Are you tired of watching your paycheck disappear whenever you go to the grocery store?  I know I am. I have 3 kids at home and boy oh boy can they eat! I can easily spend $1,000 or more on groceries each month if I’m not careful.  One of the ways I am sure to keep my food budget under control is by making sure to take advantage of frugal foods and keeping them on hand in my kitchen.

If you want to do your best to keep your grocery budget down too, here are 10 frugal foods you should always keep on hand:

1. Eggs.  Eggs are healthy, filling and very inexpensive.  At a local grocery store I shop at, I am able to get 5 dozen eggs for around $5.50.  I buy 2 of these each month and feed my family well with them. We keep boiled eggs on hand for snacks and a quick breakfast of scrambled eggs is easy and cheap.
2. Bread.  No need for the spendy stuff.  Buy a $1 loaf of bread for quick PB&Js.
3. Rice.  Rice is a cheap filler for many, many different dishes.
4. Beans.  Oh my goodness, dried beans are super cheap and can be turned into some really great meals (tacos, chili, soups, etc).
5. Fruits and Veggies.  Yes, sometimes these can be expensive, but shop at your local Farmer’s markets during the summer and they are quite budget friendly.
6. Lentils.  Similar to beans, these can be used as a breakfast food too!
7. Oatmeal.  If you have a grocery store that sells bulk foods, shop for oatmeal in this section.  I buy bulk oatmeal for $0.67 per pound and there are quite a few different ways to prepare it in the mornings.
8. Ramen.  Okay, not the healthiest meal in the world, but it’s cheap.  I rarely buy top ramen for my house, but I don’t mind if my kids occasionally eat it.  Plus, it literally costs like $0.25 for an entire meal!
9. Peanuts.  Peanuts are cheaper than other nuts, but they are packed in protein and easy to grab and go.
10. Peanut butter.  Peanut butter isn’t always cheap, but when you do find a good deal, you should stock up.  It’s a good quick, easy protein, plus it can be added to so many meals (i.e., pancake topping, oatmeal topping, sandwich ingredient, smoothie addition, etc).