So as we’ve discussed in the past, I’m a little light in the funds department these days (not at all helped by out-of-pocket chiropractor expenses or spring books and tuition), so I’m trying to do a better job of controlling my costs. Food was one area that I decided I needed to start paying more attention.

I’ve shared various articles on my Facebook page with lists of the cheapest foods. But I’ve realized some things…

1. The lists never make it to the grocery store with me. I just do the same old, same old style of shopping.
2. Who cares if oats are cheap if I don’t know what the heck to do with them?!

So, I decided to make my own little roundup of some inexpensive foods with ideas for how you can incorporate them into your snacks or meals. Because, really… what’s the point if they’re cheap if they just sit in your pantry or fridge??

My Favorite Stand-Alone Snacks: 

I’m a fan of the plain, boring and repetitive because it’s just that much less thought I have to put into what I’m eating.

• Bananas: 19 cents a pound for a potassium packed breakfast food or snack. (Note: grocery stores often have these much cheaper than other stores like Target that charge 25 cents per ‘nana.)
• Apples: $1 a pound? Yeah, I’m down for that. It’s simple enough to throw in my purse or even eat in the car. Doesn’t get much more convenient than that.
• Carrots: Baby cut carrots are perfect for snacking. Skip the ranch, though. These run about $1.99 at my store, I think. You can get even cheaper if you buy the bag of carrots and cut ’em up yourself.
• Celery (and peanut butter): Celery is sometimes just $1 at my grocery store, and it’s enough to prepare three good sized snack portions for work. I do bring along peanut butter, though, since it’s really the only way to get me to eat celery. (Note: Seriously, watch your PB portions because it honestly isn’t the healthiest thing in the world, and pretty please read the labels and maybe spend a touch more on one that doesn’t have added sugar.)

Cheap Breakfast Combos:

Whatever you do, don’t skip breakfast if you’re trying to save money. It really is one of the most important meals of the day and sets the tone for the next 24 hours of eating (okay, maybe like 18 hours but you get what I mean). Flip flop between the two below throughout the week.

• Fruit Smoothie: A banana (or half of one) and some frozen berries blended with spinach and water or milk (not fruit juice!) is a really delicious way to start the day. Watch the prices on the frozen berries, though. I’ve found that whole strawberries and blueberries tend to be the cheapest. Those pre-made smoothie blends of frozen fruit and yogurt bits? Skip ’em.
• Omelette: A two-egg omelette with tomato and spinach is yummy and easy to make. Plus, all three of those ingredients are relatively cheap (just watch for sales on spinach, if you can). Skip the cheese though. Not only is that pricier, but it tends to have a lot of sodium.

Lunch and Dinner Staples:

I’m grouping these meals together because I feel like I’ve really got my sh*t together when I make enough dinner to have leftovers to take to work.

• Stir fry: Go vegetarian or cook up some meat (cut up chicken breast or turkey sausage, for example). Then toss in those sale veggies (yellow squash, peppers, spinach, mushrooms, onion…) with some pepper and other seasonings. Then, top it over brown rice, quinoa or couscous. Your portion should have way more veggies than the grains, though. YUM.
• The Trio: One protein + One (small) whole grain + One (big) veg. One protein + One veg + One more veg. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — I hate thinking about cooking. The easier I can make meal planning, the better. So, I’ll season a chicken breast and then cook up either brown rice (which, in legit form, does take about 45 min to cook, FYI) or a veg and then pair that with, well, more veg. Sales are key for the meat and the veg though, so shop around. Zucchini and peppers on sale? Stir fry those up. Don’t be afraid to try frozen veggies. Make a simple side salad with that cheap spinach tomatoes you bought for your smoothie (dress with oil and vinegar). And for the chicken… I sometimes find that the meat department runs good sales, or the frozen Market Pantry brand at Target is very reasonable.

Cheap Foods I’d Maybe Skip:

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of all things inexpensive, but there are certain foods I think are more work then most people are willing to put in.

• Dried beans: They’re cheap as hell and relatively easy to prepare, I suppose, but I’m not really able to think ahead with the soaking and all that. I’d much rather bust open a can-o-beans and call it good.
• Yogurt: For starters, I don’t think $1 a container is a very good deal. Second, most of the cheaper varieties contain an insane amount of sugar. Definitely not making it’s way into my shopping cart.

The foods are cheap. The meal ideas are basic. It’s a win-win if you ask me. Happy (frugal) shopping!