2024 Update

• 1/4 chicken w/ BBQ sauce
•  potato salad or Cole slaw
• baked beans
• salad
• 1/2 can soup
• corn bread
• iced tea

Kroger’s chicken quarters are usually $7.99 (for @10), Lidl has sale of these bags on sale or $5.99.

69¢ – chicken quarter, BBQ sauce

25¢ – potato salad (sale + coupon)

45¢ – salad

33¢ – 1/3 can of baked beans

15¢ – corn bread

8¢ – iced tea

10¢ – BBQ sauce

20¢ – 36¢ – Soup

Kroger’s chicken quarters are usually $7.99 (for @10), Lidl has sale of these bags on sale or $5.99.

Cheap soup is .72¢ a can, regular price. I found some cheap onion soup packets on manager’s special that came to 25¢ a cup.

Kroger had a one-time sale of name-brand potato salad for $1.99 + a $1 coupon. That’s rare, but I thought I’d use this price because many of your meals might include one item purchase with a deal like this.

Kroger and Lidl have bags of chicken quarters that contain 8 to 12 quarters, depending on size. They sell for $5.99 to $7.99. I used a price of $6.99 for 10 quarters (69¢ each). Lidl had canned vegetables at 50¢ each during November, so I stocked up.

Prices…

69¢ – chicken quarter

45¢ – Soup (sales lower this – as low as 5¢)

35¢ – salad

11¢ – mashed potatoes

17¢ – green beans

19¢ – 12 oz. milk

8¢ – iced tea

5¢ – bread

2025 Update

• 2-egg omelet with Mexi-blend cheese
• 1/4 can (4 oz) refried beans
• Salsa
• Slice of toast
• 2 tomato slices
• 4 oz. glass of orange juice (+ 4 oz. water – see below)

75¢ – 2 eggs – Price vary weekly

20¢ – Shredded (Mexican Fiesta) cheese is a guesstimate. I get coupons for Kroger cheese each month

10¢ – Salsa – Publix has it BOGO frequently

25¢ – Refried beans (1/4 can)

5¢ – Bread at 50¢ per loaf at Kroger (manager’s special)

30¢ – Tomatoes full-price – 2 slices

35¢ – Orange juice (I dilute by 1/2 to cut calories and sugar – 4 oz. OJ + 4 oz. water)

32¢ – tomato juice

• 1 cup cereal
• 1 cup milk (8 oz.)
• Yogurt cup
• 1/2 banana
• 8 oz. glass of orange juice or tomato juice

21¢ – House brand cereal*

13¢ – 1 cup Kroger milk at $1.99 gallon

12¢ – 1/2 banana

25¢ – 1/4 orange (5 fo $5 at Kroger)

49¢ – Yogurt cup (10 for $4 at Kroger)

23¢ – orange juice (4 oz. + 4 oz. extra water)**

*Never buy brand name cereal without a paper or digital coupon. Post, Kellogs and General Mills run coupons every single week. Also, look for the generic versions of Grape Nuts, Life, Corn Flakes, etc. They taste just the same and are up to half the cost.

**I dilute a glass of orange or grapefruit juice with water to cut the calories and sugar content. It still tastes good and you cut your juice cost in half.

With tuna (above)

• pasta
• tomato sauce
•  canned tuna
• salad w/dressing
• bread
• milk
• Knorrs w/hot dogs and carrots

First photo meal
I never pay more than 99¢ for a box of pasta – even brand name pasta. I often find jars of pasta sauce for 99¢.

Pasta companies claim they offer six to eight servings per box. I went with six.

Knorr products are often around 99¢ on sale, and Kroger has Rice a Roni rice and pasta products on sale at 83¢ per box every once in a while.

Tuna adds a lean source of protein and is much less expensive than ground beef. A small can at Kroger is 89¢ – I found a bunch on sale for 47¢ a can and stocked up for the year. I used the 89¢ price for this meal.

17¢ – pasta (49¢ box divided by 6)

17¢ – tomato sauce (99¢ jar divided by 6)

15¢ – tuna (89¢ can divided by 6)

28¢ – 12 oz. milk ($2.99 gallon)

35¢ – salad (99¢ head of lettuce divided by 8; 99¢ bottle of dressing)

10¢ – garlic bread

Second photo meal

The cost of the ravioli (frozen) and sauce is about 88¢. Add a glass of milk, side salad and milk, and the price for this lunch is $1.41

Third photo meal

For the Knorr meal, I used a packet of noodles I got on sale for 56¢. Lidl has specials on hot dogs for 9¢ each, but I used a price of 12¢ each (Kroger’s regular price). I added some carrots. NOT PICTURED in this 88¢ price is a 12 oz. glass of milk and a side salad, bringing the price of this lunch to $1.47.

You can substitute tuna for the hot dogs and the price goes up to 96¢.  Add a salad for about 35¢.

You can add some frozen meatballs to the cheese ravioli if you want make it a more filling dinner.

• Tomato or ham sandwich (w/lettuce and bread)
• 1/2 can of soup
• 8 oz. milk

The most expensive part of this meal is the tomatoes. If you have a garden, your cost for this meal is only 40¢.

34¢ – 1/2 can of soup

20¢ – 2 tomato slices

10¢ – 2 slices bread

5¢ – lettuce

28¢ – 12 oz. milk

You can add bologna for 14¢ per slice (Aldi) and swap that out for the tomatoes to make this lunch even cheaper. Bolgna and hot dogs are cheap at most stores.

• 10.5 oz. bowl of soup
• Wedge salad with cheese and dressing
• Slice of bread
• cookie
• Glass of iced tea

68¢ – can of soup*

47¢ – 1/4 head of lettuce

10¢ cheese

10¢ – salad dressing

6¢ – 2 slices bread (Kroger manager’s special at 50¢ loaf)

9¢ cookie

8¢ – tea – 12 oz. glass

*Cream soups are usually cheapest. You can by powdered soups (like onion) for around 15¢ per serving, but they may not be filling enough for an adult (might make a nice, light lunch).

2024 Update

• 1/2 can baked beans (8.oz)
• 2 hot dogs
• Slice of bread
• 4 oz. potato salad
• 12 oz. glass of milk

Hot dogs are always on sale, so buy in bulk and freeze them. In May of 2024, Lidl had Bar S 12 oz. packs of 8 hot dogs on sale for 69¢ (9¢ per hot dog).

Look for deals on hot dogs, buns, baked beans and condiments before the Fourth of July, Memorial Day and Labor Day and stock up.

Milk fluctuates week to week. I get Kroger paper and digital 45¢ off coupons every month for cole slaw, potato salad and baked beans. You can almost always find some half-price during the week (manager’s special).

55¢ – 1/2 can baked beans

18¢ – 2 hot dogs

50¢ – Kroger potato salad (half price/mgr’s special).

6¢ – Buns are cheap around the summer holiday. You can almost always find weekly manager’s specials for 99¢ a loaf or less)

28¢ – 12 oz. glass of milk at $1.99 per gallon

• 1 tomato
•  1/2 can chunk-light tuna (2.5 oz.)
• salad
• 1/2 can soup
• bread
• milk

$1.00 – tomato

29¢ – 12 oz. milk

34¢ – 1/2 can of soup

24¢ – 1/2 a 5 oz. can of tuna (I got mine on sale at Kroger)

10¢ – lettuce

5¢ – squirt of mayo

5¢ – bread

I’m REGULARLY finding frozen pizza for about $3 each. That’s Kroger’s $2.99 Red Baron pizza (repeating sale) or Publix Tombstone BOGOs. If you make your own pizza using a pizza crust mix and 99¢ per jar sauce, you can make it even cheaper.

In 2026, Kroger is regularly selling Red Baron pizzas for $2.99 each, while Lidl had them in March of 2026 for $2.65 each.

For some of the prices on this page, I’m using Lidl’s price of $2 per 15.4 oz. Trattoria Alfredo pizza (must buy 2). For others, I’m using the $2.50 price.

HOWEVER, in January of 2024, Publix had Tombstone on BOGO ($2.64 each). I used a Kroger coupon for $1 off two pizzas, bringing the price per pizza down to $1.64. So, 1/2 pizza and soda was 99¢!

Around holidays and sporting events, you can find generic soda cheap (Kroger had 6 packs leading up to Memorial Day weekend at 99¢.

Pizza and soda

• 1/2, frozen pizza or full personal pizza
• glass of soda

Pizza, salad, milk

• 1/2, frozen pizza or full personal pizza
• Salad with dressing
• 12 oz. milk

$1.00 – 1/2 a pizza

40¢ – salad

16¢ – 12 0z. soda

19¢ – 8 oz. glass of milk

6¢ – iced tea

*I can make a cheese pizza for $1.60 (80¢ for half serving). I get flour for 99¢ for a 5-lb. bag a Kroger twice a year. I found yeast packets on sale, 3/99¢. I get cheese for 2.33¢ for 8 oz., less a coupon. Add some olive oil and sauce.

Recently, I got two of Kroger’s fresh deli-made pizzas for $2.50 each (on manager’s special). Publix recently had Red Baron on sale (BOGO) for $2.50 each. They have Tombstone on BOGO every four or five weeks.

Because they know I like Tombstone, Kroger occasionally sends me a coupon for a free pizza to get me into the store.

Kroger recently had soda on sale for 88¢ a 2-liter bottle.