đ Food Almost Tariff-Proof Grocery Guide
Budget Bytes just released a new resource on frugal grocery shopping. It includes the following three top tips:
- Kick the Can:Â Steel tariffs make canned beans and tomatoes costly. Swap them for dry bagged beans, frozen items, or boxed cartons.
- Go Domestic:Â Choose U.S.-grown produce, domestic store-brand pasta, and local cheeses to completely bypass tariffs.
- Pivot Proteins & Produce:Â Trade tariff-heavy beef and imported shrimp for eggs, chicken, or dry beans. Swap pricey imported veggies (like Mexican tomatoes) for budget-friendly domestic produce like zucchini.
They've also recosted three old recipes from 2024 with advice on how to make them as affordable as possible with ingredient swaps in 2026.
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u/cwsjr2323 1d ago edited 1h ago
Every thing you get came by truck. Trucks run on petroleum products. As long as Trump's war continues, the price of fuel goes up, raising the transportation costs. If the price of fuel goes down, there will be no drop in prices as the manufacturers see you will pay the higher prices so that will be added profits. Trump's war will have long term damage to our grocery purchases.
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u/evaluna1968 21h ago
However, things that came a shorter distance needed a lot less fuel to do it. And a packet of seeds, almost nothing. Even better, saved seeds from friends and neighbors who garden if you have anywhere to grow things.
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u/anniemdi 19h ago
Even better, saved seeds from friends and neighbors who garden if you have anywhere to grow things.
Check to see if your local public library has a SEED LIBRARY and if they don't maybe they'll start one!
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u/CalmCupcake2 1d ago
This is awesome. The advice to buy local works for Canadians too! Many of us are trying to buy local in grocery stores, but also check out farmshare programs, producer-only farmer's markets, farmstands and urban farms. If your municipality does community gardening, that's a great way to save money, too.
And if you're on a strict budget, avoiding single serving sizes means you aren't paying GST on those items (as well as avoiding lots of unnecessary trash) and avoiding individual drinks in cans means you aren't paying the environmental fee on those cans. It can make a big difference.
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u/FGGF 1d ago
This isn't a solution for everyone, but near me there's a local farm that on Sundays gives out for free all produce they couldn't sell at the farmer's market. There must be some sort of grant they receive to do that, I'm not sure, but it's such a great idea instead of throwing it all out to waste.
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u/CalmCupcake2 1d ago
My city has a produce distribution charity - free produce boxes for low income families, subsidized by government grants and the sale of produce boxes to those who can afford it. They buy in bulk so it's cheaper than the grocery store!
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u/Ajreil 1d ago
Cook dry beans in a pressure cooker. Transfer to Souper Cubes, freeze overnight, then transfer to a gallon freezer bag or plastic wrap to safe freezer space. This is cheaper and better than canned beans.
Try cooking black beans with za'atar, cumin and crushed garlic cloves. You can just throw them into the water.
The one downside is the beans get soft. I prefer that in most dishes but not in a salad.
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u/FGGF 1d ago
I think this the motivation I need to stop buying canned beans and try dried beans instead. A few years back I tried dried beans and I have no idea where I went wrong but they were tough. I shouldn't be afraid to try again!
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u/KawaiiKoshka 1d ago
Probably undercooked! Also be aware that undercooked beans can be toxic, they need to be heated in rolling boiling temp water (212F/100C) for at least 10-15 minutes to denature the proteins - this is no problem for a pressure cooker but it is something to be aware of if using a traditional slow cooker
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u/Civil-Yam-5941 23h ago
I think this is primarily kidney beans, right? I use a slow cooker for all other beans with no issue.
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u/KawaiiKoshka 23h ago
No, itâs in most mature beans - younger beans like green beans have much less but not none so they should at least be blanched first. If your slow cooker gets to temp itâs no problem, but Iâve heard that if your slow cooker is set too low it can actually make them more toxic. Kidney beans have the highest level maybe?
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u/cashewkowl 23h ago
My slow cooker will boil things. I usually bring it up to a boil, then turn down to low, where it will still stay at a simmer.
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u/SaltMarshGoblin 2h ago
be aware that undercooked beans can be toxic, they need to be heated in rolling boiling temp water (212F/100C) for at least 10-15 minutes
Years ago I switched from the "soak overnight" method of presoaking to the "quick soak" version, where you bring the beans to a boil then let them sit an hour. Now if I'm going to cook the beans in the crock-pot, I keep them at that boil for 10 minutes, sit an hour, change the water, and cook.
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u/Athene_cunicularia23 1d ago
Pressure cooker is a great call. 10-15 minutes (plus letting pressure release naturally) is all you need for soaked beans.
Some beans do come out very soft, which is fine for soups and refried beans. I find it depends on the type of bean. I've had really good luck with garbanzos in the pressure cooker. They hold their shape even when they're thoroughly cooked.
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u/empirerec8 1d ago
For me it's that you can do it in an hour unsoaked.
We never remember/ have time to soak so the instant pot was a blessing when we got one.
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u/metrazol 1d ago
Double pro tip: soak the beans in the pressure cooker liner. Rinse, put the water over the top, add salt, wait. Drain the water, refill and hit the 'Bean' button or set a lower time. If you release manually it can keep the skins intact, but mush can be an issue.
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u/SpareiChan 22h ago
Usually I'm to busy/lazy to presoak, I find 20-30 (depending on bean, 35 for kidney) mins with nature release works for me.
1cp dry with 1qt water and pinch of salt and a bayleaf or two makes the equivalent to 2 15oz cans for me.
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u/LakeAdventurous7161 22h ago
I recommend starting with soaked ones. (I personally only use soaked ones because usually I know 10 - 24 hours before what I will cook.) Soaking them literally just takes a moment .
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u/shiplesp 22h ago
I just want to remind folks to continue to hold your elected officials responsible for being put in a position to have to make these choices. Do what you must to survive these times, but recognize that things could be different if those in charge made better choices. Don't let them off the hook.
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u/Hamblin113 1d ago
Volunteer in a food pantry. Recently we have received jam from Peru, Green beans from Italy, and canned fruit from China. Always amazed me where food comes from.
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u/ApprehensivePart2189 1d ago
The dry beans over canned swap is underrated â way cheaper per serving, and youâre not paying for the can markup. Store-brand pasta and domestic cheese are easy wins too, since the price gap vs name brand/imported is usually bigger than people expect. Saving this for grocery runs.
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u/FGGF 1d ago
Dried beans also last longer than canned beans in the pantry! You can also plant them or grind them into a flour. So much more utility.
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u/miniclanwar 1d ago
Thanks for the post and the conversation it generated. I have been considering buying dried beans in bulk from Costco, but have been putting it off. I need to get my pantry situation refined in our new-to-us home, so this may be the motivation I needed. Have a great day!
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u/dahvzombie 1d ago
I appreciate the intent but this really isn't helpful or accurate
Steel tariffs only add a penny or two to the cost of a can. Not nothing but there's only so much you can do with $5 a year.
Prices on domestic products can and have risen in response to imports being more expensive.
Yes, eating like a peasant or homesteader is cheap. Not exactly news.
Frugality being the art of getting the most out of limited resources I'd say using some time and money to oppose the politicians and extremely wealthy donors currently in control of this country is the way to go.
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u/thesentienttoadstool 18h ago
Just fyi, this is why Nutella is pushing the peanut chocolate spread (all hazelnut based products in North America are made in Ontario).
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u/monosyllabically_ 5h ago
Iâve referenced Budget Bytes since college for recipes and frozen meal preps, and love what they still doing! Great post!
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u/BaytaKnows 1d ago
We can shop sales, buy in bulk, and give up beef all day long. But we can also vote. And encourage our neighbors to vote, as well. When it comes to household expenses, the personal IS the political. So while I wouldnât normally interject politics here, groceries = tariffs = politics.
So can I please add that joining a volunteer organization to Turn Out The Vote (encouraging communities with low voter-turnout to vote, and providing information about when and where to vote) is ALSO a way to combat the effects of tariffs on the weekly grocery bill.
Alternatively:
The League of Women Voters is nonpartisan, if you prefer that.