Final answer:
Based on provided context regarding spending habits during economic contractions, it's likely true that they ate at a grocery store on a budget instead of a restaurant.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question, "Their first meal was at a grocery store. They didn't eat at a restaurant because they were on a budget," is somewhat ambiguous without additional context. However, if we are grounding our answer in the context provided by the overall information, the statement is likely True. During tough economic times, as mentioned in the passage from the data, there was a decline in real total food spending by U.S. households, suggesting that meals out, which are typically more expensive, were likely being replaced with more budget-friendly options such as home-cooked meals or more affordable choices like grocery store purchases. Furthermore, the mention of a monthly budget constraint illustrates how people might choose to limit their spending on eating out in order to afford housing.