We’re all starting to feel it—that little spike of panic every time we glance at the total on our grocery receipt. 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!
Thankfully, we checked, and grocery items under $1 do still exist—and some of them are good! So we donned our budgeting crowns and assembled a quick, cheap grocery list that you could pay for with the loose change hiding in your car’s cup holders. Rest assured, these affordable foods have all earned the Sporked taste test team’s stamp of approval. Budget kings and queens still deserve to dine like royalty, after all.
Note: Prices can fluctuate depending on date and location! Depending on where you are, some of these might hit just above the $1 mark. (Please blame capitalism, not us.)
Mains
- Maruchan Roast Chicken Ramen Noodles ($.99)
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Ramen will always be a godsend 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 $1 at the store, so you can check out our full ranking of the best Maruchan ramen flavors and stock up on the good ones!
Credit: Merc / Maruchan
- Great Value Macaroni & Cheese ($.64)
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At 64 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 list of the best cheap groceries. While the flavor isn’t mind-blowing, the cooking instructions call for twice the amount of milk and butter you would normally add and that really helps the cheesiness let loose.
Read the full ranking of the best boxed mac and cheese
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Chef Boyardee Beefaroni
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Meat, pasta, and tomato sauce all in one can for under $1? That’s your three major food groups right there. The beef in particular adds a welcome savory contrast to the sweet sauce. It may not be the absolute best canned pasta we tried, but Chef Boyardee’s Beefaroni was easily our favorite among the Chef Boyardee flavors.
Read the full ranking of the best canned pasta
Credit: Merc / Instacart
Soups
- Great Value Condensed Tomato Soup ($.72)
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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
Sides
- Great Value Seasoned Black Beans ($.88)
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No, we’re not just recommending another Great Value product for your cheap grocery list because, you know, it has a great value. These were near the top of our ranking of the best black beans for their overall taste and nicely blended seasoning of salt, garlic, and pepper. And as far as cheap food products go, Great Value is a dependable brand overall.
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
- Del Monte Corn ($.99)
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You’re probably sensing a common theme by now in this list of grocery items under $1: cans. Personally, I’m going to take it as a good sign that we can still find canned veggies and foods for under $1. Del Monte Corn, a trusted brand for all things canned corn, earned the top spot in our canned corn ranking due to its firm, al-dente texture, balanced saltiness, and natural sweetness.
Read the full ranking of the best canned corn
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Kroger Garden Variety Sweet Peas ($.99)
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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
- Great Value Chickpeas ($.88)
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A cheap, healthy grocery list needs a good source of protein! Grab these Great Value Chickpeas from our ranking of the best canned garbanzo beans and make sure you’re getting your recommended daily amount.
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Instacart
Drinks & Desserts
- Arizona Green Tea with Ginseng & Honey ($.99)
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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
- Oikos Lemon Meringue Greek Yogurt ($1)
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If you ask me, every cheap, healthy grocery list should include Greek yogurt—especially one that tastes deceptively like dessert. That was the case with Oikos Lemon Meringue, a lemon-infused yogurt we absolutely fawned over during our Greek yogurt taste test. With pleasant tartness beautifully balanced by the creamy meringue flavoring, it is, hands down, the best Greek yogurt we tried.
Read the full ranking of the best Greek yogurt
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
- Jovy Fruit Roll ($.89)
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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
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!