Grocery List on a Budget for 1: 3 Weeks for $47.83

It’s Wednesday. Payday is Friday. You have $50 in your account and absolutely nothing to eat except half a jar of salsa and questionable leftovers.

I’ve been there. The worst part wasn’t the empty fridge - it was the mental math. Walking through the store thinking “Can I afford this?” while trying to figure out what won’t go bad before I can eat it. I once spent three hours obsessing over hitting my exact weekly budget number, buying only the “right” things. Then half of it rotted in my fridge because I couldn’t eat that much broccoli before it turned to mush.

Here’s the thing: Shopping for one person feels like a scam. Family packs are cheaper per serving, but you’re one person. Bulk is a better deal, but half of it expires. Meal plans are designed for families of four, so you end up eating the same chicken breast for six days straight or throwing money in the trash.

But here’s what I learned: You don’t need to eat rice and beans for three weeks. You just need a smarter list.

This is the exact grocery list I used when I had $47.83 to last until my next paycheck. Real prices. Real meals. Zero food waste.

Why Shopping for One Feels Like a Scam (And How This List Fixes It)

The grocery industry isn’t built for single people. It’s built for families buying in bulk, splitting portions, and cooking dinner for four.

When you’re shopping for one, you hit what I call the single-person penalty. The 5-pound bag of potatoes is $3.99 (80 cents per pound). The single potato is $0.89 (89 cents per pound). You pay more for buying less. Family chicken breast pack: $2.99/lb. Single-serve chicken: $5.99/lb. Same meat, different package, double the price.

Then there’s the portion problem. Recipes serve 4-6 people. You’re one person. So you either eat leftovers for a week straight (hello, food fatigue) or you throw away half of what you bought. Either way, you’re wasting something - money or food.

And finally, the boredom trap. Eating alone already feels lonely. Eating the same three meals on repeat because that’s all you can afford? That’s how you end up ordering DoorDash at 9pm because you can’t face another bowl of sad pasta.

What this list does differently: It’s built around ingredient overlap. Every item gets used in at least three different meals. Nothing sits in your fridge going bad. Proteins rotate so you don’t get bored. And the portions are right-sized for one person, not a family of four trying to meal prep for the week.

The truth is: You can eat real food on a tight budget if you stop shopping like you’re feeding a family.

Three Budget Tiers: Pick Your Week ($35 / $50 / $70)

Not every week is the same. Week 1 after payday? You might have $70 to spend. Week 3 when rent is due? You might be down to $35.

Here’s what you’re eating at each level:

Budget Tier	What You’re Eating	Best For
$35/week	Rice, beans, eggs, frozen veggies, minimal meat	Emergency mode, Week 3 stretch
$50/week	Chicken thighs, ground turkey, pasta, fresh + frozen veggies, dairy	Sweet spot, sustainable long-term
$70/week	More protein variety, fresh produce, snacks, condiments	Week 1 after payday, building pantry

Honest take: The $50 tier is where you want to live most of the time. It’s tight but not miserable. You’re eating real meals, getting protein, not hating your life. The $35 tier is for emergency mode when you’re stretching to payday. The $70 tier is for stocking up on pantry staples and treating yourself to fresh fruit without doing mental math.

The list below is the $47.83 tier - right in the sweet spot. Enough variety to stay sane, cheap enough to fit a tight budget. If you want more ideas for cheap meals or need a complete week-by-week meal plan using 2026 USDA prices, I’ve got you covered.

The $47.83 Grocery List (Aldi Prices, January 2025)

Here’s the full breakdown. These are actual Aldi prices from January 2025. Your totals might vary by $2-5 depending on location and what’s on sale.

Proteins

• Eggs (18 count): $2.89
• Chicken thighs (family pack, 2.5 lbs): $4.99
• Ground turkey (1 lb): $3.49
• Black beans (2 cans): $1.38 ($0.69 each)

Protein total: $12.75

Vegetables

• Frozen mixed vegetables (2 bags, 12 oz each): $1.98 ($0.99 each)
• Fresh spinach (5 oz container): $1.49
• Onions (2 lb bag): $1.29
• Carrots (1 lb bag): $0.79
• Canned diced tomatoes (2 cans): $1.38 ($0.69 each)

Vegetable total: $6.93

Grains & Starches

• Rice (2 lb bag): $1.99
• Pasta (2 boxes, 16 oz each): $1.58 ($0.79 each)
• Bread (whole wheat loaf): $1.29
• Oats (18 oz canister): $1.79

Grains total: $6.65

Dairy

• Milk (half gallon): $1.89
• Shredded cheese (8 oz): $1.99
• Butter (1 stick): $1.49

Dairy total: $5.37

Pantry & Flavor

• Peanut butter (16 oz): $1.99
• Garlic (bulb): $0.49
• Salt, pepper, olive oil: (assume you have basics or borrow $2 if needed)
• Hot sauce or salsa (8 oz): $1.29

Pantry total: $3.77

Extras

• Bananas (4-5): $0.79
• Coffee or tea (if needed): $2.99
• Flour tortillas (10 count): $1.49

Extras total: $5.27

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TOTAL: $47.83 (before tax; some states don’t tax groceries)

This list assumes you already have salt, pepper, and cooking oil. If you don’t, grab a $2 bottle of vegetable oil and a $1 salt/pepper combo from the dollar store. It’ll last months.

Store-by-Store Strategy: What to Buy Where

Not everyone has an Aldi. Here’s where to shop if you don’t, and what to buy where to stretch every dollar.

Aldi (Primary - 80% of your list)

Why: Lowest prices, no brand markup, fast in-and-out shopping.

Buy here: All proteins (chicken, eggs, ground meat), dairy, frozen vegetables, grains (rice, pasta, bread), canned goods.

Skip: Fresh produce variety is limited. Organic stuff is overpriced compared to Walmart.

Walmart (Fill-ins - 15%)

Why: Bigger selection, price match guarantee, open 24/7.

Buy here: Fresh produce Aldi doesn’t carry, spices, condiments, anything on clearance.

Skip: Name-brand proteins (way overpriced compared to Aldi), dairy (Aldi wins by $1-2 per item).

Dollar Store (Emergency - 5%)

Why: When you’re $5 short and need to make it work.

Buy here: Canned beans, pasta, bread, spices, snacks.

Skip: Meat (sketchy quality), fresh produce (goes bad fast), anything refrigerated.

Quick decision tree:

• Shopping for the week? Start at Aldi.
• Need one or two things? Walmart.
• Literally have $10 left? Dollar store, then fill gaps at Aldi.

Cooking for One Without Waste: The Rotation System

Cooking for one person sucks. Let’s be real.

You open a recipe that serves 4-6, cut everything in half, cook it, and then eat the same meal for three days straight until you’d rather starve than look at it again.

The fix isn’t meal prep. It’s the 5-Meal Rotation.

Instead of cooking seven different dinners or making one giant batch on Sunday, you rotate between five meals. Cook one meal, eat it for dinner, pack leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch. The next night, make a different meal. By the time you loop back to Meal 1, it’s been almost a week - you’re not sick of it yet.

The 5-Meal Rotation (from the $47.83 list):

1. Scrambled eggs + spinach + toast (breakfast for dinner or actual breakfast)
2. Rice bowl: Rice + black beans + salsa + shredded cheese
3. Chicken thighs + roasted carrots + rice
4. Turkey pasta: Ground turkey + pasta + canned tomatoes + garlic
5. Bean burritos: Tortillas + black beans + cheese + hot sauce

Each meal uses ingredients from the list. Each meal makes 2 servings (dinner + next day’s lunch). No food waste.

Zero-Waste Rules:

• Proteins: Freeze half the chicken thighs immediately. You won’t eat 2.5 lbs of chicken in a week.
• Vegetables: Frozen veggies don’t go bad. Fresh spinach and carrots get used in Meals 1 and 3 within the first 4 days.
• Bread: Freeze half the loaf if you’re not eating toast daily.
• Leftovers: If you have leftover rice, make fried rice with eggs and frozen veggies. Nothing gets wasted.

The truth is: You don’t need a complex meal plan. You need five solid meals you can rotate without thinking.

When Your Budget Gets Slashed: Emergency Mode ($25-30 Week)

Sometimes you don’t even have $47. Rent hit. Car repair blindsided you. You’ve got $27.50 until Friday.

Here’s the emergency list. It’s not exciting. But it works.

$27.50 Emergency Grocery List (Aldi):

• Rice (2 lbs): $1.99
• Dried beans (1 lb bag): $1.29
• Eggs (18 count): $2.89
• Frozen mixed vegetables (2 bags): $1.98
• Pasta (2 boxes): $1.58
• Peanut butter: $1.99
• Bread: $1.29
• Bananas (5): $0.79
• Canned tomatoes (2 cans): $1.38
• Onions (2 lb bag): $1.29
• Oats (18 oz): $1.79
• Butter (1 stick): $1.49
• Salt/oil (if needed): $2.00

Total: $27.50

What you’re eating:

• Breakfast: Oatmeal with peanut butter and banana
• Lunch: Peanut butter sandwich or leftover rice and beans
• Dinner: Rice and beans with frozen veggies, or pasta with canned tomatoes and onions

Honest take: This sucks. You’re eating a lot of beans and rice. But here’s the thing - you won’t starve, and you won’t blow money on DoorDash because you have “nothing to eat.” It’s survival mode. You’ll get through it.

When you have more money next week, upgrade back to the $50 list and add chicken. For even more budget food ideas when money is tight, check out my full list of 40 cheap food items for your tight budget.

Portion Math for Singles: How to Halve Recipes Without Guessing

Every recipe online serves 4-6 people. You’re one person. Here’s the cheat sheet so you stop Googling “what’s half of 1/3 cup.”

Recipe Calls For	You Need
1 cup	1/2 cup
1/2 cup	1/4 cup
1/3 cup	2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons
1/4 cup	2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon	1.5 teaspoons
1 teaspoon	1/2 teaspoon

Freezer portioning strategy:

• Cook the full recipe. Portion it into single servings. Freeze 3/4 of it.
• Two weeks later when you’re sick of your current rotation, pull a frozen meal out of the freezer.
• Boom - variety without cooking or food waste.

This works for: Chili, pasta sauce, casseroles, soups, rice bowls.

Doesn’t work for: Salads, anything with fresh lettuce, scrambled eggs.

Sample Week: Real Meals from This List

Here’s what one week actually looks like eating off the $47.83 list.

Day	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Daily Cost
Mon	Oatmeal + banana + PB	Leftover rice bowl	Chicken thighs + carrots + rice	$6.83
Tue	Scrambled eggs + toast	Leftover chicken + rice	Turkey pasta	$6.41
Wed	Oatmeal + banana	Leftover turkey pasta	Bean burrito	$5.29
Thu	Eggs + spinach + toast	Leftover burrito filling	Rice bowl (beans, cheese, salsa)	$5.67
Fri	Oatmeal + PB	Leftover rice bowl	Chicken thighs + frozen veggies	$6.51
Sat	Scrambled eggs + toast	PB sandwich	Turkey pasta (round 2)	$6.18
Sun	Oatmeal + banana	Leftover pasta	Bean burrito	$5.32

Weekly total: $42.21 (Leaves $5.62 buffer for snacks, coffee, or emergency Top Ramen)

Notice: No meal repeats back-to-back. Proteins rotate. You’re not eating chicken for seven days straight.

Paycheck-to-Paycheck Shopping Rhythm: Week 1 vs Week 3

If you live paycheck-to-paycheck, you can’t shop the same way every week. Here’s how to adjust.

Week 1 (Right After Payday)

Budget: $60-70

This is stocking week. You’re building up your pantry and buying things that last.

Prioritize:

• Bulk proteins (freeze half)
• Pantry staples (rice, pasta, oats, peanut butter)
• Condiments and spices (they last months)
• Fresh produce (you have money for variety)

Week 2 (Middle of Pay Period)

Budget: $45-50

You’re living off what you stocked in Week 1, just filling gaps.

Prioritize:

• Fresh vegetables (carrots, spinach - whatever’s running low)
• Dairy (milk, cheese)
• Eggs
• Bread

Week 3 (Stretching to Payday)

Budget: $30-35

Survival mode. You’re eating down the pantry and freezer.

Prioritize:

• Whatever protein is cheapest (eggs, canned beans, frozen chicken from Week 1)
• Minimal fresh produce (onions, bananas - cheap stuff)
• Skip extras (no snacks, no coffee, no “treats”)

The Carryover Effect

Here’s what people miss: If you stock smart in Week 1, Week 3 doesn’t feel as desperate. You’re not starting from zero - you have rice, pasta, frozen chicken, and peanut butter already in the house.

But here’s the thing: You have to resist the urge to blow your whole budget in Week 1 on fresh stuff that goes bad. Buy smart, freeze half, and stretch it across three weeks.

Common Mistakes That Waste Money

Mistake 1: Buying Fresh When Frozen Works

The trap: Fresh vegetables feel healthier, so you buy broccoli, bell peppers, and zucchini. Half of it goes bad before you use it.

The fix: Frozen vegetables are just as nutritious (sometimes more - they’re flash-frozen at peak ripeness). They don’t go bad. They’re cheaper. Buy frozen unless you’re using it within 3 days.

Savings: $8-12/week

Mistake 2: Shopping Without a List

The trap: You wander the aisles, grab what looks good, and end up with random ingredients that don’t make a meal.

The fix: Write the damn list. Stick to it. Aldi makes this easy - their stores are small, so you’re in and out in 20 minutes.

Savings: $15-20/week (impulse buys add up fast)

Mistake 3: Buying Single-Serve Everything

The trap: Pre-portioned yogurt cups, single-serve mac and cheese, individual bags of chips. You’re paying for convenience.

The fix: Buy the big version, portion it yourself. A tub of yogurt is $3 and gives you 6 servings. Six single-serve cups are $5.

Savings: $10/week

Mistake 4: Ignoring the Freezer

The trap: You buy 2.5 lbs of chicken, try to eat it all in a week, get sick of chicken, throw away what goes bad.

The fix: Freeze half immediately. Portion it into single servings. Pull one out the night before you want to cook it.

Savings: $5-8/week (food waste is money waste)

Start Here: Your First $50 Grocery Run

You’ve got the list. You know the stores. You understand the rotation.

Stop overthinking it. You don’t need a color-coded spreadsheet or a perfect meal plan. You need to walk into Aldi with this list and walk out with real food.

Here’s where to start:

1. Pick your budget tier ($35, $50, or $70) - be honest about what you have this week
2. Screenshot the list for your tier
3. Go to Aldi (or Walmart if that’s closer)
4. Buy only what’s on the list - no wandering, no “I’ll just grab this one thing”
5. Freeze half your proteins the second you get home

That’s it. No complicated meal prep. No overwhelming planning. Just a list, a plan, and five meals you can rotate without losing your mind.

Look, I know the stress of opening your fridge on Day 6 and seeing nothing. I know the guilt of ordering DoorDash because cooking feels like too much. I know what it’s like to throw away food you couldn’t afford to buy in the first place.

This list fixes that.

You don’t need a bigger budget to eat better. You just need to stop shopping like you’re feeding a family of four and start shopping like someone who’s making every dollar count.

One trip. One list. $47.83.

Your next paycheck is Friday. Make this one count.