15 healthy groceries you can get for under $5
Healthy eating doesn’t have to break your budget—you can buy some of the most nutritious SNAP-eligible foods for less than $5 at almost every major grocery store that accepts SNAP including Walmart, Kroger, ALDI, and more.
Low-cost foods help you stretch your food stamps balance, give you plenty of nutrients per dollar, and can be used in tons of everyday meals.
Here are just a handful of healthy foods you can get for under $5 using your EBT card (exact costs will vary by retailer and brand).
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1. Black beans (dried or canned)#1-black-beans-dried-or-canned
Black beans are low-cost and protein-rich, and include fiber, iron, and antioxidants. A single one-pound bag of dried beans cooks into a little over three 15 ounce cans worth of beans, which makes them one of the best budget foods for stretching meals.
But if convenience is important to you, canned black beans are a great affordable option too. You can also get other types of beans for a few dollars including pinto beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, navy beans, and more.
As of November 2025, black beans cost:
- Walmart: $1.50 (16 ounce bag dried) or $2.58 (3 cans at 15 oz)
- Kroger: $1.99 (16 ounce bag dried) or $3.00 (3 cans at 15.5 oz)
- ALDI: $2.99 (32 ounce bag dried) or $2.58 (3 cans at 15.5 oz)
You can add black beans to soups or chili, mix them into rice bowls or salads, and use them as a filling for tacos, burritos, or wraps. You can even season and serve them on their own.
2. Old-fashioned oats (large canister)#2-old-fashioned-oats-large-canister
Old-fashioned oats are a great breakfast option. They’re high in fiber, great for gut health, and help give you steady energy throughout the day.
A single 42-ounce container can give you about 30 servings, which means you can make breakfast for weeks with just a few dollars.
As of November 2025, old-fashioned oats cost:
- Walmart: $4.18 (42 ounce container)
- Kroger: $4.49 (42 ounce container)
- ALDI: $4.55 (42 ounce container)
You can use old fashioned oats to make classic hot oatmeal and top it with brown sugar, raisins, dried cranberries, fresh banana, peanut butter, chocolate chips, or coconut flakes.
You can also use oats to make overnight oats, add them to smoothies for extra fiber, or bake them into muffins or homemade granola bars.
3. Frozen spinach#3-frozen-spinach
Frozen spinach is one of the easiest and most cost-saving ways to add more vegetables to your meals. Frozen spinach is rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin K, and iron and costs much less than fresh spinach.
It also lasts a long time in the freezer so you can use only what you need and save the rest for later.
As of November 2025, a bag of frozen spinach costs:
- Walmart: $1.26 (12 ounce bag)
- Kroger: $1.49 (12 ounce bag)
- ALDI: $2.15 (10 ounce bag)
You can add frozen spinach to almost anything, like eggs, smoothies, pasta, soups, mac and cheese, or casseroles.
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4. Frozen vegetables#4-frozen-vegetables
Frozen vegetables are a great, low-cost way to add more vitamins and nutrients to your meals.
You can get frozen mixed vegetables, or if you prefer to keep your veggies separate, you can get plenty of nutrients from broccoli, cauliflower, peas, and other low-cost options sold frozen.
As of November 2025, frozen vegetables cost:
- Walmart: $0.98 (per 12 ounce bag of mixed veggies)
- Kroger: $1.25 (per 12 ounce bag of mixed veggies)
- ALDI: $1.09 (per 12 ounce bag of mixed veggies)
Frozen vegetables work well as an easy side dish, or cooked into stir-fries, soups, frittatas, casseroles, pasta dishes, rice bowls, and more.
5. Frozen berries#5-frozen-berries
Frozen fruits and berries are an easy and budget-friendly way to enjoy fruit without worrying about high prices or quick spoiling. Frozen berries cost less than fresh fruit, and still have nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber.
You can get mixed berries, or if you prefer, packs of frozen strawberries, bananas, pineapple, and more at most stores.
As of November 2025, frozen berries cost:
- Walmart: $3.52 (16 ounce mixed berries)
- Kroger: $4.49 (16 ounce mixed berries)
- ALDI: $2.19 (16 ounce mixed fruit)
Frozen berries are perfect for mixing into smoothies, yogurt bowls, oatmeal, and baking. You can also thaw them and use them as a topping for pancakes, waffles, or ice cream.
6. Canned tuna (in water)#6-canned-tuna-in-water
Canned tuna is a great low-cost, high-protein food, with plenty of Omega-3s that are good for your heart. One can of tuna can provide 20 grams of protein, making it a great choice for anyone trying to eat more nutritious and filling food on a tight budget.
As of November 2025, canned tuna costs:
- Walmart: $0.98 (5 ounce can)
- Kroger: $1.00 (5 ounce can)
- ALDI: $1.05 (5 ounce can)
Tuna works in many easy meals. You can eat it plain, make tuna salad for sandwiches or wraps, stir it into pasta, have it as a tuna melt, form it into patties and pan-fry it.
7. Rice#7-rice
Rice is a great pantry food for eating healthy on a budget. The fiber, vitamins, and minerals in brown rice can make it a better choice than white rice, but white rice is low-cost too if that’s your preference.
Rice is filling, easy to cook, and pairs well with almost any meal. A single two-pound bag of rice can make up to 20 servings, helping you create multiple meals.
As of November 2025, rice costs:
- Walmart: $1.64 (2 pound bag brown rice)
- Kroger: $1.89 (2 pound bag brown rice)
- ALDI: $2.19 (3 pound bag of white rice)
Rice works well in rice bowls, stir-fries, curries, soups, and casseroles. You can also serve it as a side or use it as an affordable base food for dinners that include meat, beans, vegetables, or eggs.
8. Sweet potatoes#8-sweet-potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a great low-cost, nutrient-packed vegetable to add to your grocery list. They’re rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, potassium, and fiber, and they stay fresh for a long time.
As of November 2025, sweet potatoes cost:
- Walmart: About $0.86 per pound
- Kroger: About $1.29 per pound
- ALDI: About $1.07 per pound
Sweet potatoes have a mild sweetness and soft texture which makes them easy to use in a variety of meals. You can roast sweet potato wedges, mash them, bake them whole and top with butter or cheese, or dice them into soups and stews.
9. Eggs#9-eggs
Eggs have made news headlines for price swings, but they’re still one of the best budget-friendly protein sources you can buy.
Eggs contain protein along with important nutrients like B-Vitamins, Vitamin D, and choline, which support brain health, hormones, and overall energy.
As of November 2025, eggs cost:
- Walmart: $1.97 (for a dozen large white eggs)
- Kroger: $2.98 (for a dozen large white eggs)
- ALDI: $2.19 (for a dozen large white eggs)
Eggs are a quick and easy protein source. You can hard-boil them for easy snacks, scramble them for breakfast, bake them with cheese and veggies for a frittata, make omelets or breakfast sandwiches, turn them into egg salad, or crack one into ramen or rice bowls for extra protein.
10. Plain Greek yogurt#10-plain-greek-yogurt
Greek yogurt is one of the best budget-friendly sources of protein and calcium and it’s packed with probiotics that support gut health. A single tub can last several days and add a big nutrition boost to meals and snacks.
As of November 2025, plain Greek yogurt costs:
- Walmart: $3.36 (32 ounce tub)
- Kroger: $4.29 (32 ounce tub)
- ALDI: $3.55 (32 ounce tub)
Greek yogurt works well for both sweet and savory meals. You can use it in breakfast bowls and smoothies, mixed with fruit and other toppings. It also works great as a substitute for sour cream or mayo for dips and sauces.
11. Peanut butter#11-peanut-butter
Peanut butter is calorie-dense, filling, and packed with healthy fats and protein, which makes it perfect for quick snacks or easy meals. A little goes a long way, and one 16 ounce jar can provide about 14 servings.
As of November 2025, peanut butter costs:
- Walmart: $1.94 (16 ounce jar)
- Kroger: $1.79(16 ounce jar)
- ALDI: $2.15 (16 ounce jar)
You can have peanut butter on toast or in a sandwich, add it to oatmeal, blend it into smoothies, or use it as a dip for apples or other fruit. Many lunch and dinner dishes also use peanut butter as a sauce, like peanut noodles.
12. Pasta#12-pasta
Pasta is budget-friendly, cooks quickly, and pairs with almost anything, making it a great pantry staple. Whole-wheat pasta has extra fiber and nutrients compared to regular pasta, but both whole-wheat and regular pasta are low-cost and easy to cook with.
As of November 2025, pasta costs:
- Walmart: $1.66 (16 ounce whole wheat spaghetti)
- Kroger: $1.25 (16 ounce whole wheat spaghetti)
- ALDI: $2.09 (16 ounce organic whole wheat spaghetti)
Pasta can be used in pasta salads, served with tomato sauce, paired with creamy veggies, in hearty soups, as macaroni and cheese, baked like a lasagna or ziti, and much more.
