Brynne ConroyĀ |Ā 

The Best Foods to Stockpile on a Budget

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Maybe you want to build a food stockpile (or an emergency food supply), but youā€™re on a tight budget. If thatā€™s the case, you need to know the best foods to stockpile ā€” especially the stuff that doesnā€™t cost a lot to buy upfront. And if itā€™s non-perishable and can last you a while, thatā€™s even better!

But where do you even start? In How to Build a Coupon Stockpile for Less Than $10 a Week, we go into more detail about the ā€œhowā€ behind finding hot deals to build your food stockpile. Here weā€™ll go over products with consistently low prices so you donā€™t overspend as you build a food stockpile. Consider this your guide to finding the best foods to stockpile.

For more smart shopping tips and savings hacks, text HACKS to 57299.

1. The best canned food to stockpile is soup ā€” and you shouldnā€™t pay more than $0.75 a can.

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The best time of year to stock up on canned soup is in the fall, when you can find sales, coupons, and tons of Ibotta rebates before the winter chill sets in. To jump to all the latest deals, use these links to find the currently available coupons and deals for soup:

2. For non-perishables, pasta sauce is one of the best foods to stockpile using coupons.

Prego pasta sauce at Walgreens

One time, we saw a Walgreens Prego deal where you didnā€™t even need coupons! The sauce was on sale, and the store ran a Buy One, Get One Free deal that resulted in jars of pasta sauce for $1. Another store to keep your eye on is Kroger, especially when theyā€™re having their Mega Sale and you see deals like this one from July 2023:

ONLINE or In-Store Deal at Kroger
$1.98$4.9860% off
What to buy
Newspaper coupons needed
$1.00/2 - Ragu Sauce products from Save June 18ā€‹
Pickup: Free on orders of $35+
Price Summary
$0.99 each

3. Stock up on cereal when itā€™s $0.75 per box.

a person holding two boxes of capn crunch in store

At Kroger, the biggest buying opportunity is the Kroger Mega Sale, which allows you to score cereal for as low as $0.74/box, like we saw during their Fourth of July sale in 2023:

2 Lucky Charms Cereal
ONLINE or In-Store Deal at Kroger
$1.48$8.5883% off
Pickup: Free on orders of $35+
Price Summary
Pay $2.98, submit for $1.50 Ibotta credit
$0.74 each

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4. Peanut butter is a cheap and easy emergency food to stockpile.

Peanut butter stocked on a store shelf

Peanut butter is relatively non-perishable and a great source of super-easy protein. Having it in your food stockpile is a must, and you should stock up when you can get it for $1.50 ā€“ $1.75 per jar or less. You can find deals on peanut butter at lots of stores, but right now one of your best options is at Target.

In-Store Deal at Target
As low as$2.00$2.7928% off
Mobile coupons needed
15% off - Skippy Brand Peanut Butter, Target App Store Coupon (exp Sept. 2)ā€‹
5% off - Target RedCard Savingsā€‹
Price Summary
Pay $2.25, submit for $0.25 Ibotta credit

5. Buy granola bars when you can get them for under $0.30 per bar.

a person holding a box of fiber one bars

Watch for granola bar deals on Amazon. When you use Subscribe & Save, you can get an extra 15% off. Combine this with an Amazon coupon, and youā€™ve got a stock-up price!

Youā€™ll also want to keep an eye on deals during Kroger Mega Sales, as prices can get well below the typical stock-up price. Hereā€™s a deal we found in their last sale the first week of July.

6. Re-up your tuna stockpile once per year at Target.

xSomeone holding up a 4-pack of Good & Gather light chunk canned tuna in Target

Canned tuna is a stockpile essential. One life hack is to purchase Good & Gather brand at Target. Ideally, you want to pay between $0.40 ā€“ $0.70/can of tuna. Targetā€™s base price on Good & Gather is a little higher ā€” $0.90/can when you buy a 4-pack and apply your Circle Card discount.

But, Targetā€™s return policy also has a pretty incredible carve out. Target brands, like Good & Gather, can be returned up to a year after purchase. So you could essentially renew your stock once per year by returning last yearā€™s cans for ones with fresher expiration dates.

If you donā€™t want to play games with Targetā€™s return policy, keep an eye out for sales and coupons at other stores to try to get the price in that $0.40 ā€“ $0.70 range:

7. Find the best deals on broth during the holidays.

Someone holding up a box of Good & Gather beef broth in Target

Without seasonal sales, one of the best prices on broth is usually Good & Gather brand, 32 oz at Target for $1.32 with the RedCard discount. Though you will see an occasional sale or two throughout the year that beats out even this everyday price.

But once you get closer to Thanksgiving? Prices plummet. Youā€™ll wanna keep an eye on prices at your local grocer, especially if they allow you to stack store and manufacturer coupons. Weā€™ve seen prices at this time of year get as low as $0.75 for 32 oz. Buy as much as you can, as broth usually has a shelf life of at least a year or two!

8. Pick up dried beans at Dollar General.

person grabbing a 16 ounce bag of dry pinto beans from a dollar general shelf for one dollar

Itā€™s rare to find a coupon on dried beans, but theyā€™re an essential item in your food stockpile. If you find one of those hidden gems of a coupon, be sure to take full advantage! But if youā€™re looking to score the lowest everyday price, the best place to buy dried beans is at Dollar General, where they are always priced at $1/bag or $0.06/oz.

Most of the coupons youā€™ll find for beans are for canned beans, which can also be a great addition to your emergency food store:

9. This might not be the year to buy rice. But if you do, buy it at WinCo.

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The price of rice has gone bonkers over the past year. A couple different factors are at play in the rice shortage. Climate change has affected crops in Pakistan and China, and Russiaā€™s invasion of Ukraine led to wheat shortages ā€” which drove more people globally to rely on more rice. So demand is up and supply is down, resulting in an average price of a whopping $1/pound.

Hopefully youā€™ve already got enough rice in your food store. But if you donā€™t, youā€™ll find the lowest prices on dry rice in WinCoā€™s bulk food section. If you can wait to buy, prices are projected to drop back down in 2024.

Coupons for rice, like beans, are less common for the dry varieties. But if you want a microwavable bag, those rice coupons are a bit more prolific. They donā€™t keep as long as the dry bags, but they do generally last a while.

10. Great Value canned vegetables have some of the best everyday prices.

a can of sweet peas being held in store

You donā€™t wanna be getting scurvy when youā€™re relying on your food supply! So make sure to add some canned veggies to the mix.

The best time of year to load up on canned vegetables is around Thanksgiving, when you can expect to stack coupons and sales for prices of $0.50/can or less at any number of grocers.

The rest of the year, youā€™ll find some of the best prices at Walmart on Great Value products, which start at $0.64 ā€“ $0.88/can, depending on which type of vegetable you want to stock up on.

If you must have brand name, keep an eye out for coupons on these brands:

RELATED:Vegetables You Should Never Pay For

11. Use the KCL Stock-Up Price List and know how to read deals.

someone holding up their phone showing the KCL Stock Up Prices list in front of Target

When it comes to building a food stockpile, the name of the game is knowing when to buy.

The KCL Stock-Up Price List will tell you what prices to aim for when you see a good deal. Itā€™s like a map to discover at what price point you should stock up on each item.

12. Bookmark ā€œUnder $1 Dealsā€ to stock up on items like yogurt and frozen pizza on the cheap.

tombstone california pizza kitchen digiorno frozen pizzas in a small walmart cart in front of frozen pizza aisle at walmart

Sometimes items fall into this low-price category because of a simple sale, and other times, itā€™s through stacking coupons with a sale. Whenever you see something for less than $1 (and youā€™ll actually use it), stock up!

Some items show up as Under $1 Deals more often than others, but expect to see the following products as frequent flyers in this category:

Foods to stockpile for under $1:

  • Yogurt

  • Large candy bars (Twix, Butterfinger)

  • Condiments

  • Frozen pizza

Other items to stockpile for under $1:

  • Pantyliners

  • Body wash

  • Dish soap

  • Lotion (Nivea, Eucerin)

  • Wet cat food

  • Shave gel

  • Hand sanitizer

13. Know the best time of year to buy each product.

Someone pushing a cart filled with grilling essentials at Walmart

Sales are cyclical, usually happening according to the season or calendar events. If you know the best sales of the year for all your necessities, you can plan ahead.

  • January: Frozen pizzas, nutritional shakes

  • February: Oatmeal, chips, salsa, and dips

  • March: Cat and dog food

  • April: Ground beef, tortillas

  • May: Condiments, hot dogs, and wine

  • June: Cheese, yogurt

  • July: Diapers

  • August: Coffee, cereal, lunch box snacks

  • September: Soup

  • October: Baking goods, candy

  • November: Turkey, soda

  • December: Christmas clearance items

RELATED:Best Items to Stockpile by Month of the Year