27 Best Cheap Foods to Buy When Broke

Updated: June 2, 2020 

Being broke sucks. But being broke and hungry sucks even more. Luckily, there are tons of options out there when you’re looking for cheap foods to buy when broke.

Stick with us for the next few minutes and we’ll not only give you a list of 27 cheap foods to buy when broke, but we’ll also show you

• general strategies for buying food at a cheap price
• how to earn money when you’re out buying groceries
• where to find the best cheap food
• how to get meals when you literally have no money
• superb meals you can make with cheap food
• and a few more tips and tricks to minimize your grocery budget

Let’s jump right in!

Strategies to Buy Cheap Foods When Broke

Sometimes, when we say “I’m broke” we don’t literally mean that we’re penniless. Instead, we mean that money is tight.

If that’s your situation, here are a few things you can do to make sure you’re buying the cheapest foods possible.

Buy fruits and vegetables in season

Food is “in season” during the months it’s harvested.

When fruits and vegetables are in season, they’re abundant and cheaper. They also have more nutrients and a richer flavor.

So, make sure you buy as many in-season foods as you can!

Check out the USDA’s seasonal produce guide or SeasonalFoodGuide.org to find out which fruits and vegetables are in season in your area.

Buy directly from local growers

Visiting your local farmer’s market is another brilliant way to save money on healthy foods.

Not all the vegetables at the farmer’s market will be cheaper than what you find in the grocery store, but you can save on certain items.

Check out roadside produce stands

You’ve seen those guys selling fruit and vegetables on the side of the road, right?

They could be local farmers or people with gardens. Either way, roadside produce stands are reliable places to find cheap local produce.

Use apps to find the cheapest foods and earn money

Just because you’re on a tight budget doesn’t mean you have to avoid the grocery store at all costs.

But you should use these apps to get the best price and earn cashback whenever you can.

Ibotta

Ibotta is a free cashback app that pays you money for making purchases through the app. Its focus is grocery stores, so you can use Ibotta to make money when you buy grocery items.

Start by downloading Ibotta and signing up with your email address. Then search for offers (a.k.a. coupons), add them, and go buy the item.

After making your purchase, snap a picture of your receipt and Ibotta will credit your account.

Once you reach the $20 threshold, you can cash out your earnings!

Get Your $ 20 Ibotta Bonus: You can earn $20 sing up with Ibotta through our link here.

Checkout 51

Checkout 51 is very similar to Ibotta. It’ll pay you when you buy through the app.

Download Checkout51 and sign up with your email address. Then select offers, make the purchase, and take photos of your receipts.

Checkout 51 has different retail partners than Ibotta, so the offers you’ll see are different in both apps.

To make the most of these cashback apps, download both, and redeem all the offers you can!

Basket

The Basket app isn’t a cashback app. Instead, it lets you compare prices for food items in local stores.

For example, let’s say you want to buy ground turkey, whole wheat bread, and brown rice. Enter those foods to buy into the app, and it’ll show you which stores in your area have the cheapest price.

Pretty cool way to keep your grocery bill low, right?

Related post: Creative Ways to Save Money.

Where to Find Cheap Foods to Buy When Broke?

What are the best places to find cheap food when you are broke?

It’s hard to say because it really depends on your area. But one research company gave it a shot! Dunnhumby performed a study in 2019 and found 13 cheap food stores with the lowest overall prices.

1. Aldi
2. Market Basket
3. WinCo
4. Food4Less
5. Costco
6. Walmart
7. Trader Joe’s
8. Walmart Neighborhood Market
9. Lidl
10. Amazon
11. H-E-B
12. Peapod
13. Sam’s Club

If one of these stores is in your local area, grab your shopping list and check them out!

Low-cost stores like Dollar Tree are also great places to buy certain things on your broke grocery list.

But nothing beats personal experience for finding cheap food to buy! Spend some time visiting your local stores and get a feel for who sells your pantry staples for the cheapest.

Or ask around! Your friends and neighbors should know where the deals are if they’ve lived in the area for a while.

If you’re out to buy the cheapest healthiest foods, Thrive Market is a great place to get good food on a tight budget. Whether your diet is gluten-free, paleo, organic, vegan or ketogenic, get the foods you love at great prices with Thrive Market. Check out Thrive Market.!

How Can I Spend $10 a Week on Groceries?

If you’re a broke college student or in survival mode until your next paycheck, you can still feed yourself with just a few dollars.

Cut back on variety

For example, if you buy white rice, bags of dry beans, ramen noodles, and eggs you should have enough food to last you a week.

Obviously that’s not the best option for your health, but if you’re broke and need to make it through the week, limiting your variety is one way to go.

Watch your portions

Don’t overeat. Try to limit your portion sizes to exactly what you need to be healthy. If you’re not sure how many calories that is, check out this dietary guideline.

Cook everything from scratch

Don’t buy any fast food or processed foods. Because part of what you’re paying for is the labor to prepare the food.

To keep your food costs as low as possible, prepare and cook everything for yourself.

Buy small sizes

Don’t buy in bulk. You’ll end up paying more per ounce, but the only way to get by on $10 is to buy only what you need.

Related post: Grocery Spending: 25+ Ways to Reduce It!

What can I do if I have no money for food?

Sometimes, when we say we’re broke, we really mean it. But even in that situation, there are still a few options to get your hands on something to eat.

So, how to get food when broke? Start by trying these tips.

Visit your local Food Banks and Food Pantries

A food bank is a non-profit organization that receives donated food from local residents, grocery stores, and restaurants.

Some food banks hand out food directly, but others partner with food pantries or soup kitchens that distribute the food to the local community.

If you live in the U.S. you can find a food bank or food pantry in your area at FeedingAmerica.org or FoodPantries.org.

Find fruit trees /forage in your area

Depending on where you live, there’s a chance that there some of your neighbors have fruit trees. Or maybe there are foods you recognize growing semi wild. For example, where I live, there are mango trees pretty much all over the place.

If that’s the case, ask your neighbors you could grab some fruit from their tree. Most people I’ve asked were cool about letting you pick from their tree.

But if that doesn’t work, try foraging. Just be 100% sure that you know what you’re grabbing before you eat wild food.

Get friends to help

If you’ve got friends in the restaurant business, then you may be in luck. Many restaurants throw away excess food at the end of the day.

See if your friend can pass some of that food on to you.

Use Meal Plans to Make The Most of Your Cheap Foods

It’s not enough to know what to eat when you are broke. You also need to know how to make the most of your food.

For example, say one day I wanted chili. I’d spend $10-$15 on ground beef, beans, canned tomatoes, etc. The next day, I’d want tacos, so I’d go spend more money on the ingredients for tacos.

I never planned my meals, I simply bought what I wanted to eat each day. You can imagine how expensive that is! And it’s no wonder I always ended up on a tight budget.

A better way is to plan your meals in advance, reuse leftovers, and focus on ingredient variety instead of recipe variety. Let’s take a quick look at each one of those.

Plan your meals:

By planning your meals in advance, you’ll be more efficient at grocery shopping. It also helps you decide the quantity of food you’re cooking, which reduces food waste and save money.

Reuse Leftovers:

Using your leftovers to create something new is a brilliant way to get more variety out of the same recipe. Earlier, I mentioned that I would spend $10-$15 for one pot of chili. That’s not efficient.

But what if I got 5 or 6 fresh meals out of that chili? That’s better!

For example, I could have chili, a chili sloppy joe, a baked potato with chili, scrambled eggs and fried potatoes with chili, chili cheese dip…

The ideas are endless.

Ingredient variety, not recipe variety:

When many of us make a recipe, we do it the same way every time. This means if we’re missing an ingredient, we need to go buy it!

But instead of spending money every time you’re missing an ingredient, why not figure out original ways to make the same meal?

So, (sticking with the chili example) instead of buying the same ground meat, beans, and tomatoes every time I want chili, the recipe I use now depends on what I have in my pantry.

That’s how I ended up trying white chicken chili, black bean chili, vegetarian chili…

That approach can give introduce you to new recipes you’ve never tried and save money!

Buy Cheap Foods That Will Keep You Full

Another thing to keep in mind when looking for cheap food to buy is satiety.

Satiety describes your loss of appetite or the full feeling you get after eating. And the satiety index ranks a food’s ability to give you that full feeling.

By choosing cheap healthy foods that keep you full longer, you will reduce the amount you eat and save money.

Foods with following characteristics are the most filling:

• High protein–studies have shown that protein is the most filling macronutrient
• High in fiber–fiber may increase digestion time and help you feel fuller longer
• Foods that contain plenty of air or water
• Foods that have low calories for its weight – these foods usually contain a lot of water and fiber and will keep you fuller longer

Here are some examples of foods to buy that will keep you full:

• Boiled potatoes
• Eggs
• Oatmeal
• Fish
• Soup
• Meat
• Vegetables
• Legumes (beans, lentils, peanuts…)
• Fruit
• Nuts

When you go shopping, look for these frugal foods to stay full longer.

27 Cheap Foods to Buy When Broke

If you’re wondering “what should I buy at the grocery store when broke?”, we’ve got you covered.

Here’s our list of 27 cheap foods you can buy when broke.

Vegetables

Onions

You can get onions for good prices all year. And since they’re an ingredient in pretty much every savory recipe you’ll find, onions should be on everyone’s staple foods list.

Onion recipe ideas: grilled onions, fried onions, cheap French onion soup

Russet Potatoes

Russet potatoes are excellent sources of iron and magnesium. They’re also cheap and versatile. Potatoes are definitely one of the best foods to buy when broke.

Russet potato recipe ideas: baked potato, creamy potato soup, mashed potatoes

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a cheap, healthy option. In fact, they’re probably the healthiest potatoes out there.

And because they’re naturally sweet, they make a great option for desserts.

Sweet potato recipe ideas: roasted sweet potato with honey and cinnamon, sweet potato fries

Carrots

Carrots are another healthy low budget option. The cheapest way to buy carrots is usually in bulk and unpeeled.

Carrot recipe ideas – carrot and cucumber salad in vinegar, roasted carrots.

Canned tomatoes

Tomato prices can change during the year, so choosing canned tomatoes may save you some money.

Canned tomato recipe ideas – creamy tomato soup, pasta with tomato

Broccoli

Broccoli is the ultimate healthy vegetable. It contains a ton of vitamin C, fiber, folate, and calcium. It’s also cheap, so you get a lot of nutritional bang for your buck.

Broccoli recipe ideas – steamed broccoli and butter, broccoli and egg fried rice

Butternut Squash

Butternut squash is affordable food to buy when broke. So, it’s great for anyone on a tight budget. To save money, make sure you buy it whole instead of pre-cut or pre-processed.

It also has a lot of potassium, which could help lower your blood pressure.

Butternut squash recipe ideas – roasted butternut squash and broccoli, butternut squash soup

Cabbage

Besides being cheap and nutritious, cabbage is one of the longest-lasting vegetables in the store. This makes it one of the best food to buy when broke.

Cabbage recipe ideas – sauteed cabbage, cabbage, and carrots stir fry, sauerkraut, kimchi

Cucumbers

Cucumbers are always a cheap food to buy. They’re also high in water content, which means they’ll keep you full longer.

If you’re broke and on a budget, you definitely want to add this to your vegetables list.

Cucumber recipe ideas – cucumbers and carrots in vinegar, dill pickles, cucumber lemon water

Protein

Chicken

Chicken is the cheapest meat you’ll find out there, but the part of the chicken you buy will affect the price.

Whole chicken usually goes for a cheaper price than cut chicken. And chicken with the bones is cheaper than chicken without the bone. 

If you’re looking for cheap meals when broke, you can’t go wrong with chicken.

Chicken recipe ideas – Roasted whole chicken, fried chicken, chicken soup, chicken salad sandwiches

Canned tuna

Canned tuna is a versatile low-calorie option that won’t break your budget. You can use it in salads, for sandwiches, for rice and pasta or anything else you can think of.

Canned tuna recipe ideas – tuna salad, fried tuna patties, tuna and pasta

Pork

Another great food to buy on a budget is pork. Pound for pound, pork is more expensive than chicken but cheaper than beef.

So if you’re looking for variety, pork is your next best meat option.

Pork recipe ideas – pork chops, pulled pork sandwiches

Eggs

Eggs are another staple food that fits into any budget. They also contain complete proteins, which means they have all 9 essential amino acids that you need.

Egg recipe ideas – deviled eggs, pickled eggs, Spanish potato omelet

Peanut butter

peanut butter is high in fat, calories, and protein. So, if you’re trying to get as much energy as you can on a budget, peanut butter is an excellent option.

And when you consider how many sandwiches you can get from one jar of peanut butter, it’s worth the cost

Peanut butter meal ideas – peanut butter and banana sandwiches, peanut butter cookies, peanut butter and banana milkshake

Grain & Legumes

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is another one of those pantry staples that you can afford on any budget. It’s also great for your cardiovascular health.

Bread

Certain types of bread may be out of your budget. But the store brand is usually cheaper than name-brand bread.

And if you really want to keep your food budget low, try making your own bread. It’s affordable and easy!

Rice

Rice is at the top of the cheapest food list. It’s also a global staple food and one of the top food crops in the world.

If you’re on a tight budget, go for black beans and rice, vegetable fried rice or even rice pudding!

Pasta

Pasta is another one of those foods to buy when you’re on a tight budget. It’s not normally considered one of the healthy foods, but if you’re broke, go for it!

Soft tortillas

Tortillas are another cheap option that you can use in a ton of recipes when you are broke.

Besides burritos and tacos, you can use them as a pizza base or to make quesadillas.

Beans

Beans and lentils are another great list of staple foods you can get on a budget. They’re not only cheap and healthy, but they’re also a source of vegetarian protein.

Fruits

Bananas

Bananas are definitely one of the best groceries to buy when broke. They’re nutritious, cheap, And when you freeze them, they make phenomenal milkshakes!

Apples

They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Whether or not that’s true, they are very nutritious and filling.

Oranges

Oranges are high in vitamin C and help support a healthy immune system. They’re in season between November and May, so you may find them cheaper during that time of year.

Frozen Berries

Frozen berries are cheaper than fresh because they’re easier to ship and handle, and they last longer. Also, many frozen berries are picked and frozen at peak ripeness, so they keep more nutrients than fresh fruit.

Dairy

Milk

Is another staple food that’s relatively inexpensive. It’s packed with nutrients and if you’re not lactose intolerant, it’ll make a brilliant addition to your grocery list for when you are broke.

Cottage Cheese

This is a creamy fresh cheese that’s packed with nutrients. Mix it with fruit for a healthy snack.

Yogurt

Yogurt is another inexpensive dairy food you can buy on a budget. Greek yogurt is more expensive, but they contain more protein and are generally considered healthier.

You may also like: Save Money Live Better – Everything You Need to Know

More ideas for cheap meals when you are broke

Breakfast

• Overnight oats
• Scrambled eggs with tomatoes
• Oatmeal
• Hard-boiled eggs and toast
• Rice porridge
• Peanut butter and banana toast

Lunch or Dinner

• Roasted chicken and butternut squash
• Chicken thighs and mashed potatoes
• Pork chops
• Creamy potato soup
• Chicken tacos
• Chicken and rice
• Lentil soup
• Three-bean chili
• Chicken Salad
• Loaded Baked Potato

Dessert

• Oatmeal cookies
• Peanut butter blondies
• Banana milkshake
• Bread pudding
• Rice pudding

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for cheap food to buy when broke, we hope you now have a better idea of all the options available.

Whether you’ve got some money or are broke, there’s food to buy that you can afford. Just remember to shop around, buy in season, and plan your meals!

Are there any cheap food strategies you know of that we didn’t list here? Or do you have any ideas for cheap family meals we should know about?

If so, let us know in the comments below!

Cheers!

You may also like: Little Known Ways to Drastically Reduce Your Food Spending.