Many of Walmart's cheapest items come courtesy of its in-house brand, Great Value. To find the cost of buying groceries online at these three retailers, I first generated a list of 37 popular grocery items -- some name brands, some generic -- on the same day and in every grocery category including bread, snacks, dairy, produce, meat, fish, beverages and pantry staples.

I mostly avoided specialty items and organic ingredients for this exercise. For each product, I chose the cheapest available option from all three retailers: Amazon Fresh, Target and Walmart. If an item wasn't available at one retailer, I selected the next closest thing, since that's what a shopper would likely do.

In some cases, a product was only available in a larger or smaller size. In those instances, I prorated the amount and price to ensure it was an even cost comparison.

While there are other places to order groceries online , Amazon Fresh, Target via Shipt and Walmart are three of the most popular US grocers with a national presence and the option for online delivery. You'll also get Amazon Prime Video and a few other perks.

As of Feb. All three offer free in-store pickup in some form, although Amazon has fewer locations than Walmart and Target. Target-owned Shipt will send groceries to your door in a matter of hours but there are some staples, including meat, not available for delivery.

While I tried to use only items that were available for delivery, it wasn't always possible. Target and its national shipping partner Shipt don't have every grocery staple available for shipping, particularly fresh meats and some produce.

If you want to shop for your full list of groceries at Target, you're likely going to have to visit a brick-and-mortar location. In general, Walmart and Target offer the same prices online as they do in brick-and-mortar locations, but not always.

Sales items, in particular, are not always coordinated between online and in-store. Amazon Fresh is mostly online-only save for a few locations, although many products on Amazon Fresh can also be found at Whole Foods.

Hungryroot is a cross between a grocery delivery service and meal kit company and encourages you to go rogue from the recipe. Instacart is a popular national delivery service and functions as a third-party shopper and delivery outfit that allows you to order groceries from a selection of local supermarkets.

Fresh Direct is another popular grocery delivery service and one of my favorites. It's currently only available in the Northeast. The prices here are a bit higher than the three retailers I analyzed above, but the grocery selection and customer service are both excellent. Hungryroot is a quirky grocery delivery operation that functions differently than the others.

With a subscription, you'll get weekly deliveries of curated groceries based on your preferences and eating habits. Hungryroot also populates recipe ideas when ordering and will send you the ingredients to make them if you so choose.

Thrive Market is yet another members-only grocery service. Every week I make Pressure Cooker Beans with bay leaf and other aromatics and a big pot of rice in my rice cooker.

We add salsa, sliced avocado, or any leftovers like grilled chicken or vegetables to make an affordable, quick meal. Then McCord uses the leftover rice to whip up a variety of recipes including Rice Cakes , Leftover Rice Pudding , and Breakfast Rice Bake.

So both of these ingredients can stretch your dollar and time as far as possible. While many people are hesitant to stock up on fresh foods because they are perishable—potatoes are the exception to this rule.

Sick of plain pasta again? Chef Chris Aquilino , director of culinary at Elior North America , likes to jazz up his meals with jarred items, including pesto, olives, jalapeños, artichokes, sardines, and anchovies. They also stay fresh for a long time.

According to Aquilino, herb purées, such as basil and cilantro, can even stay fresh for weeks at a time. So don't be afraid to open up that tube. Aquilino also suggests stocking up on tomato paste.

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.

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The Ultimate Cheap Grocery List to Save You Money · Produce · Meat and meat alternatives · Seafood · Dairy, dairy alternatives and eggs · Pantry Apples. Bananas. Beans. Brown rice. Chicken. Corn tortillas. Eggs. Flour. Frozen blueberries. Frozen vegetables. Ground beef or ground chuck At Grocery Outlet, you'll find name brand groceries and farm fresh organic produce for % less than conventional grocery stores

Reduced-Price Grocery Items - 5 Cheap Groceries You Should Always Stock Up On · Rice and Beans · Potatoes · Jarred Items · Herb Purées · Tomato Paste The Ultimate Cheap Grocery List to Save You Money · Produce · Meat and meat alternatives · Seafood · Dairy, dairy alternatives and eggs · Pantry Apples. Bananas. Beans. Brown rice. Chicken. Corn tortillas. Eggs. Flour. Frozen blueberries. Frozen vegetables. Ground beef or ground chuck At Grocery Outlet, you'll find name brand groceries and farm fresh organic produce for % less than conventional grocery stores

According to YouGov , a market research and data analytics firm, Aldi is considered one of the most popular grocery stores in the country.

Not only is the product quality top-tier, the German-based company's business model is designed to minimize the cost to the consumer. According to Aldi , 90 percent of the products on their shelves are private-label brands. Other things, like the 25 cent returnable deposit to use the shopping carts, bagging your own groceries, and not listening to licensed music on the overhead speakers, decrease the store's overhead costs, which helps keep prices low.

And selecting produce out of the crates they came in rather than from aesthetically stacked displays is a small price to pay for cheap groceries. This four-letter German company also operates on a low-cost model, but it's not the same as Aldi. Lidl has been offering affordable groceries since the s and is actively expanding across the East Coast of the U.

Although there are fewer locations than Aldi, they're constantly in close competition for stocking the cheapest groceries. The selection of items is curated to keep the essentials in stock, instead of the added expense of keeping every variety and brand on the shelf. Their private label brands also have a Love It Guarantee , which means if a product doesn't meet your standards you can get your money back and exchange the item for something else.

This big-box store has all of the appeal of members-only clubs like Costco or Sam's Club , but without the expensive fees. WinCo Foods boasts locations across the West Coast, and is almost entirely employee-owned—which means their staff receive better wages and benefits.

And yet the prices are still low. WinCo purchases directly from farmers and manufacturers and has a large quantity of bulk foods, which means their prices undercut many other low-cost retailers.

Another way to cut costs is by not accepting credit cards for payment. But fear not: they do allow payment with debit cards and federal food assistance cards.

Market Basket is one of the smaller chains on this list, but their savings make it one of the most affordable places to shop in the U. A recent study provided by the customer data firm dunnhumby revealed that the New England-based chain was the "top grocery retailer for inflationary times.

Potatoes I generally find that a big bag of Russet potatoes is the cheapest option. Whatever fresh vegetables are on sale Check the ad for your local store to see what fresh produce is on sale! Whole Chicken Cooking a whole chicken and deboning it is a bit of extra work but it will save you money on your groceries!

Chicken Breasts Chicken breasts are not the cheapest cut of chicken but if you stretch them ie: one chicken breast cut up with tons of veggies for stir fry they can be quite cost effective.

Chicken Thighs Chicken thighs or chicken drumsticks are usually pretty inexpensive and are very flavorful. Canned Tuna Who else grew up eating tuna fish sandwiches? Smoked Sausage Smoked sausage is a great meat to keep on hand for quick meals.

Eggs Eggs can be a great cheap source of protein. Lentils Again, another great, cheap protein option! Brown Rice Brown rice is a great alternative to white rice with a lot of health benefits and is still a great cheap food.

Bread While the very cheapest bread is not going to have the most nutritional value, watch for markdowns on nicer loaves made with whole grains. Tortillas Store-brand tortillas are typically pretty inexpensive and you can use them for all sorts of meals. Pasta At a dollar or less a box in my area pasta is a great way to add something filling to your meal without spending a lot of money.

Pasta Sauce I always like to have a few jars of pasta sauce in my pantry. Peanut Butter Peanut butter is an absolute staple in our home.

Canned Tomatoes Canned tomatoes are definitely an important pantry staple. Cereal Nothing like a bowl of cereal when you need a quick meal, am I right? Pretzels Store-brand pretzels are relatively cheap sometimes just a dollar for a bag and make a great snack option, especially if you have kids.

Basic Spices Make those inexpensive chicken thighs taste extra good by using some basic, inexpensive spices like chili powder, garlic powder, etc.

Read this. Chicken salad sandwiches Tuna sandwiches Roasted chicken Leftover chicken or tuna on salad Ground beef fried rice Chicken fried rice Stir fry Creamed chicken add shredded chicken to a simple white sauce, serve on rice or toast Teriyaki chicken Chicken soup make the broth from the leftover chicken carcass, add cooked rice or spaghetti noodles to make it more filling White chili you can use whatever kind of beans you have, just cook them first Roasted veggies and chicken thighs Spaghetti Beans and rice use this recipe to get perfectly cooked brown rice every time!

Pin Previous Post: « Vacation Budget Planner Worksheet Free Printable. Join the community! Sign up here to get my weekly emails and keep up to date with what's going on here on the blog! Footer Let's connect!

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Subscribe here for my weekly e-mails with money saving tips and more! Sign up here for my weekly e-mails! My e-mails are where I share my weekly meal plan, money saving tips, freebies, mom stuff of course and more! Sign up now so you don't miss out! Loading Comments 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. I use berries in breakfast recipes like my Croissant Breakfast Casserole , as well as in sweet treats like my Strawberry Cake recipe.

Ground beef can be used to make a variety of meals, including chili , burritos , spaghetti bolognese sauce , and casseroles. You can save money by buying larger packs in bulk look for sales , portioning, and freezing them. Similar to ground beef, buying chicken breasts in bulk can be very cost-effective, and buying it frozen is often cheaper than fresh.

In the U. Do your homework before you shop to find the stores that have the best deals and prices. Sign up to benefit from member-only discounts and special offers. Buying in bulk is almost always cheaper than buying individual items. The savings might seem small, but it all adds up.

Going along with buying in bulk, if you order a larger cut of meat like chuck roast for example , it can be cooked and then used in many different recipes like filling casseroles or hearty stews. Generic grocery products were first introduced in the s during record levels of inflation and are still incredibly relevant today.

Branded products are more expensive than generic or supermarket-owned brands. Often cheaper brands have the same ingredients as big brands but are half the price.

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