Shopping List on a Tight Budget!
It all starts with shopping! See the choices below for ideas of things to put in your cart. And some ideas of how to find what you want and save.
Proteins:
- Frozen chicken breasts
- Frozen un-breaded fish fillets
- Canned tuna in water
- Dried beans or canned beans
- Ground lean beef or lean turkey
Sides:
- Potatoes
-
Fresh or frozen veggies
- green beans
- broccoli
- carrots
- squash
- zucchini
- Plain brown rice
- Whole wheat pasta or hybrid
- Pasta sauce
- Salad greens
Snacks/Desserts:
- In-season fruits
- Frozen fruit – no added sugar
- Plain or vanilla light yogurt – 2% milk fat
-
Cheese cubes
- Get a large block and cut at home.
-
Fresh carrots
- Cut into sticks at home.
- Canned fruit in own juice, NOT syrup
Breakfasts:
- Plain oatmeal -add fresh fruit or jelly
- Eggs
- Whole wheat pancake/waffle mix
- Wheat cereal – no added sugar
Other:
- Whole wheat bread
- Low fat or skim milk
- Light margarine with zero trans-fats
- Store-brand canola and/or olive oils
Compare and Save!
Food Items | Compare the Costs |
Frozen store brand chickern beast Brand name chicken breasts
|
$3.69 for 6 pieces $5.49 for 3 pieces
|
Dried beans Ground beef
|
$.79 for 1 pound of dried or $.50 for 1 can $3.89 for 1 pound
|
Frozen broccoli Fresh broccoli
|
$1.75/ for 3-4 servings $3.49/ for 3 servings
|
Plain Brown Rice Pre-Packaged Rice Mix w/Sauce
|
$2.19/ for 19 servings $1.50/ for 1 ½ servings
|
Frozen Fruit, such as berries Potato Chips
|
$2.89/ for 4 servings $3.89/ for 1 bag
|
Light store brand vanilla yogurt Ice cream
|
$1.59/ for 3 ½ servings $5.29/ for 16 half-cup servings
|
Plain oatmeal Pre-packaged oatmeal
|
$2.50/ for 30 servings $3.79/ for 10 packages
|
Store brand wheat cereal Specialty “kids” cereal
|
$2.69 for 1 box $5.99 for 1 box
|
This guide was originally developed for hard copy distribution by pediatric experts at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital & colleagues in the Ohio Children’s Hospital Association with a grant from the Ohio Department of Health.
This children’s health content is brought to you with support from University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital.
For more information:
Go to the Kids’ Healthy Weight health topic.