One A while back ago, our grocery store was selling canned spinach at 15 cents a can. I bought several cans. Guess what? No one in our family LIKES or will eat canned spinach.
Oh well…
Good point, if nobody eats it, not a bargain, and that goes for generic. DH can’t read and is always buying creamed corn instead of regular. I use it in cornbread. We got rid of some canned spinach that was donated by makeing tomato soup florentine (florentine is anything with spinach in it), not too bad, canned tomato puree, which is usually cheap, stewed tomatoes, also cheap, just drain the spinach really well and pat dry with paper towels otherwise the green liquid spoils the soup. I use half stock, have tomato puree, veggie boullion cube, add the spinach and stir to break up clumps and heat through just before you serve. You can also drain it, pat dry and add to scrambled eggs, and call it eggs florentine.
bisquik has a cookbook, which also works with generic baking mix or you can make your own, for making quiches, veggie pies and fruit pies very easy, very quick very cheap.
there is a generic bac-os, soy based bacon flavored bits, which is pretty cheap and a spoonful in something like this adds a bit of bacon flavor (also sodium so watch it).
make friends with a bean. cooking dry beans is probably too much beans for just 2 of you, but a good idea for a family. the bone from your picnic ham (much cheaper, lots of flavor, 4 meals for 4 out of one half picnic) is a great base for bean, lentil or split pea soup that really sticks to your ribs. Use the cheap bulk carrots for this, or canned veggies. Canned beans are still a cheap staple but rinse well before using. Adding a can of beans doubles the yield of any soup, stew, casserole etc. plus adds protein and iron.
forgot to say, when talking about soup, add barley as a cheap grain, really adds body to a soup.
if you need low carb low cost alternative to potato/pasta use cauliflower, frozen is cheapest but in winter fresh may be cheaper. Steam until tender, chop fine for “rice”, small florets for penne-type pasta, mash for potatoes, or chop before steaming for “hash browns”. Zucchini is great for this in the summer when it is cheap and abundant. Dice or shred and freeze for potato substitute.
Too funny! Been there…done that! However, we are now putting those items to use, many months later, when that’s what you have it isn’t too shaby! Just 
and bear it! Also works if you get stuck in severe winter weather! 
Nothing like a meal of canned who-knows-what…with some dried whatchamacallit…topped of with some thingamabob you swear you bought three years ago…yummy yummy! 
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