Best Groceries Under $1.50 for Your Cheap Shopping List

If you feel a little spike of panic when you glance at the total on your grocery receipt, you’re not alone. Even if we think we’re buying cheap groceries, somehow prices are still going up, up, up. It begs the question: Do grocery items under $1 even still exist? Or have we passed another threshold in modern society’s relentless inflation? My wallet is crying and my bank account continues to threaten mutiny. Something must be done! 

Real talk: When we set out to update our list of the best grocery items under $1 this year, in 2026, it confirmed our suspicion that prices are still pretty high. That being said, in reviewing every item’s price on this current list—last updated in August 2025—I found that many items were cheaper by at least 5 cents. So that’s good news! Still, for the purpose of being helpful, our threshold for this cheap grocery list is no longer under $1, but under $1.50. Rest assured, these affordable foods have all earned the Sporked taste test team’s stamp of approval. The goal here is to give you a list of affordable food  products (and even a couple bevvies) that you can tack on to your regular grocery list for minimal added cost with maximum added benefit. Let’s get into it.

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Mains

Best Maruchan Ramen

Maruchan Roast Chicken Ramen Noodles ($.99)

Walmart

Ramen will always be a godsend for people on the hunt for cheap groceries. Our top pick of all the Maruchan flavors was Maruchan’s Roast Chicken Ramen Noodles—we preferred it over the classic chicken, since it has a deeper, more savory flavor profile with unexpected notes of onion and carrot. All Maruchan packs can be found for under $1 at the store, so you can check out our full ranking of the best Maruchan ramen flavors and stock up on the good ones! 

Credit: Merc / Maruchan

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Best Nissin Ramen

Nissin Beef Cup Noodles ($.37)

Walmart

Nissin has tried to come out with new and eye-catching ramen flavors that, at the end of the day, simply don’t compare with their classic beef. (Beef and chicken, to be clear—we really couldn’t pick a winner.) It’s just got that “it” factor (umami) that makes you want to slurp up the whole cup even when you know it’s a sodium bomb. Add some scallions (which you can also source from Walmart for under $1) and American cheese, and you’re in business. 

Read the full ranking of the best Nissin ramen flavors

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Best Boxed Mac & Cheese

Great Value Macaroni & Cheese ($.58)

Walmart

At 58 cents, Great Value’s boxed mac and cheese gives serious bang for your buck. It earned 8/10 sporks in our boxed mac and cheese ranking and absolutely deserves to be on your cheap grocery list. While the flavor isn’t mind-blowing, it’s a great Kraft dupe for a little less moolah. 

Read the full ranking of the best boxed mac and cheese

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Canned Pasta

Chef Boyardee Beefaroni ($.98)

Walmart

Dollar Tree

Meat, pasta, and tomato sauce all in one can for $1? That’s your three major food groups right there. The beef in particular adds a welcome savory contrast to the sweet sauce. It may not be the best canned pasta we tried, but Chef Boyardee’s Beefaroni was easily our favorite among the Chef Boyardee flavors. 

Read the full ranking of the best canned pasta

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Best Frozen Pot Pie

Banquet Turkey Pot Pie ($.99)

Target

A bag of white rice may cost upwards of $3, but rest assured Banquet pot pies still start at 99 cents. Is that beautiful or slightly terrifying? Hard to say, but their gravy-packed turkey pot pie still tastes super cozy. It looks questionable out of the oven, but we promise that crumbly pastry smothered in deeply savory gravy will always hit the spot. 

Read the full ranking of the best frozen pot pies

Credit: Liv Averett / Kroger

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Soups

Best Cream of Mushroom

Chef’s Cupboard Cream of Mushroom Soup ($.75)

Instacart

Gas prices may have soared to unreasonable heights, but I’m happy to see that there are still decent canned soup options for under $1. Pair this with a salad or sandwich, or stock up and make a big batch of green bean casserole. Pro tip: Great Value’s canned green beans are only 64 cents! 

Read our full ranking of the best cream of mushroom soup

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best Tomato Soup

Great Value Condensed Tomato Soup ($.68)

Walmart

Tomato soup is always a staple to have on any healthy and affordable grocery list. Walmart’s Great Value Tomato Soup is nearly identical to Campbell’s in flavor, it’s just missing a little bit of that ketchupy edge. Which, who needs that? Throw in some pepper, basil, Italian seasoning, and you’ve got a mighty fine cheap meal on your hands.

Read the full ranking of the best tomato soup

Credit: Ryan Martin / Walmart

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Sides

Best Boxed Rice

Rice-A-Roni Rice & Pasta Mix, Mexican Style ($1.38)

Walmart

At some point, we need to sit down and do a full Rice-A-Roni taste test. We loved their rice pilaf, and this Mexican-style rice is pretty yummy, too. It is by no means true Mexican rice. As Sporked writer Hebba Gouda aptly writes, “It tastes like it’s made by a sheltered suburban parent who has read about Mexican rice and is trying their best.” It’s basically taco seasoning plus rice and pasta. Which, hey? What’s not to love?

Read the full ranking of the best Mexican rice

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Black Beans

Great Value Seasoned Black Beans ($.86)

Walmart

No, we’re not just recommending another Great Value product for your cheap grocery list because, you know, it has a great value. These were near the top of our ranking of the best black beans for their overall taste and nicely blended seasoning of salt, garlic, and pepper. And as far as cheap food products go, Great Value is a dependable brand overall.

Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best Canned Corn

Del Monte Corn ($1)

Walmart

You’re probably sensing a common theme by now in this list of grocery items under $1.50: cans. Personally, I’m going to take it as a good sign that we can still find canned veggies and foods for some spare change. Del Monte Corn, a trusted brand for all things canned corn, earned the top spot in our canned corn ranking due to its firm, al-dente texture, balanced saltiness, and natural sweetness. 

Read the full ranking of the best canned corn

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best Canned Peas

Kroger Garden Variety Sweet Peas ($.89)

Ralphs

Kroger’s Garden Variety Sweet Peas triumphed over the more upscale brand Le Sueur in our taste test of the best canned peas. They have a very natural flavor and tender texture. (Just don’t confuse these with Kroger Small Sweet Peas—those were not so great.)

Credit: Merc / Ralphs

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Chickpeas

Great Value Chickpeas ($.86)

Walmart

A cheap, healthy grocery list needs a good source of protein! Grab these Great Value Chickpeas from our ranking of the best canned garbanzo beans and make sure you’re getting your recommended daily amount. 

 Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Instacart

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Best Gravy Mix

McCormick Brown Gravy Mix ($1)

Walmart

Gravy makes everything better, and McCormick makes a few of our favorite gravy mixes. Their brown gravy is very old-school; super rich, beefy, and thick. One day we’ll hopefully have some instant mashed potatoes to recommend for under $1.50, too—those little packets of Idahoan mashed potatoes currently cost $1.52 at Walmart, but we had to draw the line today.

Read our full ranking of the best store bought gravy

Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Target

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best White Rice

Great Value Long Grain Rice 90 Second Pouch ($1.32)

Walmart

Would we love nothing more than to recommend a full bag of rice for under $1.50 instead of this small instant pouch? Yeah. But bagged rice ain’t cheap anymore, people. And there are ways to turn this quick and easy pouch into a full meal for under $7. (May I recommend some canned tuna, spicy mayo, green onions, furikake rice seasoning, and if you can splurge, an avocado? This recipe has never done me wrong.) 

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Pantry

Best Fried Onions

French’s Original Crispy Fried Onions ($1.34)

Walmart

Crispy fried onions are my favorite meal hack. When that third bite of mac and cheese becomes a bit too one-note, throw in some French’s onions for crunch and extra umami. I put them on just about everything, from creamy pastas to eggs and salads and air-fried veggies. French’s makes our favorite crispy friend onions, and despite their popularity, you can find them for pretty darn cheap (only $1.34 at my local Walmart). 

Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Best Ketchup

Hunt’s Tomato Ketchup ($1.25)

Dollar Tree

Once again, Dollar Tree comes in clutch. You can find a bottle of Hunt’s Ketchup for $1.25, and in our opinion, you shouldn’t overlook this ketchup brand simply because it doesn’t get as much fanfare as Heinz. In the genius words of Sporked taste tester Jordan Myrick, “The best way I can describe it is that Heinz is banana-flavored candy and Hunt’s is a banana.” You taste the more natural sweetness of the tomato instead of the added sugar. It might not be what you’re used to, but some who make the switch never go back. (And for a cheap price point, I’m definitely willing to make the switch.)

Credit: Liv Averett / Dollar Tree

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Best Canned Salsa

Herdez Canned Salsa (1.14)

Food Depot

Pro tip: Herdez canned salsa makes a great cheap enchilada sauce. In our salsa taste test, we liked the smoky, robust flavor of this little can, even if it’s not necessarily something we’d throw in a bowl on its own and eat with chips. Still, this is a versatile ingredient that you can find at many grocery stores for cheap, and it’s often overlooked! The more you know…

Credit: Liv Averett / Food Depot

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Drinks & Desserts

Best Corn Muffins

Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

Dollar Tree

Ralphs

Did you know you can find our favorite brand of cornbread mix for 69 cents at Ralphs? These corn muffins are moist, tender, and, critically, just the right level of sweet. I love when our favorite brand of something also happens to be the cheapest. It reminds me that there are good things in this world and not every company is out to exploit us for our last dime! Jiffy, props to you and your beautiful fluffy golden corn muffins. 

Credit: Liv Averett / Dollar Tree

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Best Arizona Flavor

Arizona Green Tea with Ginseng & Honey ($.99)

Vons

Pavillions

Single-serve beverages are surprisingly hard to find for under $1, but luckily we have Arizona Iced Tea. Arizona Green Tea with Ginseng & Honey was our favorite flavor of all 24 Arizona varieties the Sporked team tried, and it comes in at just under $1 at Albertsons and Vons. Novelty drinks might not be a necessity to your inexpensive grocery list, but you shouldn’t have to sacrifice your emotional support beverages. These are trying times.

Read the full ranking of the best Arizona drinks

Credit: Liv Averett / Vons

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Best Greek Yogurt

Trader Joe’s Guava Passion Fruit Greek Whole Milk Yogurt ($.99)

Trader Joe’s

Trader Joe’s can be a safe haven for cheap groceries. To be honest, I expected to include more TJ’s products on this list, but most things like to hang right around $2-3, not $1.50. This greek yogurt cup, though, is a lovely tropical treat that delivers on its promise of guava and passion fruit for only $.99. It’s bright, tart, and smooth. Throw a few into your grocery basket and you’ve got some easy breakfasts ready to go for the week.  

Read the full ranking of the best Greek yogurt

Credit: Liv Averett / Trader Joe’s

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Best Sweet Snack

Jovy Fruit Roll ($.89)

Instacart

Before I grumble about the economy even more, let’s take a second to feel like a kid again, shall we? This Jovy Fruit Roll is only 89 cents and tastes like fresh, sweet mango.

Read the full ranking of the best fruit roll-ups and fruit strips

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Instant Pudding

Jell-O Chocolate Instant Pudding Mix & Pie Filling ($1.48)

Walmart

We’re proud of Jell-O for this price tag, to be honest. Their instant pudding mixes yield a big serving bowl worth of pudding, so you’re definitely getting good bang for your buck. Jell-O, for the most part, made the best instant pudding mixes from our taste test, so you should check out all the flavors we recommend—but their creamy, melty classic chocolate is extra heavenly. 

Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart

Rating:

10/10

Sporks