60 Frugal & Healthy Foods with 110 Meal Ideas Under $1

Dry Goods – These are great items to buy in bulk. Not only will you get these items dirt cheap that way, but they also have a long shelf life and will last you all year. If you don’t have a membership to Sam’s Club or Costco, you can get them on Amazon for around the same price. You can even save an extra 15% if you subscribe and get it mailed to you automatically the next time you need it. I have included a couple links to some good bulk deals on Amazon for your convenience.

1. Oats
2. Grits
3. Rice – brown or white
4. Lentils
5. Pasta
6. Mac and cheese ($0.39 cents a box at ALDI)
7. Beans (especially black beans, great northern beans, pinto beans and garbanzo beans)
8. Cornmeal (for cornbread)
9. Breadcrumbs
10. Saltine crackers

Bakery

1. Bagels ($1.29 at ALDI)
2. Tortillas ($1 at Dollar Tree)
3. English Muffins ($0.99 a pack at ALDI)
4. Bread ($0.49-$0.85 at ALDI)

Canned/Jar foods

1. Pasta sauce
2. Tuna
3. Salmon
4. PB&J
5. Chickpeas
6. Corn
7. Tomatoes (puree or diced)
8. Canned fruits
9. Canned pumpkin

Dairy

1. Eggs
2. Powdered milk
3. Yogurt ($0.37 at ALDI)
4. Cheese singles

Produce (View this guide for the cheapest produce month-by-month)

1. Potatoes
2. Bananas
3. Apples
4. Watermelon
5. Corn
6. Oranges
7. Celery
8. Green peppers
9. Frozen Veggies ($1 per bag at ALDI)
10. Cucumbers
11. Carrots
12. Onions
13. Seasonal veggies and fruits
14. Greens (collard and mustard)
15. Cabbage
16. Zucchini

Baking goods

1. Flour
2. Sugar
3. Baking powder
4. Cake mix

Meats

1. Whole chicken
2. Chicken legs
3. Chicken thighs
4. Turkey bacon ($1.79 at ALDI)
5. Ground beef (especially the stuff in the tubes)
6. Ground turkey
7. Pepperoni
8. Pork shoulder and bone-in pork chops
9. Turkey polish kielbasa ($1.50 at ALDI)
10. Pork Boston Butt
11. Tofu (not a meat, but it can act like a meat in a dish to save money)

Snacks

1. Popcorn
2. Peanuts
3. Pumpkin seeds
4. Edamame
5. Pretzels
6. Hazelnut Spread
7. Almonds

Seasonings
You can get most seasonings for under $1.50 at ALDI, Big Lots, & Dollar Tree

Some sample frugal meals made with these cheap ingredients

Breakfast Under $1 Per Serving

1. homemade oat & honey granola bars
2. cinnamon oatmeal
3. eggs with toast
4. yogurt with granola
5. turkey bacon and grits
6. breakfast sandwich
7. bagel and cream cheese
8. fruit salad
9. biscuits with gravy
10. omelets
11. pancakes
12. waffles
13. hard boiled egg and toast
14. french toast
15. tofu scramble
16. breakfast burrito
17. potato and egg hash
18. peanut butter toast
19. sliced banana and hazelnut spread on toast
20. pumpkin oatmeal

Lunch Under $1 Per Serving

1. homemade hummus with celery or carrots
2. chicken salad sandwich
3. tuna salad sandwich
4. pasta salad with veggies
5. peanut butter and banana sandwich
6. peanut butter and honey sandwich on wheat bread
7. PB&J
8. potato soup
9. tomato soup
10. caesar chicken wrap
11. BLTs with turkey bacon
12. grilled cheese
13. hazelnut spread and banana roll up
14. cucumber sandwich
15. tuna melt
16. thai peanut noodles
17. apple and peanut butter wrap
18. chicken burrito with salsa
19. bean and cheese burrito
20. black bean and corn quesadilla
21. egg salad sandwich
22. tuna salad with crackers
23. chicken salad with crackers
24. mac and cheese
25. pasta salad
26. mini pizzas

Dinner Under $1 Per Serving

1. grilled chicken
2. chili and cornbread
3. lemon or garlic roasted chicken
4. tacos
5. spaghetti with meat sauce
6. tuna casserole
7. shepards pie
8. salmon patties
9. beef stew
10. chicken stir fry
11. chicken and broccoli casserole
12. taco salad
13. cobb salad
14. tuna cakes
15. sausage with green peppers and onions
16. fiesta black beans and rice
17. beef and bean burritos
18. bean soup
19. stuffed bell peppers
20. yellow rice and black beans
21. chicken quesadillas
22. rice burrito bowl
23. chicken pot pie
24. baked chicken
25. red beans and white rice
26. chicken tenders
27. homemade pizza
28. english muffin / texas toast pizzas
29. Italian breaded pork chops
30. black bean burger
31. bean and vegetable curry
32. white beans and sausage
33. beans and weiners
34. chicken and dumplings
35. pork carnitas
36. pulled pork sandwiches (slow cooker version)
37. black bean soup
38. pasta carbonara
39. egg fried rice
40. salisbury steak with caramelized onion gravy
41. salsa chicken
42. chicken parmesan
43. chicken noodle casserole
44. stir fry with tofu
45. chicken enchiladas
46. homemade calzones
47. chicken and rice casserole
48. loaded baked potato
49. hamburger casserole
50. chicken fried rice (or lo-mein)
51. honey mustard chicken
52. paprika chicken & rice bake
53. bbq chicken
54. chicken fajitas
55. chicken and dumplings
56. spagetti pie
57. chicken alfredo
58. brown sugar glazed pork chops

Sides Under $1 Per Serving

1. baked potato
2. corn on the cob
3. mashed potatoes
4. pinto beans
5. cornbread
6. black beans
7. collard greens
8. creamed spinach
9. refried beans
10. broccoli with cheese sauce
11. green beans
12. side salad
13. baked beans
14. pan fried potatoes and onions
15. homemade rolls
16. scalloped potatoes
17. mac and cheese
18. green bean casserole
19. spanish rice
20. fried cabbage

Desserts Under $1 Per Serving

1. peanut butter cookies
2. basic muffins
3. rice pudding
4. baked oat-stuffed apples
5. banana bread
6. oatmeal cookies
7. banana pudding
8. peach cobbler
9. snickerdoodles
10. banana pudding
11. apple crisp
12. peanut butter oat bites
13. frozen yogurt pops

For more frugal & healthy meal ideas, check out my other posts:

• 60 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes
• 75 Cheap & Easy Slow Cooker Recipes