I ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner for under $1.60 a day – the entire week only cost me $11 thanks to my Walmart haul
A YOUTUBER shared her tips for meal prepping and shopping on a budget.
As inflation increases food prices, many Americans may be eager to slash their weekly grocery bills wherever possible.
Julia Pacheco, a parent who loves cooking for her family, decided to share helpful money-saving tips during her Walmart haul.
She said she wanted to share her shopping haul to help viewers in a bind who need to lower their grocery budgets.
Pacheco ticked off all the boxes on her shopping list and spent $10.90 overall, meaning her daily food expense was $1.55.
"This will include breakfast, lunches, and dinners," Julia said in her video.
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FOOD FINDS
The first item on Julia's list was pasta which she wanted to buy for under 50 cents a bag.
She couldn't find any at that price point in the regular pasta aisle.
Luckily the Hispanic foods aisle had pasta bags for 48 cents so she grabbed two.
Julia paired her economical find with a can of tomato sauce for 44 cents.
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Next, she picked up a bag of brown rice for 88 cents, noting how it had more nutrients than the white rice option for the same cost.
To get a better bang for her buck, she bought a 15-ounce can of mixed vegetables instead of a 12-ounce bag of frozen vegetables.
Then Julia grabbed a loaf of whole wheat bread for $1.10 from the bakery aisle
The efficient budgeter saved 22 cents by picking up this option instead of paying $1.30 for white bread.
She also got a jalapeno for 11 cents, an apple for 28 cents, an onion for 32 cents, and pinto beans for $1.24.
She pointed out that the garlic she bought was $4.44 a pound.
While she noted this seemed like a lot of money, Julia explained the garlic came out to 10 cents per bulb after weighing it.
The carton of eggs she grabbed was $2.36 compared to prices at other retailers like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods.
She also picked up lentils for $1.34 and oatmeal for $1.16.
YouTubers were impressed and grateful for Julia's insights.
"I think this is the first time I've seen a budget meal video that didn't just assume you have a ton of stuff in your pantry," one person wrote.
"I'm never complaining about groceries again," said another user.
PRICE HIKES
While Julia was able to stick to her budget and find affordable options at Walmart, fast foodies are noticing higher prices.
It's thanks to a new state law in California that raises the minimum wage for service industry workers.
Major chains like Chipotle and McDonald's remain uncertain about how the rule will impact operations.
In an earnings call, McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski confirmed the golden-arch chain would need to raise its prices in the Golden State.
The U.S. Sun covers more grocery and money-saving news.
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Read why Costco shoppers are celebrating the return of two popular snacks.
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