Are you trying to get your food budget under control? If so, finding ways to save on groceries and buying cheap food items at the grocery store can significantly help to decrease your food costs.
Your food expenses can get out of hand quickly if you’re not careful. But luckily, your food costs are also one area of your budget that you can easily scale back.
According to the Department of Agriculture, a family of 4 (with one child 6-8 years old and one child 9-11 years old) that spends a moderate amount of money on food typically spends around $1062 a month.
People that have a thrifty spending plan for food typically spend closer to $647, even with the same aged children as the moderate spenders.
That’s a difference of $415 dollars a month. Think of what that extra money could go towards if you were able to lower your food expenses by that much each month.
It’s important to keep in mind there are different factors that will affect how much you spend at the grocery store. Some are controllable and some are out of your control.
One big factor that is (somewhat) out of your control is where you live. If you live in a big expensive city, you will pay more for groceries than someone that is living in a small rural town.
Another factor that can definitely affect the amount you spend at the grocery store is which stores you have available near you to shop at. Cheap grocery stores like Aldi, Lidl, and Walmart may not be located near you forcing you to do your shopping at a regular grocery store.
Even though you may not be located near one of the cheapest grocery stores doesn’t mean you are totally out of luck when it comes to grocery shopping on a budget.
There are many controllable ways you can save money on your food bill. In this post, I am going to give you ways to make cheap food items even cheaper and give you a list of the cheapest foods to buy at the grocery store when you are broke or are on a really tight budget.
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How to buy cheap food on a tight budget
So you want to know how to buy the best cheap food for even cheaper? I have a few tricks up my sleeve to share with you.
Meal Plan
Planning your meals has so many benefits. My favorite benefits of meal planning are decreasing dinner time stress and saving money.
But let’s just talk about the saving money part because you are here to read about cheap food.
When you meal plan, you are being intentional. You are determining what your family will eat for the week and preparing to make those meals by buying the ingredients you need for them.
By planning ahead, you can choose to make meals that use some of the same ingredients. This helps to eliminate food waste and prevents you from having to buy totally different ingredients for each meal.
The fewer different types of foods you buy at the grocery store, the cheaper your grocery list will be.
If you need help with meal planning, I am here to help! I have lots of resources to get you meal planning asap. I even have meal planning printables you can have for free.
Here is what they look like:
This meal planning guide includes everything you need to start meal planning today. It includes:
- A monthly meal planner
- A sample monthly meal plan
- A weekly meal planner with a grocery list
- A favorite meals list
- An inventory list
- A theme night cheatsheet
- Helpful tips for meal planning
You can download your free meal planning guide here.
Here are some of my other meal planning resources:
- How to Make a Weekly Meal Plan With Grocery List
- Ultimate Guide to Meal Planning on a Budget
- How to Create a Meal Planning Binder
- Super Easy Meal Planning with Dinner Theme Nights
- The Easy Way to Make a Monthly Meal Plan
Helpful Tip: If you absolutely hate meal planning or you have tried it (like really tried it) and you just can’t seem to figure out a system that works for you, you should take a look at $5 Meal Plan.
$5 Meal Plan is a meal plan service that sends you weekly meal plans right to your inbox and the grocery list for the meal plan already done for you!
All you have to do is check off the things you already have and head to the grocery store to get the rest.
Most of the meals work out to be around $2 per person. And it’s only $5 a month!
So if you would like to check it out, they have a free 14-day trial you can sign up for here.
Shop at the cheapest grocery stores
Shopping at the cheapest grocery stores will help to ensure you are paying rock bottom prices for your groceries. This can really help to lower your food budget when you are on a tight budget.
As I said earlier, this may not be an option for you depending on where you live. But Aldi, Lidl, and Walmart are not the only cheap grocery stores.
According to Today.com, some of the other cheapest grocery stores in the United States are:
- Market Basket
- WinCo
- Food 4 Less
- Costco
- Trader Joe’s
- Amazon
- Sam’s Club
- H-E-B
- Peapod
So check for any of those cheap stores near you to make sure your grocery list is the cheapest it can be. Want to see these cheap foods in action? Check out my complete $47.83 grocery list for one person with real Aldi prices and a 3-week meal plan. Or see how these same budget staples work in a weekly $57 meal plan for singles using USDA-verified 2026 prices.
Buy in Bulk
Buying in bulk can help to bring the cost of your grocery items down. But make sure you check unit prices just to be sure. Unit price is the price for one item or measurement, such as an ounce or pound.
So for example, a 32 count of juice boxes at Walmart is $10.48. Broken down by unit price, each juice box is $0.33.
Now at Sam’s Club, the same juice boxes are sold in a 36 count pack for $9.38. This means each juice box is only $0.26.
Even though Walmart is known to be one of the cheapest stores to shop for groceries, sometimes you can find the same food items cheaper by buying in bulk.
But not all foods should be bought in bulk. The last thing you want to do is buy something in bulk and then not be able to use it up before it expires or goes bad.
So the best foods to buy in bulk are foods that have a long shelf life. Typically food items that can be kept in the pantry for an extended period of time or a freezer are your best bets.
Cheap food items to buy in bulk are:
- pasta
- rice
- quinoa
- oatmeal
- peanut butter
- canned vegetables
- canned meat
- jarred items
- dried beans
- frozen vegetables
- pre-frozen meats
- fresh meats to freeze in family-sized portions
- dried fruits
- frozen fruit
Use Ibotta
My favorite cash-back grocery app is Ibotta and I highly recommend it if you don’t already have it.
Ibotta is a cash-back app that is free to download and use. It can be used at so many different stores like Walmart, Target, Costco, Whole Foods, Kroger, and lots more!
You just add the grocery offer to your account in the Ibotta app, take a picture of your receipt, and they deposit the money into your Ibotta account.
Ibotta can also be used with Walmart Grocery Pickup, even though you don’t get a receipt with Grocery Pickup. That’s how we use it the most.
Before you start your grocery order on Walmart, you click on Walmart through the Ibotta app. It redirects you and you start your shopping.
Once you pick up your groceries the money gets deposited into your Ibotta account.
If you don’t have Ibotta yet, you can sign up here.
By signing up through my link, you can receive up to $20 in welcome bonuses!
Also if you use your laptop or desktop, Ibotta has a browser extension you can use instead of an app on your phone.
You can sign download the browser extension here.
Look for marked-down groceries
My last tip for buying cheap food items when you are on a tight budget or broke is to frequently check for store markdowns. Many grocery stores will significantly mark down food if it is nearing the sell-by date.
My favorite aisle to walk down when looking for markdowns is the meat aisle. You can really score some cheap meat when grocery stores need to sell it quickly.
You can take it home, break it down (if needed) to freeze separately into appropriate meal portions for your family, and throw it in the freezer to add to next month’s (or week’s) meal plan.
If you are looking for more ways to save money on food, check out 13 Easy Ways to Cut Food Expenses.
40 Cheap Food Items to Buy at the Grocery Store When You’re Broke
Here is my list of the cheapest groceries to buy when you are broke or on a tight budget.
#1 Oats
I put oats in the number one spot because they are so cheap, filling, and nutritious. A big canister of oats is under $3 and lasts forever. I eat them for breakfast, but also take them to work for a healthy and filling (and cheap) lunch.
#2 Generic cereal
Cereal can get really expensive if you buy the brand names. But generic cereal is cheap. For example, the store brand of Cheerios at Walmart is only $1.23. Not a bad option is you have kids (or a husband) that loves cereal in the morning.
#3 Eggs
Eggs are another healthy and cheap food. They aren’t only great for breakfast. You can make hard-boiled eggs to eat for snacks during the day or make egg sandwiches for dinner for a really inexpensive meal.
#4 Peanut butter
Peanut butter is a really versatile and cheap food that is a great staple for your pantry. Put it on toast, use it for PB & J, mix it into your oatmeal for extra protein, or eat it directly from a spoon.
#5 Pancake mix
This one you may be questioning because it is probably cheaper to make your own pancake mix. However, a 32-ounce box of complete pancake and waffle mix (meaning you just have to add water, no add eggs, oil, etc) is only $1.68 at Walmart. For convenience, it is worth a few extra cents, in my opinion.
We make waffles every Saturday morning for the kids with our waffle iron. It’s quick and easy and much cheaper than frozen waffles. I also use the pancake mix for pancakes every other month when I make breakfast for dinner, which is also a really cheap meal.
#6 Store brand bread
Loaves of bread can be so expensive if you buy a name brand. Call me cheap, but I will never buy a $4 loaf of bread. Store brand bread is between $1 to $2 and some even sell for under $1.
If you want a really frugal (but delicious) bread option, making your own bread may be the way to go. And it’s really easy with a bread maker. The bread maker does all the mixing and kneading and then you can take it out to shape it and bake it in the oven for a normal-shaped loaf of bread.
#7 Pasta
A box of pasta is definitely one of the cheapest foods to buy at the grocery store. At less than $1 per box, it’s a great item to have stocked in your pantry. Use it for nights that you just don’t feel like eating what you had originally planned or as a quick backup meal option.
#8 Pasta sauce
Pasta sauce is another cheap grocery item to buy when you are broke. Stock up to use with your box of pasta or use it in casseroles, to top bread, or to make mini pizzas. Check out this article from allrecipes.com on ways to use up leftover pasta sauce.
#9 Rice
Rice is another super cheap grocery item that you can buy in bulk and keep stocked in your pantry. If possible, opt for brown rice because it is healthier than white rice.
#10 Quinoa
Quinoa is a healthy grain that is often referred to as a superfood. It’s high in protein, fiber, and other nutrients. Quinoa is often used as a substitute for rice and it makes a great option to use in a bowl-style meal.
#11 Dried beans
Dried beans are probably just about the cheapest food you can buy. The shelf life of dried beans is quite long making them a great cheap pantry staple to have on hand.
#12 Apple juice
If you have kids that drink juice, apple juice is one of the most frugal options. We have been watering down our kids’ apple juice since they were toddlers. Even now that they are older, when they pour themselves juice, they know to fill up their cups halfway with water first.
#13 Russet potatoes
Russet potatoes are cheap and versatile. When stored in a cool, dry place potatoes can last up to two months.
#14 Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are also nutritious and cheap. Baked sweet potatoes, candied sweet potatoes, and sweet potato casserole are delicious options
#15 Onions
Onions are another cheap vegetable that has a long shelf life. They are a great staple to keep on hand to add extra flavor to your meals.
#16 Bananas
Bananas are one of the cheapest foods you can buy. At around $0.47 cents a pound, they are a great addition to your cheap grocery list.
#17 Canned vegetables
Canned vegetables are a definite pantry staple for any household. Since they last in your pantry for a very long time, look for sales when they are at their cheapest and stock up on your favorite kinds.
#18 Frozen vegetables
Frozen vegetables aren’t quite as cheap as canned, but are usually a bit cheaper than fresh vegetables. If you aren’t a fan of canned vegetables and have room in the freezer, check out your nearest wholesale club to buy frozen vegetables in bulk.
#19 Baby carrots
Baby carrots sell for around $1 for a 1 pound bag making them one of the cheapest fresh vegetable options. Not to mention, convenient! No peeling or cutting is required making them a great option for a quick and crunchy snack.
#20 Celery
Celery makes a crunchy snack (add peanut butter) and is good to have on hand to add to recipes.
#21 Bagged spinach
Make your salads more nutritious by adding a handful of baby spinach to them. Bagged spinach is both cheap and convenient.
#22 Butternut squash
Roasting butternut squash is probably the most popular way to prepare it. Other ideas are to make a pureed soup with it or cook it in a foil pack with other vegetables and some seasonings.
#23 Cabbage
Cabbage is another cheap vegetable that lasts a while (around 2 weeks) in the fridge if you wait to cut it up until you need it.
#24 Popcorn
Making your own popcorn using kernels is much cheaper than buying bagged microwave popcorn. Here is a recipe for making stovetop popcorn from cookieandkate.com.
#25 Oranges
Oranges are some of the cheapest fruits you will buy. Look for sales on bags of oranges to get the most bang for your buck.
#26 Apples
Apples are super nutritious and affordable. Keep in mind the price of apples vary depending on the variety. For example, Honeycrisp tends to be pricier than most. But if you aren’t picky about your apples, they should definitely be on your budget grocery list.
#27 Cantaloupe
When in season, cantaloupe is a cheap fruit that is also high in vitamin C, vitamin A, and beta-carotene.
#28 Canned fruit
When you are looking for cheap food items to buy at the grocery store, canned fruit is a great addition to your budget grocery list. It isn’t as healthy as fresh fruit, but if you are broke, canned fruit is the way to go.
#29 Pork
Pork is one of the cheapest meats. Price varies depending on the cut of meat, but you can get a nice cut of pork for around $3.00 a pound right now.
A frugal way to stretch your meat budget is to serve smaller portions of meat at meals and larger portions of side dishes.
#30 Ground turkey or whole turkey
Stock up on turkeys (if you have a deep freezer) around the holidays when they are the cheapest. Make your extra turkeys throughout the year and pull the meat off the bones. Freeze your turkey meat in appropriate portions to use in soups, casseroles, hot turkey sandwiches, and turkey BBQ.
#31 Hot dogs
Hot dogs may not be the most nutritious, but when you need cheap groceries to fill up your fridge or freezer, they definitely fit the bill.
#32 Canned meat
Canned tuna, salmon, or chicken are another cheap staple to have on hand in your pantry. Stock up on these canned meats to use for backup pantry meals.
#33 Boxed macaroni and cheese
Again, not the most nutritious, but macaroni and cheese is certainly cheap. It’s also a great kid-friendly lunch for on the weekends when your kiddos are home from school.
Instead of hitting up the drive-thru for expensive kids’ meals, why not create your own cheap version of a kids’ meal at home? Chicken nuggets, mac-n-cheese, baby carrots, and applesauce would make a great alternative to a kids’ meal.
#34 Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese is so good for you! And it’s so cheap at only $1.84 for a 24-ounce tub at Walmart. Cottage cheese makes a great lunch for work. Just portion out your servings into containers and top with the canned fruit of your choice and your lunch is made!
#35 Yogurt
Another food to put on your cheap grocery list is yogurt. If you buy it by the 32-ounce tub it is just under $2. Portion out your servings ahead of time, pack some granola in a separate container, and your work lunch is made.
#36 Chicken thighs or whole chicken
Dark meat chicken tends to be cheaper than white meat. Also, look for whole chickens on sale. You could cook the whole chicken and pick off the meat to use in different meals in your meal plan.
#37 Frozen berries
Frozen berries are so good and so much cheaper per pound than fresh berries, especially when out of season. If you love frozen berries, check out your local wholesale club to stock up on big bags of frozen berries for cheap.
#38 Cucumbers
At under $1 per pound, you can’t go wrong with adding cucumbers to your list of cheapest groceries. Slice them up for salads or dip them in your favorite dressing for a tasty snack.
#39 Romaine lettuce
Romaine lettuce is much healthier than iceberg and lasts longer in the fridge. A 3 pack of romaine hearts sell for under $3 at the Walmart near us.
#40 Teabags
Brewing your own tea is so cheap! Ice tea can be a nice change from water and hot tea a change from coffee if you need one.
Final Thoughts on Cheap Food Items for Your Tight Budget
Even though you might be on a tight budget or even broke, it doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice the quality or even quantity of food you are eating. As I said earlier, the food budget is one of the easiest areas of the budget to cut back on.
By being intentional with your meal planning, using cashback apps, shopping around for the best prices, and buying cheap food, you can turn your regular grocery list into a cheap grocery list.
What are some of the cheap food items you like to buy at the grocery store? Let me know in the comments!
Written by
Chris
I went from checking my bank balance before every grocery run to building a $10K emergency fund. Now I share the exact strategies that worked—no jargon, no judgment.