On a budget and unsure what the cheapest foods to buy are? Good news: there are tons of cheap foods to buy that will fill you up and keep your wallet full as well. Plan ahead, choose frugal foods so you can make really cheap meals and stay consistent. If you stick to these tips, you’ll be able to save money and enjoy doing it!
Whether you’re a college student, a single parent or someone who is in between jobs, groceries can take up a sizeable chunk of your monthly expenses. The good news is that if you commit to finding cheap foods to buy, you can live frugally, save money and still eat well!
Let’s go over a list of the best food to buy on a budget that should be included on everyone’s grocery list for their frugal meals. These foods are diverse, filling and delicious and can be used in many different dishes in different ways.
Even if you aren’t on a tight budget out of necessity, the following list is a great collection of the cheapest food you can buy that any frugal person should keep well-stocked in their pantry. They’re cheap but also tasty. When buying food on the cheap, you don’t need to sacrifice quality!
Read on to learn about the best cheap foods to buy.
Ultimate List of Cheap Foods to Buy
Beans and Lentils
Beans
First on our list of cheap food to buy: beans! Filling and high in protein and fibre, these delicious foods should be a core part of anyone’s diet and those looking to make frugal and cheap dishes! Beans are one of the best cheap foods that fill you up. Since they’re filling, you’ll feel satisfied for a longer time. Guess what? Beans don’t have to be boring either. Add them to stews, top green salads with them and make tons of different types of bean salads as well!
Beans come in both packaged and canned varieties. Personally, I prefer canned beans over packaged. Why? While the canned beans are a bit softer, making them less ideal for dishes such as soups since they disintegrate quickly, they’re super convenient. While they’re more expensive than cooking your own beans from scratch, they’re still very cheap. There are so many different kinds of beans you can try out, including:
- Kidney beans
- Chickpeas
- Black beans
- Fava beans
- Lima beans
- Navy beans
- White beans
… and more! Next time you peruse the aisles of the grocery store, I challenge you to try a new type of bean. Mix it into your favorite dish. The worst thing that can happen? You won’t like it. Not the end of the world – beans are cheap! Have fun and experiment with mixing and matching beans in your cooking.
Lentils
Lentils are a fantastic option to add to your list of frugal foods. They’re packed with vitamins and minerals such as protein and fibre, and keep you full for a long time. Just like beans, you can buy them either dried or canned. Canned lentils are more convenient – no need to soak or cook them! If you’re someone with a busy lifestyle who barely has any time to prepare ingredients for cooking, you’ll love canned lentils. They’re more expensive than the packaged variety, but they still taste amazing, are healthy and are cheap enough to be included on any budget foods list. Add them to a variety of dishes, including:
- Pastas
- Chili
- Salmon dishes
- Tacos
- Shepherd’s pie
- Tacos
- Fresh green salads
… and more! There are hundreds of dishes you can make with lentils.
If you’re willing to cook lentils from scratch, you can buy them in bulk. Lentils are one of the best cheap foods that last a long time – you can store them in a cool and dry place for 1-2 years!
Starches: Cheap and Filling Staple Foods
Rice
Nutritious, cheap and filling, rice is an essential item on anyone’s list of frugal foods. This tasty grain has 15+ vitamins such as fibre, zinc, iron and B vitamins. Rice is filling and also low in calories. It’s versatile and can be mixed into a ton of different dishes, including:
- Burritos
- Tacos
- Fajitas
- Curries
- Biriyani rice dishes
- Stuffed bell pepper
- As a side to chilli
… and more!
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is filling, delicious and can be dressed up how you want it. Got a sweet tooth? Top it with fresh berries and Greek yogurt. Did you know that you can also do savory oatmeal dishes? For some variety in your diet, top it with an egg and some vegetables such as tomatoes and spinach. Breakfast doesn’t have to be boring! Have fun and try out different frugal healthy meals with oatmeal as your base ingredient.
For some inspiration, check out this list of different dishes you can make using oatmeal as the main ingredient.
Pasta
Pasta is a non-negotiable item on anyone’s frugal grocery list! You can use this ingredient to make tons of very cheap meals for lunch and dinner. It’s a fantastic cheap food to buy when broke as it’s one of the cheapest foods out there. Pasta contains magnesium, fiber and other important vitamins and minerals. If you’re trying to save as much as possible and living as cheaply as possible, buy white pasta over whole grain pasta. White pasta is cheaper than whole grain pasta, but still contains some important nutrients. If you want to strike a balance between frugal eating and watching your health, go for the whole grain pasta.
Here’s a tip if you want to save money but still be healthy: buy white pasta half the time and whole grain pasta the other half of the time. This is a good compromise between living as cheaply as possible and being frugal.
Here is a list of pasta dishes to inspire you the next time you decide to make a dish with this ingredient:
- Lasagnas
- Carbonara
- Casseroles
- Spaghetti
- Pesto bakes
- Fetticine alfredo
… and tons more!
Flour
Flour is another frugal food you should include on your list of cheap foods to buy. Why? It’s versatile, can be stored for a long time, and can be used to make tons of different dishes, including the following:
- Breads
- Pasta
- Biscuits
- Yorkshire Puddings
- Pizza
- Baked goods such as muffins and cookies
Not sure where to get started? Why not start with making your own bread? Homemade bread is easy to make and one of the best cheap food items. Why? Flour is cheap – and to make bread, typically, all you need is flour, yeast, water, sugar and salt. Another great point about homemade bread: it generally tastes better. What’s better than peanut butter spread over fresh, fluffy bread? If you’re interested in making your own bread, check out this homemade bread recipe from Frugal Family Home.
Fruits and Vegetables
Frozen Vegetables
Frozen vegetables is another essential item to add to your list of cheap food to buy. Why frozen vegetables as opposed to fresh? They’re cheaper than fresh vegetables, but they’re just as healthy. Additionally, if you’re a busy person, you don’t have to worry about the vegetables going bad after a week. They’ll keep for several weeks in your freezer! Use frozen vegetables in soups, as a side to meat and potatoes and more.
Potatoes
Potatoes are delicious, filling and nutritious. They’re my favorite budget food – why? Their versatility and nutrition value. You can do so much with potatoes – baking, mashing, boiling… and more!
Additionally, they’re full of potassium and Vitamin C. Perfect for contributing to your daily intake of vitamins and minerals! Potatoes are a great side dish. Why not do sliced potatoes on the side with your burger or sausage instead of French fries? Want potatoes as the main course and have a family of four or more? Make frugal family meals easy by whipping up a tasty Shepherd’s pie! Inexpensive meals for large groups often include potatoes, and it’s easy to see why: they’re filling, cheap and easy to cook.
Is it summertime? Potato salad is a great addition to your roster of summer meals on a budget. There are so many cheap potato recipes out there for you to try.
If you’re bored of always using white or Yukon Gold potatoes, try out some sweet potatoes! Make a sweet potato soup or cube up some potatoes, bake them and have them as a side for your salmon and asparagus.
Looking for inspiration? Check out this article on budget potato dishes.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are an incredibly versatile fruit (not a vegetable!). Use them in soups, stews, on salads or make sauces with them. They’re super cheap and can be used in many ways. Personally, I go through at least 3-4 tomatoes a week. If you’re a family of 6, you’ll go through a lot more of them – if you’re using them for sandwiches and at least 1 entree, you’ll likely go through at least 5 or 6.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are yet another food to buy on a budget. They’re a tasty way to add some umami flavor to create delicious frugal dinners. They contain protein, iron, Vitamin C, fibre and magnesium, so they’re a great way to contribute to your daily vitamin and nutrient intake. Here are just a few examples of the many ways you can add mushrooms to your diet:
- In a beef stroganoff
- As a side to your main dish of meat and potatoes
- In a cream-based soup, such as broccoli cheddar soup – instead of using canned cream of mushroom soup!
- As a vegetarian burger patty
- In a stir-fry
- Part of a coconut curry dish
… and more! There are tons of ways to add this cheap and tasty staple to your diet.
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Apples
Struggling to include fruit in your diet? Fruit is stereotypically expensive. However, it really isn’t – depending on what you buy! Apples are a great source of Vitamin C and can be used in tons of different dishes or on their own. You can use apples in a pie, blend them in a fresh juice or just eat them plain with a side of peanut butter!
Bananas
No cheap frugal foods list is complete without bananas on it. These tasty fruits are packed with potassium and can be used in so many different frugal recipes and dishes, including:
- In a fruit bowl
- On cereal
- In a smoothie
- In muffins and cookies
Frozen Blueberries
Frozen fruit is a great way to add some vitamins to your diet while staying on budget. Blueberries are somewhat reasonably-priced and can go a long way. You can create smoothies with blueberries, add them into muffins and pancakes, create a sauce with them for cheesecake, and much more. Buying frozen blueberries in bulk is the best way to save money, so if you see the larger package at the store, compare the cost per unit with the smaller package. If the larger package is cheaper, then go ahead and buy it! You’ll save money in the long run.
Other Proteins For Your List of Cheap Foods to Buy
Eggs
Eggs are another amazing cheap and frugal food that you have to include on your frugal grocery list. You can add boiled eggs as a side snack to your lunch of a peanut butter sandwich and apple, slice it on toast for breakfast, and make omelettes, scrambled eggs, soft boiled eggs, and more. Eggs are full of protein and will keep you full for a long time.
Peanut Butter
Peanut butter – another filling and tasty food! It’s a great budget food that’s chock full of protein. Peanut butter is an incredibly diverse food that can be used in smoothies, on waffles, pancakes, and even in savory dishes like African Peanut stew. If you’re going for simple dishes, you can use it as a spread on your morning toast every day.
If you want to be healthier, go for natural peanut butter. However, it’s more expensive than regular peanut butter. When you’re truly trying to live as cheaply as possible, go for the regular peanut butter.
Snacks
Popcorn
I’ve covered various beans, starches, grains and vegetables you can buy to save money, but what about snack foods? Popcorn kernels are super cheap. They’re a lot cheaper than buying chip bags time and time again! Just invest in a homemade popcorn maker and you’ll save hundreds of dollars in the long run! Popcorn is a lot healthier than chips as well. Win-win for your wallet and your health!
Cheapest Meals to Save Money
I’ve covered the essential list of cheap foods to buy and some meal ideas, but what if you’re super broke? Here is a list of the cheapest meals to save money when funds are tight. I’ve used many of the foods from the list of the cheapest ones:
- Eggs or peanut butter on toast made with homemade bread
- White pasta with lentils and tomato sauce
- Peanut butter banana smoothie with almond milk
- Lentil stew with white rice on the side
- Chickpea salad with tomatoes and cucumbers
- Homemade banana pancakes topped with blueberries
- Beef mushroom stroganoff
This is just a list to give you inspiration and help you get started. There are so many different ways to mix and match food combinations. Just because you’re on a budget doesn’t mean you can’t be creative! Try swapping out different types of beans in your salads. Next time you’re in the grocery store, try out a different type of mushroom. Never tried portobello? Shake things up from your regular purchase of white button mushrooms.
Final Thoughts on the Cheapest Foods
If you’re on a tight budget or simply looking to save money, create and stick to a list of cheap foods to buy. Create good habits, including checking your pantry, fridge and freezer before going out shopping, sticking to a grocery list and meal prepping. Cheap foods can still be healthy! When you create good habits including sticking to a frugal grocery list and see how much money you’re saving, you won’t want to stop!
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by planning, shopping and cooking, why not try out a frugal meal planner? There are thousands of options out there to help you on your frugal cooking journey.
Frugal cooking is fun – get on it!
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Janita is a frugal living expert and owner of Frugal Fun Finance. With over five years of personal experience finding and trying out the best ways to make and save more money, she's eager to share her knowledge. Janita's strategies have helped her save thousands of dollars for funding investments and traveling to over 20 countries.
Janita completed training in personal finance at The University of Western Ontario and McGill University, two prestigious Canadian universities. Her expertise has been shared on GoBankingRates, Yahoo Finance, and NASDAQ.com.
