Need ideas for budget grocery list?

Brown rice: It’s nearly as cheap as the white stuff, but because it still has the bran covering it (hence why it’s called a “whole” grain), brown rice is much better for you. You get essential minerals—like magnesium and zinc—plus tons more fiber. A cup of white rice has less than 1 gram of fiber, while the brown variety packs 3.5 grams of the heart-healthy stuff.

Carrots: You’ll pay a premium if you buy those uniform little baby carrots, but if you don’t mind doing your own peeling and cutting, you can get a bag of these for under a dollar. Try shredding them and adding them to a sandwich for extra crunch and a boost of fiber, beta carotene, potassium and vitamin C and B6.

Flank steak: Leaner cuts of red meat have less saturated fat and lots of good-for-you iron, zinc, protein and B vitamins. But these cheaper cuts also tend to be tough. So Moores suggests marinating the meat overnight in something acidic (a recipe that includes orange juice or vinegar, for example) to break apart the connective tissue and make the meat as tender and tasty as a much-pricier filet.

Sweet potatoes: Don’t save these for Thanksgiving dinner! Sweet potatoes should find their way into your diet all year round. A giant spud can cost as little as a dollar or two, and it’ll fill you up with significant amounts of beta carotene, potassium, fiber and calcium. Beyond the basic baked, try slicing them into “fries” and then roasting them in the oven in a pan with a little oil and salt.

Popcorn: The bucket you get at the movie theater is not only expensive, but it’s loaded with unhealthy fat and sodium. But if you air-pop it at home, you get a cheap fat-free, fiber-rich snack.

Canned tuna: There’s no denying that fish is good for your brain and your heart, but it can be a little tough on the budget. Cans of chunk light tuna are less expensive than albacore and deliver just as much omega-3 with less potentially harmful mercury. In addition to mixing it up for sandwiches (use healthier oil and vinegar instead of mayo), try tossing it into a tomato sauce or putting some on top of a salad.

Walnuts: Sure, nuts are high in fat, but it’s the good, monounsaturated kind. Plus, walnuts are a great source of cholesterol-lowering omega-3 fatty acids. Choose the kind you shell yourself over a jar of ready-to-eat nuts and you’ll save some cash.

Beans: This protein powerhouse gives you more nutritional bang for your buck than almost anything else you can buy. Black, pinto, garbanzo, lentil—they’re all low in fat, packed with fiber and folic acid, and have some calcium, zinc and potassium. You can buy them dry or make your life easier by getting ready-to-serve cans—still a bargain at less than a dollar for enough to serve at least two. Mix beans into salads, stir them into soup or chili, or just heat a can and dump them over rice for a fast—not fat—food meal.

Eggs: At about a dollar a dozen, eggs also can’t be beat when it comes to inexpensive protein—and not just at breakfast. Dietician Susan Moores suggests stirring a couple of beaten eggs into just-cooked pasta (the heat immediately cooks the eggs), then adding some fresh vegetables for a protein-rich pasta dinner.

Bananas: They’re readily available regardless of season, and usually average about 60 to 70 cents a pound. And bananas are an easily portable source of fiber, potassium and vitamin B6. If you find them on sale, try freezing what you can’t eat immediately, suggests Thayer. “Then take one out and use it in a smoothie to add great texture and extra nutrients without adding any fat,” she says

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Read the sale papers in the Sunday paper and in your junk mail. Try to make lists from some of the sale items. The week before the 4th of July the sales were great. We did a huge grocery trip to 2 stores, total I spent about $400, and I saved about $500. My husband is cooking pork tenderloin for dinner now, they are about $10 each, I got it on a buy one get one free sale. Buy in bulk. It's almost always cheaper. I buy 3 or 5 lbs of hamburger meat at once. You can do that, buy a couple boxes of hamburger helper, buy taco seasoning, and the stuff you need for spaghetti. You can make 3 meals from 3 lbs of hamburger meat. Buy a whole chicken for $7 and have it with rice a roni and canned green beans. My kids love sloppy joes and tater tots. Super cheap. Or macaroni and fishsticks and corn. You can even do breakfast for dinner every now and then. Pancakes and eggs and bacon isn't expensive. Tunafish sandwiches for lunch sometimes, salad.....you have lots of options. Just shop on sale as much as you can.

See if your local grocery store has a website - that may make menu planning easier. It should tell you what they are having specials on - and also pay attention to produce prices. Buying fresh veggies is always most economical when you buy what is in season - it also means that it more likely to be locally produced, which means it is also a lot fresher, and nicer and healthier than if it is picked before it gets ripened, trucked half way around the world for who-knows-how-long, then artificially ripened.

ideas budget grocery list

Oatmeal (the paper cylinder)

whole potatoes

rice

chicken

ramen noodles

carrots

bananas

apples

pretty much anything in the produce section actually is pretty cheap

Try to buy things that are not prepared ie raw broccoli instead of chopped frozen broccoli.

Some of the healthiest staples for the kitchen are also the cheapest.

Dry beans

brown rice

oats

potatoes

eggs

cabbage

carrots

celery

frozen chopped spinach or collard greens

corn meal

whole wheat flour

I love fruit smoothies so I buy whatever fruit is cheapest by the pound in the frozen fruit or fresh fruit section. Sometimes the frozen fruit wins! When fresh is on sale, I buy extra and freeze it. Buy fruits and veggies in season and compare to frozen prices. Once you do it a few times, you won't have to run back and forth between the two sections!

Unless you've been hiding under a rock for the last couple years, I'm sure you've heard of the Paleo Diet. Read here https://tr.im/6DgrA

I hate to even call it a diet, because it's really just the real way that humans have eaten for almost 1.9 Million years, as opposed to the modern-day processed food diet full of grains, sugars, and processed vegetable oils.

I make my weekly menu according to what meat is on sale that week. Kraft food and family website has easy and cheap recipe and meal ideas. They even have a weekly menu with shopping list included.

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