A well-stocked kitchen keeps frugal cooks from taking frequent trips to the grocery store, reducing the temptation to buy impulse items while also saving on gas. Having plenty of food staples and easy-to-make meals on hand also cuts down on expensive trips to restaurants or phone calls to the pizza parlor for delivery.
Try to stock up for at least a week’s worth of meals for your household. Also be sure to keep a running grocery list in an easy-to-access location, so everyone in the family can jot down a needed item.
Cheap Meats and Fish (To Eat Now or Freeze)
- Boneless chicken breasts and thighs – Chicken breasts are versatile and low fat. Bake, fry, or grill them seasoned or plain and add to romaine lettuce for an easy main-dish Caesar salad. Chicken thighs stay juicy when grilled.
- Turkey cutlets and ground turkey – These are usually cheaper than their beef counterparts and much healthier.
- Pork tenderloins give a big bang for the buck. Roasted in the oven, a tenderloin will often yield leftovers for stir-fry later in the week.
- Bacon – For breakfast, BLTs, or Spaghetti Carbonara, keep a few packages of bacon in the freezer as an easy, flavorful meat addition to meals.
- Fish fillets such as catfish, tilapia, or flounder are inexpensive and cook up fast for dinner on the fly.
Vegetables and Fruits
- Frozen peas, corn, spinach, and green beans taste nearly as good as fresh and are often just as nutritious.
- Carrots, Romaine lettuce, celery, green and red bell peppers, and onions keep well in the refrigerator and are great for a quick salad or as an addition to a pasta sauce.
- Broccoli, cauliflower, and potatoes are tasty as side dishes or even a baked potato main course with a variety of toppings.
- Apples, oranges, raisins, and bananas – almost every kid will eat these fruits for a healthy snack.
Dairy
- Skim milk, mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, and cream cheese should always reside in the fridge. Good parmesan is pricey, cheaper canisters of this hard cheese can suffice for most families.
Pantry
- Pretzels and peanuts are an easy, healthy, and filling snack.
- Rice, spaghetti, macaroni, egg noodles provide a good, economical base for pasta dishes, casseroles, and stir-fries.
- Peanut butter, jam, canned tuna, spaghetti sauce, and canned beans and soups have a long shelf life and many uses.
- Dried soups can flavor sour cream dips or serve as meals on their own.
Desserts
- A giant tub of store-brand vanilla ice cream can feed a hungry family and friends. Top with different sauces or in-season fruit to add variety.
- Keep chocolate chips, walnuts, flour, sugar and butter-flavored vegetable shortening on hand to whip up easy home-made chocolate chip cookies.
Breakfasts
- Buy bagged no-name brand cereals and a canister of quick cooking oatmeal, which will last much longer than individual-serving bags. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, and a dab of butter to plain oatmeal for a frugal, flavorful breakfast.
Organization is Key
Keep the pantry, refrigerator, and freezer well organized to see what items need restocking at a glance. Stocking your larder with inexpensive, healthy foods ensures great meals for your family, fewer trips to the grocery store, and extra money in your pocket.
