8 Top Items To Buy at Publix With a $50 Grocery Budget

Even though the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) predicts grocery prices will trend downward this year, consumers have seen little relief in their food budgets . If you shop at Publix, a grocery chain in the southeastern U.S., you can trim food costs by meal planning around the store’s many weekly sales and buy-one-get-one deals.

Another easy way to save at Publix is to take advantage of its wide variety of affordable store-brand products. Read on for eight store-brand items to buy at Publix with a $50 grocery budget.

Don’t have a Publix near you? Check out these top Aldi items for $50 grocery budget.

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Beef Meatballs

• Price : $7.75

The USDA predicts beef prices will rise 5.9% this year, but that doesn’t mean you must swear off spaghetti and meatballs. You can get a 16-ounce Publix bag of frozen fully-cooked meatballs , a 24-ounce jar of Publix pasta sauce and a box of Publix angel hair pasta for less than $12.

Use up any leftover meatballs and sauce by making meatball subs.

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Boneless Pork Chops

• Price : $7.88

Are you tired of relying on poultry to keep dinner costs down? For an affordable alternative you can get on the table quickly, pick up a package of thinly sliced Publix all-natural boneless pork loin chops .

You can find recipes for pan-frying, air-frying or baking with cook times shorter than 15 minutes.

Tilapia Fillets

• Price : $12.19

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), fresh seafood prices have gone down slightly this year, but fresh fish options might remain out of reach of your food budget. Pick up a 24-ounce package of Publix frozen Tilapia fillets . Publix offers several frozen fish selections, but frozen Tilapia is one of its cheaper options.

Have fish tacos one night and use any remaining fillets for fish and chips another night.

Russet Potatoes

• Price : $6.63

You can use a five-pound bag of Publix Russet Norkotah potatoes for several inexpensive meals. For instance, you can use some to make french fries or potato chips to serve as the chips for your fish and chips meal, mash some for a pork chop side dish and turn some into potato soup for lunches.

Rice

• Price : $1.43

A 16-ounce bag of Publix extra long-grain rice is another cheap purchase that you can use in various ways. Make homemade taco-flavored rice to pair with Tilapia tacos, which is often more affordable than buying the flavored rice. Knorr brand taco-flavored rice at Publix is $1.67 for only 5.4 ounces — or 31 cents per ounce. Publix long grain rice is only nine cents an ounce.

Produce

• Price : $6.93

You probably want affordable produce for some meals. Publix has a wide selection of fresh, frozen and canned produce. For $6.93, you can get a can of peas , a bag of fresh whole carrots and a bag of frozen green beans .

See how these Publix brand products compare in price to name-brand counterparts:

Pancake and Waffle Mix

• Price : $3.17

For about $5, you can get a 32-ounce box of Publix pancake and waffle mix — the just-add-water type — and a bunch of bananas to cover breakfast. A single banana is about 29 cents. If you don’t have syrup in the pantry, a 24-ounce bottle of Publix Original is only $3.87 compared to Mrs. Butterworth’s Original for $4.75.

If you don’t want to mess with cooking pancakes or waffles, find a recipe online for pancake mix muffins.

Cookies

• Price : $3.75

If you have a favorite in the cookie aisle, Publix may have a cheaper store-brand alternative. A package of Publix FudgeStripe shortbread cookies is only $3.75 — or 29 cents an ounce. The Keebler brand is 10 cents more per ounce.

Other Publix brand cookie options include:

• Chocolate Chip
• Chocolate Creme
• Iced Oatmeal
• Vanilla Cream
• Fudge Marshmallow

This Publix trip totaled $49.73.

Tips for Saving Even More at Publix

• Sign up for a Club Publix account and add digital coupons to your account online or via the Publix mobile app. When you enter your phone number at checkout, any applicable coupons will be deducted from your total.
• If you prefer to buy organic for some types of foods, see if Publix’s GreenWise brand can help you save over name-brand organics.
• Like most grocery retailers, Publix places many product displays around the store, hoping you’ll drop a few extra things in your basket as you shop. Use the Publix app to make your shopping list and stick to it to avoid impulse buys.

^{Note: Pricing was sourced from Instacart for a Publix location in Bradenton, Florida. Prices may vary by region or store.}

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com : 8 Top Items To Buy at Publix With a $50 Grocery Budget