At most markets there are certain foods that are almost always good buys. In different areas of the country these foods will vary, sometimes considerably. For instance Grits are a great buy in the Southern US but in Australia they are impossible to find. Conversely, there are good buys in Australian supermarkets that I will never see here in the States. Regional differences demand that each person customize this list for themselves. To help you on your way I provide my list as an example. These foods will not be right for everyone. Use my list as a spring board for making your own.
Consider all of the stores where you normally shop. For me this includes a discount super-store with a massive grocery section, a warehouse store, natural foods store, small ethnic market and a dollar store. Some of these places I only visit a few times a year, others I may visit as often as once a week. Each store has different products that are available inexpensively on a regular basis. Remember, this list should contain the items that you consistently find at a reasonable price, without a sale.
The point of making this list is to discover the foods that are most available to you. These foods should make up the bulk of your purchases and your cooking week-in and week-out. Once you have a clear idea of which items you can consistently afford, you can begin to collect dishes and recipes based upon these ingredients.
Here's an example from my kitchen. Sirloin steak is seldom cheap enough for my budget. Even when it's on sale I can buy 2 pounds of ground beef for the price of 1 pound of Sirloin Steak. Since I know that steak is not in my budget then it would be silly for me to collect 5 or 10 recipes on how to use it. Even if my family loves sirloin, the high price makes it a special occasion meal only. On the other hand ground meat, either beef or turkey, is very reasonably priced. I can afford to serve it several times a week if need be. The family quickly tires of burgers and spaghetti so I owe it to myself and to them to discover new ways to make ground meat appealing. I need to keep my eye out for new ground meat dishes to add variety to our daily diet. When I look for new recipes a quick check of the ingredients will tell me if they call for exotic items that I'm not likely to have on hand, or if they are made from affordable basics that are on my list of budget staples. The recipes that use budget foods are worth trying. The recipes that do not and cannot be adapted to budget foods, should be passed by completely.
Another important note, it is not necessary to buy all of the items on the list. Some of these groceries I keep on hand regularly and others I only buy for specific purposes. The point is that I know the foods on this list are reasonably priced and I can count on them to be affordable on a regular basis. By following this method of identifying my best buys and then developing dishes and menus based on these items, I automatically reduce the money I spend on groceries. The process is ongoing. Your list will change as you discover new resources and decide you can make do without certain items. As you refine your list you'll be amazed that the products you used to think you couldn't live without are now needless expenses that you happily do without or make yourself at a fraction of the cost.
Click Here for a printable PDF file of Consistently Low-Priced Foods.
Click Here for information about the extras that I buy when I have the cash.
Meats:
-
1 lb "bullets" of ground turkey, frozen
- 1 lb
"bullets" of turkey sausage, frozen
- 12 to 16 lb
Whole Turkeys, frozen
- 10 lb bags
of Chicken Leg Quarters, fresh
- 1 lb packs
of Chicken Hotdogs, fresh
- 1 lb packs
of Chicken Baloney, fresh
- Large
packages of Turkey Ham, various weights, fresh
- 12-oz
packages of Turkey Bacon, fresh
- 2 lb
packages of whiting, pollack or trout fillets, frozen
- 3 lb
packages of Catfish pieces, frozen
- 6-oz cans
of Tuna
- 14-oz cans of Salmon
Dairy
-
20 or 22 Quart Boxes of Instant Nonfat Dry Milk Powder
- Gallon Jugs
of Whole Milk
- 12-oz cans
of Evaporated Whole Milk
- 12-oz tub
of Powdered Buttermilk
- 2 lb bags
of Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
- 2 lb bags
of Cheddar Cheese
- 2 lb bags
of Colby/Jack Mexican style Cheese
- 8-oz boxes
of Neufchatel or Cream Cheese
- 5lb blocks
of Sliced American Cheese
- 8-oz jar of
Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Small cup
of plain yogurt (for culturing my own yogurt)
- Dozen Medium Eggs
Legumes
-
3 & 5 lb jars of peanut butter
- 1 lb jars
of dry roasted peanuts
- 12 &
16-oz packages of tofu
- Plain
Textured Vegetable Protein, bulk
- 4-oz jars
of Soy Bacon Bits
- Soy Beans,
bulk, dry
- 1 lb bags
of Lentils, dry
- 1 lb bags
of Split Peas, dry
- 10 lb bags
of Pinto Beans, dry
- 1 lb bags
of Kidney Beans, dry
- 1 lb bags
of Black Beans, dry
- 2 lb bags
of small white beans like Great Northern or Navy, dry
- 1 lb bags
of Lima Beans, dry
- 1 lb bags of Chick Peas, dry & 15-oz cans
Vegetables
-
5 lb bags of broccoli, frozen
- 1 lb bags
of Brussels sprouts, frozen
- Cabbage, fresh
- 5 lb bags
of carrots, fresh
- 1 lb bags
of cauliflower, frozen
- Celery, fresh
- 5 lb bags
of corn, frozen & 15-oz cans with no added salt
- Cucumbers, fresh
- Garlic,
fresh or in 16-oz jars
- 5 lb bags
of green beans, frozen & 15-oz cans with no added salt
- Green Bell
Peppers, fresh & frozen
- 1 lb bags
of Greens: Collards, Kale, Turnip, Mustard & Spinach, frozen
- Heads of
Lettuce; fresh
- 5 lb bags
of classic mixed vegetables, frozen
- 1 lb bags
of mixed vegetables, frozen: California & Italian styles
- Mushrooms,
4-oz cans & fresh
- 3 & 5
lb bags of onions, fresh
- 5 lb bags
of Oriental style mixed vegetables, frozen
- 5 lb bags
of peas, frozen & 15-oz cans with no added salt
- 1 lb bags
of peas & carrots, frozen
- 10 lb bags
of potatoes
- 5 lb bags
of frozen french fries
- 1 lb boxes
of instant mashed potatoes
- 15-oz
pumpkin, canned
- Radishes, fresh
- 26-oz
Spaghetti Sauce, canned
- 1 lb bags
of Seeds for Sprouting
- 29-oz sweet
potatoes, canned
- 15-oz &
29-oz tomatoes, canned with no added salt
- 6 &
12-oz tomato paste, canned with no added salt
- 8-oz tomato sauce, canned with no added salt
Fruits & Juice
-
50-oz jars of unsweetened Applesauce
- Apples, Fresh
- 12-oz cans
of Apples Juice Concentrate, canned or frozen
- Bananas, Fresh
- 12-oz cans
of Mixed Berry Juice Concentrate, canned
- 4 lb bags
of Blueberries, frozen, no sugar added
- 12-oz cans
of Grape Juice Concentrate, canned or frozen
- 12-oz cans
of Grapefruit Juice Concentrate, frozen
- 32-oz
bottles of Lemon Juice from concentrate
- 29-oz cans
of Mixed Fruit, no sugar added
- 4 lb bags
of Mixed Fruit, frozen, no sugar added
- Oranges, Fresh
- 12-oz &
16-oz cans of Orange Juice concentrate, frozen
- 29-oz cans
of Peaches, no sugar added
- 29-oz cans
of Pears, no sugar added
- 20-oz cans
of Pineapple, no sugar added
- 8-oz boxes
of Prunes
- 16-oz boxes
of Raisins
- 4 lb bags of Strawberries, frozen, no sugar added
Grains & Starches
-
5 lb bags of Unbleached All-purpose flour
- 5 lb bags
of Unbleached Self-Rising Flour
- 5 lb bags
of Unbleached Bread Flour
- 5 lb bags
of Whole Wheat Flour
- 5 lb bags
of Whole Grain Cornmeal
- 5 lb bags
of Rye Flour
- 5 lb bags
of Quick Grits
- Bulk Wheat
Germ, from health food store bins
- Bulk Wheat Bran
- Bulk Bulgur Wheat
- Quick
and/or Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
- 2 lb boxes
of Farina
- 5 lb sacks
of Converted Rice
- 5 lb sacks
of Long Grain Brown Rice
- 1 lb bags
of Pearl Barley
- 1 lb boxes
of whole wheat spaghetti
- 1 lb boxes
of whole wheat macaroni
- 1 lb boxes
of whole wheat egg noodles
- 2 lb bags
of popcorn kernels
- 18-oz boxes
of cornflakes
- 12-oz bags
of puffed wheat
- 15-oz boxes
of Toasted O's
- 1 lb boxes
of Saltines with unsalted tops
- 1 lb boxes of Graham Crackers
Baking Supplies
-
5 lb bags of white sugar
- 2 & 5
lb bags of powdered sugar
- 2 & 5
lb bags of brown sugar
- 4 lb jars
of honey
- 12-oz jars
of molasses
- 32-oz
bottles of cornsyrup
- Imitation
Maple Flavoring
- 24-oz
bottles of Reduced-Calorie Maple Flavored Pancake Syrup
- 2 lb
packages of Yeast
- 8-oz cans
of baking powder
- 1 lb boxes
of baking soda
- 1 lb boxes
of cornstarch
- 8-oz tubs
of unsweetened cocoa
- 8-oz boxes
of unflavored gelatin
- 8-oz
bottles of imitation Vanilla flavoring
- 2-oz bottles of imitation Almond flavoring
Fats
-
1 pound boxes of 70% oil stick margarine
- 1 & 3
lb tubs of Smart Balance margarine
- 3 lb cans
of Smart Balance vegetable shortening
- 1-Gallon
bottles of Canola Oil
- 48-oz
bottles of Corn Oil
- 2-quart
bottles of Olive Oil
- 8-oz spray cans of Nonstick Spray
Non-Nutritive Beverages
-
Ground Coffee, in the big can
- 8-oz jars
Instant Coffee
- 100 count
Tea Bags
- 3-oz jars
Instant Tea
- Herbal Tea
- Non-Dairy Powdered Coffee Creamer
Condiments
-
Low Sodium Bouillon Cubes
- Dry Onion
Soup Mix
- Hot Sauce
- 100% Fruit
Jam or Jelly
- Ketchup
- Mayonnaise
- Yellow Mustard
- Pickles
- Salsa
- Soy Sauce
- Vinegar
- Worcestershire Sauce
Herbs & Spices (arranged this way to save space)
-
Salt & Pepper
- Onion
Powder & Garlic Powder
- Chili
Powder & Cumin
- Cayenne
Pepper & Paprika
- Basil & Oregano
- Cinnamon
& Nutmeg
- Ginger &
Cloves
- Poultry Seasoning
- Curry
Powder & Turmeric
- Dry Onion Flakes & Dry Celery Flakes
Extras I buy when I have the Cash or when they are on super sale
-
Chicken Breasts
- Whole
Turkey Breasts
- 3 lb bags
of dried Apricots
- 12-oz bags
of Chocolate Chips
- 16-oz bags
of Marshmallows
- 12-oz bags
of Coconut
- 14-oz cans
of Coconut Milk
- 6-oz cans
Water Chestnuts
- 6-oz cans
Bamboo Shoots
- 4-oz cans
Green Chilis
- 15-oz cans
Refried Beans
- 4 &
8-oz jars Pimiento or Roasted Red Peppers
- Chow Mein Noodles
- Egg Roll Wrappers
- Liquid
Smoke Seasoning
- Tahini
(sesame seed paste)
- Sesame Oil
- Oyster Sauce
- Thai Fish Sauce
- Green Curry Paste
- Bottled
Lime Juice
- Dried Mushrooms
- Dried Chili Peppers
- Canned
Chipotle Peppers in adobo sauce
- Bulk Sesame Seeds
- 1 lb bags
of hulled Sunflower Seeds
- 8-oz bags
of pecans
- 8-oz bags of walnuts
About the Extras
You'll notice
at the end of my list that there is a separate category for foods I
buy when I find them on sale or when I have extra cash on hand (not
very often). For example, my family and I eat
chicken-leg-quarters because they are so cheap. We like breast
meat though, and when chicken breasts are on sale I stock up.
At their normal price I can't afford them, but on sale they add
another dimension to our meals.
Aside from sale meats the rest of these foods add variety and exotic flavors to our diet. Goodies like coconut, chocolate chips, marshmallows and nuts are yummy for baking. A new ethnic foods market opened up nearby so I've been able to add foods like coconut milk, chipotle peppers and green curry paste. These make even the most boring meals exciting and new. Most of these flavorings last for a long time so they seldom need replacement, and at the new market they turn out to be quite affordable. A few of the canned vegetables in this category don't add much nutrition but they do add variety. My local Dollar Store has begun carrying green chili peppers, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts for 50¢ a can. When I'm experimenting with new dishes these little extras are nice to have. I can't afford to use these types of things in every meal, but now and then they liven things up at a reasonable price.
If you have favorite foods that you can only afford under specific circumstances then write them down in this category. You will not always be able to buy them, but when they are affordable you'll be one step ahead of the game. This also eliminates or at least diminishes feelings of deprivation that sometimes crop up on a tight budget. You know that when the time is right you will make room for something special.
After completing your list put it in your kitchen binder and refer to it as needed. It's a great help for making menus, evaluating new recipes and making out your shopping lists.
