10 Dollar Tree Grocery Items That Can Save You Hundreds of Dollars Annually

Even as inflation cools, grocery prices are soaring and don’t seem to be coming down anytime soon. There’s only so many coupons consumers can clip from their local grocery store’s circulars before they start heading to alternative retailers — like dollar stores — to scope out potentially better deals.

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Though it is true that there are certain grocery items that should be avoided at dollar stores (like fresh produce and frozen meats), you can find a fair amount of products that are perfectly fine in quality at more competitive prices at these discount meccas.

In some cases, you can save quite significantly on grocery items by shopping at Dollar Tree than at other retailers. Here’s a look at 10 examples, with a breakdown of how much one stands to save annually by making the switch to Dollar Tree.

Pillsbury Yellow Cake Mix is a classic that will set you back $1.99 at Target for a 15.25 oz box, but only $1.25 at Dollar Tree. “This is a basic cake mix that’s good to keep on hand for last-minute baking projects,” said Julie Ramhold, consumer analyst at DealNews.com. 

Assuming you’re making a cake once a month, here’s what your annual projection of savings by shopping at Dollar Tree would be. 

• Annual Cost at Dollar Tree: $15
• Annual Cost at Target: $23.88
• Annual Savings: $8.88

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“This is another good staple to keep on hand for baking projects, and it’s also $1.25 for a 15.25 oz box [at Dollar Tree],” Ramhold said. 

At Target, it also costs a full 74 cents more, like the yellow variety does. Assuming you’re making a cake once a month, here’s what your annual projection of savings by shopping at Dollar Tree would be.

• Annual Cost at Dollar Tree: $15
• Annual Cost at Target: $23.88
• Annual Savings: $8.88

At Dollar Tree, a 7-oz jar of the delectable Kraft Marshmallow Creme goes for $1.25 a pop. At Target, the same product retails for $1.99. 

“This is a really great item to keep on hand for various s’mores recipes as it makes it much easier to get that marshmallow element without having to worry about using actual marshmallows,” Ramhold said. 

How much of this product one actually uses will vary, but let’s say you’re going through one jar a month. Here’s how much you’ll save shopping at Dollar Tree versus at Target. 

• Annual Cost at Dollar Tree: $15
• Annual Cost at Target: $23.88
• Annual Savings: $8.88

Canned beans are a great way to get a boost of protein, and Goya is a household name that Dollar Tree sells. At the discount mecca, you can buy a variety of 15.5-oz Goya canned beans for $1.25, whereas the same products will set you back $1.69 at Target. 

How many cans of Goya beans one goes through a month depends on the household. but let’s say you’re going through five cans a month. Here’s how much you’ll save shopping at Dollar Tree versus at Target. 

• Annual Cost at Dollar Tree: $75
• Annual Cost at Target: $95.40
• Annual Savings: $20.40

Tajin is a tangy seasoning made of chili peppers, lime and sea salt. It goes great on corn-on-the-cob, grilled fish and even watermelon. 

“This 1.6-oz bottle at Dollar Tree is perfect for carrying with you wherever you go,” Ramhold said. “It’s $1.25 and it’s the original flavor, but you can find this size of other flavors elsewhere. Unfortunately, the price isn’t as good as it is at Dollar Tree.”

Seasonings usually last a while, so let’s say one canister lasts you two months. Here’s how much you’ll save buying Tajin at Dollar Tree versus say, Walmart, where a 1.6-oz container goes for $1.68.  

• Annual Cost at Dollar Tree: $7.50
• Annual Cost at Walmart: $10.08
• Annual Savings: $2.58

A spicy staple in many households, Frank’s Red Hot Sauce is sold at Dollar Tree. 

“If you really love this classic hot sauce then you may want to shop elsewhere for larger quantities, but if you’re only keeping a small amount on hand, this is a good way to shop,” Ramhold said. “Dollar Tree has 5-oz bottles for $1.25, but elsewhere you’ll pay more for the exact same product.”

Walmart charges a fortune — $6.31 for a 5-oz container of the stuff.

Hot sauce fanatics tend to go through Frank’s fast. So let’s say you’re buying one a month. 

• Annual Cost at Dollar Tree: $15
• Annual Cost at Walmart: $75.72
• Annual Savings: $60.72

Chicken broth is a versatile ingredient that is crucial to many soups and stews. At Target, the generic Good & Gather brand of chicken broth goes for $1.39 (32-oz). At Dollar Tree, the same amount of product sells for $1.25. 

Let’s say you’re buying one container of chicken broth a month. Here’s what your savings would be by shopping at Dollar Tree instead of Target. 

• Annual Cost at Dollar Tree: $15
• Annual Cost at Target: $16.68
• Annual Savings: $1.18

Perhaps you’re endeavoring on a cheese dip or making a salsa. There are plenty of dishes for which Ro-Tel, a blend of diced tomatoes and green chiles, can come in handy.

“Dollar Tree has the standard 10-oz cans for $1.25 each,” Ramhold said. “While the price doesn’t typically vary wildly when it comes to shopping elsewhere, if you stock up on this product a lot, the savings will definitely add up over time at Dollar Tree.”

At Target, a 10-oz can of Rotel goes for $1.59. If you use this product once a month, here’s what your annual cost savings would look like by shopping at Dollar Tree instead of Target. 

• Annual Cost at Dollar Tree: $15
• Annual Cost at Target: $19.08
• Annual Savings: $4.08

Not all pasta varieties are cheaper at Dollar Tree, but egg noodles typically are. You can get Pampa All-Natural Wide Egg Noodles, 12-oz. for $1.25. At Walmart, a 12-oz pouch of extra wide egg noodles costs $2.12. 

Let’s say you’re buying two bags of egg noodles a month. Here’s what your annual savings by shopping at Dollar Tree versus Walmart would be. 

• Annual Cost at Dollar Tree: $30
• Annual Cost at Target: $50.88
• Annual Savings: $20.88

Nobody who favors instant coffee should call themselves a coffee snob, and thus they should be perfectly content with Dollar Tree’s offering in this department, Pampa. A 2.82-oz container of Pampa medium roast instant coffee sells for the signature $1.25, while the same exact product goes for $2.50 at Walmart.

If you’re a coffee guzzler, you’re probably going through a container of this stuff a week.  Here’s what your annual cost savings would look like by shopping at Dollar Tree instead of Walmart. 

• Annual Cost at Dollar Tree: $60
• Annual Cost at Target: $120
• Annual Savings: $60

Individually, you may not be looking at super significant savings for each of these products (though it certainly depends on how frequently you purchase them). Roughly though, you’ll see steep savings — in the ballpark of $200 a year — by shopping at Dollar Tree.

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