If you’ve been facepalming whenever you see the prices at your local grocery shop, then you’re not alone. This ‘totally-not-a-recession’ we’re in has wreaked havoc on food costs in many parts of the world. In the UK alone, food price inflation reached 12.4% in November. Meanwhile, grocery prices in the US were up 12%, compared to the year before. So you’re definitely not alone if you’ve been feeling your wallet getting thinner.
Shoppers have been forced to react to this in different ways. Some are working overtime or have picked up a new side hustle. Others are cutting back on their favorite foods, eating out, and the size of their meals. However, food budgets, creative cooking solutions, and buying things at discounts are new to some people.
Luckily, the internet is chock full of friendly folks who love to lend a helping hand. Some budget-savvy shoppers from the r/Cooking online community shared their best tips on what underrated cheap foods you definitely shouldn’t ignore. You’ll find their awesome advice below. Upvote the posts that you found the most useful, and share some cost-saving food tips of your own in the comments. Us? We’re not big on cabbage, but lentils are great!
#42
Canned tuna, pasta with butter and garlic, chicken, beef or veggie broth (can be used for so many things), dried/canned beans or any other canned items that will be used.
These are all things that we always had on hand when we had very little money. Never went without, but we didn't each steak, much meat or went out for food.
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37points
#44
Canned salmon for salmon patties and canned chicken for casseroles and chicken salad.
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36points
#45
Nothing makes me happier than a tuna sandwich and an orange. My favorite lunch.
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35points
#46
SAR-F*****G-DINES.
Healthy, delicious, eco-friendly and CHEAP!
bagelmaster3000 added:
I get the mustard sauce ones and eat them over hot multigrain bowl (one of those 90 second pouches from Aldi). Or just over crackers: I like the mustard sauce ones.
I've heard people sauté them in their own oil and toss them with pasta, you could break them up in pasta sauce for a fishy kick.
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34points
#47
Hamburger Helper. Use to make it in college cause it was all I could afford. Now decades later I still enjoy it.
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34points
#48
Boiled peanuts, i get a large cup of cajun peanuts and they’re only $3
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34points
#49
Canned pumpkin is great for pumpkin pie and other pumpkin desserts. Why bother carving out a fresh pumpkin when canned pumpkin can be just as good, if not better.
Canned pork liver pate. I especially love using it for banh mis.
Canned corned beef hash is great when pan-fried until it gets ultra-crispy. I haven't had homemade corned beef hash that was better than the canned variety.
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29points
#50
Not sure if it counts as "cheap", I've never seen anyone else even own (let alone prepare) a can of Vienna Sausages. So many great recipes with those things.
My favorite is rolling them up in a Pillsbury croissant dough to make pigs in a blanket. But my "cheapest" preparation is slicing in half lengthwise and frying them and having them with eggs and toast.
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28points