Lol I don't remember that, but it wasn't too long ago you could get it for 0.39. Now you can't even get 2 for dollar. On sale for Thanksgiving, it's 0.52 right now at walmart.
Even though I rarely grocery shop at Walmart (I prefer supporting my local chain, plus Aldi rocks), I put this video on because I enjoy your channel in general. You have such an approachable, best-friend-next-door demeanor, and you never talk down to your audience. You're cheerful without it feeling forced. No over-the-top theatrics. So thank you for keeping it real. 😀
I know this was a Walmart video. But, a couple weeks ago I was making taco mix. I checked Walmart, dollar tree and Aldi. Aldi was the cheapest when it came to seasonings. Then Walmart and lastly dollar tree. That extra twenty five cents is really knocking them out of good pricing on a lot of items.
FYI if you take a can of pinto beans (don’t drain!) cook it up and mash it down. BEST REFRIED BEANS ever! And it’s cheaper! I add a little salt, garlic, and a small spoonful of bacon fat. We can’t go back now that we’ve tried this. Just stocked up on GV pinto beans too.
Great advice. This is exactly how I built my pantries. I bought at least one extra item when I bought groceries (more if it fit in the budget). It is such a great feeling knowing my family has a supply of basics if we couldn’t get to the store or needed those funds for an unexpected event. To me it is a food “insurance policy” for my household. I love your videos😊
I remember when Jiffy corn bread and blurberry muffin mix.. the little box, the one that makes 6 muffins or one 8×8 pan, was .32 cents a box! Isn't that crazy! And it hasn't been that long ago.
If you Google it you can find a jiffy muffin mix copycat online. It’s an easy mix…cornmeal, flour, baking powder and sugar I think. Might work out cheaper to make up a few jars of the copycat than buy the boxes now.
This video was very helpful, Mindy. I’m a senior not presently working. I’m working on building a stockpile, very frugally, by necessity. Thank you for sharing, and God bless!
For pizza sauce… I usually buy a can of crushed tomatoes and tomato paste and follow an instant pot recipe for marinara sauce and then freeze in batches to use for months!
I got so frustrated with tomato paste that I spent the $30+ for a #10 can of tomato powder. 1 tbsp of powder to three tbsp water, season to taste. Boom, pizza sauce. A spoonful also saves crappy canned soup, enriches homemade soup and chili. Add more water to make tomato sauce. Add more to make tomato juice. Cook it to make spaghetti sauce. I've been working on that one can for a year and still have at least 3-4 months' worth left.
The blessing box is a blessing for me as the giver in so many ways: its humbling and makes me grateful for all I have AND makes me keep my stock ROTATED so I can share while keeping things in check in the pantry!
It's so important to remember that once you initially invest in items like vintage, oil and spices you are able to make items like salad dressing for way cheaper than premade (not to mention tastier and healthier). I love these videos! So informative for people starting out or facing changes to spending. Wish these were around when I was starting out, but still thank my mom and prairie family for teaching me how to make food from scratch!
Great video idea!! I always tell my grown-up kids that even adding one or two items to their pantries every time they shop can make a big difference. Every dollar counts, especially in this economy!
My family’s favorite cheap meal is a grilled (in a pan with butter) peanut butter and jelly sandwich any time of day. I always have these ingredients in my home. And they’re really good with a small side of potato chips.
This is also the time of year that the broth starts coming on sale. Like right now, it's about mid-October and the Great Value Chicken Broth (32 oz) is on sale, if you're not too picky about the broth brand. However, it is interesting that it's only the chicken broth on sale for a dollar, not the beef broth.
As a German I would love to see that too. I am just curious, how prices compare overseas. Everything has become so incredibly expensive. Tuna for example has risen to at least 1,50€ (1.61$) per can (if it is on sale at Aldi/Lidl). (From an environmental standpoint that is actually good, but it is just one example that came to my mind.)
Kroger has a digital coupon this week for up to five cans of Campbell's soup at $.99/each. Last week the same could be had for Progresso. This is one way I stock my pantry.
dried beans, egg noodles and gravy packets. Egg noodles, packet of gravy, add a protein, and you have a dinner for about $2-3 depending on your protein. Soak dried beans, then cook, add in some salt and seasoning, and you have a bean dinner, add in some pasta and you have a soup.
The Tina burritos are pretty tasty for just 58 cents. Pop two in the air fryer and **voila!** a cheap lunch or dinner. The green chili and bean is great with a fried egg on top for breakfast.
Just $5 a week can buy you 6-7 items. 7x52=364 items for your pantry. 6x52=312 items. Examples - 4x $0.64(canned vegetables)=$2.56 + 2 ($0.50each)mixes=$3.56 + 1 (can pineapple $1.28)=$4.84 add remaining $0.16 to next weeks $5. Though ALDIs might be cheaper it’s 30 mins away vs 3 mins for Walmart. A few weeks ago Lidl had canned vegetables for $0.33 each, max 24 per person or $8. So $5 would get you 15 cans. ALDIs had ketchup (20oz) and mustard (12oz) for $0.99 and $0.89 respectively.
When i see bell peppers, onoins, or celery on a good sale, i grab them. I cut up and put in the freezer. They can be added to any cooked dish or onelet. We are trying to eat more veggies. So having cut up salad fixing and cooking veggis has helped.
My local grocery store had a case lot sale where they were selling canned vegetables 3 for a dollar. They had a limit of 99 cans so I bought all my veggies in one shot. I look for loss leaders on sale each week and stock up on those.
Thanks for your video, and all the tips you share! Here's another tip for saving money on groceries: if you do grocery pickup, and you have two grocery stores relatively close to one another, price them against each other. In other words, bring up both sites and search for your items, and whichever site has the item for cheaper, put the item in your cart. Then stagger the pickup times so you can pick up one order after the other. I've started doing this with my local Walmart and Food Lion, and it's saved me a bundle. You'll also start to get a feel for the best place to buy specific items. In my case, while Walmart has the best price on a lot of things, Food Lion consistently beats them with both selection and price with the frozen dinners and certain snack items. So if I had to make a quick grocery run, and only had time to go to one store, I'd pick whichever one would give me the best overall deal based on the majority of items on my shopping list.
I just stocked up on brand name pasta sauce on sale for 95 cents a jar. I got the limit of 40 (4 of 10 different ones). I doubt I'll see that price again. By watching sales, I really can stock up.
Goodness there are a lot of dented cans on those shelves! I think a stocked pantry is key to not panicking on prices. That way you have a cushion to wait until something goes on sale again. I try to buy 5 cans or spend $10 a week on pantry items. Sometimes I spend more when canned fish goes on sale. Everyone’s budget is different but at even $1 a week, you can slowly build it up. Hang in there, everyone!
Great video. There are bags of miniature pasta for 50 cents a bag on a different part of the store. I can't quite remember right now but I think it's on the isle with Hispanic products on the very top shelf.
I always get pepper at the dollar tree.. same ounces at Walmart is 3x the price. So crazyyyyy I’m still waiting to run into you at a Tulsa Walmart lol… have a great day, Mindy!
I loved this video Mindy! We are coming into a different season of our lives w/ heat prices looming (middle of the mitten) & some unexpected surgery bills to pay off for my husband. I'm shopping today & I'm VERY interested to see the price differences in our areas. Some are right w/ ours, but I'm sure I'm jealous over others, but......we don't pay food tax either. Guess there's always going to be a traid off in life 🤗
I am always amazed at the differences in canned goods between Europe and the US... I have never ever seen canned potatoes in our stores in Austria... I didn't know they existed! Thanks for your budget friendly content! The cheapest price for eggs in our store is 2,89€ which would be 3,06 us dollars 😳
They do have their uses. My mom used to deep fry the slices. They get very crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. They also work well as breakfast potatoes. The whole canned work very well in beef stew or pot roast or tossed with olive oil and seasonings and roasted in the air fryer. I've never used the diced ones though.
@@SeeMindyMom Whole canned potatoes are absolutely delicious if you drain and rinse them, dry them and then saute them in a little butter and olive oil with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder until they are brown and crispy. You can cut the bigger ones in half. Make sure to use a cover on the skillet, cause they will pop oil all over if you don't.
When I was a teenager, I had a meal that I would make when I babysat my younger siblings, it was chicken pieces and whole canned potatoes tossed in shake and bake and roasted in the oven. The canned potatoes were delicious this way.
Great video! I have a video idea for you Mindy. I've a really busy season of life coming up and I'm trying to make some dinners double batches so that I can freeze some for the future. Maybe you have some ideas of good meals that reheat well from the freezer.
To help with dollars to purchase extra items for stocking your pantry- try saving at least $1- everyday. Even I can swing that dollar per day. At the end of a month $30- or save it for how ever many months you want. I am doing this for Gift monies, Birthdays, Christmas etc.
I’m in Michigan and the canned veggies are not that cheap here. I’m blown away by how much they’ve gone up. They’re usually at least $1.25-$1.30 a can and more for no salt added. Name brand is around $1.60
Must depend on where you are in Michigan - I just checked my local Meijer and Wal-mart and prices are comparable to hers. Name brands are more but often go on sale for $1.
Large shaker of Parmesan cheese at dollar tree. Also, paper plates and cleaning items. and chips are better prices than at grocery stores. I also get gift wrap or gift bags at dollar tree. Paper towels and napkins much cheaper here.
I’ve been going back through most of your videos looking for good easy cheap recipes because with the prices of food going up … well you know the deal. Thank you so much for all the ideas! I’ve always cooked full from scratch meals for my family and I’m just drawing a blank as to how to be more creative and thrifty.
I'm new to your site and already subscribed. LOVE IT! However, it's so depressing to always see a video featuring Wal-Mart and/or Aldi's prices. I only have access to two stores, a Key Food and a C-Town, both of which are DEFINITELY higher priced. Anyone else have that problem?
Just a note on the canned peas. I was not a fan about them either, except for the LeSeure label. However, I recently had peas at a deli, which offered hot plates. These peas were sooooo good. The secret was heating them in just a bit of the liquid, with butter, a little salt and pepper, and some sugar. I had never added sugar to the peas before, but it does make a huge difference. 😊
The canned peas already have sugar in them. It's on the label. I didn't realize it and I have quit eating them. I don't want added sugar in my veggies 😆 Le seur def best brand!! It's all my mom will eat.
I've always added a tsp of brown sugar to fresh carrot coins when cooking, it brings out the sweetness and counters any of the bitter ones. They're so good!
Sprouts has great prices on bulk things like rice, beans, oatmeal, lentils, salt, and all kinds of other spices/seeds. They also have really good weekend sales, a lot of frozen fruit/veg is on sale during those.
The Great Value fire roasted tomato salsa is $1.18 in my Walmart. It's hidden in the canned tomato product section. Great price for a very tasty salsa!
I prefer to make homemade, but always keep easy pantry items for when I’m short on time or to let my grandkids make supper. And living in the country, we lose electricity more often than others. ALWAYS a good idea to keep an emergency food kit available. I check dates once a month and trade out items. Plus I’m always watching for budget meals to stretch the food. Have to just keep an eye out for deals and treat yourself to a special meal a couple of times a month. Keeps me motivated.
Really great information. I have found it cheaper to transition to bulk buying. It took a long time. But now we buy less weekly and my pantry is in better shape. Our grocery bill has gone down. I know it’s hard and a long process but so worth it. Sams ended up being cheaper by ounce then Walmart in a lot of items. Walmart is now cheaper than the dollar tree in most items in middle Tennessee.
Good to know about Sams club! I live in the same area and last time I compared prices while at Sam’s with a friend, I was disappointed in the prices. A lot of things were not a better deal then shopping sales prices as stores like Krogers, etc. But that was probably two years ago now so I should shop and compare prices again. 😊
Oh you have to try the TINA'S brand frozen burritos.... I'm Mexican and I can say they taste the best of other frozen brands.. my 10 yr old boy loves them. We heat up the comal on the stove and place the burritos on it on low. The one that says RED HOT are one of my favorite it's not hot taste like chorizo... they're really good. The Green package ones are also really good , the Brown one too. There's one that says something TACO those burritos are so taste. I highly recommend the TINA'S burritos for like à quick lunch or dinner. I even heat up à couple burritos for breakfast with my Mexican coffee .
I’ve been cooking for a very long time but I’ve just never been able to make canned vegetables taste decent. Can you do a video that focuses on using canned vegetables that actually taste good? I’m thinking more as a side dish as opposed to using them to bulk up a main dish. I’m not sure if I’m alone in thinking canned vegetables are hard to make taste good but man the struggle is real for me 😂
One thing I do is rinse them under water to get some of the salt off of them. Butter helps, when you heat them. Depending on what, a bit of Parmesan and garlic disguises the taste. I never have a problem with tomatoes but some people add a spoon of sugar, and corn tastes pretty good to me.
I totally understand brand loyalty when it comes to brownie mix. I am amazed at your pasta selection. So many times my Walmart only has a few varieties, with lots of empty shelves.
Loved this video. You did a really great job. On the pudding mix I use half milk and half water and it tastes just fine. Family never noticed the difference.
Dollar Tree was higher than Walmart on just about everything when they bumped the price to $1.25, but now it appears they are cheaper on a few things. I can still find Hunt’s pasta sauce at my DT. Name brand cake mix, popcorn, and Jello are all cheaper there, too. And many things at Walmart that are now $1.26 are a penny more expensive than DT 😅
I do this. I have $3 budget for stockpile. I will buy sale stuff, and if it goes over or under, I put it in my phone. The next week I will know if I have room or need to scale back. I do this for freezer items a lot. Pantry items I get ahead are mostly condiments. I freeze bread and butter is one of those things that I stock up lots for the freezer when it’s on sale.
Mindy, I could not watch this video due to the movement of your camera in the store but I did listen to it. I am just too motion sick to be fine watching this. Thanks for the info.
Chef Boyardee actually makes a pizza kit. It's 2 packages of dough mix and a can of that sauce for $3.68 and you top it with whatever you want. You just need water and a little oil to make the dough and it makes 2 12" pizzas. They used to make a sausage/beef one when I was growing up and it was REALLY good.
Aldi's brownie and cake mixes are good! With brownie mixes, throwing a half cup to a cup of chocolate chips in the mix makes pretty much any mix into amazing brownies.
Re chips/crunchy snacks- in the front of the store most Walmarts have a big wire basket with Lay’s products of small snack size bags 2/$0.98. It’s chips, Frito’s and Doritos.
Coconut milk (canned)! Often the cheaper brands are at/under a dollar. Great staple for making creamy curries (Thai, Indian) - meat, chickpea or even straight veggies. Delicious and filling.
I go for Progresso when it comes to tomato soup. I just wait for a sale factor in the cost of added water & sale price it's not that bad because even chicken noodle has gone up in my area quite a bit. The cooking soups are almost $2
I love this video Mindy! This is how I keep my pantry filled. I have the "stockpile/replenish" money stack set at $50/mth. I buy canned veggies by the case, meats on sale, whatever is on sale or what Im low in. If I find a great buy and go over that amount, it comes out of the next month's stock up $. If I have overage, I take all close date items to a food pantry. Also, walmart will ship cases of veggies to your home. I enjoy not having to lug them home! Many items can be ordered online and will be delivered free.
You should visit a dollar general... they have some of these items for slightly cheaper.. like the dawn detergent is still $1 in my area. Thanks for all you do!
Love this video, Mindy! Although I have a pretty well-stocked pantry, it's such a good reminder of all the things you can purchase with a small investment. Thank you for taking the time to put this all together!
If you can invest in a quart of milk, making your own yogurt from milk and a couple tablespoons leftover plain yogurt is more cost effective than the individual servings or even a pint. I have been making my own yogurt since before 2020 because I eat it so often with a handful of oatmeal and fruit most mornings. ( I also include waknuts, but not necessary if not in your budget)
The canned pasta is also good cold right out of the can if you don't have a way to heat it up .... I love that can buy can veggies and tomatoes without salt....Just wish more frozen food would make no salt options ....WHY is there so much sodium in frozen food 🤐🤐
Your Walmart prices are unusually low compared to our Walmarts in the Midwest. We have not been able to purchase canned veggies for under $1.49 for over a year. Lucky you❣️
This was informative. I'll have to add Walmart into my shopping rotation. Side note, The Dollar Tree sells full size packages of the Columbia Brand oven ready lasagna noodles. That would be at $1.25 😊
I like to get the instant coffee in the packets for around a buck to keep on hand in an emergency and I've gotta say that the Tasters Choice is pretty good!! My Walmart always sells out of it tho so I'll pick it up at the dollar store!
This is an excellent video, and when I was thinking about going to the store later to stock up my kitchen, I knew I could count on you for a great video on Staples, that our budget friendly🎉❤😅
Mindy, the prices have made it a huge challenge to simply provide a thrifty supply of food for American families. I am still able to buy food to feed my family because we have some wiggle room and simply do not buy items we cannot consume. I am noticing shoppers actually looking scared in Walmart’s isles. When I see this it makes me sad and then very angry at our administration. At times like this I think it is best to keep track of our neighbors to see if there is a place to help them out. With healthy foods or a pot of soup and a loaf of bread. I am 65 years old and have lived through a few recessions in my adult life while raising 5 kids. Thank you for offering help to those interested in options on how to manage in this increasingly frightening and oppressive time in our country’s history. Keep up the good work. I think we are in for much more uncertainty soon. Maybe your future videos will be how to grow your own food under grow lights in the privacy of one’s garage. Lol
Our administration? If youre complaining about food prices, then you're actually complaining about corporate profits. The site *Trading Economics* can show you graphs on how profits have skyrocketed over the past 5 years. The 50 year graph is even more eye opening.
We love the store brand mac n cheese. (It waas about 30 cents last year--58 cents now, but still cheaper than Kraft.) We make it according to the instructions then stir in a spoonful of sour cream. Also, most of the "Thanksgiving staples" will go on sale soon--50 cent cans of green beans and corn, etc.
My husband and 10 year old were shopping the other and decided to get some groceries. She saw Kraft Dinner (a.k.a Kraft Mac n Chese) for $1 a box and knew it was a stock-up price. He doesn't grocery shop, so had no idea how expensive it's gotten. ($2 a box regular price at most stores and usually never less than $1.50 on sale) They were clearing out the old boxes (225g) to make room for the new 200g boxes, so it was an especially good deal. Inflation meets shrinkflation. Gre!!
You can pick up a package of corn tortillas for about a buck and fry up your own chips or make tacos or quesadillas. The Tina’s burritos are good and we always have some stashed in the freezer 😊
I wish we had this video for germany :D Inflation is hitting hard. Plain Toast once cost 0.79 €, overnight we have to pay 1,19€ for bit more than 1 lbs (500 gr) of bread :( Everything else also just got more expensive :(
Anyone else remember when Jiffy cornbread mix was 5/$1.00
Yes I do 😮
Yup, I do
Lol I don't remember that, but it wasn't too long ago you could get it for 0.39. Now you can't even get 2 for dollar. On sale for Thanksgiving, it's 0.52 right now at walmart.
Yes! I remember that!😂
I do
Even though I rarely grocery shop at Walmart (I prefer supporting my local chain, plus Aldi rocks), I put this video on because I enjoy your channel in general. You have such an approachable, best-friend-next-door demeanor, and you never talk down to your audience. You're cheerful without it feeling forced. No over-the-top theatrics. So thank you for keeping it real. 😀
I agree with you.
These prices are much lower than what my Walmart has. Have not had these prices in a year.
The other idea is to have a $2-3 weekly budget for items to donate to a food pantry. Tuna, peanut butter, even Jello are always appreciated.
I know this was a Walmart video. But, a couple weeks ago I was making taco mix. I checked Walmart, dollar tree and Aldi. Aldi was the cheapest when it came to seasonings. Then Walmart and lastly dollar tree. That extra twenty five cents is really knocking them out of good pricing on a lot of items.
Yeah, I might do another video like this at different stores.
@@SeeMindyMom thank you for all you do. Your videos are really enjoyable to watch.
Dollar Tree can help with some cheaper staple items....saw sugar and oil there just today
Been making mine for years and it is so much better for you, more tasty and cheaper!
Love Aldi! Plus Kroger stock up sale prices, ❤
FYI if you take a can of pinto beans (don’t drain!) cook it up and mash it down. BEST REFRIED BEANS ever! And it’s cheaper!
I add a little salt, garlic, and a small spoonful of bacon fat. We can’t go back now that we’ve tried this. Just stocked up on GV pinto beans too.
Yes!!
Remember to get a manual can opener in case the power is out.
Great advice. This is exactly how I built my pantries. I bought at least one extra item when I bought groceries (more if it fit in the budget). It is such a great feeling knowing my family has a supply of basics if we couldn’t get to the store or needed those funds for an unexpected event. To me it is a food “insurance policy” for my household. I love your videos😊
If you have an aldi you should do another version of this video! Some of their items are so inexpensive still. Love this video!
I remember when Jiffy corn bread and blurberry muffin mix.. the little box, the one that makes 6 muffins or one 8×8 pan, was .32 cents a box! Isn't that crazy! And it hasn't been that long ago.
If you Google it you can find a jiffy muffin mix copycat online. It’s an easy mix…cornmeal, flour, baking powder and sugar I think. Might work out cheaper to make up a few jars of the copycat than buy the boxes now.
This video was very helpful, Mindy. I’m a senior not presently working. I’m working on building a stockpile, very frugally, by necessity. Thank you for sharing, and God bless!
I agree, prices have really gone up over the last few years and packaging is smaller. Tough choices for young families!
I agree. That’s why I’m trying to stay calm and just give some ideas. :)
For pizza sauce… I usually buy a can of crushed tomatoes and tomato paste and follow an instant pot recipe for marinara sauce and then freeze in batches to use for months!
I got so frustrated with tomato paste that I spent the $30+ for a #10 can of tomato powder. 1 tbsp of powder to three tbsp water, season to taste. Boom, pizza sauce. A spoonful also saves crappy canned soup, enriches homemade soup and chili. Add more water to make tomato sauce. Add more to make tomato juice. Cook it to make spaghetti sauce. I've been working on that one can for a year and still have at least 3-4 months' worth left.
When you make the pizza crust, add some spices to the dough.
I don’t know where u live but my Walmart’s are NOT that cheap or well stocked. Wish they were. I do love your videos
You gave me a lot of ideas for the blessing box that I didn't even know existed. Thank you!
The blessing box is a blessing for me as the giver in so many ways: its humbling and makes me grateful for all I have AND makes me keep my stock ROTATED so I can share while keeping things in check in the pantry!
I love these kind of videos! Perfect for new people who may not realize they can still stock up. Thanks!
Thank you!
I always keep a can of lentils or pintos as a quick substitute for meat in spaghetti sauce, tacos, or shepherds pie.
It's so important to remember that once you initially invest in items like vintage, oil and spices you are able to make items like salad dressing for way cheaper than premade (not to mention tastier and healthier).
I love these videos! So informative for people starting out or facing changes to spending. Wish these were around when I was starting out, but still thank my mom and prairie family for teaching me how to make food from scratch!
Great point! Yes, having a stocked pantry with the basics makes it easier to cook in a budget. :)
That small bottle of Dawn will go further than an off brand twice the size.
Great video idea!! I always tell my grown-up kids that even adding one or two items to their pantries every time they shop can make a big difference. Every dollar counts, especially in this economy!
It’s always a happy day when there’s a new video from Mindy. 😊 Lots of good suggestions for filling the pantry and items to donate.
Thank you so much for the kind words!
She is a blessing isn't she.
Possible to stock up for you and the food for $10 a week avg 6-8 items a week easy or 364 a year just a little at a time.
My family’s favorite cheap meal is a grilled (in a pan with butter) peanut butter and jelly sandwich any time of day. I always have these ingredients in my home. And they’re really good with a small side of potato chips.
Grilled peanut butter and jelly is one of my favorites 😊
I have never heard of that! Now I will have to try it!
Jello is still one of my favorite treats. I'm Team Cherry.
This is also the time of year that the broth starts coming on sale. Like right now, it's about mid-October and the Great Value Chicken Broth (32 oz) is on sale, if you're not too picky about the broth brand. However, it is interesting that it's only the chicken broth on sale for a dollar, not the beef broth.
I would love to see this same list - with prices - at Aldi, to see how they compare.
As a German I would love to see that too. I am just curious, how prices compare overseas. Everything has become so incredibly expensive.
Tuna for example has risen to at least 1,50€ (1.61$) per can (if it is on sale at Aldi/Lidl). (From an environmental standpoint that is actually good, but it is just one example that came to my mind.)
Kroger has a digital coupon this week for up to five cans of Campbell's soup at $.99/each. Last week the same could be had for Progresso. This is one way I stock my pantry.
Yes...our Kroger has done this several times lately. My pantry is looking great with soup!
Same! Also on my ad several types of apples are 99cents a lb this week but I do know the ad varies by region.
dried beans, egg noodles and gravy packets. Egg noodles, packet of gravy, add a protein, and you have a dinner for about $2-3 depending on your protein. Soak dried beans, then cook, add in some salt and seasoning, and you have a bean dinner, add in some pasta and you have a soup.
The Tina burritos are pretty tasty for just 58 cents. Pop two in the air fryer and **voila!** a cheap lunch or dinner. The green chili and bean is great with a fried egg on top for breakfast.
I’ve been buying those on occasion too. They are pretty tasty and affordable although you are correct it does take two for a meal.
Oh great idea!
Just $5 a week can buy you 6-7 items. 7x52=364 items for your pantry. 6x52=312 items.
Examples - 4x $0.64(canned vegetables)=$2.56 + 2 ($0.50each)mixes=$3.56 + 1 (can pineapple $1.28)=$4.84 add remaining $0.16 to next weeks $5.
Though ALDIs might be cheaper it’s 30 mins away vs 3 mins for Walmart. A few weeks ago Lidl had canned vegetables for $0.33 each, max 24 per person or $8. So $5 would get you 15 cans. ALDIs had ketchup (20oz) and mustard (12oz) for $0.99 and $0.89 respectively.
When i see bell peppers, onoins, or celery on a good sale, i grab them. I cut up and put in the freezer. They can be added to any cooked dish or onelet. We are trying to eat more veggies. So having cut up salad fixing and cooking veggis has helped.
Me too! I love to buy seasonal veggies and freeze them as soon as I get home to enjoy year round!
My local grocery store had a case lot sale where they were selling canned vegetables 3 for a dollar. They had a limit of 99 cans so I bought all my veggies in one shot. I look for loss leaders on sale each week and stock up on those.
That’s amazing! I wish we had something like that around where I live. So happy you were able to stock up!
Wow!love that!
Thanks for your video, and all the tips you share! Here's another tip for saving money on groceries: if you do grocery pickup, and you have two grocery stores relatively close to one another, price them against each other. In other words, bring up both sites and search for your items, and whichever site has the item for cheaper, put the item in your cart. Then stagger the pickup times so you can pick up one order after the other. I've started doing this with my local Walmart and Food Lion, and it's saved me a bundle.
You'll also start to get a feel for the best place to buy specific items. In my case, while Walmart has the best price on a lot of things, Food Lion consistently beats them with both selection and price with the frozen dinners and certain snack items. So if I had to make a quick grocery run, and only had time to go to one store, I'd pick whichever one would give me the best overall deal based on the majority of items on my shopping list.
I just stocked up on brand name pasta sauce on sale for 95 cents a jar. I got the limit of 40 (4 of 10 different ones). I doubt I'll see that price again. By watching sales, I really can stock up.
That’s a great price!
Goodness there are a lot of dented cans on those shelves! I think a stocked pantry is key to not panicking on prices. That way you have a cushion to wait until something goes on sale again. I try to buy 5 cans or spend $10 a week on pantry items. Sometimes I spend more when canned fish goes on sale. Everyone’s budget is different but at even $1 a week, you can slowly build it up. Hang in there, everyone!
Great video. There are bags of miniature pasta for 50 cents a bag on a different part of the store. I can't quite remember right now but I think it's on the isle with Hispanic products on the very top shelf.
I always get pepper at the dollar tree.. same ounces at Walmart is 3x the price. So crazyyyyy
I’m still waiting to run into you at a Tulsa Walmart lol… have a great day, Mindy!
I'm just dumbfounded at how well stocked your Wal-Mart is. Lots of scarcity at my store.
Sorry to hear that. Ours are usually well stocked.
You have saved me so much time with meal planning. I appreciate every video you share.
I loved this video Mindy! We are coming into a different season of our lives w/ heat prices looming (middle of the mitten) & some unexpected surgery bills to pay off for my husband. I'm shopping today & I'm VERY interested to see the price differences in our areas. Some are right w/ ours, but I'm sure I'm jealous over others, but......we don't pay food tax either. Guess there's always going to be a traid off in life 🤗
I am always amazed at the differences in canned goods between Europe and the US... I have never ever seen canned potatoes in our stores in Austria... I didn't know they existed!
Thanks for your budget friendly content!
The cheapest price for eggs in our store is 2,89€ which would be 3,06 us dollars 😳
In all honesty, I've never seen them until this video lol I always just learned we have canned chicken 🤷
I’ll be honest, I’m not sure I’ve ever used canned potatoes, but I imagine they might be useful in an emergency, like a power loss.
They do have their uses. My mom used to deep fry the slices. They get very crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. They also work well as breakfast potatoes. The whole canned work very well in beef stew or pot roast or tossed with olive oil and seasonings and roasted in the air fryer. I've never used the diced ones though.
@@SeeMindyMom Whole canned potatoes are absolutely delicious if you drain and rinse them, dry them and then saute them in a little butter and olive oil with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder until they are brown and crispy. You can cut the bigger ones in half. Make sure to use a cover on the skillet, cause they will pop oil all over if you don't.
When I was a teenager, I had a meal that I would make when I babysat my younger siblings, it was chicken pieces and whole canned potatoes tossed in shake and bake and roasted in the oven. The canned potatoes were delicious this way.
Great video! I have a video idea for you Mindy. I've a really busy season of life coming up and I'm trying to make some dinners double batches so that I can freeze some for the future. Maybe you have some ideas of good meals that reheat well from the freezer.
This would be super helpful!!
In the canned tomato isle, walmart carries a can of GV tomato salsa for 1.18 and its delish!
I love it when you sing Mindy!😊
To help with dollars to purchase extra items for stocking your pantry- try saving at least $1- everyday. Even I can swing that dollar per day. At the end of a month $30- or save it for how ever many months you want. I am doing this for Gift monies, Birthdays, Christmas etc.
Growing up we often ate steamed rice with cinnamon sugar and margarine for breakfast. We also added a little milk if we had it.
We did too, and it was delicious!
I’m in Michigan and the canned veggies are not that cheap here. I’m blown away by how much they’ve gone up. They’re usually at least $1.25-$1.30 a can and more for no salt added. Name brand is around $1.60
Must depend on where you are in Michigan - I just checked my local Meijer and Wal-mart and prices are comparable to hers. Name brands are more but often go on sale for $1.
Large shaker of Parmesan cheese at dollar tree. Also, paper plates and cleaning items. and chips are better prices than at grocery stores.
I also get gift wrap or gift bags at dollar tree.
Paper towels and napkins much cheaper here.
I’ve been going back through most of your videos looking for good easy cheap recipes because with the prices of food going up … well you know the deal. Thank you so much for all the ideas! I’ve always cooked full from scratch meals for my family and I’m just drawing a blank as to how to be more creative and thrifty.
I'm new to your site and already subscribed. LOVE IT! However, it's so depressing to always see a video featuring Wal-Mart and/or Aldi's prices. I only have access to two stores, a Key Food and a C-Town, both of which are DEFINITELY higher priced. Anyone else have that problem?
Pasta sauce, cans are 1.25 a the dollar tree and a few cents less at our WinCo.
You always have such good videos! I can’t imagine how many people you help ! ❤
Thank you so much, I appreciate that!
Just a note on the canned peas. I was not a fan about them either, except for the LeSeure label. However, I recently had peas at a deli, which offered hot plates. These peas were sooooo good. The secret was heating them in just a bit of the liquid, with butter, a little salt and pepper, and some sugar. I had never added sugar to the peas before, but it does make a huge difference. 😊
My mother told me to always add a pinch of sugar to vegetables to bring out the flavor.
The canned peas already have sugar in them. It's on the label. I didn't realize it and I have quit eating them. I don't want added sugar in my veggies 😆 Le seur def best brand!! It's all my mom will eat.
I've always added a tsp of brown sugar to fresh carrot coins when cooking, it brings out the sweetness and counters any of the bitter ones. They're so good!
Thanks for the pantry restock ideas! Anyone else catch that it's cheaper to buy the 50¢ packs of ranch vs the 4 ct?
I’ve noticed that, too!
Sprouts has great prices on bulk things like rice, beans, oatmeal, lentils, salt, and all kinds of other spices/seeds. They also have really good weekend sales, a lot of frozen fruit/veg is on sale during those.
You always have such great tips! This time of year I stock my food donation bin. This helps me have a decent amount to donate for the holidays.
The Great Value fire roasted tomato salsa is $1.18 in my Walmart. It's hidden in the canned tomato product section. Great price for a very tasty salsa!
Adding beef soup to ramen is a good idea!
It's so much cheaper in the usa compare to us and you have so much more choice ! I wish to go shop there one day !
I prefer to make homemade, but always keep easy pantry items for when I’m short on time or to let my grandkids make supper. And living in the country, we lose electricity more often than others. ALWAYS a good idea to keep an emergency food kit available. I check dates once a month and trade out items. Plus I’m always watching for budget meals to stretch the food. Have to just keep an eye out for deals and treat yourself to a special meal a couple of times a month. Keeps me motivated.
Really great information. I have found it cheaper to transition to bulk buying. It took a long time. But now we buy less weekly and my pantry is in better shape. Our grocery bill has gone down. I know it’s hard and a long process but so worth it. Sams ended up being cheaper by ounce then Walmart in a lot of items. Walmart is now cheaper than the dollar tree in most items in middle Tennessee.
Good to know about Sams club! I live in the same area and last time I compared prices while at Sam’s with a friend, I was disappointed in the prices. A lot of things were not a better deal then shopping sales prices as stores like Krogers, etc. But that was probably two years ago now so I should shop and compare prices again. 😊
Oh you have to try the TINA'S brand frozen burritos.... I'm Mexican and I can say they taste the best of other frozen brands.. my 10 yr old boy loves them. We heat up the comal on the stove and place the burritos on it on low. The one that says RED HOT are one of my favorite it's not hot taste like chorizo... they're really good. The Green package ones are also really good , the Brown one too. There's one that says something TACO those burritos are so taste. I highly recommend the TINA'S burritos for like à quick lunch or dinner. I even heat up à couple burritos for breakfast with my Mexican coffee .
I’ve been cooking for a very long time but I’ve just never been able to make canned vegetables taste decent. Can you do a video that focuses on using canned vegetables that actually taste good? I’m thinking more as a side dish as opposed to using them to bulk up a main dish. I’m not sure if I’m alone in thinking canned vegetables are hard to make taste good but man the struggle is real for me 😂
One thing I do is rinse them under water to get some of the salt off of them. Butter helps, when you heat them. Depending on what, a bit of Parmesan and garlic disguises the taste. I never have a problem with tomatoes but some people add a spoon of sugar, and corn tastes pretty good to me.
I totally understand brand loyalty when it comes to brownie mix. I am amazed at your pasta selection. So many times my Walmart only has a few varieties, with lots of empty shelves.
Loved this video. You did a really great job. On the pudding mix I use half milk and half water and it tastes just fine. Family never noticed
the difference.
Dollar Tree was higher than Walmart on just about everything when they bumped the price to $1.25, but now it appears they are cheaper on a few things. I can still find Hunt’s pasta sauce at my DT. Name brand cake mix, popcorn, and Jello are all cheaper there, too. And many things at Walmart that are now $1.26 are a penny more expensive than DT 😅
Yes they are a few cents cheaper on several items now!
I was shocked at the shinkflation at dollar tree last time i was in there. Travel sized food... just unreal. 😢
I do this. I have $3 budget for stockpile. I will buy sale stuff, and if it goes over or under, I put it in my phone. The next week I will know if I have room or need to scale back. I do this for freezer items a lot.
Pantry items I get ahead are mostly condiments. I freeze bread and butter is one of those things that I stock up lots for the freezer when it’s on sale.
Mindy, I could not watch this video due to the movement of your camera in the store but I did listen to it. I am just too motion sick to be fine watching this. Thanks for the info.
Chef Boyardee actually makes a pizza kit. It's 2 packages of dough mix and a can of that sauce for $3.68 and you top it with whatever you want. You just need water and a little oil to make the dough and it makes 2 12" pizzas. They used to make a sausage/beef one when I was growing up and it was REALLY good.
we love the Tina's burritoes! Interesting video
Aldi's brownie and cake mixes are good! With brownie mixes, throwing a half cup to a cup of chocolate chips in the mix makes pretty much any mix into amazing brownies.
My 16 year old made the Betty Crocker Brownies recently. Our household ate them up quickly.
I use instant mashed potatoes to thicken soup & stew. They are shelf stable and add flavour.
Re chips/crunchy snacks- in the front of the store most Walmarts have a big wire basket with Lay’s products of small snack size bags 2/$0.98. It’s chips, Frito’s and Doritos.
Coconut milk (canned)! Often the cheaper brands are at/under a dollar. Great staple for making creamy curries (Thai, Indian) - meat, chickpea or even straight veggies. Delicious and filling.
What brands are $1?
Here in San Diego I was happy to see the GV chicken broth was price adjusted to $1. Per 32 containers. Cheaper than Food 4 Less
I go for Progresso when it comes to tomato soup. I just wait for a sale factor in the cost of added water & sale price it's not that bad because even chicken noodle has gone up in my area quite a bit. The cooking soups are almost $2
I love this video Mindy! This is how I keep my pantry filled. I have the "stockpile/replenish" money stack set at $50/mth. I buy canned veggies by the case, meats on sale, whatever is on sale or what Im low in. If I find a great buy and go over that amount, it comes out of the next month's stock up $. If I have overage, I take all close date items to a food pantry. Also, walmart will ship cases of veggies to your home. I enjoy not having to lug them home! Many items can be ordered online and will be delivered free.
You should visit a dollar general... they have some of these items for slightly cheaper.. like the dawn detergent is still $1 in my area. Thanks for all you do!
Love this video, Mindy! Although I have a pretty well-stocked pantry, it's such a good reminder of all the things you can purchase with a small investment. Thank you for taking the time to put this all together!
If you can invest in a quart of milk, making your own yogurt from milk and a couple tablespoons leftover plain yogurt is more cost effective than the individual servings or even a pint. I have been making my own yogurt since before 2020 because I eat it so often with a handful of oatmeal and fruit most mornings. ( I also include waknuts, but not necessary if not in your budget)
The canned pasta is also good cold right out of the can if you don't have a way to heat it up .... I love that can buy can veggies and tomatoes without salt....Just wish more frozen food would make no salt options ....WHY is there so much sodium in frozen food 🤐🤐
Your Walmart prices are unusually low compared to our Walmarts in the Midwest. We have not been able to purchase canned veggies for under $1.49 for over a year. Lucky you❣️
Drain crushed pineapple and freeze in ice tray. Great in a glass of gingerale
This was informative. I'll have to add Walmart into my shopping rotation.
Side note, The Dollar Tree sells full size packages of the Columbia Brand oven ready lasagna noodles. That would be at $1.25 😊
I would love to see a video of emergency meals for when power is out over winter!
I use spaghetti sauce on my pizza, which I make every Friday night.
We have enjoyed the Aldi brownies. Highly suggest trying because we enjoy it as much as the name brand.
Yep they are super yummy! Love all the Aldi chocolate 🍫
Lol yes Mindy , like you said , it really does matter which state you're from because the cheapest price for one dozen eggs was $4.85
The Tina Burritos are actually pretty good for .58 cents my local store sometimes has them on sale for 4 for $1.00 😀😀
I like to get the instant coffee in the packets for around a buck to keep on hand in an emergency and I've gotta say that the Tasters Choice is pretty good!! My Walmart always sells out of it tho so I'll pick it up at the dollar store!
This is an excellent video, and when I was thinking about going to the store later to stock up my kitchen, I knew I could count on you for a great video on Staples, that our budget friendly🎉❤😅
Mindy, the prices have made it a huge challenge to simply provide a thrifty supply of food for American families. I am still able to buy food to feed my family because we have some wiggle room and simply do not buy items we cannot consume. I am noticing shoppers actually looking scared in Walmart’s isles. When I see this it makes me sad and then very angry at our administration. At times like this I think it is best to keep track of our neighbors to see if there is a place to help them out. With healthy foods or a pot of soup and a loaf of bread. I am 65 years old and have lived through a few recessions in my adult life while raising 5 kids. Thank you for offering help to those interested in options on how to manage in this increasingly frightening and oppressive time in our country’s history. Keep up the good work. I think we are in for much more uncertainty soon. Maybe your future videos will be how to grow your own food under grow lights in the privacy of one’s garage. Lol
Our administration? If youre complaining about food prices, then you're actually complaining about corporate profits. The site *Trading Economics* can show you graphs on how profits have skyrocketed over the past 5 years. The 50 year graph is even more eye opening.
If you believe that politicians are in charge of increased food prices and not the huge corporations (like Walmart) you are naive.
We love the store brand mac n cheese. (It waas about 30 cents last year--58 cents now, but still cheaper than Kraft.)
We make it according to the instructions then stir in a spoonful of sour cream.
Also, most of the "Thanksgiving staples" will go on sale soon--50 cent cans of green beans and corn, etc.
My husband and 10 year old were shopping the other and decided to get some groceries. She saw Kraft Dinner (a.k.a Kraft Mac n Chese) for $1 a box and knew it was a stock-up price. He doesn't grocery shop, so had no idea how expensive it's gotten. ($2 a box regular price at most stores and usually never less than $1.50 on sale) They were clearing out the old boxes (225g) to make room for the new 200g boxes, so it was an especially good deal. Inflation meets shrinkflation. Gre!!
You can pick up a package of corn tortillas for about a buck and fry up your own chips or make tacos or quesadillas. The Tina’s burritos are good and we always have some stashed in the freezer 😊
Green bean update! I have given away 24 2-pound bags. Only 24 more to go! 😅
Haha! Glad you’re making good use of them! I’m sure your friends appreciate it. :)
Yum! I love fresh green beans just as a snack!
Awesome video, thanks Mindy 👍👍😊
Your Walmart shelves are so much fuller than the ones in my area!!
Oh my goodness you look exactly like my daughter dimples and all , even haircut!!!
I wish we had this video for germany :D
Inflation is hitting hard. Plain Toast once cost 0.79 €, overnight we have to pay 1,19€ for bit more than 1 lbs (500 gr) of bread :( Everything else also just got more expensive :(
I know it’s tough with inflation right now! I’ve seen things double in price in just a year.
As always, great tips. I love the vegetable beef soup and ramen idea. Thanks, Mindy!