I’m a Chef: Here Are 4 Things I Love To Buy From Dollar Tree Every Month
Written by
Heather Taylor
Edited by
Ashleigh Ray
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It may surprise you to learn that not all chefs make a run to stores like Sur La Table, Williams Sonoma or even Target for their culinary needs. Some chefs make Dollar Tree their first stop for kitchen essentials that can easily fit into their budgets and work just as well, if not better, than expensive alternatives.
What are chefs buying? GOBankingRates spoke to Nic Vanderbeeken, executive chef at Apéritif, to learn more about what he shops for at Dollar Tree that can offer great value to home and professional chefs alike.
Storage Containers
Vanderbeeken uses a lot of different ingredients as he preps food daily and said it’s crucial to have a variety of storage options to organize the kitchen. The food storage section at Dollar Tree has a lot in its inventory to appeal to chefs.
Aside from food storage boxes and storage bowls, chefs that carefully vet this section will find plastic egg storage containers, portable yogurt cups, travel dressing containers and soup containers, just to name a few. Here are a few must-haves for every kitchen:
- Fruit and Vegetable Storage Containers With Lids: $1.25
- Silicone Salad Dressing Container: $1.25
- Rectangular Snack Containers With Lock-Top Lids: $1.50
Foil and Parchment Paper
Foil and parchment paper are among Vanderbeeken’s core kitchen staples. Rather than pay substantially more at a big-box retailer and feel guilty about the expense, he prefers to stock up on both during a Dollar Tree run. You can get a 20-square-foot roll of parchment paper for just $1.50, and a 25-square-foot roll of aluminum foil for $1.75.
Baking Tools
Vanderbeeken also likes to pick up baking essentials on his trips to Dollar Tree. Spatulas, measuring cups and mixing bowls are all on his shopping list.
“I think these items are fantastic for any chef, whether professional or home-based,” said Vanderbeeken. “They might not be the highest quality, but they do the job well, especially when you need extra tools on a busy day in the kitchen.”
Here are a few very reasonably priced options:
- Cooking Concepts Tin Pie Pan: $1.25
- Cooking Concepts Metal Cooling Racks: $1.25
- Foil Cake Pans with Plastic Blue Lids: $1.75
Spices and Seasonings
While the inventory for spices and seasonings is somewhat limited at Dollar Tree, Vanderbeeken recommends picking up budget-friendly basics there, like garlic powder and onion powder from the Supreme Tradition brand.
GOBankingRates made a quick visit to the Dollar Tree website to see what else is currently available in its spices and seasonings category. We found Kingsford lemon pepper seasoning, Colonna cilantro lime seasoning and Spice Time pure ground black pepper, all of which are priced starting at $1.25.
Caitlyn Moorhead contributed to the reporting for this article.
Editor’s note: Pricing is accurate as of Sep. 18, 2025. Pricing and availability are subject to change.
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