Grocery prices continue to soar, and some staples have become out of reach for American families. From December 2024 to December 2025, banana prices increased almost 6 percent, ground beef prices increased 15.5 percent, beef steak prices increased 17.8 percent, and coffee prices increased almost 20 percent.
Families are increasingly searching for low-cost meals and tips for making food budgets stretch. Some families are making Hamburger Helper but using (more affordable) canned tuna, while others are turning to old Depression-era cookbooks, or even old “favorites” from their youth like instant ramen noodles.
We asked parents about their go-to “broke meals” when grocery prices are high. Here are some of their practical, resourceful responses:
- “Rice. Frozen broccoli. Whatever protein is on sale. Teensy bit of soy sauce.”
- “Red beans and rice. Cheap and delicious.”
- “A whole chicken can feed a family quite well if you know how to stretch it: spatchcock it, use the spine and neck to make broth (and use it for soup), eat the leg wings and breasts with dinners, take the remainder bits of meat and turn them into dumplings. Boil the carcass again to make more stock.”
- “Fideo and beans or PB&J.”
- “Refried black bean tostadas made with a tasty blend of spices I already have at home.”
- “Baked potatoes!”
- “Pancakes. Mac and cheese. Spaghetti or butter noodles.”
- “A can of garbanzo beans or lentils with whatever I might have. Lemon garlic dressing, feta cheese, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, onions…”
- “Thai chicken salad. Cabbage is cheap.”
- “Butter noodles with dry spices. Garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, Italian seasoning, maybe grated parmesan if it’s already in my fridge.”
- “Quesadillas.”
- “Grilled cheese with a can of soup/instant soup.”
- “Cereal. Eggs and toast.”
Budget shoppers and savvy home cooks know that ingredients like beans, lentils, rice, pasta, tortillas, potatoes, cabbage, and chicken go a long way. When combined with spices that you might already have in the pantry, they can make for inexpensive and even delicious meals.
