How-To: Outsmart the Grocery Store
$15 meal challenge
How far can you stretch $15 at the grocery store?
Try this game—make a well-rounded meal and pick up price comparison tips along the way.
We’re using the food groups as a template, to make sure we create a healthy meal.
Game On
Let’s make a pot of chili, cornbread and a salad for four, with healthy additions of fruit and dairy! Choose at least one item from each section.
$4.48 — 1 lb. ground turkey
93% lean ground turkey is a great choice, and today, it’s a great value compared to beef—consider adding beans, too, for more protein and fiber.
$7.22 — 1 lb. ground beef
90% lean ground beef is a good choice—consider adding beans, too, for more protein and fiber.
$1.22 — 1 lb. dried kidney beans
A great source of protein! This one-pound bag of dried beans cooks up to more than 2.5 pounds of ready-to-eat beans!
$2.32 — 2 x 15 oz. canned kidney beans
Beans are a great way to add fiber and protein instead of or in addition to meat.
$1.52 — 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
Compare the cost per pound on the shelf tag to the cost of fresh tomatoes. These canned tomatoes are about $0.87 per pound, compared to $1.98 per pound for fresh.
$3.46 — 2 lb. fresh tomatoes
Canned tomatoes—especially if it’s out of season—are a much better deal for mixing into a pot of chili.
$0.00 — Use what you have at home
You can add any spices you like—garlic, onion, chili powder, cumin—and skip the packet.
$0.74 — Spice pack
The pack is convenient, but are you just buying spices you have at home?
$4.98 — 4-pack bakery muffins
At this price, each muffin costs more than the package of mix.
$0.67 — Corn muffin mix
Okay, you’ll also need an egg and some oil. But you may already have those at home.
$2.28 — 12 oz. bagged iceberg salad mix
Sometimes, it’s worth the time savings to buy prepacked foods. But an actual head of lettuce weighs more than twice this much!
$2.87 — Head of iceberg lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes
It can be tough to compare unit prices on things that are sold individually. But you can weigh the lettuce and see that it’s probably around 26 ounces. More than double the bag! You can add more veggies for about the same cost.
$3.99 — 1 lb. fresh peaches
In peach season, they can be a great buy
$1.75 — 15 oz. can of sliced peaches
Be sure to buy canned fruit in juice, not syrup
$2.86 — 16 oz. bag of frozen peaches
Frozen at peak ripeness, they’re good all year round
$1.83 — Half-gallon of milk
Add a glass of milk for dairy benefits
$1.72 — 8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
1-1/2 ounces of hard cheese gives you the same dairy goodness as a cup of milk
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Total:
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Learn anything new?
We hope you picked up some tips for your next grocery trip.
For more about comparing unit prices, grab this cheat sheet.
Next up, see what’s in season throughout the year.
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