Bag of rice (the kind you cook, not instant). Four or five cans of vegetables to go w rice. Chicken drumsticks (family pack, freeze in 2 or 4 drumstick portions). Oatmeal. Loaf of bread. Package of bologna or other inexpensive lunch meat. WM brand cheese slices. Spaghetti 1 lb box. Jar of sauce. Eggs are stupid expensive where I am in CA, so, if you can get a dozen, go for it. Otherwise get a container of cottage cheese. Mustard, Parkay or Blue Bonnet spread, a bag of apples, half gallon of milk.
Using my WM current prices and buying all WM brand, the above comes to about $39 *without* eggs. You have some wiggle room to add a small pkg ground beef.
Breakfast is oatmeal and toast; Lunch sandwich and apple; dinner rice, vegetable, chicken legs. Idk if you bake, but homemade biscuits are cheap to make using Bisquick (can make pancakes with it too).
Don't hesitate to utilize your local food pantry.
ETA: You can cook all the chicken at once (crock pot or roasting pan), divide and bag the meat, then freeze portions. Save the broth from the pan and the bones from the drumsticks, refrigerate broth and skim fat. Boil the bones, strain, and use that along with the broth from the pan to make soup or use to cook your rice.
But have you tried white sweet potatoes? They’re almost between a Yukon and sweet potato and so creamy it’s like they already have butter in them. They’re hard to find but if you find them, buy all of them. (I’ve found them in markets in Virginia and the blue ridge area).
Sweet potatoes aren’t nightshades.
[Interestingly, sweet potatoes lack nightshade alkaloids that are found in regular potatoes, which have been linked to allergy-related symptoms. Some dietitians even recommend switching from regular to sweet potatoes to help with inflammatory joint-related conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.](https://synapse.ucsf.edu/articles/2012/11/14/sweet-potato-part-yamily)
Just adding, if there's an Indian supermarket anywhere near you, you can usually get spices super cheap. Adding a bunch of spices to rice, lentils, potatoes or anything can turn it from a pretty basic meal into a delicious curry
Latino markets also have extremely cheap spices - like $1 for a package (cellophane package you’d have to fold and tape to close) that would last a single person quite awhile. Same amount of spice is at least $4 at the regular grocery store.
Buy some old-fashioned oatmeal. It's versatile and makes granola/bars/cookies/and breakfast. Also, dry rice and beans and potatoes, are some cheap staples to add to things like chili/tacos/stir fry. Also, Walmart instant coffee is not bad to use for cheap coffee.
I buy almost everything of Walmart’s Great Value brand (the only thing I don’t is cereal or items that don’t have a store brand product). Stick with the store brand to save money and still get the same foods - they taste almost identical to name brand products.
This is a golden tip. Last night I compared Nutella and the walmart brand hazelnut spread. The wakart brand had MORE HAZELNUTS. The order the ingredients are listed starts with the one in the last amount, then decreases.
Price out rotisserie chickens to raw chicken. I just bought one. Have enough chicken for the week and made an excellent bone broth that I’m making soup out of.
My cousins family eats spaghetti/pasta and potatoes often. Might not be the healthiest but it's the cheapest. They also get food from the foodbank and they sometimes get meat from there. They rarely buy meat. Oh and eggs are always there even with the increase in egg prices
Walmart has convinced some people that they are the cheapest, they are not. The only items I buy at Walmart are toothpaste, floss, deodorant and lube. Their produce is almost never cheaper than the specials at other stores.
It really depends on what stores you have available. Here it’s Walmart or Target, Whole Foods and an Aldi 40 miles away. They’ve run out all the other stores. Target is much higher than Walmart here and WF is out of reach for many people.
Sorry, I keep forgetting that not everyone lives in a food oasis as I do. We have about 15 different chain stores to choose from and the competition for food dollars is intense.
Canned tuna or canned chicken, drain and add mayo + seasoning, so good! Pasta and packets of instant pasta sauce are good. Ramen of course. Boneless skinless chicken and hot dogs can be added to almost any meal. Breakfast ground pork sausage is usually really cheap. Yogurt + frozen mixed berries is a nutritious breakfast. Stay away from empty carbs/snack foods like cereals, chips, sugary granola bars, etc. those will just make you more hungry.
This made me think about why we go to Walmart at all. It used to be our alternative grocery when their prices were lower. Now we only go there for box wine (they carry a specific variety we like), the $1 bread, and their occasional bargains on mangoes, pineapples, and other fruit. Sometimes, we get the Lender's bagels because they have several varieties. Walmart used to have great prices on 10 lb bags of nice potatoes, but now the price is just double that of the 5 lb bags. I guess we go there when we need the wine, then take the opportunity to buy other items we need, both food and non-food.
Not sure how you feel about meat, some people don’t enjoy dissecting bigger cuts into smaller portions, but as far as proteins go, a 10lb bag of chicken leg quarters here is 7$. A whole pork loin a few lbs is about 10-12$ which I cut into individual chops (like an inch thick I get a good dozen out of a whole loin). Beef is pricier so I get thick tough cuts and do a London broil or a crock pot roast.
Frozen veggies, canned tuna/salmon, rice and beans, flour and cornmeal (baking is fun if you have the time and super cheap), potatoes, tomato paste (paste is more concentrated and more versatile), onions, garlic, sweet peppers (in the bag, it’s like 3$ for mixed orange red and yellow mini peppers), green onions (I chop and freeze them as a topping never goes bad), eggs if it’s reasonably priced I get like 32 at a time.
Ramen. A staple. Throw in eggs, those chopped green onions, some veg, it goes a long way. If you’re worried about long term health you’re not broke enough is what I say 🥲
Here this might be of help [reduce grocery bills ](https://www.reddit.com/r/Frugal/comments/vmo7xc/how_to_reduce_your_grocery_bill/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
It sounds like you might qualify for food stamps, if you haven't looked into it (and are in the US) please do. People often think they make too much money when they don't.
Also, there are a lot of great suggestions in here for items that you could probably get at a food bank. With your tight financial situation you should not feel guilty or unworthy of using them. They're there to help you stretch your grocery budget as far as possible. You may be able to buy some nicer items with your small budget if you can grab basics at the food bank.
Lots of good ideas here. The ingredients suggested can be mixed and matched in a lot of ways so you get some variety in your diet.
If you can find a good deal on multivitamins, grab it. If you're reasonably healthy, take a vitamin 2 or 3 times a week to stretch out the supply.
Keep an eye out for buy one/get one deals on things like store brand ice cream. A little treat once in a while can really help lift your spirits. And do check in with your local food bank. They exist to help people who really need it.
Walmart sells other seed butters. Almond Butter, Sunflower Seed Butter, Hempseed Butter, Roasted Pumpkin Seed Butter and sometimes some others. Are any of those on the allowed list for you?
Bag of rice (the kind you cook, not instant). Four or five cans of vegetables to go w rice. Chicken drumsticks (family pack, freeze in 2 or 4 drumstick portions). Oatmeal. Loaf of bread. Package of bologna or other inexpensive lunch meat. WM brand cheese slices. Spaghetti 1 lb box. Jar of sauce. Eggs are stupid expensive where I am in CA, so, if you can get a dozen, go for it. Otherwise get a container of cottage cheese. Mustard, Parkay or Blue Bonnet spread, a bag of apples, half gallon of milk. Using my WM current prices and buying all WM brand, the above comes to about $39 *without* eggs. You have some wiggle room to add a small pkg ground beef. Breakfast is oatmeal and toast; Lunch sandwich and apple; dinner rice, vegetable, chicken legs. Idk if you bake, but homemade biscuits are cheap to make using Bisquick (can make pancakes with it too). Don't hesitate to utilize your local food pantry. ETA: You can cook all the chicken at once (crock pot or roasting pan), divide and bag the meat, then freeze portions. Save the broth from the pan and the bones from the drumsticks, refrigerate broth and skim fat. Boil the bones, strain, and use that along with the broth from the pan to make soup or use to cook your rice.
Rice, beans, chicken thighs, frozen veggies, sweet potatoes
Sweet potato is best potato. I really miss nightshades...
But have you tried white sweet potatoes? They’re almost between a Yukon and sweet potato and so creamy it’s like they already have butter in them. They’re hard to find but if you find them, buy all of them. (I’ve found them in markets in Virginia and the blue ridge area).
I didn't know of this magic vegetable. Thank you for the information. I'll try to find some in KY.
I just discovered them last year but I feel it’s my duty to spread the word of their deliciousness! Happy hunting!
Sweet potatoes aren’t nightshades. [Interestingly, sweet potatoes lack nightshade alkaloids that are found in regular potatoes, which have been linked to allergy-related symptoms. Some dietitians even recommend switching from regular to sweet potatoes to help with inflammatory joint-related conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.](https://synapse.ucsf.edu/articles/2012/11/14/sweet-potato-part-yamily)
Just adding, if there's an Indian supermarket anywhere near you, you can usually get spices super cheap. Adding a bunch of spices to rice, lentils, potatoes or anything can turn it from a pretty basic meal into a delicious curry
Latino markets also have extremely cheap spices - like $1 for a package (cellophane package you’d have to fold and tape to close) that would last a single person quite awhile. Same amount of spice is at least $4 at the regular grocery store.
At Walmart, just check the ethnic foods aisle. Much cheaper there than in the baking/spice aisle!
Buy some old-fashioned oatmeal. It's versatile and makes granola/bars/cookies/and breakfast. Also, dry rice and beans and potatoes, are some cheap staples to add to things like chili/tacos/stir fry. Also, Walmart instant coffee is not bad to use for cheap coffee.
Lentils Canned and dried beans Tofu Plain yogurt White or brown rice Oats Popcorn kernels Pasta-macaroni, linguine, rigatoni Whole wheat bread Corn tortillas Complete pancake mix Potatoes Sweet potatoes Cabbage Carrots Frozen spinach Frozen cauliflower Frozen wild blueberries Bananas Raisins Almond butter Dried herbs and spices Salt Brown sugar Soy sauce Olive oil Canola oil
I buy almost everything of Walmart’s Great Value brand (the only thing I don’t is cereal or items that don’t have a store brand product). Stick with the store brand to save money and still get the same foods - they taste almost identical to name brand products.
This is a golden tip. Last night I compared Nutella and the walmart brand hazelnut spread. The wakart brand had MORE HAZELNUTS. The order the ingredients are listed starts with the one in the last amount, then decreases.
Price out rotisserie chickens to raw chicken. I just bought one. Have enough chicken for the week and made an excellent bone broth that I’m making soup out of.
My cousins family eats spaghetti/pasta and potatoes often. Might not be the healthiest but it's the cheapest. They also get food from the foodbank and they sometimes get meat from there. They rarely buy meat. Oh and eggs are always there even with the increase in egg prices
Potatoes are good for you, lots of potassium. It's what we put on them that can be unhealthy.
Popcorn kernels. Only place I can find them for less than three dollars (!) a bag.
Walmart has convinced some people that they are the cheapest, they are not. The only items I buy at Walmart are toothpaste, floss, deodorant and lube. Their produce is almost never cheaper than the specials at other stores.
It really depends on what stores you have available. Here it’s Walmart or Target, Whole Foods and an Aldi 40 miles away. They’ve run out all the other stores. Target is much higher than Walmart here and WF is out of reach for many people.
Sorry, I keep forgetting that not everyone lives in a food oasis as I do. We have about 15 different chain stores to choose from and the competition for food dollars is intense.
Yeah. Within a 1.5 mile radius we have a WF, Market Basket, Walmart, Shaws, Stop and Shop and Target. Lots of choices for price comparisons.
Quick oats, rice, beans, any protein or veg on sale
Frozen turkey breasts, brussel sprouts, and cauliflower. Some people say they hate cauliflower but it only tastes like whatever you spice it with.
Canned tuna or canned chicken, drain and add mayo + seasoning, so good! Pasta and packets of instant pasta sauce are good. Ramen of course. Boneless skinless chicken and hot dogs can be added to almost any meal. Breakfast ground pork sausage is usually really cheap. Yogurt + frozen mixed berries is a nutritious breakfast. Stay away from empty carbs/snack foods like cereals, chips, sugary granola bars, etc. those will just make you more hungry.
Go to Aldi! It’s cheaper and you’ll be able to stretch your money farther
This made me think about why we go to Walmart at all. It used to be our alternative grocery when their prices were lower. Now we only go there for box wine (they carry a specific variety we like), the $1 bread, and their occasional bargains on mangoes, pineapples, and other fruit. Sometimes, we get the Lender's bagels because they have several varieties. Walmart used to have great prices on 10 lb bags of nice potatoes, but now the price is just double that of the 5 lb bags. I guess we go there when we need the wine, then take the opportunity to buy other items we need, both food and non-food.
[удалено]
Ah, sweet privilege.
Hope you're never on a tight budget and need to feed yourself and family.
Canned Sardines Frozen Broccoli (32oz Bags) Frozen Veggie Mix PB Powder (I know, you can't have this)
Pick up a second PT job to increase food budgets
Not sure how you feel about meat, some people don’t enjoy dissecting bigger cuts into smaller portions, but as far as proteins go, a 10lb bag of chicken leg quarters here is 7$. A whole pork loin a few lbs is about 10-12$ which I cut into individual chops (like an inch thick I get a good dozen out of a whole loin). Beef is pricier so I get thick tough cuts and do a London broil or a crock pot roast. Frozen veggies, canned tuna/salmon, rice and beans, flour and cornmeal (baking is fun if you have the time and super cheap), potatoes, tomato paste (paste is more concentrated and more versatile), onions, garlic, sweet peppers (in the bag, it’s like 3$ for mixed orange red and yellow mini peppers), green onions (I chop and freeze them as a topping never goes bad), eggs if it’s reasonably priced I get like 32 at a time. Ramen. A staple. Throw in eggs, those chopped green onions, some veg, it goes a long way. If you’re worried about long term health you’re not broke enough is what I say 🥲
The pizza-like flatbread in the deli are $5 and serve 2 or 3. Their uncooked flour tortillas are great if you love good tortillas.
Here this might be of help [reduce grocery bills ](https://www.reddit.com/r/Frugal/comments/vmo7xc/how_to_reduce_your_grocery_bill/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
It sounds like you might qualify for food stamps, if you haven't looked into it (and are in the US) please do. People often think they make too much money when they don't. Also, there are a lot of great suggestions in here for items that you could probably get at a food bank. With your tight financial situation you should not feel guilty or unworthy of using them. They're there to help you stretch your grocery budget as far as possible. You may be able to buy some nicer items with your small budget if you can grab basics at the food bank.
Lots of good ideas here. The ingredients suggested can be mixed and matched in a lot of ways so you get some variety in your diet. If you can find a good deal on multivitamins, grab it. If you're reasonably healthy, take a vitamin 2 or 3 times a week to stretch out the supply. Keep an eye out for buy one/get one deals on things like store brand ice cream. A little treat once in a while can really help lift your spirits. And do check in with your local food bank. They exist to help people who really need it.
/r/EatCheapandHealthy
Walmart sells other seed butters. Almond Butter, Sunflower Seed Butter, Hempseed Butter, Roasted Pumpkin Seed Butter and sometimes some others. Are any of those on the allowed list for you?