The Best Cheap Groceries from Our Taste Tests

The only thing better than cheap is free. And while the idea of walking out of the store with a cartful of free groceries definitely holds some appeal, especially as a broke college student, I can’t condone liberating groceries without paying—because that’s, y’know, illegal. But when it comes to the best cheap groceries, Sporked’s taste testers have you covered. They’ve got recs for everything from the best cheap mustard to the best cheap champagne. Here’s how to stock up your pantry and refrigerator without breaking the bank or having the police called on you!

The Best Cheap Condiments Under $3

Condiments make everything better, just ask my 8-year-old nephew who likes his spinach slathered with ketchup and dunks his apple slices in mayonnaise. If you’re buying for a household that goes through ranch quick, and you need cheap options, look no further!

The Best Cheap Frozen Pizza from Our Taste Test

I recently discovered (from TikTok), that you don’t need to bake entire frozen pizzas, you can actually cut out individual servings. I will be ignoring this discovery in favor of continuing to bake and eat entire pizzas, but you do you! These are our favorite cheap frozen pizzas, so get ‘em while they’re hot.

The Best Frozen Desserts for Under $5

Summer is here, and since most of us do not own ice cream machines, these cheap but delicious frozen desserts under $5 are the next best thing. If you have a hankering for the perfect lemon sorbet or a great ice cream sandwich, check out our budget faves.

The Best Soup for Under $2 a Can

Soup, when it’s good, is a whole meal—and this is some “good soup.” Our picks, all under $2 a can, make perfect wholesome dinners for cozy TV nights.

8 Best Frozen Appetizers Under $6

Trick people into liking you with these cheap frozen appetizers. We recommend putting everything on a smorgasbord and pretending you slaved over the spread! These shareable bites under $6 are great for game night, or when your roommate suddenly decides to have a party but forgets to buy snacks and you’ve gotta step up!

20 Best Cheap Trader Joe’s Foods Under $5

Hitting Trader Joes’s and don’t know what to buy? Check out our professionally ranked list of totally awesome bits and bobs to round off your grocery run—all under $5.

All the Best Pasta Sauce Under $5

If there’s one thing I hate to see on my plate, it’s unseasoned, un-saucy pasta—but unless you’re an Italian nonna, you don’t have the time to process approximately one thousand tomatoes into a single jar of marinara. These jarred sauces are the next best thing—comforting, flavourful, and all on a budget!

The Best Cheap Champagne from the Grocery Store

Does champagne have to be bougie and expensive to be good? Nay, we say—that’s just propaganda from Big Champagne. Grab a bottle of bubbly from our list of grocery store champagnes and see if anyone can tell the difference (they can’t!).

The Best Cheap Tequila Under $20

Funny story, the first time I tried alcohol it was tequila…and I can’t recall the rest of this story. Anyhoo— this is some good tequila! Perfect for summer cocktails, and great with a little lime and a teensy bit of salt.

The Best Cheap Cheese Under $3

Is there anything better than cheese? Put it on anything, nachos, bread, veggies—or my personal favorite, eat it straight out of the fridge at midnight, like a guilty raccoon. But I digress—basically, cheese is great and even better when it’s cheap.