Knowing the cheapest foods to buy at the grocery store saves time and money when you’re on a tight budget. And the best thing is when you plan your cheapest groceries list you can still make almost all of your favorite meals. Get creative and put together several of the cheapest foods in a recipe to make inexpensive but tasty meals friends and family are sure to enjoy.
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When you’re preparing to go shopping and making the cheapest groceries list it can be a challenge to know which foods will save you the most money, yet allow you to still make snacks and meals your family will enjoy and actually eat.
It is possible to stay on track with your budget and not overspend when you go grocery shopping if you take the time to plan before you go.
Another key factor is to stick to the grocery list you make when you get to the store if you want to keep your budget on track.
Knowing how much you have to spend on groceries over the course of a week or month is also important when making your cheapest groceries list.
Cheap Grocery List for a Month
To be able to make a cheap grocery list, you need to know how much you are spending (and need to spend) on groceries each month.
There are different formulas that you can use to calculate how much you spend on your groceries.
Some people think that a common way to do this is by taking the total amount spent on groceries and dividing it by the number of times you shop for groceries.
Others may include things such as gas, paper products, cleaning supplies, and household cleaners and take these costs into account when calculating their grocery costs.
If you are really serious about calculating how much you spend on groceries, then you may want to take the time to keep track of what you buy for a few months so that you can see which items cost more than others.
This also allows time to compare and shop at different stores to make sure you are getting the best prices possible.
Once you know which items are taking the biggest cut out of your grocery budget, you can decide which items can be replaced with something different that costs less or you could cut back on, or possibly even take that product off of your list permanently.
It is easy to overspend on groceries when you go grocery shopping.
The temptation is there since there are so many sales and coupons to take advantage of, and sometimes we see something that just looks really good at that moment!
What is a basic grocery list?
Your basic grocery list includes the items you need on a regular basis, such as milk, bread, and eggs.
The following tips will help you keep your grocery list honed into exactly what you need to save money on a tight budget.
1. Plan ahead by meal planning
This is the main key many people don’t take the time to do, and it throws their grocery budget into a frenzy.
You can download the FREE Smart Mom HQ meal planning set below to get started saving time and money with a guide to your weekly eating schedule!
2. Make your grocery list based on the meals
Before you go shopping, take some time and make a list of everything you need for an entire week’s worth of meals.
Decide what meals you want to make for the next 1-2 weeks, look up the recipes so you know exactly the ingredients and amount of each, then add to your list.
3. Add orphan items you are out of to the list
The staple items you keep in your refrigerator or pantry need to be replaced when it is time to go to the store.
It is easiest to save money on groceries if you have kept an ongoing list so you know exactly what these items are.
If not, it will take some time to figure it out so you don’t end up buying things you don’t need and then have more than one.
Following these key strategies will also help ensure that your meal plan is well balanced with all the necessary nutrients. This can be especially important if you are on a restrictive diet like gluten-free or vegan!
4. Set a spending limit
If the meals you chose have expensive ingredients or a lot of items you don’t keep on hand, go back to the meal planning step and choose a few different meals that will cost less to prepare.
5. Shop the sale items
You should also be mindful of what items are on sale at the grocery store. Stock up when there’s a good bargain, which can help save money over time.
6. Buy in bulk
Another way to make sure your grocery list is cheap is by buying in bulk but not necessarily in large quantities.
A lot of people underestimate how quickly they go through food and end up wasting a lot of it (especially because of spoilage).
If you decide to buy in bulk be sure what you are buying is:
- Actually saving your money
- Product that won’t spoil if it isn’t used quickly
- Products you use regularly
We have a complete series of articles on converting your hourly wage to a yearly salary!
Income & Wage Guides
What groceries should I buy on a tight budget?
If you need to save money on food, buy the items you need for each recipe. Purchase generic items, and repurpose any leftovers into future meals.
You need to make a meal plan for each week and stick to it.
Food Staples
1. Bread
Great for sandwiches, toast, or dishes like bread pudding, it is a staple to keep on hand.
Bread can be a cheap item or a more expensive item on your grocery list depending on the brand.
2. Malt-o-Meal
When my boys were little this was one of their favorite foods for breakfast. They loved the chocolate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
For a healthy breakfast (minus the ice cream), Malt-O-Meal is a great choice filled with healthy grain and it comes in three flavors: Original, Maple and Brown Sugar, and Chocolate.
3. Cream of Wheat
Cream of Wheat is an inexpensive and healthy breakfast. We like it with brown sugar or cinnamon and some fresh fruit like bananas or strawberries.
4. Oatmeal
Oatmeal can be eaten alone, as a meal, or even used in recipes like meatloaf or to make oatmeal cookies.
Find versatile recipes to make oatmeal that everyone in your family will love with one of these eight oatmeal recipes from Cooking Classy.
5. Eggs
You can do so much with eggs, and at about 10-15 cents each, it doesn’t get much cheaper than this!
Pasture-raised eggs are more expensive so if you want the cheapest option to bypass them.
Fried eggs are great for breakfast, or make deviled eggs to go with lunch or dinner meals. They can also be poached or scrambled if your family prefers.
6. Apples
Apples make a quick and super healthy snack plain.
They can also be steamed with some cinnamon and sugar for a quick snack, and topped with a dollop of cool whip and they are even better!
They can also be turned into apple pie.
I eat a lot of salads and chopped apples go in almost every one of them for a bit of sweet and crunchy treat.
7. Bananas
Bananas can be eaten plain, chopped up in cereal or oatmeal, or used in banana pudding. They are cheap grocery items that can be used for many things, and make a great after-school snack before dinner.
8. Saltine crackers
Saltine crackers are a staple to keep in your pantry.They are good plain, with butter, and used to prepare recipes that need a crunchy topping or in dishes like meatloaf.
This is one of my favorite meatloaf recipes from The Wholesome Dish.
9. Peanuts
Peanuts are a healthy and filling snack that can be eaten as a snack or added to a variety of Chinese or other recipes.
The cheapest way to buy them is in the shell. However, they can also be bought ready to eat in either salted or unsalted varieties.
10. Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is a healthy snack, although some look at it as being too high in fat.
It tastes great on sliced apples, on toast, on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, in smoothies, on waffles, and so much more.
Peanut butter is an item to keep on hand that will stay edible for a long period of time.
11. Potatoes
Potatoes are a versatile food.
They can be turned into baked potatoes and eaten as a meal, which is especially good with toppings such as butter, sour cream, cheese sauce, and bacon bits. My family loves it when I put out a baked potato bar and let them load up with all their favorites.
They also make excellent casseroles or are used as a side dish when oven-roasted or fried.
12. Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes make a delicious side dish plain or topped with brown sugar and butter.
They also work well in casseroles or made into sweet potato fries. When I turn them into fries using my air fryer, they disappear quickly as soon as I serve the meal.
13. Cereal
Cereal is a food I don’t like to be without. Considering how many meals you get in a box, it is cheap and doesn’t break the budget.
The healthier cereals that aren’t loaded with sugar may cost a little more, but in the long run, you also eat less of them because they are more filling and keep you from getting hungry longer.
14. Pasta
Unflavored pasta is another one of the cheapest foods you can buy that is versatile.
It makes delicious casseroles, homemade macaroni and cheese, spaghetti, chicken alfredo, and so many more pasta dishes that are perfect for dinner meals.
Add a tossed salad and bread and you have a cheap meal everyone is sure to love.
15. Beans
Beans may be one of the cheapest pantry staples you can buy, especially when you buy dry beans.
With a cost that is just a few cents per ounce, they are a great cheap food that is versatile and healthy.
It also saves money when they are bought in bulk, which is good because they will keep until they are cooked.
They do take time to prepare. However, using a slow cooker or instant pot is a great way to make a delicious meal.
Canned beans can also be purchased such as black beans, red beans, or chili beans. However, you pay for the convenience of them being ready to eat.
16. Onions
Onions can be used as a staple or a spice.
Add them to spaghetti or casseroles to create a delightful flavor, or turn them into onion rings or add them to a roast and have a quick side dish with a mixture of vegetables.
17. Canned tomatoes
If you are trying to save money and buy foods that keep in a pantry, canned tomatoes are better than fresh tomatoes.
They are also typically cheaper, depending on the time of year you are shopping.
18. Lentils
Lentils are a cheap grocery item that will add a healthy serving of protein to your meal. Lentils can be substituted for meat in many recipes, making them food you may want to keep on hand.
Casseroles, soups, and stir fry recipes can easily be found to use this ingredient.
19. Carrots
Carrots are a healthy side dish steamed or added to a pot roast.
They are also good to eat raw straight out of the refrigerator.
The cheapest way to buy carrots is full-sized with the tops still on, ready to clean and chop.
20. Rice
Rice can be used for so many things it is hard to remember all of them. It can be purchased in white rice or brown rice, and in a fast-cooking variety or traditional slower cooking.
My boys love cooked rice for breakfast with cinnamon, sugar, and milk.
It makes delicious full-meal casseroles, side dishes, and fried rice.
21. Spinach
Spinach isn’t a favorite of everyone, and it isn’t one of the cheapest foods you can buy.
However, for the nutritional content you get, it is a good addition to omelets, casseroles, salads, and stir fry dishes.
22. Oranges
Oranges make a great afternoon snack or a nice side for breakfast.
They can be purchased in a bag to get the cheapest price to keep your grocery spending low.
Depending on the time of the year, there are times when the oranges are really small in size. I would bypass them if you aren’t getting a nice portion with each individual orange. They also add a healthy dose of vitamin C to your diet.
23. Zucchini
When in season, this vegetable is cheap and versatile, making it a perfect item when you’re making your cheap grocery list.
It makes delicious casseroles, a simple side dish, moist zucchini bread, or added to salad.
24. Clementines
These little fruits grow packed with vitamin C and are tasty for a snack or in salads.
They can be purchased in cans or fresh.
25. Squash
Similar to zucchini, squash is a cheap nutritious food to buy when they are in season.
26. Grapefruit
Many people peel grapefruit to eat them.
I like to slice them in half, heat them for about half a minute in the microwave, and add Splenda and cinnamon for a healthy breakfast or snack.
27. Watermelon
Local fruit stands are the best place to buy a watermelon at the cheapest price.
Also, they are usually bigger and you know they are fresh from the field.
If you aren’t sure how to slice a watermelon, this article from Love & Lemons makes it super simple.
28. Frozen vegetables
I often purchase frozen vegetables with no additives instead of buying fresh vegetables because they can be used anytime without a timeline before they get rotten.
This is a great way to cut costs and still get healthy vegetables in your diet.
This makes them economical and one of the cheapest food items you can buy.
29. Grapes
Grapes are delicious in salads or eaten right off the vine.
They are the cheapest and taste the best during the summer months when they are in season.
30. Quinoa
Quinoa is not as cheap as some other grains.
However, it still qualifies as a product for the cheapest groceries list and can be used for several different kinds of dishes.
31. Peppers
Green peppers are an option to put on your list to stay within your food budget while having many things you can do with them.
They are delicious in salads, to eat plain with other vegetables, on sandwiches, or making recipes such as stuffed peppers.
32. Popcorn
If your goal is to save money on groceries and popcorn is on your list, you will want to buy the kind you pop yourself rather than microwave popcorn.
You can still cook it in the microwave.
- Add it to a paper bag
- Seal the bag by folding the top over two times
- Microwave for 2 minutes
You can also use a popcorn air popper, cook it on the stove in a small amount of vegetable oil, or in the microwave using a microwave-safe glass bowl with a glass plate on top.
To save money by making your own popcorn, the Salbree Microwave Popcorn popper is a great choice because it is also collapsible, saving loads of cabinet space. See below what it looks like (click on the image for details.)
33. Corn
Corn is the perfect side dish with a dab of butter and salt, or a great addition to soup, stews, and many casseroles.
34. Canned pumpkin
Many people only think of using pumpkins for cooking around the holidays in November and December.
However, canned pumpkin is a perfect item for your cheap grocery list and it is available year-round for around $1 a can.
It can be used in muffins, soups, cakes, smoothies, and so many other recipes.
The nutritional benefits of pumpkin also speak for themself as a healthy source of beta carotene, potassium, and vitamins B, C, and E.
35. Cantaloupe
The cheapest place to buy cantaloupe is at a farmer’s market if any are located in your area.
Cantaloupe is typically chopped up and eaten as a side dish like a salad. It is also popular to mix it with yogurt or cottage cheese.
36. Yogurt
When you’re following a grocery budget yogurt is a good product to have on your list.
If you get a brand that doesn’t have loads of added sugar and a good amount of protein, it is a healthy snack that is tasty mixed with fruit or granola as an afternoon or before bedtime snack.
You can buy yogurt in a variety of flavors, or buy plain yogurt and flavor it yourself with extracts or fruit.
If you want to increase your savings, many of the yogurt varieties can be purchased in larger containers rather than single servings.
37. Tuna fish
Many people don’t think of canned fish as an item they would add to a cheap grocery list.
Tuna isn’t the cheapest item on the list, but it is affordable and worth buying for the health benefits.
It makes a good sandwich with tuna salad, and there are many different tuna casseroles that taste delicious.
38. Cabbage
Cabbage is one of the cheap foods often forgotten when doing a grocery shopping trip.
It is super cheap to buy considering the size of most cabbage heads.
There are a variety of dishes it can be used in, such as soups, stews, casseroles, skillet meals, or chopped up and added to salad.
I personally love steamed cabbage with nothing but salt and pepper added to it.
39. Cottage cheese
Cottage cheese isn’t super cheap, but it is cheap enough to qualify for the cheapest groceries list.
Similar to yogurt, it makes a good snack to mix with fruit or vegetables. It also comes in larger containers for even more savings.
40. Broccoli
Broccoli is a good item to buy as frozen food when you’re grocery shopping.
If you purchase it frozen, it typically comes in crowns or crowns and pieces, with the latter being the cheapest.
If you choose to buy it fresh do the cleaning, cutting, and chopping yourself to save the most. Precut vegetables of any kind are not the cheapest foods to buy since you pay for the convenience of someone doing it for you.
41. Frozen fruit and berries
Frozen fruit, frozen berries, or canned fruits, are the options you have when your favorites are not in season.
When there are no additives, frozen food is the best way to go because it tastes almost as good as fresh once it is thawed out.
Frozen fruit is also great for smoothies or to make homemade ice cream.
42. Salsa
Salsa is one of the cheap groceries that can be used as a side filler for many dishes, especially Mexican-style recipes.
It doesn’t take the place of fresh vegetables. However, it often is full of a variety of vegetables in the ingredients if you select the chunky option, so it can be used to fill up the vegetable void if you run out.
43. Chicken
Chicken is generally less expensive than pork, beef, and other kinds of meat.
If you have to pull in a tight budget, chicken is the way to go to keep your list loaded with cheap foods.
It comes in a variety of cuts, such as boneless breasts, tenderloins, wings, chicken legs or drumsticks, skinless, and more.
It can be purchased ground as well and used the same as ground turkey or ground beef.
Chicken thighs are one of the cheap foods that are typically easy to find because they are not a favorite for many people. They have a multitude of uses and create flavorful dishes with the moist and tender meat that comes off this chicken part.
Chicken is also great for leftovers. Chicken legs make a great picnic or patio food because they are easy to eat and tasty even cold.
Chicken salad sandwiches are another favorite way to use up leftover chicken.
If you want to keep your list full of cheap groceries in all areas, consider buying a whole chicken and cutting it up yourself or roasting it whole.
44. Lettuce head
Lettuce can be purchased and ready-to-eat in bags with a few vegetables added like carrots and purple cabbage.
It is much cheaper and lasts longer to buy a lettuce head and chop it up yourself.
You can also add the veggies you want and make a tasty salad that is much better than the packaged.
45. Ground turkey
Ground turkey is a good item on your cheapest groceries list when it is on sale.
It can be cheaper than ground beef and used in its place, such as for taco meat, casseroles, or skillet meals.
46. Cucumbers
Cucumbers can be bought at a great price, and used for a variety of side dishes.
They are great plain, in salads, in a dressing mixed with onions, and so many other recipes.
47. Canned soups
Most of the groceries on the cheapest groceries list are whole foods because it is cheaper to make your own than to buy ready-to-eat dishes.
However, canned soup like Chicken Noodle is a great price so I recommend keeping it in your pantry.
It can make a quick meal if you are on the go by adding some crackers and even a small sandwich or some bread.
48. Green beans
Green beans can be fresh, canned, or frozen.
If you aren’t sure how to get different flavors from your green beans, The Pioneer Woman shares 35 delicious green recipes. You and your family are sure to like several of them!
49. Kale
You have to develop a taste for kale. It can be added to soups or a tossed salad for a lot of nutritional value in your diet.
50. Kiwi
Kiwi may be difficult to find at a local grocery store, depending on how big the store is.
It is a sweet fruit that is budget-friendly during the summer months when it is in season.
51. Milk
Milk is one of the cheapest dairy products you can buy if it is cow’s milk you purchase. Almond milk and other kinds of milk are not considered cheap food items.
If you have cereal on your cheapest groceries list, milk should be added as well.
You can also drink it plain, with chocolate added for a special treat, and use it to make dishes like macaroni and cheese.
Other dishes also need milk, like French toast, mashed potatoes, gravy, and more.
52. Canned vegetables
Canned vegetables are cheap and worth buying when they are on sale or in the generic brand.
Vegetables like green beans, corn, peas, and others are good to have on hand for casseroles or side dishes.
53. Cheese
Cheese comes in a variety of brands, flavors, and of course, prices.
You can buy it grated so it is ready to use, or in a chunk and grate your own.
If you stick with the normal types such as cheddar, Monterey Jack, or mozzarella, it comes in at a great price compared to the fancy types.
Grating or slicing your own will save you money over the convenience of having it already done.
Cheese is a great snack with crackers cut in chunks or used in many dishes as part of the recipe.
54. Ground beef
Ground beef is not a cheap food per se; however, for meaty dishes, it is typically less expensive than other types of ground meat.
The leaner the processing of the ground beef, the more expensive the package will be.
However, remember if it is less lean, that means there is more fat in it that will cookout when you brown it, leaving you with a much smaller amount than you may have anticipated.
55. Pork
Pork is a cheap grocery item that can usually be found fresh at your local grocery store.
There are numerous cuts so you can plan your meals and get the cut that fits your recipe.
56. Macaroni and cheese
Boxed macaroni and cheese don’t taste nearly as good as homemade. However, this is one of the few instances where it is cheaper to buy it than make it yourself.
You can make it healthier by adding fresh or frozen vegetables like green beans, carrots, onion, or broccoli and meat like chicken or beef.
57. Celery
Celery is a good snack filled with peanut butter or cream cheese.
It can also be added to numerous dishes like stews, soups, and baked dressings.
58. Cauliflower
Cauliflower can be used for so many things. The way to get it cheap is to buy it in heads and cut it yourself or buy it frozen. Purchasing it precut will cost much more.
59. Hot dogs
Hot dogs can be purchased in all beef or a mix of beef, turkey, and other ingredients.
The latter is the cheapest and can be a quick meal when you are low on time.
60. Canned refried beans
Another prepared item, refried beans work as a quick side filler for many meals without spending too much on a can.
They are a good source of protein.
If you want to save money on a tight budget, you can make your own cheaper than buying them in a can.
61. Ramen noodles
There isn’t much nutritional value in ramen noodles.
However, they are cheap and can also be used in salads.
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Cooking Ingredients
62. Spices or seasonings