It’s hard to stick to a budget when you’re trying to eat healthily.
Eating healthy can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be.
We’ve put together a list of 29 cheap groceries that are both healthy and affordable. From fruits and vegetables to meat and dairy, we’ve got you covered.
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Finding The Cheapest Groceries
For cheap groceries, it’s best to stick to what you know.
That means sticking to the low-cost foods that are available at any grocery store. We know impulse buys of junk food and other expensive items are easy to do when shopping with a grocery budget.
To stop this from happening, stick to the cheaper food categories like fruits, vegetables, grains, and meats.
Cheapest Fresh Vegetables
Potatoes
It sounds weird, but potatoes are the cheapest vegetable at the grocery store. One bag of potatoes is only a few bucks, and a single potato is a fairly cheap source of carbohydrates.
You can also freeze them for later use or bake them in your oven to eat as snacks.
Other ways to use potatoes include boiling them with eggs for breakfast, mashing them with low-fat milk and black pepper for dinner, or shredding them with lean ground beef to make a hearty sauce for baked pasta.
Carrots
A bag of carrots costs about as much as a bag of potatoes and has twice the nutritional value. Carrots offer you five grams of your daily recommended fiber and vitamins A, C, and K.
You can buy carrots whole for cheap or invest in a simple vegetable spiralizer to turn them into pasta-style noodles that will taste just like regular spaghetti.
Carrots have almost two days’ worth of vitamin A and they’re low in calories and high in fiber.
They’re also versatile. You can eat them raw, boil them, or bake them into your favorite recipes.
Sweet Potatoes
A white potato may be the cheapest vegetable, but sweet potatoes are the cheapest form of carbohydrate.
Every bag is filled with 20 grams of healthy carbohydrates and five grams of fiber.
They also have half your daily recommended intake for vitamin A, 25 percent for vitamin C, and one gram for calcium.
You can bake them or boil them for a great side dish, but you can also use sweet potatoes in place of primary ingredients like flour or oil.
Dry Beans
A bag of dry beans is one of the cheapest sources of protein at your local grocery store.
Dry beans are inexpensive, long-lasting, and incredibly high in complex carbohydrates, fiber, protein, vitamins A and B6, iron, calcium, sodium, thiamin, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and niacin.
With dry beans, you can make your own easy and affordable chili or soup.
You can also use them as a meat substitute in dishes where you’d traditionally add ground beef or pork.
Onions
Onions are the most versatile of all the cheap vegetables.
They’re rich in vitamin C, A, B6, and potassium. They have anti-inflammatory properties that help fight heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, muscle aches, and pain from exercise.
You can eat them raw, roast them to add extra flavor to a cheap dinner recipe, or even caramelize them for desserts.
Onions are a great way to bulk up a meal and make it more filling for less money.
Lettuce
Head lettuce is the cheapest form of green.
It’s also one of the healthiest vegetables you can buy, with almost two days’ worth of vitamin A and five grams of healthy fiber.
Romaine and iceberg lettuces are equally cheap and boast several times your daily recommended intake for vitamins A and K.
Lettuce is also a great source of folate, which can help protect your heart from disease.
Cabbage
Cabbage is a cheap way to eat healthily.
It’s rich in vitamins C and K, folate, and dietary fiber.
You can find cabbage at any grocery store for just a few dollars.
It’s great as a salad ingredient or you can steam it with lemon juice for a simple side dish that will help bring out the flavor of the rest of your meal.
Cheapest Fruits
Apples
It may sound weird, but apples are the cheapest fruit at the grocery store.
One bag of apples costs about five bucks and has more than three grams of fiber.
Apples also have vitamins A, C, E, B6, thiamin, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper riboflavin, folate, pantothenic acid, and calcium.
They’re also incredibly versatile.
You can eat them for breakfast with peanut butter or sliced cheese, boil them to make a healthy side dish or sauce for pork or chicken, or throw them into an easy salad with veggies like carrots and celery.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away!
Bananas
Bananas are a great way to add sweetness and bulk up a meal for a cheap price.
A bag of bananas only costs about three dollars, but you’ll get more than 100 calories from it without adding any fat or cholesterol to your diet.
One banana also has three grams of fiber and almost half the daily recommended intake for vitamin C.
Bananas are also full of potassium, which can help protect you from heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular conditions.
The skins can even be used to make your own all-natural sunscreen!
Oranges
Oranges are cheap, nutritious, and incredibly versatile.
One bag of oranges costs about three dollars and can give you more than 100 calories worth of energy to work with.
One orange also has more than two grams of fiber—great for your digestive system, heart health, and weight loss efforts.
They’re also full of vitamins C and A, magnesium, and potassium.
Oranges can be juiced or eaten whole as part of a healthy meal.
You can even use them to make your own fresh orange juice!
Cheapest Meats
Rotisserie Chicken
If you’re looking for cheap sources of protein, look no further than the grocery store deli counter.
It may be hard to resist the fried chicken, but when you compare the price per ounce, rotisserie chicken is one of the cheapest meats in the supermarket!
One rotisserie chicken costs an average of $5, but you can get three to four ounces of meat from each one.
That comes out to between 40 and 60 cents worth of protein per ounce!
Although rotisserie chicken is high in sodium, it’s still a great way to save money and stay healthy at the same time.
Chicken Thighs or Legs
Chicken thighs and legs are even cheaper than rotisserie chickens.
These cuts of meat average about 51 cents per ounce, which is a great price for the amount of protein you get from them.
You can find these in bulk packages at most grocery stores for just a few dollars apiece.
They also have more iron than chicken breasts do, making them an even healthier choice for your chicken salad sandwiches.
Ground Meat
Ground meat is one of the most versatile meats in the grocery store.
You can make your own healthy hamburgers, tacos, spaghetti sauce, or chili by adding veggies and spices to beef or turkey mince.
A bag of ground meat only costs an average of about $5 per pound at most stores.
That’s about 14 cents per ounce for protein.
Ground meat is also one of the cheapest sources of dietary fat out there, so you can feel free to cook up a half-pound even if your goal is weight loss!
Eggs
Eggs are also a great inexpensive source of protein.
One dozen eggs cost about $2, which comes out to just 16 cents per ounce of high-quality animal protein.
In addition to being cheap, eggs have been shown to improve memory and concentration in older people and stimulate muscle strength in younger adults.
They can also help you lose weight by giving you long-lasting energy that controls your appetite until lunchtime.
Cheapest Dairy
Milk
Milk is one of the cheapest sources of protein in the grocery store.
It’s also a good source of calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus, and potassium.
Since it’s fortified with vitamins A and B-12, you’ll get even more nutritional benefits from milk without adding excess calories or fat to your diet.
One gallon of milk costs about $3, which is about nine cents per ounce of protein.
Yogurt
Yogurt is another great source of protein that’s also packed with calcium, phosphorus, riboflavin, vitamin B-12, and potassium.
A 16-ounce container costs an average of about $2 at most stores.
That works out to just 10 cents per ounce of protein.
Greek yogurt has even more protein, so you might want to try that if you’re a fan of thick and creamy sauces or dips.
Cheese
If you like cheese, it’s hard to find an inexpensive food that gives you more bang for your buck.
Four ounces of cheddar cheese cost about $1.50 on average—that’s only 20 cents per ounce of protein!
Keep in mind that some cheeses are less healthy than others because they’re made with whole milk, cream, and butter.
If you do buy cheese as part of your groceries, make sure to choose those that are made with skim milk instead.
Cheapest Food That Will Last
Canned Fruits
Canned fruit is a great way to enjoy the ripest and freshest fruits all year round.
No matter what season it is, you can have as much as you want of cherries, peaches, pears, pineapple chunks—even whole fruit packed in 100% juice or light syrup.
These are just some of the cheapest fruits you’ll find in the grocery store.
You can buy a small can of fruit for as low as $1, which is only about five cents per ounce.
Canned Vegetables
Canned vegetables are another great source of healthy vitamins and minerals.
You can get everything from canned tomatoes, carrots, green beans, peas, corn, and other veggies to help you stay strong and keep your immune system in top shape.
A 12-ounce can cost about 70 cents on average—that’s only around eight to nine cents per ounce.
These veggies also contain fiber and antioxidants, so you’re getting some extra benefits for your money!
Canned Tuna
Canned tuna is a great source of protein that’s relatively low in fat.
It’s also very rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are linked to healthier brains and improved heart health.
You can buy 5-ounce cans for just 75 cents on average at most grocery stores.
That adds up to about eight cents per ounce of protein.
Canned meat products like tuna and chicken usually go on sale at least once or twice per month, so you can stock up and save even more money!
Frozen Vegetables
Frozen vegetables are convenient, they last for months at a time without spoiling, and they’re usually the cheapest option when you compare them to their fresh counterparts.
A 12-ounce bag costs about $1 on average—that’s only eight cents per ounce of veggies!
You can also use these frozen vegetables interchangeably with canned ones.
Since they’re pre-cooked, all you have to do is heat them up or add them to a recipe.
Canned Beans
Canned beans are among the cheapest sources of plant-based protein in the grocery store.
A 15-ounce can cost about 60 cents on average, which works out to only four or five cents per ounce of protein.
They’re also very versatile in recipes because you can use them alone or mix them with other ingredients for something completely different, like chili or a salad.
Cheapest Grains
Pasta
If you’re looking to go grain-free or are on a grocery budget, there are still some options for cheap whole grains.
According to USDA data, the cheapest option is pasta.
You can get 16 ounces of spaghetti or elbow macaroni for just $1 at most stores—that’s only eight cents per ounce! All you need is some pasta sauce for a delicious meal.
Oatmeal
Cereal and oatmeal are other popular breakfast foods for good reason.
They’re filling, they give you a dose of whole grains in the morning, and they cost very little when you compare them to cereals that come in fancy boxes.
A 16-ounce box of oats usually costs just over $2—and that’s only around three cents per ounce of carbs.
Cereals
Cereal is another popular breakfast staple because it tastes good and gives you the carbs, fiber, and other nutrients to get your day started.
A 16-ounce box usually goes for $2.50 or so—that’s only about 12 cents per ounce of carbs!
And if you’re watching your calories, opt for one that’s sugar-free and contains more fiber.
Macaroni and Cheese
Macaroni and cheese may just be the ultimate kid-friendly food.
But did you know it’s also one of the cheapest sources of protein in the grocery store?
You can get a box for about $1 at most stores—that’s only 13 cents per ounce of protein!
It’s also a great source of calcium and riboflavin, which is essential for metabolizing energy in the body.
The next time you’re trying to save money on cheap foods, make sure to keep these deals in mind.
Brown & White Rice
Brown rice and white rice both contain a good dose of fiber and carbs, and they’re relatively low in fat.
You can get 16 ounces of either one for about $1—that’s only around seven to eight cents per ounce.
Rice is also very versatile in recipes, which makes it even more convenient when you want to whip up a meal on a budget. Also, great cheap food if you are gluten-free.
Brown rice also contains protein, but white rice is higher in the amino acid lysine.
Both types of rice are great sources of numerous vitamins and minerals like magnesium, manganese, B-vitamins, zinc, and phosphorus.
Popcorn
Popcorn is an easy snack that’s loaded with fiber and antioxidants.
If you make it yourself, you’ll also be able to control the amount of salt and butter you put on top, which can help keep your food costs lower.
A three-pound bag usually goes for about $2 at most grocery stores—that works out to just under 10 cents per ounce.
Flour
White flour is among the cheapest ingredients at the grocery store.
You can get 16 ounces of all-purpose flour for just $1 at most stores—that works out to less than 10 cents per ounce!
But just because it’s cheap doesn’t mean you should go overboard on using it in your recipes.
If you’re trying to cut back on carbs or gluten, you’ll save even more money by using whole wheat flour instead.
One cup of all-purpose white flour is about 120 calories and contains around 24 grams of carbohydrates.
Whole wheat flour, meanwhile, has around the same number of carbohydrates but a lower calorie count—100 per cup.
3 Grocery Shopping Tips To Help You Save Money
- Look at bulk prices for larger quantities to see which products you could save on by buying in bulk.
- Go meatless a few times per week by using beans, tofu, or other cheap plant-based protein sources as your main dish.
- Canned and frozen vegetables are cheaper than fresh. They also have a longer shelf life. Frozen vegetables can be eaten without cooking them first, making them easier on your wallet and on your time.
Final Thoughts
We hope you’ve found some helpful tips for finding the cheapest groceries, and that these 29 cheap foods will help feed your family without breaking the bank.
Keep in mind that cooking at home is always cheaper than eating out or ordering takeout, so try to eat as many meals as possible at home!
If you need any more ideas for how to save money on food costs, check out our blog post with How To Meal Prep For Beginners. Good luck!
