10 Foods You Should Never Buy Full Price
Updated: Dec. 09, 2022Grocery shopping doesn't have to break the bank!
Pasta
You should always have a box or two of pasta in your pantry. It’s the perfect base for a quick 30-minute meal. Plus, it’s cheap. Pasta frequently goes on sale for $1 per box or 10 for $10, so wait for the right moment and then stock up.
Frozen meals
Never pay full price for frozen dinners! We’d say healthy frozen meals do exist and can be ideal for days when you have no time to prep lunch or dinner. Browse your grocery store’s frozen food aisle to find the best prices because at any given time, one brand is almost always on sale. Make the most of your frozen meal—here are 10 ways to dress up a TV dinner.
Ice cream
There are so many ice cream brands to choose from at the grocery store. Thanks to all that competition, ice cream sales happen almost as often as your craving for the cold stuff. They happen frequently but won’t last long, so look for ’em in your grocery store’s circular.
Seasonal foods
Look for things such as canned pumpkin or ready-made gravy to go on sale after their most popular time of year. Once the holiday is over, head to the grocery store to stock up on next year’s items. Most canned goods last for 18 months, so things should still be fresh when the next season rolls around.
Canned soup
Soup is another grocery item with plenty of brands to choose from. Most days, there will be some kind of sale, especially on store brands. It makes sense that soup gets more popular during the winter months, so stock up in the summer, which is when you’ll come across the best deals.
Tomato sauce and canned tomatoes
You may be tempted to buy a can here and there, but instead, stock up in bulk when on sale. For the best price that won’t sacrifice on taste, add some oregano or garlic to a bargain brand. But why buy? Here’s how to make spaghetti sauce from scratch.
Salad dressing
Salad dressing is another one of those foods with plenty of different brands. And while it’s tempting to buy the brand you see advertised, there will likely be a sale on at least one brand while you’re shopping. Most of the time, the well-known brands sit at eye level, so check the top and bottom shelves for money-saving deals. Dressing is simple to make. Try these 19 recipes for your tastiest salad yet.
Cheese
Cheese comes in many different forms, like block, shredded, sliced and more. Check for which type of cheese is on sale, and choose that one. If your recipe calls for shredded and the block is on sale, purchase it and use a cheese grater to shred it at home. It will taste just the same! You can also save by buying cheese at this discount grocery store.
Cereal
Since there are so many different brands, that competitiveness often yields major sales on some of your favorites. Plus, most store brands taste exactly the same as their name brand counterparts, so go for the cheaper version—you likely won’t even notice a difference. Check out these tricks frugal shoppers use to save on groceries.
