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Feeding a family, or yourself, while staying within your budget can be challenging. When I walk out of the grocery store, sometimes I’m shocked by how much I spent and how little I’m leaving with. What foods bring us the most bang for our buck? Which sales should we take advantage of when we see them? To help gain a better sense of foods worth buying when you see a deal, we asked our editors to share what they snag when they see a sale.
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Canned Foods
Sara Haas
The great thing about canned goods? You can keep them until you need them. Items like tomatoes and beans are central to countless recipes, so buying more when you happen upon a sale is the right move.
That’s just the beginning, though. Other canned vegetables like beets and potatoes are great to buy when the price drops, as is canned tuna and other forms of fish that can work for simple lunches, tuna salads, and so much more.
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Ground meat
DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS
Ground beef, turkey, and pork are all great items to purchase if you find them at a cheaper price. They can be used for all kinds of recipes like casseroles, pastas, and tacos. The meat can easily be portioned into separate zip-top bags and stored in the freezer until you need a serving for your dinner recipe.
"If there's a really good sale on either ground beef or beef stew meat, I sometimes buy several pounds to make large batches of pasta sauce or stew, then freeze in family dinner sized portions," says Senior Editorial Director Diana Moutsopoulos.
16 Budget-Friendly Ground Beef Recipes
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Peanut Butter
Getty Images
Peanut butter is one of those foods you can never really have enough of. If your family is like mine and eats peanut butter by the spoonful, then keeping several jars in the house helps everyone out. You can find peanut butter on sale often, so it makes sense to buy in bulk when the opportunity presents itself.
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Pasta
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Running out of pasta is always inconvenient. Whenever I see noodles on sale, I grab more than a box. For someone who makes as much pasta as I do, it’s good to stock up on noodles when there’s a deal. Store-bought noodles are meant to last, so there’s no harm in keeping extra in the pantry.
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Sauces
AllRecipes / Ana Cadena
Sauces are integral to cooking, so it’s important to have a stocked sauce cabinet at the ready. Whether you need a bottle of soy sauce, pasta sauce, or barbecue sauce, buying a few extra for a deal never hurts.
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Rotisserie Chicken
Allrecipes/Debbie Wolfe
A rotisserie chicken has so many uses (outside of enjoying it by itself). Because it’s so large, you can get several meals out of it. If you find one on sale, that’s only more reason to buy it.
25 Comfort Food Casseroles That Start With Rotisserie Chicken
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Dairy
Ashia Aubourg
Dairy is a category that deserves some extra attention when you’re buying. Cheese, as well as more perishable products like milk and yogurt, are all great products to buy when the price is lower than normal. Because these ingredients are so common in the household, purchasing them at a cheaper price will save you in the long run.
"I always buy dairy when it’s on sale," says Senior Editor Courtney Kassel. "I eat a lot of Greek yogurt and usually one brand or the other is on sale—plus they have a longer shelf life for a dairy product."
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Butter
If you see butter on sale, it's smart to snag an extra stick or two—it freezes really well.
"I LOVE to freeze my butter if I buy a bunch on sale," says Editorial Operations Director Victoria Heydt. "I once had a cashier look at me with severe concern as to why I was buying 10 POUNDS of butter (it was on sale)."
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