supply disruptions in key producing regions, while domestic LPG cylinder prices jumped 14 per cent. Since both items form an essential part of thali preparation – oil for cooking vegetables and pulses, and LPG for the stove – their higher costs wiped out much of the relief from cheaper staples.

Pushan Sharma, Director, CRISIL Intelligence, explained the methodology and its relevance: “The average cost of preparing a thali at home is calculated based on input prices prevailing in north, south, east and west India. The monthly change reflects the impact on the common man’s expenditure. The data also reveals the ingredients (cereals, pulses, broilers, vegetables, spices, edible oil and cooking gas) driving the change in the cost of the thali.”

Non-Veg Thali Becomes Marginally Cheaper

The non-vegetarian thali saw a modest 1 per cent decline in cost year-on-year. Broiler chicken, which accounts for nearly half the total cost of a non-veg thali, fell 2 per cent. This drop, along with lower prices of onions, potatoes and pulses, more than offset the rise in tomato prices.

The easing in broiler prices was also influenced by reduced demand during Navratri, a period when many households temporarily shift away from non-vegetarian food. The combined effect of these factors made non-veg meals slightly more affordable compared with the same month last year.

Monthly Relief from Softer Vegetable Prices

On a month-on-month basis, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian thali costs declined noticeably in March. The veg thali became 3 per cent cheaper, while the non-veg thali fell 2 per cent. The primary driver was a broad softening in vegetable prices.

Tomato and potato prices each dropped 6 per cent month-on-month, while onion prices fell a sharper 14 per cent. Higher arrivals in mandis and generally weak demand helped cool these prices, providing immediate relief to households after the sharp tomato spike seen earlier in the year.

This monthly decline reflects the seasonal and supply-driven nature of vegetable prices. With rabi harvests progressing and improved logistics in some regions, the pressure on kitchen budgets eased slightly in March compared with February.

Broader Implications for Household Food Expenditure

The CRISIL report highlights the delicate balance in India’s food price dynamics. For vegetarian households, the year-on-year stability means food bills have not escalated despite inflation in key inputs. However, the lack of a decline also indicates that relief from cheaper staples is not reaching the kitchen fully because of rising costs elsewhere.

For non-vegetarian families, the marginal reduction offers some comfort, especially in rural and semi-urban areas where broiler chicken is a relatively affordable source of protein. The report’s focus on regional price variations (north, south, east and west) also shows that national averages mask significant state-level differences, influenced by local production, storage and transport costs.

Food costs remain a critical component of household budgets in India, particularly for lower- and middle-income groups. Even small fluctuations in thali costs can influence consumption patterns, savings and overall inflation perception. The mixed trends captured in the March data – cheaper staples versus dearer oils and fuel – mirror the challenges faced by policymakers in managing food inflation while supporting farmers.

Analysts note that sustained monitoring of such thali costs provides a practical gauge of ground-level inflation that official wholesale or retail indices sometimes miss. Cereals, pulses, vegetables, spices, edible oil and cooking gas together capture the real expenditure burden on ordinary citizens.

Looking ahead, the trajectory of tomato prices will be watched closely as the new crop cycle progresses. Any normalisation in supply from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh could ease the current pressure. Similarly, global edible oil markets and domestic LPG pricing policies will continue to influence the final thali bill.

In summary, March 2026 presented a picture of cautious stability for vegetarian households and modest relief for non-vegetarian ones. While cheaper onions, potatoes and pulses delivered welcome savings, the surge in tomato, oil and fuel prices ensured that the overall impact remained balanced rather than decisively downward.

The data serves as a timely reminder of how interconnected supply chains, weather patterns, global cues and domestic demand truly shape the daily plate of the Indian consumer.