Survival Shopping:True Bargain Foods

Survival Shopping: True Bargain Foods

Published November 5, 2010

Stretch Your Dollars

When the budget is extremely tight, stretching grocery dollars to the max is vital. The article, “Survival Shopping: Eating Well on Less“, contains important tips for true “survival mode” shopping.

This article lists of dozens of foods available in grocery stores that meet the guidelines for true bargain foods. Sample prices are shown from an actual grocery store in Southern California in the fall of 2010. As prices vary widely by location and/or season, these prices may have little or no relationship to those you find at your local grocer.

Buying in bulk is key. The first six tables contain “meal foundation” foods of various kinds. These are foods that could form the foundation for a meal. They could be main entrées themselves, or could be included in recipes for main courses. After these tables, you will find several more tables for dairy foods, vegetables, fruits and juices, condiments, and so on.

If you can’t find your favorite food on these lists, it may still fit the criteria for a true bargain food. These are not exhaustive lists by any means. Many foods won’t be found here simply because they are too expensive at their regular prices to be considered great bargains. Consider this your starting list and add or subtract as you go.

Clip coupons to ramp up your savings.

Following the name of each food, you may find a few suggestions for how to eat it, or recipes to make that include it. For more ideas on recipes, check the index of your favorite cookbook by looking up the ingredient. Supercook.com and other websites also offer a convenient way to find recipes. You enter one or more ingredients and the site presents a list of yummy recipes.

If you have a favorite recipe that includes one or more of these ingredients, why not share it with our readers?

Bargain Meal Foundation: Meat and Eggs Bargain Meal Foundation Grains Bargin Meal Foundation: Beans Bargain Meal Foundation: Breads and Cereals. Meal Foundation: Miscellansious Meal Foundation: Food Groups

By Bill West

1. MEAL FOUNDATIONS—MEAT AND EGGS

	Fresh eggs	Omelet, hard boiled egg,	.99 / dozen = .08 ea.
		egg sandwich, scrambled eggs	1.89 /dozen = .16 ea.

	Canned tuna	In pasta dish, tuna sandwich	.69 to .91 / can

	Chicken, whole	Bake with garlic powder, spices	.77 / lb

	Bologna	In sandwiches,	.79 / lb
		pasta or rice dish

	Wieners or franks	In BBQ sauce over rice,	.92 / lb, turkey
		in hot dogs, in sandwiches	1.49 / lb, standard

	Fresh chicken legs	Bake, fry, put in soups,	.98 /lb, large pkg.
	or thighs	in rice or pasta casserole

	Canned Sloppy Joe	In sloppy Joe hamburgers,	.99 / can, 15 oz
	filling	or on rice or pasta

	Canned chili	As main dish	1.29 / can, 15 oz

	Canned hash,	As main dish	1.55 / can, 15 oz
	roast beef

	Fresh hamburger	Hamburgers, patties,	1.97 / lb, 3 lb roll
		in rice or pasta casserole

	Frozen breakfast links,	Breakfast or other meals	1.98 / lb, 8 oz pkg.
	pork

	Frozen turkey burger	Hamburgers, patties,	1.99 / lb, 3 lb pkg.
	patties	in rice or pasta casserole


2. MEAL FOUNDATIONS—GRAINS

	Dried pasta	With olive oil, garlic powder,	.99 / lb, 1 lb bag
		and parsley, or for spaghetti	.80 / lb, 5 lb bag

	Rice	Rice casseroles, as side dish,	.75 / lb, 20 lb bag
		rice pudding	.88 / lb, 50 lb bag

	Brown rice	Rice casseroles, as side dish	.99 / lb, 1 lb bag
			1.33 / lb, 3 lb bag

	Flour	For pizza dough, fried bread,	.34 / lb, 25 lb bag
		pancakes, rolls, bread	.50 / lb, 5 lb bag


3. MEAL FOUNDATIONS—BEANS

	Pinto beans, dried	Rice and beans, chili, bean soup	.78 / lb, 10 lb bag
			.99 / lb, 1 lb bag

	Canned pork & beans	As main dish or side dish	.79 / can, 15 oz

	Canned baked beans	As main dish or side dish	1.69 / 30 oz.


4. MEAL FOUNDATIONS—BREADS AND CEREALS

	Sandwich bread, store	Sandwiches, toast, French toast	.99 / loaf, sand loaf
	brand, white or wheat

	Oatmeal	As cereal, in cookies, in cakes	2.99 for 42 oz

	Rice	As a breakfast cereal	.75 / lb, 20 lb bag
			.88 / lb, 50 lb bag

	Dry cereal, bulk bagged	Breakfast, snacks	1.85 / lb, 2 lb bag
	various types


5. MEAL FOUNDATIONS—MISCELLANEOUS

	Potatoes	Pan fried, baked, microwaved,	.30 / lb, 10 lb bag
		scalloped, stuffed potatoes

	Campbell’s soup	Main dish, in casseroles	.89 / can

	Peanut butter	Peanut butter sandwich	1.99 for 18 oz jar

	Grape jelly	Peanut butter sandwich	1.99 for 43 oz jar


6. MEAL FOUNDATIONS—PREPARED, EASY TO COOK

	Ramen noodles, dry cup	As main course	.20 ea, 5 for $1

	Chow mein, dry cup	Main course	.20 ea, 5 for $1

	Soup, dry cup	Main course, in casseroles	.33 ea, 3 for .99

	Banquet frozen meals	Full meal	1.00 ea, 5 for $5

	Frozen entrée	Main course	1.00 ea, 10 for $10


7. DAIRY FOODS

	Canned milk	Dilute ½ water for cereal, recipes	.97 / can, 12 oz

	Fresh milk	Beverage, ingredient	1.49 / quart

	Cheddar cheese	Macaroni and cheese,	1.49 for 8 oz
		cheese sandwich, casseroles


8. VEGETABLES

	Fresh potatoes	.30 / lb, 10 lb bag
	Fresh cabbage	.50 / lb
	Fresh onions, bag	.99 / lb, 3 lb. bag
	Fresh carrots	.69 / lb
	Fresh zucchini	1.29 / lb
	Fresh broccoli	1.49 / lb
	Garlic bunch	.49 ea
	Frozen mixed vegetables	.65 / lb., 2 lb bag
	Canned peas	.69 / can
	Canned green beans	.69 / can
	Canned mixed vegetables	.69 / can
	Canned jalapenos	.79 / can
	Canned tomatoes	.79 / can
	Canned pinto beans	.99 / can
	Canned refried beans	.79 / can


9. FRUITS AND JUICES

	Fresh juice oranges	.75 / lb, 4 lb bag
	Apple	.99 / lb
	Fresh cantaloupe	1.00 ea.
	Fresh banana	.69 / lb
	Canned apricots	.99 / can
	Canned pears	.99 / can
	Canned fruit cocktail	.99 / can
	Lemonade, carton, refrig.	.99 for ½ gal
	Part-artificial juice, refrig.	1.25 for ½ gal, 1.49 / gal


10. CONDIMENTS, FLAVORINGS, AND OILS

	BBQ sauce	.99 / bottle, 18 oz.
	Mustard	.99 / bottle, 1.29 / bottle
	Ketchup	1.49 / bottle
	Vinegar	1.29 / pint
	Spices	.87 to 1.19, .75 oz pkg.
	Salt	.59 / lb.
	Pepper	.50 / oz., 18oz. jar
	Sugar	.34 / lb, 25 lb bag, .55 / lb, 4 lb bag
	Chicken bouillon	1.81 / lb, 2.2 lb jar
	Canola/olive oil mix	.13 / oz, 5.99 for 46 oz.
	Oil, mixed	.06 / oz, 1.99 for 34 oz


11. SWEETS, SNACKS, AND MISCELLANEOUS DRINKS

	Microwave popcorn	.20 / bag, box of 10 bags
	Cake mix	2.00 / box
	Little Debbie cookies/cakes	1.59 to 1.79 for 8 to 12 oz box
	Sugar	.34 / lb, 25 lb bag, .55 / lb, 4 lb bag
	Tea bags	1.49 for 100 bags
	Iced tea mix	.03 per serving, 2.49 per jar
	Crystal Light drink mix	.03 per serving, 2.49 for 64 servings
	Chocolate milk mix	.07 per serving, 2.99 for 30 oz,
	Dry juice mix, with sugar	.07 / serving, 2.29 for 19 oz
	Freezer pops, unfrozen	.08 / serving, .79 for 10