I’m a Frugal Shopper: 10 Items You’ll Always Find in My Pantry

No one likes to spend a ton of money when they go to the grocery store, but a few items are must-haves for around the house, because you never know when they will come in handy. But to stay in full supply, do you need to spend an arm and leg? Of course not.

GOBankingRates reached out to two frugal shoppers — Avery Zenker, registered dietitian at EverFlex Fitness, and Veronica Sparks, owner and operator of Homesteading Suburbia — to find out about their consistently in-stock goods. Here are the 10 items you will always find in their pantries.

Also see healthy grocery items frugal people tend to buy.

Zenker makes sure to have oats in her pantry — not oatmeal packets, but rolled oats, quick oats or steel cut oats. She noted that oats cost around $2.24 per kilogram.

“They’re very versatile to be made for breakfasts, snacks, desserts and more,” she said. “I like to meal prep homemade granola bars with oats and bananas.”

“Protein tends to be the most expensive macronutrient,” Zenker said. “Although many protein powders aren’t necessarily cheap, they can provide a good value of grams of protein per dollar.

“I usually buy it for no more than $23 per kilogram. Protein powder is very versatile and a quick grab for meal prep.”

“Nuts and seeds can be more expensive, but I find seeds to be more affordable. Specifically sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and flax seeds,” Zenker said. “I try to aim for no more than $3.75 for 500 grams. They’re super easy to toss into meals and can be blended into creamy sauces and dressings.”

“Beans provide a lot of nutrients per dollar,” Zenker said. “These can include lentils, chickpeas, black, navy, kidney, pinto and other beans. Dry beans usually cost less than canned beans — [around] $1.12 per can. Canned beans are ready to eat right away and provide protein, fiber and many essential vitamins and minerals.”

Zenker listed various ways beans can be included in recipes: stews, soups, wraps, sandwiches, salads, bowls, dips and more.

Zenker believes that herbs and spices can really level up how a meal tastes, elevating some of the most basic dishes into a new zone of deliciousness.

“They can help replace sauces and condiments that may be more expensive,” she said, adding that at a typical grocery store, it costs around $1.50 for a small bag of spices or herbs.

“They provide lots of versatility to the flavor of meals and can be added to anything.”

“Canned tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, strained tomatoes and other, similar tomato products are very versatile and relatively inexpensive,” Zenker said. “They can be used in stews, pasta dishes, curries, soups, pizza and basically anything savory.”

“Rice and pasta provide a good amount of carbohydrates per dollar. They’re incredibly versatile, widely enjoyed and widely available,” Zenker said.

Sparks agreed, describing how bags of rice and boxes of noodles are perfect for Asian or Italian meals that do not cost a lot of money at all.

“These packages are often less than $2 and they give you a ton of servings — sometimes 20 servings or more,” Sparks said. “They’re great for adding into cheap meals, like casseroles, stir-fries or spaghetti, and there are even whole grain options that don’t cost much more.”

Zenker added, “Other grains may be budget friendly, as well, such as barley, bulgur and couscous. Whole grains contain more fiber and will help you feel full and satiated for longer.”

Potatoes may not last as long as some other pantry foods, but they provide a lot of nutrients and energy per dollar, Zenker said. 

“They often can be bought for $3 or less per 10 pounds. They are super versatile and can be baked, steamed, blended, mashed and much more,” she explained.

When it comes to feeding a family on a budget, Sparks said, “The best thing you can do is cook from scratch more often.

“For example, buy a 5-pound bag of potatoes for $4 and make about 20 servings of mashed potatoes from scratch. This will be almost half the cost per serving compared to buying pre-packaged mashed potatoes for $2 that yield only 4 servings.”

Zenker pointed out that potatoes and other root vegetables also can be tasty all by themselves, not to mention can be added to basically any kind of savory dish.

“Other root vegetables that may be budget friendly include carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, onions and garlic,” Zenker said.

Another tip Sparks shared is “to watch the fresh produce section for price cuts, and stock up on sale items that can be frozen. Many fresh vegetables, like green beans, carrots and broccoli, can be blanched and frozen for future use. Bananas, berries, grapes, pineapple, kiwis and stone fruit can also all be frozen!”

“Vinegar does not provide a lot of calories, so it’s not necessarily cheap per calorie, but it gives a lot of flavor,” Zenker said. “There are a number of types of vinegar to choose from to level up salads, pasta dishes, stir-fry and more.”

“Peanut butter is a great source of fats,” Zenker said. “It’s very well loved and widely available. Natural peanut butter costs a bit more than more processed peanut butters, but I think it’s worth it.

“It can be used in baking, oatmeal, sandwiches, wraps and even as sauce in pasta dishes, salads and stir-fry.”

Natural peanut butter can be found for about $3 for a regular-sized jar.