My first summer internship wasn’t unpaid, but I worked on a small stipend that was just enough to cover my rent for a small basement “apartment” and food when we weren’t traveling for an event. The crew I worked with that summer affectionately nicknamed me PBJ girl because I looked like I was about 15 and I lived off of, you guessed it, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunches. While my gut lining slowly solidified with processed jelly preserves, I was happy as could be, because I was finally living my chance at breaking into my dream career. I did not, however, want to eat PB&J breakfast, lunch, and dinner for four months, so I had to get a little creative with my food budget. As a broke college student, this was nothing new for me, simply the same problem in a new setting. If you struggle to stick with your grocery budget or are looking for ways to cut spending monthly, below I cover some of my favorite cheap foods to buy when you’re broke and/or on a budget. Gordon Ramsay, avert your eyes.
Cheap dry and canned foods to buy on a budget
We like to stay away from processed foods as a general rule, as they’re typically full of preservatives and stripped of macronutrients, so they’re the worst ROI at the register. There are some dry foods, though, that can be great staples in your weekly meal plan. Consider:
- Beans, peas, and lentils, such as soybeans, lentils, cannellini beans, black beans, pinto beans, sweet peas, and split peas, which can offer a decent amount of protein. Just go easy when introducing beans to your diet or else you’ll be the one who smelt it and dealt it.
- Rice is a staple for most meals. Natural, whole grain brown rice is usually just as cheap at white rice, if not cheaper, but offers much higher macronutrients, such as fiber, than white rice. Opt for brown rice when possible.
Dave Ramsey’s rice and beans, beans and rice line for eating on a budget is a joke but also isn’t really, because it is a really cheap meal you can make on a budget and is better for you than the ramen I survived off of in college. Add some veggies to your rice and beans, throw in some spices, and enjoy.
- Pasta, bread, tortillas, and flour can help provide cheap calories and energy, though blanched and enriched grains are simple carbs like white rice that don’t offer many nutrients overall. Like brown rice, opt for whole grain flours and breads when possible.They may cost a little more, but you’re likely getting a better bang for your buck.
- Oats bought in bulk–versus individually packaged with a crap ton of sugar added–can make a hearty and filling breakfast with a little cinnamon and fruit for some natural sweetness.
- Peanut butter and jelly, as evidenced by our intro paragraph
Disclaimer: We endorse peanut butter and jelly, but not Lunchables. Don’t spend your money on that disgusting junk. My husband pointed out that Lil Jon did a remix of this song and I couldn’t resist this version, but resist the advertisement.
- Canned tomatoes or marinara sauce offers prepped veggies ready to compliment your pasta, such as for some spaghetti and (maybe) meatballs, or can add flavor to stews or skillets.
- Dried spices, especially store generics, can liven up any dish with flavor. Some of our favorite cheaper ones include basil, cinnamon, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, parsley, red pepper, rosemary, and premixed Italian seasoning. I recommend buying only one or two to start, as the cost can add up quickly. Focus on which ones you think you’ll use the most.
Cheap fruits and vegetables to buy when you’re broke
If you go peeping in our grocery cart, the vast majority of what you’ll see will be fresh produce. We do our best to buy the cheapest options we can get.
Canned or frozen options may be cheaper than fresh, depending on your market and seasonality, though pre-cut/prepared fresh produce is usually the most expensive option.
Cheap produce includes:
- Green bananas, which have a higher resistant starch to sugar ratio than ripe bananas and can offer better health benefits. I break them into pieces and freeze them for breakfast smoothies, and my husband eats them straight for breakfast or a snack. Spread one with peanut butter and sprinkle it with cinnamon for a nice snack that’s healthier than PB&J.
- Cabbage can be a little more expensive than iceberg lettuce but contains a lot more nutritional value, so we prefer it. You can shred cabbage for slaw or be lame and boil it plain, but we challenge you to get creative. We like ours for tacos or to cook it in skillet meals. One of our favorites is Budget Bytes’s kielbasa and cabbage skillet. To make it more cost effective, substitute your bean of choice for the sausage.
- Carrots are a versatile veggie that ends up in our grocery cart every week. I never had luck juicing them for smoothies, but you can grill them, roast them, pressure cook them in the Instant Pot, microwave them, and more! I love me a good carrot soup, especially when mixed with leeks.
- Celery is great for salads and ants on a log, plus you can add it to a variety of skillet dishes and stews. Fun fact I didn’t learn until way too late: you can chop the celery leaves up and add them to the dish as well, kinda like parsley.
- Corn can be really cheap, especially if bought canned or fresh when at peak season (knee high by for the Fourth of July). Enjoy your vegetarian street tacos, drool.
- Cucumbers are great for salads and rice bowls with veggies. You can also pickle them to make, well, pickles. On a hot summer day when the Florida humidity was 275%, you could catch me pulling one out of the fridge and eating it like a popsicle. #NoJudgement
- Kale, which for the longest time I thought was one of the most disgusting foods to force yourself to eat, turns out to be a great companion for dinners. While I still don’t like raw kale for salads or kale chips (bleh), I love wilting kale in a little olive oil before adding it to warm salads and skillets. It’s supposed to be a super food too, so there you go.
- Potatoes are suitable for breakfast (hash browns and breakfast potatoes) and dinner (wedges, fries, loaded baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, or just roasted as a side dish or included in a skillet)
- Spinach is a cheap alternative if you can’t stand kale. Spinach can be great for green smoothies for breakfasts too.
- Squashes such as yellow squash, acorn squash, and zucchini are other versatile veggies. We like to grill them, but you can also bake, roast, steam, or include them in skillet meals.
- Tomatoes are also highly versatile, both cooked and raw. Add them to a pasta dish with some lemon and parsley, chop some up and add them to a salad, roast them, make a soup–the only limit is your creativity.
Cheap meats to buy when you’re on a budget
This is a trick question, because there aren’t any! Meat is hella expensive, so consider going mostly vegetarian for a season. If you’re looking for a Meaty Monday, focus on the cheapest cuts of fresh chicken, such as drumsticks or chicken thighs. Ground chicken can be a cheaper alternative to ground beef as well.
A small can of canned tuna added to a salad or sandwich may also be a cheap option, especially if you can find a generic store brand.
Explore shopping generic versus brand names on a budget.
Avoid anything with “free range”, “grass fed”, or organic on the label. Red meat, fresh fish, and seafood aren’t your friends.
Consider protein alternatives such as tofu and beans, depending on your preference. Buying eggs in bulk might be another option, but we’ve heard a lot of grumblings about the price of eggs recently, so check the price tags with a magnifying glass before placing them in your cart.
Where you shop matters as much as what you buy
If you’re trying to cut back what you spend at the grocery store, you should also reassess where you shop, not just what you put in your cart. When we lived in Florida, we had to stop shopping at Publix because it got too expensive. (Except for the rare Pub sub treat, because well, Pub subs. IYKYK.) We shifted to Aldi’s and Walmart.
We still haven’t been into a Natural Grocers since moving to Colorado because we’ve already heard we can’t afford it. Whole Foods is a whole pass. It’s probably no surprise we’re still Walmart people. While less convenient, I avoid grocery pickup, because I don’t trust someone else not to bruise my bananas, and find picking the freshest produce prevents less waste.
You may want to explore options at a big box warehouse club store, though it’s important to note that just because you’re buying in bulk doesn’t necessarily mean it’s cheaper. We have a warehouse club membership, but we hardly buy any fresh produce there because it’s cheaper at Walmart.
Check the weekly ads
The food that’s the cheapest one week isn’t always the cheapest the next. Stores offer reduced prices weekly on featured foods. Check the weekly ad for your preferred store(s) and see what’s on sale before making your meal plan for the week and heading out.
The final word
If you’re interested in some of our favorite meal ideas using the staples above, drop us a line in our budgeting and personal finance Facebook group or in the comments below. I love sharing recipes, and our brigadiers have great ideas too!