We Gave a Chef $15 — Here Are the Groceries She Bought at Dollar General

Want to know a little secret? Even professional chefs can’t resist the deals hidden in plain sight at dollar stores. While discount grocers have long helped home cooks get the most for their money, you might be wondering: What’s a chef like?

Ashley Lonsdale, a former private chef and ButcherBox resident chef, is known for whipping up entire feasts using the affordable, quality groceries found at Dollar General. So I decided to put the discount grocer’s offerings to the test by giving chef Ashley $15 to spend at the store. With just a few extra staples to round out the deal (red onion, green chiles, sweetened condensed milk), Lonsdale crafted a Chopped-a much cheaper gourmet style meal ($15.20, excluding tax!), with dessert included.

As for the menu, chef Ashley came up with a dinner of steamed rice and simmered pinto beans with pickled red onions, plus a chocolate fudge with roasted pistachios for dessert. Wouldn’t you like to be on her dinner guest list? Here’s how her grocery shopping trip went.

Credits: Ashley Lonsdale Credits: Ashley Lonsdale

1. Chestnut Hill Long Grain Rice, $1.95 for 2 pounds

“Rice is a staple in my kitchen,” says Lonsdale, who opts for long-grain rice because it’s as easy to prepare as it is versatile. At just under $2 for two pounds at Dollar General, this bag offers plenty of options for dinner. “It can be used in a pilaf-style dish like mujadara or kedgeree, or in a soup or roasted vegetable salad for a little extra bulk. This time, I’m using it to make rice and beans!”

Pinto beans on the shelf.

Credits: Ashley Lonsdale Credits: Ashley Lonsdale

2. Hayes Dried Pinto Beans, $1.95 for 16 ounces

While dollar stores are full of canned bean options, Lonsdale opted for dried beans for her dish because they allow for a little more flexibility, especially when it comes to seasoning. “I simmered these beans with green chiles and lots of onions,” Lonsdale says. “If I have a good piece of stew meat in the freezer, I’ll add it to the pot. I’m usually pretty particular about where my meat comes from, so I decided to skip the shelf-stable options at the store and focus on pinto beans as the star of the show.”

Beautiful bag of pistachios on a shelf.

Credits: Ashley Lonsdale Credits: Ashley Lonsdale

3. Marvelous Lightly Salted Pistachios, $4.95 for 8 ounces

Lonsdale was thrilled to find several pistachio options at Dollar General for half the price she’s seen at other stores. “They’re great for snacking, but I also shell a few extra and add them to a chocolate fudge platter,” she says. Want to give the nuts an even more luxurious feel? Quickly toast these pistachios in a pan or oven to bring them to life before adding them to your treats, salads, and snack mixes, Lonsdale says.

Apple cider vinegar on a shelf.

Credits: Ashley Lonsdale Credits: Ashley Lonsdale

4. Chestnut Hill Apple Cider Vinegar, $2.60 for 32 ounces

Rice and beans are perhaps the most delicious backdrop for any topping. In this case, Lonsdale is using Dollar General’s Chestnut Hill Apple Cider Vinegar to quickly marinate red onions as a topping. “This can also be used as a base for a vinaigrette and to finish off my big pot of beans with a little extra brightness,” Lonsdale says.

Semi-sweet chocolate in a bag on the shelf.

Credits: Ashley Lonsdale Credits: Ashley Lonsdale

5. Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks, $3.75 for 12 ounces

Seriously: Who can resist a bag of chocolate chips, especially a bag of Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips for nearly $2 less than other retailers? Good luck! Lonsdale just couldn’t pass up this deal on a bag of pistachio-studded fudge. According to Lonsdale, these semi-sweet chips are well-suited for a ton of applications, unlike milk chocolate. “They can be transformed into chocolate mousse (two ingredients!), a fudge tray, a molten chocolate cake, and of course, cookies,” she says.

What groceries do you buy at Dollar General? Let us know in the comments below.

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