The cheap, honest grocery list

Eating well is not, despite what Instagram suggests, expensive. The most nutritious food in the supermarket is usually the cheapest food in the supermarket. The expensive stuff is mostly novelty.

Here's the actual list. All prices US-average for early 2026.

Proteins

1. Eggs — about $0.30 per egg. ~6g protein. Hard to beat.
2. Canned tuna or salmon — ~$2 per can. 25g protein.
3. Whole chicken — $1.50/lb. The same chicken as the rotisserie, but you cook it (or roast it; takes 75 minutes, mostly hands-off).
4. Dried lentils — $2/lb dry, makes 6 cups cooked, 18g protein per cup.
5. Greek yogurt (large tub) — $5 for ~32 oz. 17g protein per cup.
6. Cottage cheese — $4 for ~24 oz.
7. Tofu — $2.50 per block, 40g protein.

Carbs

1. Oats (rolled, not instant) — $3 for 18 servings.
2. Rice (any color) — $2/lb dry, makes 9 cups cooked.
3. Potatoes — $1/lb. The most versatile, satiating, cheap calorie.
4. Whole wheat bread — $4 for a real loaf.
5. Dried pasta — $2/lb.
6. Frozen berries — $4–5 for a big bag, lasts months.
7. Bananas — $0.30 each.

Vegetables

1. Cabbage — $1 for an entire head. Raw, cooked, fermented, fine in everything.
2. Carrots — $1.50/lb. Lasts forever.
3. Onions — $1/lb. The base of everything.
4. Frozen spinach — $2 per bag. Better nutritionally than the wilted "fresh" stuff in most stores.
5. Frozen broccoli/mixed veg — $2 per bag.

Fats

1. Olive oil (not extra virgin for cooking; reserve EVOO for finishing) — $10 for a big bottle, lasts months.

What this gets you

For about $60–80/week (depending on region), this list will feed one person three meals a day with high protein, high fiber, and full nutritional adequacy. For two adults, $120–150/week.

The expensive grocery bill is not made of food. It's made of:

• Pre-prepared meals
• Specialty health foods
• Fancy snack foods
• Restaurant-quality meats every night
• Out-of-season produce
• Beverages that aren't water or coffee

A reframing

If your grocery bill is high but your eating is mediocre, you're paying for novelty and convenience, not nutrition. The boring list above costs less and produces better outcomes.

A weeknight meal from this list

• Rice (1 cup cooked) + lentils (1/2 cup cooked) + onions, carrots, garlic sautéed in olive oil + a fried egg on top + a squeeze of lemon
• ~600 calories, 28g protein, 12g fiber
• Cost: ~$1.50

Good food is cheap. The marketing of expensive food is what isn't.