Whether we like it or not, food prices are going up. For some, it might not seem like a big deal. It’s just a couple of bucks in the end, right?
At the same time, package sizes are getting smaller. Whole grain pasta comes in a standard 12 or 13.5 oz box, instead of the traditional 16 oz (one pound) box of enriched pasta.
Put the two together and it’s apparent that in order for us to continue to afford whole foods without going broke, we’re going to have to get creative and think outside the box.
Earlier in the year I conducted an experiment to see if cutting the tips off of toothpaste really saved any money. The result? Absolutely yes! It appears many of you are saving by applying the same concept to your facial lotions, body lotions and even tubes of artist’s paint! Kudos on stretching those pennies guys!
That experiment spawned the Crumbs Community “Money Saving Ideas To Try” board on Pinterest. It’s the virtual repository for those random money-saving ideas that you often wonder if they really do work, but don’t have the time nor energy to test out yourself.
Let me be your guinea pig! I’m testing out those ideas and sharing the results with you guys. In fact, today’s post was inspired by one of those pins!
Anyone is welcome to pin to the Crumbs Community “Money Saving Ideas To Try” board. Here’s how you can join us in gathering ideas:
- Follow me on Pinterest.
- Leave me a comment on one of the pins on that board, asking for an invite.
- I’ll add you as a pinner within a day or two!
So the next experiment in question is this:
Can You Save Money by Shopping for Healthy Food at the Dollar Store?
Yes!
The kids and I took our time browsing the aisles at our local Dollar Tree and came up with a HUGE list of real food items that were available. Obviously what’s available in my area may not be exactly the same as yours, and the selection will vary between Dollar Tree and Dollar Store and Dollar General and Just 99¢ (and whatever other local dollar stores you might have), BUT – the concept remains the same: Think outside the box and keep your shopping options open!
Here are the type of foods you might find in a dollar store:
Beverages
- regular tea
- green tea
- coffee
- water
Canned Goods
- corn
- green beans
- beets
- mixed vegetables
- spinach
- jalapenos
- oranges
- pumpkin puree
Meats
- canned tuna
- canned salmon
- frozen pollack
- frozen tilapia
Condiments
- yellow mustard
- deli mustard
- brown mustard
Pantry Staples
- white sugar*
- brown sugar*
- vinegar
- pasta (not enriched)
- beans
- extra virgin olive oil
Frozen Goods
- broccoli
- pepper stir-fry
- California vegetable blend
- corn on the cob
- corn kernels
Spices
- kosher salt
- iodized salt
- sea salt
- basil
- cinnamon
- chili powder
- cayenne
- onion powder
- rosemary
- pepper
- parsley
- oregano
- Italian seasoning
- bay leaves
- dried whole chilies
Toiletries/Personal Care
- bandages
- baking soda
- ibuprofen/acetaminophen
- rubbing alcohol
- hydrogen peroxide
- toilet paper
- tissues
Snacks
- dried prunes
- peanuts
- sunflower seeds
- cashews
- raisins
- popcorn kernels
* Some would argue that granulated white sugar is not a real food. We have cut refined sugar out for the most part but still use it to make kombucha and occasionally for baking. I listed it here since we are all in different places on our real food journey and sugar may still be on your list.
** I’ve only included foods whose ingredients do not contain additives or preservatives. There were a lot of canned fruit like pineapples, pears and peaches, but many contained additional ingredients and sugar so I did not list them here.
Note that this is NOT an all inclusive list. I could have easily spent another hour or two writing down every single thing my store had, but it won’t do any good if you’ve got to get out and check to see what your own store has anyway!
Three Things to Keep In Mind
Quality
Many of the foods found in dollar stores are not main-stream brands, which can be both good and bad. It’s a bad thing because you’ll have to do your own research on the brands to see if they’re reputable or not.
Personally, it doesn’t matter much to me in terms of baking soda, vinegar, most spices or even foods from the Clean 15 list. If I didn’t buy these items at the dollar store, I’d be buying the generic brand anyway! However, it does matter to me though when it comes to fish (is it wild or farmed?), canned food from the Dirty Dozen (i.e. spinach and corn) and “specialty” items like olive oil.
I’m a bit more particular about the quality of those foods, so it’s up to me to research the brand, parent company and the farming practices of each. What matters to you will depend on where you are in your real food journey.
Quantity
Most things in the store are $1, however some things were marked as less. In either case, make sure that it’s really a good deal on a price per ounce level. This is where having a price book comes in handy. For example, some packages of pasta contained only 12 oz. My regular “buy price” for pasta is $1 for 16 oz. In this case, it’s not the better deal to pay a full $1 for less pasta.
Another example are the canned goods. Warehouse stores often sell canned vegetables in bulk for 50-75¢ per can, so paying $1 each is not a better deal. On the flip side, canned pumpkin is very hard to find for under $3 in my area, even more so when it’s not September or October. Paying just $1 per can is a steal!
Another good deal for me is the beans. I’m having a hard time finding beans for under $1.50/lb, so I almost always snag a bag when I see them on the shelf for just $1! Evaluate the cost per ounce (especially for smaller packages like the nuts and dried fruit) and compare to other store while you’re out and about shopping. Then the next time you’ve got nuts or fruit or bandages on your shopping list, you’ll know where you can get the best deal.
Ingredients Don’t Lie
Remember that real food is supposed to be as unprocessed as possible. There was quite a bit of food on the shelves that was processed with additional acids (whose source is not known to be natural or man-made), sugars and preservatives. Remember to always read the ingredients. Always! Never assume a food is “safe.”
Update: Some readers raised concerns about the source of some foods found at the Dollar Store. I explore those questions in my follow up post here: Dollar Store Dilemma: Does Your Food Come From China?
I realize that this is a very old post but I thought I’d add my comment anyway. I work for a company that makes flavors and fragrances for food companies. One of the most important things that people don’t think of when it comes to buying any kind of fish, poultry, or seafood that is imported from China is the fact that these items come here by boat. We have no way of knowing how long that fish or that poultry is sitting on the boat before it arrives at the store. Not to mention that the standards in China are far below the standards in the U.S Honest truth is you should never purchase any food item that comes from China.
Thank you for sharing Taylor!
Don’t buy the COFEE!!! It’s…my husband described it as like drinking a mixture of cigarettes and burnt mud water. I agree. If you are that desperate for caffeine…I don’t know. Don’t be. Just pay extra and get some coffee beans that have not been abused. I don’t know where they get that stuff.
Occasionally the DT has a small package of Maxwell House available. Otherwise, the coffee they sell is truly awful.
Dollar Tree in my area carries name-brand canned goods like Hunt’s, Libby’s, and Southern favorites like Glory and Margaret Holmes, with Libby’s vegetables often 79 cents a can. With savings of 20-50% and no coupon required, I cannot afford NOT to stock up on these items at Dollar Tree.
Woo-hoo! You found some good ones Karin!
You are right… and an added bonus is that Libby brand on some of the vegetables are packed in BPA-Free cans!
Some food items come from China (salmon canned and frozen salmon fillets) but were actually wild caught in the Northwest USA. They are sent over there to be processed. I believe the term is “sustainably caught” using safe practices. I don’t have a can of salmon right now to put the words in the correct context. Unfortunately if you check some of our products like Del Monte or Hunt for canned fruits they are a product of China…I do not purchase them.
Thanks for sharing Kandy. I did a follow up post on this exact topic shortly after publishing:
https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/2014/04/dollar-store-dilemma-food-come-china/
You might find it helpful!
Iam just wondering i bought canned salmon from the dollar general store and it says product of china. Is it safe to eat may i ask?
Hi Jessica! “Safe” is a relatively loose term nowadays, lol. If I were I your shoes, I’d eat it (because I bought it), and then be VERY sure next time to read the labels first. 🙂
PS – I was in your shoes recently with ground beef: https://instagram.com/p/zqqRz8POwW/?taken-by=tiffanycrumbs
While I made all my bread years ago, it’s just not worth it time wise right now. THAT is the item I get most at Dollar Tree- Nature’s Own and their affiliates, whole wheat breads, rolls, sometimes Hawaiian breads, rye, cinnamon breads, or english muffins!
I also found the organic french fries once.
In case you don’t know, Dollar Trees take coupons, so when you find a name brand you use, and have a coupon it’s a double win! 🙂
This is wild to me, I’m not being negative, I’m more like in shock. The prices you are able to enjoy are crazy. I live in Alaska: 1) we don’t have a dollar store in our area 2) we don’t get those prices in a crazy good sale! Just because I’m curious, what do you pay for good eggs a dozen? ‘Real’ bread and a gallon of whole milk?
Hi Tiffany, I would like to add this post to my round-up for eating real food on a shoestring budget. It publishes on 3/31. I will only be using your link without image but I did pin this resource because it will positively impact many families who depend on dollar stores for their grocery budget. Thanks! ~ Jessica
Absolutely Jessica! I appreciate sharing with those who can benefit! 🙂
We just got a dollar tree where I live, and I was surprised by the quality of the product. I bought some house cleaning supplies and basic toiletries (Q-TIPS!) for really inexpensive. I plan on going back through more carefully to see what I can use off my monthly grocery list.
Happy hunting Beth!
Yes, I have. Recently, I bought frozen fruit, sugar-free, at the Dollar Tree. I believe it was around 12oz so $1.33/lb. It beats my local Aldi’s and my 2hr away Costco’s for a few. Non-Organic which I realize is a deal breaker for some. I love having this option since the store is small and so is the parking lot; sometimes I’m just too plum-tuckered out to make one more stop or have forgotten something at another store.
Also check country of origin, does food come from China? My dollar store has lots of canned goods imported from china, also toothpaste and for me that is a no thank you.
great point. I’ve found a few things at my local dollar tree that came from China. Things you may not even think about. Definite deal breaker for me as well.
Lauren & Brittney – you both make good points. I’m going to do a follow-up to this issue and post again soon. Many of the items are exactly the same brands as those in bigger stores, but some are not. You need to consider the flip side too – many of the items we purchase from regular stores could be from overseas as well… just because it’s being sold at Savemart or Albertsons or Kroger doesn’t make it safe. 🙁
My husband is in quality control for the food industry. Yes be very careful and stay away from food that is packaged or product of china.
you are correct. in fact one of the largest producers of ham in the US, raise the hogs here and then ships it to China for processing. and China does not have the same sanitary standards as the US agriculture
If Dollar Tree’s frozen fruit is not from America; they do a good job trying to convince the public that it is. To save money, I buy a 3-lb frozen bag of fruit, followed by a bag each of frozen blueberries and frozen berry blend (strawberries and raspberries, with a few blueberries). Once I’ve had a couple smoothies from the big bag, I mix the smaller bags into the big bag. This is to make it last longer and cost less per ounce.
I do NOT exclusively use Dollar Tree fruit for TWO reasons:
(1) Dollar Tree’s fruit stains my hand as soon as I grab out the fruit. (Any idea why?)
(2) Dollar Tree’s fruit doesn’t TASTE as good. Yes, it’s natural, but its flavor is lacking. I found I could tolerate the big bag with no sugar, but once I add DT’s fruit, I need to add about 1 tsp sugar per serving. Not as healthy.
Hope this helps someone.