A few months ago, my 12-year-old son and I stopped into the Dollar Tree after school to buy a birthday card.
It was supposed to be a quick stop, but we started browsing. When we stumbled upon the grocery section, he said, "Mom, we should start getting our groceries here!"
At first, I laughed, thinking he was kidding. The more I looked around, though, the more impressed I became by the quality of what I saw — and the low prices.
We've been struggling each month trying to keep up with the growing cost of groceries, and we've had to get creative. Stopping at Dollar Tree to check some items off our grocery list has already helped us save a ton of money.
Here are my 11 favorite Dollar Tree grocery finds that cost me $1.50 or less.
I can buy a five-pack of Nissin Top Ramen for $1.50.
Ramen is my and my son's go-to comfort food. In fact, my son first spotted these packs of Nissin Top Ramen on Dollar Tree's shelves and asked me to buy them.
I'm used to paying nearly a dollar for just one package at my local Walmart, so being able to buy five packs of noodles for $1.50 has been a game changer.
A TJ Farms frozen pepper stir-fry cost me $1.25.
I didn't even know the Dollar Tree had a frozen section, but I was shocked to find quality frozen veggies at such a low price point.
We love making fajitas at home, but buying mixed bell peppers can get pricey. On a busy weeknight, I can just throw these in the pan and save time on prep work.
I've found a four-pack of Applesnax unsweetened applesauce for just $1.50.
We love applesauce in our house. It's easy to throw into a packed lunchbox, and my son can also grab it from the fridge for a quick snack.
I'm a fan, too. Even without any added sugar, this applesauce is my favorite (affordable!) sweet treat to enjoy in the middle of a busy workday.
As an avid baker, I love that I can grab a $1.50 box of Pillsbury milk-chocolate brownie mix.
I always pick up a boxed brownie mix on every grocery-store run, and the Pillsbury milk-chocolate kind is my favorite.
Baking brownies is an easy activity for my son and me to enjoy when we need something fun to do. We love making ice cream sundaes right when these brownies come out of the oven.
I've found Martinelli's sparkling cider for just $1.25.
A four-pack of these 8.4-ounce Martinelli's sparkling ciders typically costs between $6 and $8 at Target, but Dollar Tree's price point — $1.25 per bottle — is unbeatable.
I started getting these for my husband and me to enjoy in the backyard in the evenings or on Sunday mornings. I'll add a little OJ or peach juice, and we get to enjoy a fancy drink without the alcohol.
Oven Baked fudge-covered graham rounds cost $1.25 at my nearest location.
I've found a 9-ounce pack of graham rounds for just $1.25 at my local Dollar Tree. These remind me of Keebler's Deluxe Grahams — which, in comparison, cost over $5 for a 12-ounce package at my nearest Walmart.
Oven Baked's version tastes even better, in my opinion: These remind me of the fancy chocolate-covered graham crackers I used to find at Starbucks. I love eating one or two with a cup of coffee.
A small bag of Bakersfield rainbow sprinkles is just $1.50.
I've always used colorful sprinkles to entice my son to eat certain foods, such as plain yogurt.
Having these around for anything with whipped cream on top, like hot chocolate, is just plain fun, too. I always add a $1.50 bag of these to my Dollar Tree cart.
I always buy Gumpert's cornstarch for $1.50.
Many of my favorite sauce recipes call for cornstarch, and I also use quite a bit of it to make homemade pudding.
It's a pantry staple for me and sometimes hard to find, so I was over the moon to find this all-natural one for less than $2.
I've bought Founders Street egg noodles for $1.50 at Dollar Tree.
Egg noodles are an unsung hero in our kitchen. I've found they cook so much more quickly than traditional pasta, and I love that we get a little more protein from the egg.
I've used these — which cost $1.50 at my local Dollar Tree — to make homemade mac and cheese, beef stroganoff, and pasta salad, all of which have become some of my son's favorite dinners.
Finding $1.50 quick grits has been a breakfast lifesaver.
I only started eating grits a few years ago, so the novelty hasn't worn off just yet. I prefer a savory breakfast over something sweet, so when I have time in the morning, I make warm grits with butter on top.
My Dollar Tree sells 10-ounce boxes of Harvest Hill grits for just $1.50. At other stores, I've seen similarly sized boxes cost $4 or $5.
My local Dollar Tree introduced me to $1.50 So Natural strawberry and raspberry preserves.
These 16-ounce jars of preserves are my favorite Dollar Tree grocery find so far.
They are delicious and a great deal: In comparison, Aldi's Specialty Selected premium fruit spreads are almost half the size (10 ounces) and twice the price at $2.99 each.
These preserves work well in a PB&J sandwich, but I think they really shine when used in baked goods, like thumbprint cookies or coffee cakes.
