The 10 Best Grocery Deals at Dollar General

Nearly a decade ago, I relocated from a busy city in the Northeast to a small beach town in Florida. Thrilled by the idea of living within walking distance of the beach and never having to shovel snow again, I made the move without researching which grocery stores I’d have access to. It didn’t take long to realize my shopping staples, like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, were all over an hour’s drive from my new home. At the time, the closest store for my family to run to quickly if we needed something was a Dollar General.

I was surprised to find that our Dollar General carries many things my family relies on for healthy meals, from dry goods like pasta and rice to snack foods like nuts and dried fruit. Since we moved to our small town, our Dollar General has even started selling fresh items like produce and dairy products. We’ve had a few new grocery stores open, too, but I often run into Dollar General to stock up on pantry staples or to quickly check things off my grocery list.

Here are some of the best deals I’ve found at Dollar General as a busy mom and food writer.

1. StarKist Zesty Lemon Smart Bowls

I love to keep quick on-the-go snacks in my pantry, and these StarKist tuna bowls are perfect for grabbing and tossing into my bag when I’m rushing out of the house. Canned fish is a great source of omega-3s, vitamin D and calcium, and the 4.5-ounce packet size is a perfect snack-size serving. Because they’re priced at just $1.50 each and completely shelf-stable, I can stock up on a few at a time and have an easy grab-and-go source of carbs and protein when I need one.

2. Hunt’s Traditional Pasta Sauce

It’s hard to beat fresh, homemade tomato sauce, but on weeknights when I’m trying to wrap up work and get dinner on the table before one (or both) of my teenagers has to jet out the door, I’m all about saving time. These 24-ounce cans of Hunt’s pasta sauce are priced at just $1.50 and come in handy for any recipe that calls for canned tomatoes, whether I’m whipping up a spaghetti dinner or creating a curry in a hurry. I also love that the sauce comes in stackable cans, rather than jars, and can be stored in my pantry without taking up valuable space.

3. Nut Harvest Honey Roasted Peanuts

Not only do these 3-ounce, $1.95 packages of honey-roasted peanuts save me time on portioning out nuts for snacking, but they’re also really delicious, as is the brand’s flaming-hot variety. Each package packs 7 grams of protein and is easy to toss into my kids’ backpacks or my purse for an on-the-go snack. The packaged peanuts are also great to keep around for recipes that require just a sprinkle of peanuts, like Soy-Garlic Chicken & Broccoli with Peanuts.

4. Revol Greens Romaine Twins

I try to serve up a fresh, hearty dinner salad at least once a week for my family, but since my teens can be picky eaters, we don’t use a ton of lettuce in one go. Rather than letting a few extra heads of romaine go bad in my fridge, I buy this two-pack of romaine hearts from Dollar General. Priced at less than $4, it’s the perfect size for a fast weeknight meal with little to no food waste. 

5. Shamrock Farms Rockin’ Protein Builder Shake

Everyone in my family relies on prepackaged protein shakes from time to time to fuel their days, and the convenient-but-pricey drinks take up a big portion of my monthly grocery budget. It’s tough to find protein shakes that taste good and are affordable, and these Shamrock Farms shakes from Dollar General fit the bill completely. While Strawberry is my favorite, DG also sells Shamrock Farms shakes in Vanilla, Caramel Latte and Chocolate, and all are budget-friendly at just $2.50 each.

6. Dole Café Style Chef Salad Kit Bowl

Another on-the-go favorite of my husband and mine is the Dole Café Style Chef Salad Kit Bowl; there’s also a Santa Fé variety. Perfect for packing for lunch during the workday, these affordable salads contain toppings, proteins and dressing and can be taken anywhere. Each costs less than $4, which is way less than a salad at your closest drive-through. 

7. Ben’s Original Jasmine Ready Rice

Admittedly, I often add rice to a weeknight dinner as an afterthought. Focused on making a delicious protein main course and vegetable side for my family, I forget that my teenagers love them some carbohydrates. Thankfully, I can grab these shelf-stable Ben’s Original Ready Rice packets for around $2 at DG, then toss them into my microwave for 90 seconds when we need a quick carb on the side. 

8. Clover Valley Monster Trail Mix

I’m a mom of two, so of course I spend much of my day trying to convince my kids to snack on something healthy instead of candy or potato chips. While this Clover Valley trail mix contains candy-coated chocolate pieces and dark chocolate chips, there are plenty of nuts and dried fruit mixed in, too. In a world where getting my teens to make healthy choices can be a battle, I call this $5.50 bag of trail mix a win.

9. Oh Snap Pickling Company Dilly Bites

My daughter and I are pickle enthusiasts, and we love taking the crunchy snack on the go for moments when we need a salty, vinegary treat. I have also found these Oh Snap pickle bites for $1.25 at Dollar Tree in the past, but beyond that, at $1.50, Dollar General has one of the best prices on one of our favorite snacks.

10. Clover Valley Large Grade A Eggs

Egg prices are seemingly always on the rise these days. Recently, I paid more than $8 for a dozen eggs at another store and promised myself that, while egg prices stay high, I’ll make a mental note to grab my eggs at Dollar General instead. Currently, a dozen large eggs is less than $5 a dozen there, and I’ve found cage-free varieties in the past at my local DG for around $6 per dozen. Lower egg prices mean you can make family favorites like scrambled eggs, or try new-to-you egg recipes, like Sweet Potato, Sausage, & Goat Cheese Egg Casserole, way more often.