I’m a frugal shopper: always buy the cheapest version of these 7 foods

Summary:

• Frugal shopping involves finding quality and nutrition without overspending on certain pantry items; prioritize store brands over name brands.

• Canned tomatoes, dried pasta, frozen vegetables, dried beans, oats, rice, and spices all offer similar quality regardless of brand.

• Ignore fancy packaging and focus on reading labels to save money without compromising on quality and nutrition while grocery shopping.

It does not mean that being smart with grocery money implies compromising on quality and nutrition. Certain foods are literally the same whether you spend one dollar or ten dollars on them. Often short of a shilling, this is no new secret to frugal shoppers, and their grocery bills testify to it every week. These are seven examples of foods where the most inexpensive one on the shelf is literally the same.

Canned Tomatoes

 

Premium and store brand canned tomatoes are both processed in the same plants. When cooked into soups and sauces, the difference is all too imperceptible to the most critical palate on earth.

Dried Pasta

 

Generic spaghetti and penne are cooked the same way as more expensive branded Italian counterparts. Use the high-end money on nice olive oil and fresh products that really do make a difference.

Frozen Vegetables

 

Freezing at their freshest state, store-brand frozen broccoli and spinach retain more nutrients than their fresh counterparts that hang on shelves all day and are much cheaper every time.

Dried Beans and Lentils

 

Generic dried beans are high in protein and fiber and are nutritionally equal to any high-quality product. Prepare them on your own, and the difference between slow-cooked and canned versions will be truly colossal in the long term.

Oats

 

Simple rolled oats are all the same, no matter what their packaging is. The store brand and premium oats are the same, only because they use the extra cash on marketing to get you to believe that every morning, day in and day out.

Rice

 

Regardless of the brand name on the bag, long-grain white rice is long-grain white rice. Purchase the largest, least expensive bag you can find, and on other purchases, prioritize the more valuable grocery items.

Spices and Seasonings

 

Powdered cumin, paprika, and garlic sets are virtually the same as costly branded spices. Frugal shoppers purchase store-brand seasoning exclusively and use the savings on fresh herbs, which will truly take cooking to the next level.

Shop the Store Brand First

 

Always consider looking at the store brand first before picking up the name brand. The quality of most pantry items is virtually the same, and when the contents of the entire grocery run are considered, the amount saved amounts to remarkable speed.

Ignore the Fancy Packaging

 

The high-quality packaging is pure sales. Exquisite branding and labels are unnecessary extravagance with no nutrition, flavor, or quality to add. Get used to reading labels rather than gawking at packaging, and your wallet will be glad.

Frugal Shopping Is a Skill

 

Goodly frugal people are not low-end people; they are smart. Having a clear understanding of where to save and where to splurge is what differentiates between smart and non-smart grocery shopping, as well as distinguishing between purchasing what is most attractive to one on a case-by-case basis.