Receipts
Should I keep grocery receipts for taxes?
By the Mylo team · Last updated July 1, 2026
Short answer
For most individuals, everyday personal groceries are not tax deductible, so you generally do not need those receipts for taxes. They matter when the food is a genuine business expense or tied to a deduction you can claim, in which case you should keep the itemized receipt.
Personal grocery shopping is a normal living expense and usually has no place on a tax return, so those receipts are mostly useful for budgeting rather than taxes. The picture changes if you run a business where food is a legitimate cost, or if groceries relate to a specific deductible activity.
When groceries do count, the itemized receipt is what supports the deduction, since a card statement alone often is not enough detail. Tax rules on what qualifies and how much you can deduct are specific and change, so check current IRS guidance rather than assuming a purchase counts.
How it works in Mylo
- Personal groceries are generally not deductible for most individuals.
- Food can be deductible when it is a genuine business expense or tied to a qualifying activity.
- When it counts, keep the itemized receipt, not just the total.
- A card statement often lacks the detail needed to substantiate a deduction.
- Rules on qualifying food expenses are specific, so check current IRS guidance.
Best practices
- Separate personal from business food spending so the deductible portion is clear.
- Save the itemized receipt whenever a grocery purchase might be a business cost.
- Mylo reads line items and categorizes each expense automatically, so if a grocery run is actually a business cost it is captured with full detail and easy to find, no shoebox required.