8 Dollar Tree Grocery Items Frugal People Never Buy
Written by
Angela Mae
Edited by
Molly Sullivan
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Whether you’re living on a tight budget or you’re trying to be more frugal, Dollar Tree is likely one of your top places to shop. Although some items will cost $7 later this year, most things still cost $1.25.
Besides everyday low prices, Dollar Tree also has quite a lot to offer when it comes to grocery items. Whether you need basic pantry staples, frozen meals or appetizers, or boxed goods, you’re bound to find it on the shelves.
But price isn’t everything, and some things that might seem worth the purchase actually aren’t. Here are the top Dollar Tree grocery items that aren’t actually a deal and that frugal people tend to avoid.
Canned Goods
At Dollar Tree, you can find canned goods. These are cheap and make for a good pantry staple, but that doesn’t mean you should automatically add them to your cart.
“These cans are likely to be full of sodium and sugar. The savings aren’t worth the health issues,” said Scott Lieberman, founder of Touchdown Money.
Plus, you can often find better deals on canned goods at retailers like Target or Aldi.
Instant Ramen
“This is another food that just isn’t worth the calories. It’s also likely not as cheap as you remember it being in your college days and, unless you have a deep need to revisit said college days, you can do much better with basic ingredients,” said consumer analyst Julie Ramhold with DealNews.com.
Even though you might be able to still get cheap instant ramen from Dollar Tree, Ramhold suggested experimenting to find an affordable dish that’s also easy to make. You can even keep your search to Dollar Tree by checking out its frozen food section, spices and other ingredients.
Premade Baked Goods
One of the biggest Dollar Tree grocery items to avoid is its premade baked goods. Even if they’re cheap, these items aren’t exactly nutritious.
“When it comes to food items, low cost doesn’t necessarily mean a good deal. It most likely means you’re getting very low-quality, in which case, you’ll do yourself a favor by avoiding it,” said Dan Gallagher, frugal shopper and registered dietitian at Aegle Nutrition. “Any kind of premade bakery item is going to be loaded with ingredients that you don’t want to put in your body. If you’re looking for baked goods, then purchasing them from a bakery is your better option. Make them yourself, even, so you can be sure you’re using quality ingredients.”
And if you don’t like either of those options, consider picking up a packaged brownie, cake or cookie mix from Dollar Tree. That way, you can at least check the ingredients before making the purchase.
Generic Spices
As you wander down the Dollar Tree aisles, think twice before picking up any generic spices. They might be cheap, but they’re not always the best quality or flavor. They’re also not always well-regulated.
“Sure, the prices are going to seem reasonable at $1.25 for a decent-sized container, but many of these cheaper brands were recalled recently due to the presence of lead,” Ramhold said. “The prices aren’t worth the potential health issues, and honestly you can find way better prices on spices at your standard grocery store or big-box store by shopping in the international aisle rather than the baking aisle.”
Vitamins
“It might seem like Dollar Tree is a great place to get your groceries and save some money. But not everything at Dollar Tree is a great buy for your needs. Some items aren’t worth the low cost, and others lack the oversight needed to ensure safety,” Lieberman said.
One thing to avoid is vitamins. Although most foods are regulated at Dollar Tree, basic vitamins and supplements often aren’t. This means you could be getting something cheap, but it might not have the intended effect.
“Vitamins and supplements aren’t regulated at Dollar Tree,” Lieberman confirmed. “You have no way to know what’s going on in your body.”
Name-Brand Cereals
If you’re a frugal shopper, you’re not buying name-brand cereal at Dollar Tree either.
“You can find 3.5oz pouches of things like Honey Nut Cheerios at Dollar Tree, but at $1.25 per pouch, that’s not a good deal,” Ramhold said. “You’re better off shopping for these items from warehouse clubs or even leaning into generic brands like Malt o Meal at grocery stores for an even better value.”
Fruit Spreads
Sometimes, you can get a cheaper alternative to what you’d usually buy. Other times, that alternative isn’t quite as good of a deal as you thought. This is particularly true of Dollar Tree fruit spreads.
“You may think these are just another version of jelly to add to your peanut butter sandwiches, but there’s basically no nutritional value to them. The first ingredient is sugar, followed by water and then the ‘fruit’ element,” Ramhold said. “Plus they’re full of preservatives, artificial colors, and artificial flavors, too.”
In the case of fruit spreads, you’re probably better off buying a name-brand jelly that contains simple ingredients and less sugar. It might cost a little more, but it’s better for your health.
Batteries
Groceries don’t just include food and drinks. It also includes nonedible items like batteries. And this is something frugal people won’t typically buy from Dollar Tree — primarily due to the poor quality.
“Low-quality batteries can damage your electronics, and they don’t last long anyway,” Lieberman said. “Go with brand names here.”
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