Today we are going to be talking about the 5 cheap foods you need to have in your house to save you money on your grocery bill.
Stick around long enough on my blog and chances are you’ll hear me say that if you want to save money and need an easy place to start, begin in the kitchen.
The reason is because the grocery bill is one of the areas you can always find ways to adjust in my opinion. You can’t necessarily change your mortgage payments or your car payments, but you can change your grocery bill total.
No matter how tight your budget is, you can usually find ways to loosen it at least slightly with some changes to your shopping.
Also, sometimes money can be so tight you just need some ideas of what kinds of foods to buy when you only have a very small amount of cash until your next payday.
I get it. I’ve been there.
Today not only am I going to give you the 5 cheap foods you should have in your home to save money, but I’m also going to arm you with ideas of how to use those foods, as well as links to some recipes to get you started.
That way, if you just don’t cook with that food often you’ll have an idea of what to do with it.
These are basic staples that can be used in a variety of different ways, to accompany many different meals. I love how there are certain foods that you can eat multiple nights in a row but you don’t tire of them because you can make them a ton of different ways.
For some reason, when we think of cheap foods, we think “unappetizing.” However, I have found that is simply not true. Yes, there can be foods that are super cheap that just don’t taste good, but there are so many insanely cheap foods that are so delicious. A lot of it has to do with how you prepare it.
But, what if you aren’t a good cook? Well, in the words of the movie Ratatouille, “Anyone can Cook.” Some of us just have a lot to learn. If that is you, don’t feel discouraged. We are so fortunate to live in an age where information is right at our fingertips. When I was first married I didn’t really know how to cook much.
Yet, I read books, watched Youtube videos, and read tutorials online. I’ve learned how to cook so many things, even things at one point I didn’t like, only to discover that made differently I actually enjoyed the food.
Pork chops is one of them. I grew up on tough, leathery pork chops. I know many of you can relate. 🙂 It was just how everyone cooked them back then. However, I have since learned that with a tasty marinade, and either pan frying them in a cast iron pan or better yet, cooking them on the grill, they can rival a juicy steak!
So, no matter what foods you are buying that need to fit into your budget, there are usually always ways to make them taste delicious.
5 CHEAP FOODS YOU SHOULD HAVE IN YOUR HOUSE TO SAVE MONEY
POTATOES
Oh, the beloved potato. If you didn’t fall in love with potatoes as a child with the mashed version, you fell in love with them when chips entered your life.
I mean, everyone loves potatoes. Unless you are my ten year old. He declares potatoes is mortal enemy.
I wish I was joking. I can’t make this stuff up.
I mean, everyone gets to hate one food, right? He’s hated potatoes since birth, even after trying them dozens of times again. So, he gets a pass on eating potatoes.
But, it is really a shame, because potatoes are AH-MAZE-ING.
Anyways, some ways you can make potatoes:
Mashed
Baked
Roasted
French Fries
Scallop Potatoes
Some cheap recipes that use potatoes:
Loaded Potato Soup
Ham and Cheese Potatoes (this is one of our new favorites around here. Quick, cheap, and easy and it uses the slow cooker!)
Scallop Potatoes
Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
Greek Lemon Roasted Potatoes (one of our favorite side dishes!)
PASTA
Ah. The ultimate comfort food. There’s not much more I need to say about pasta besides, yum.
Ways you can make pasta:
Boiled pasta with sauce
Pasta Salads
Fried (yes, fried spaghetti is amazing!)
Baked in casseroles
In soups
Some cheap recipes that use pasta:
Fried Spaghetti with Cheddar, Tomatoes, and Onions
Easy Macaroni Salad
Roasted Garlic Mac and Cheese
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Baked Pasta Casserole
BREAD
Bread is so versatile. And if you make your own you feel like you are eating a gourmet dinner every. Single. Time. Plus, if you have kids like mine that are growing and constantly hungry, accompanying dinner with something “breadish” really helps fill their hollow legs.
Ways you can make bread:
Sandwich Bread
Dinner rolls
Biscuits
Pizza
Some cheap recipes that use bread:
Rosemary and Garlic Skillet Rolls
Biscuits and Gravy
Sloppy Joe French Bread Pizza
Pizza
Ham and Cheese Sliders
RICE
I adore rice. Which is pretty crazy because for the first 26 years of my life I didn’t like it and wouldn’t eat it. Then when I was 26 I had it again and I discovered I loved the stuff! Thankfully my whole family loves it which is great because it is SO cheap!
Ways to use rice:
Fried rice
In soups
Steamed
Added to meatballs
Some cheap recipes that use rice
Porcupine Meatballs
Chicken and Rice soup
Fried rice
Cilantro lime rice
Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole
EGGS
I used to think that besides some scrambled eggs, or your morning sunny side up version, what more could you do with eggs? Turns out, a lot.
Ways to use eggs:
Hard-boiled
Fried
Poached
Baked
Egg salad
Some cheap recipes that use eggs
Dutch Pancake (this is our new favorite lunch!)
Baked Cheddar Eggs and Potatoes
Shredded Sweet Potato Egg Nests
Creamy Avocado Salad with Crispy Bacon
Eggs Benedict
These foods are ones that every frugal home should have in their kitchen to help them save money. Grocery prices continue to rise, but there are still ways you can reduce the price of your grocery bill.
Meal planning is a great way to save money as well. We often spend more money when we are not prepared. If we go to the story without a grocery list, if we don’t know what we’re making for dinner and we’re tired at 5:00, these are ways we can overspend, end up at a takeout place, and it just prevents us from staying within budget.
The kitchen printable pack I have in my printable shop has helped me with this. Complete with all the templates I need to save money in my kitchen, it’s what keeps me on track, and within my budget! You can check it out here.
Sadly, 4 of the 5 items are not diabetic friendly. And I truly love them all. Any suggestions for lower carb basics? I was recently diagnosed with diabetes and am struggling with giving up potatoes, rice, pasta and bread. I know there is higher protein pasta, but it’s more expensive. And whole grain bread is better than not. Healthy food seems to always cost more.
Your email today told the story of your youth, and how difficult it was. I was very moved. And I want to tell you that your are an inspiration and your insights are both welcome and valuable. Wonderful job!
Thank you for such kind words, they mean so much to me. 🙂 Yes, unfortunately, when it’s the most cheapest foods, it’s hard to find them diabetic friendly. Right now I am doing a no-sugar month, and I’m eating a lot of salads, and buying in season. I use lettuce I’ve grown, and I buy the produce that is in the flyer often. Can diabetics eat brown rice? It is more expensive than white rice but cheaper than many other products. Black beans is something we use around here too. Lifestyle changes are hard, but one day at a time and they get easier. Here’s a site that has some budget-friendly recipes for diabetics. https://diatribe.org/low-cost-low-carb-19-diabetes-recipes-fit-bill
Thank you for your suggestions. She has some interesting stuff there and I’ll explore it more thoroughly. Pretty much all rice is high in net carbs except for a mix of brown and wild rice. I assume straight wild rice has fewer still. But it isn’t cheap as you know. And black beans have a reasonable amount of net carbs and I like them. I’m sure I’ll figure it out in time.
Again, thank you for your help and for all that you do here.
I was allergic to potatoes, pasta, eggs and bread for 27 years and now that I can eat them again they are sooooo good! I always make extra when I boil potatoes for mashed potatoes so that I can toss them in a skillet with some olive oil and brown them for a breakfast side dish. These simple foods are big money makers on restaurant menus because most everyone loves them. Our oldest daughter would not eat FF as a child. Go figure.
Kids are so funny, eh? We think they are going to eat those kid friendly foods, and some just don’t like them! That is so sad that you were allergic to all those delicious things for so long but what a blessing that you can eat them now!