For filling snacks and breakfast items, oats are cheap and easy to make. Rice is a must for a budget grocery list. If you need some recipe ideas, check out my Chicken and Rice Casserole , or my Dump and Bake Italian Meatball and Rice Casserole recipe. Pasta is another filling food that can be used in a variety of different ways.

They can be easily added to stews, chili, and soup, or you can use them for pizza and pasta sauce, lasagna, and DIY salsa. I regularly use canned tomatoes to make my Dump-and-Bake Salsa Chicken recipe.

Canned chickpeas can be used straight away, whereas dried chickpeas need to be prepared by soaking them overnight so they can expand and soften. Extra virgin olive oil is the least processed type, meaning it retains its vitamins and antioxidants, making it a healthier oil overall. It can be used for all types of cooking as well as drizzling, dipping, seasoning, and marinating, and is great for DIY salad dressings as an alternative to pricey bottled dressings.

Lentils are great for stews, soups, curries, and salads. Salt is a must-have for a well-stocked pantry. Beyond sprinkling it on just about everything, you can use it for DIY seasoning on meat and vegetables, preserving items, and pickling although pickling salt is recommended for the latter, which can be used as table salt if you want.

Buying salt in bulk will save you money, and you can also use it around the house for getting stains out of coffee cups and pots, sanitizing cutting boards, and for restoring worn sponges just soak them in salt and water overnight. Adding pepper to your recipes can transform the taste.

Another addition to your budget grocery list is apple cider vinegar, which can be used in numerous recipes and can be used for cleaning up afterward. I use it in many of my recipes including my Roasted Chicken Breast with Molasses and Apples and my Cowboy Baked Beans.

Or, combine it with olive oil for an easy salad dressing or marinade. Chicken stock is a versatile and cheap pantry item that can be used to create sauces, gravy, chicken stew, and soups.

To save some cash, consider baking your own bread! My dinner rolls and easy homemade bread are two great beginner bread recipes to get you started. Sugar is another must-have for your budget grocery list.

Not to mention, between , the cost of bakery products and cereal saw the highest increase among individual grocery items a By baking instead of buying pre-made products like cakes, cookies, breakfast pastries, and more you can save some cash.

Baking powder and baking soda can be used in a variety of dishes and are necessities for home bakers. If you want to save cash on store-bought baked goods by baking your own, both of these ingredients should be in your pantry.

When considering which budget-friendly groceries to buy, stick to produce that can be used in multiple ways. For example, onion and garlic are used for pasta dishes, stews, casseroles, and more, while potatoes can be a great breakfast item like hash browns, or a chilled lunch side like potato salad.

Whenever possible, buy in bulk to reduce costs even further. You can also prep and freeze certain produce to use later. Onions are a must-have as almost every savory recipe calls for them.

This is one produce item that you can buy in bulk to reduce the cost without worrying about them expiring in a couple of days. If you store them correctly in a cool, dark, and dry place, onions should last for months. Much like onions, garlic is a staple item in most kitchens.

Potatoes are an incredibly versatile and economical food with a fairly long shelf life about two months if stored in the refrigerator. They can be mashed, baked, roasted, fried, and steamed and are great for filling up hungry bellies.

Cabbage is a cheap, long-lasting vegetable that can be used in different ways. You can add it to recipes such as hearty stews and soup or create a tasty side dish.

For an easy cabbage recipe that you can make in bulk and stash away in the freezer, try my Crockpot Cabbage Soup recipe. They can be eaten raw as a healthy snack or roasted, baked, and steamed. Plus, they make a colorful addition to soups and salads.

One of my favorite things to do with carrots is to make homemade carrot cake. Celery is a budget-friendly vegetable with a distinct and unique flavor that can be added to multiple recipes. To prolong the life of your celery, place it in a jar with a small amount of water.

Lemons are great for adding an acidic kick to your dishes and can be used in both savory and sweet recipes. They make great marinades and dressings as well, like my Lemon Vinaigrette.

For example, powdered milk is a cheap alternative to fresh milk. Sweet cream butter is often the cheapest option, and since butter can be easily frozen until you need it, if you see a deal, stock up! If you really want smooth whipped butter, you can make your own!

My Honey Butter recipe is a perfect option for spreading on cornbread or biscuits. Instead of buying smaller containers of flavored yogurt, buy non-fat yogurt in larger containers and add cinnamon, honey, raisins, or other flavors yourself.

Plus, yogurt can be used as an egg substitute in baking if the cost of eggs is too high. Avoid the pre-sliced cheese bags and save some cash by grating your own cheese. Opt for harder cheese like Cheddar, Colby, Gouda, parmesan, and Swiss, which last several weeks in the refrigerator after being opened.

If you need some hearty meal ideas to stretch your budget, check out my Stovetop Mac and Cheese and my Cheese Grits recipe. Frozen items last much longer than fresh and can be portioned out, which means less waste in the long run.

You can also save even more money by freezing your leftovers for another day. Frozen mixed vegetables like peas, carrots, corn, and beans , provide a good selection of different nutrients and are one of the most affordable bags of frozen veggies. Berries can be added to a number of items including desserts, overnight oats, or cereals.

There are numerous ways to cook with tomato paste including topping fish and making barbeque sauce. While you can easily find canned tomato paste at most supermarkets, Aquilino prefers the kind available in a tube. Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising.

Use profiles to select personalised advertising. Create profiles to personalise content. Use profiles to select personalised content. Measure advertising performance. Measure content performance. Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources.

Develop and improve services. Use limited data to select content. List of Partners vendors. By Amanda Lauren. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why!