7 Stores and 2 Shopping Tips That Will Fill Your Refrigerator Up for Less Than $200

Grocery budgets got you feeling blue? You’re not alone. The USDA puts out a monthly food budget, which currently says that a “thrifty” budget for a family of four is $225.40, while their “liberal” budget can go up to $1,439.60 for a family with two teenage boys.

Based on Move.org’s calculations, what people actually spent on average per person for a month of groceries in 2023 was $415.53 and that number varies widely from state to state. In short, a lot of people are spending more than they may need to on food. As inflation of food prices throttles family budgets, you’ll want to get smart about savings and try these stores and apps. Challenge yourself to fill up your refrigerator for less than $200 per month … bon appetite!

Also see these nine expensive groceries and their cheaper replacements.

Your local Dollar Tree stocks lots of food staples and even gets surplus drops of your favorite brand-name groceries at dramatically reduced prices. While you probably don’t want to go here for your weekly needs, if you’re nearby it’s worth swinging through the aisles to see if anything on your list is on the shelves for dirt cheap.

Costco offers some of the best per-unit costs of high-quality packaged groceries. Especially if you’re feeding a crowd, buying in bulk can save you money. Make sure you will actually eat what you buy and stick to your list so you don’t get sucked into making other non-essential purchases on your trip. Consider how long it will take to use up any perishable goods or produce (which you can often get cheaper at your local grocery store or farmers market).

Grocery Outlet is the nation’s largest discount grocery chain with over 400 stores across the nation and more than 1.5 million shoppers hitting the aisles each week. Buying shelf-stable goods here will save you money. And remember there’s a lot of fresh produce that can be saved and used in everything from smoothies to soups.

Reddit users routinely post photos of their low-cost hauls from this popular discount grocer and fans love some of the pre-packaged foods including the Street Corn Dip. Their fruit selection is another fan favorite, just note that fruit from Aldi has a much shorter shelf life.

If you’re lucky enough to have a Trader Joe’s nearby, you’re probably already in on the cheap pasta and beans, yummy prepared foods, snacks and wide selection of good, cheap wine. Check the “Fearless Flyer” circular for weekly deals and recipes.

As the biggest grocery chain in the world by revenue generated and over 5,200 stores in the U.S., Walmart has plenty of store brand options to fill up your pantry and stay on budget. Shop Walmart-owned Sam’s Club for bulk staples like rice and oatmeal as a base for cheap meals.

A big chain with its own discount subsidiary, smart shoppers at Kroger can take advantage of digital coupons and weekly ads to stock up when possible. If you’re living week to week and can’t get bulk items, Food 4 Less offers plenty of generic brands in a no-frills environment.

Flipp compares weekly circulars, deals and digital coupons. If you have the time and ability to shop at several stores in one week, this can save a lot! Or if you’re into couponing, try The Coupons App for all kinds of food deals.

Even better, what about something that’s good for the environment and good for your wallet? Try these apps and websites to take advantage of fresh, delicious groceries that could otherwise go into a landfill. 

Flashfood is available in about 15 states and this app allows you to locate nearly-expired food at stores like Family Fair, Food Lion, Giant, Save A Lot and Stop & Shop. Buy on the app and pick up in-store. 

If you’re on the East Coast, Hungry Harvest will delivery fresh produce boxes to your door starting at $17, with add-ons like eggs and bread. 

Misfits Market and Imperfect Foods are online delivery services that source imperfect fruits and veggies, excess inventory and food with upcoming expiration dates or outdated packaging. Martie does the same with shelf-stable groceries, offering up to 80% off normal prices.

Sure, you could start a vegetable garden with enough time and space, but you can also check out Local Harvest CSA to get super fresh local produce, meat, eggs and more, direct from local farmers — a low-cost way to get amazing food.

People also offer food in local online Buy Nothing groups, everything from untouched leftovers from a big corporate event to neighbors whose lemon tree is overflowing with ripe fruit. If you’re feeling adventurous, there might also be interesting foraging in your area. Check out Alexis Nikole Nelson, a foraging teacher and enthusiast with 1.7M followers on Instagram.

Finally, if you’re looking for ways to make delicious, well-balanced meals on a meager budget, you can get a free download of Leanne Brown’s New York Times bestselling book “Good and Cheap” — it’s been downloaded 15 million times.