Certain products are more sensitive to price differences than other. Sometimes it’s worth it to spend a little extra on something where the difference is clear, however at other times you can just as well save some money by buying a generic brand or substitute it with something else. So which products are worth splurging on and which ones could you save on?

• Olive oil - For bread dipping and toppings, a good quality olive oil does make a big difference. However, buy a cheaper brand to use when cooking, and save the good stuff for dishes when the flavor of the oil comes through especially well.

• Balsamic vinegar - A good balsamic vinegar doesn’t have to be outrageously expensive but can add a lot of flavor to a dish. The cheapest versions do taste inferior compared to a medium – to higher priced bottle.

• Canned tuna - Canned tuna is one of those items where a good quality brand can make a big difference in certain dishes. However, if you’re mostly making tuna salad with lots of mayonnaise, you might as well as go for a lesser brand. If on the other hand, you’re making oil-based tuna salads, or spaghetti dishes, then purchase the slightly more expensive brand.

• Ice cream - The flavors and textures between different ice cream brands can vary a lot, as can the prices. If you are making milkshakes, then the cheapest possible brands will do just fine. If however, you’re looking for good quality ice cream to enjoy as is, then a higher end brand does make a difference.

• Good “Dark” Liquor - When buying whiskey, brandy, bourbon etc… the higher priced bottles are of considerably better quality. If you are drinking this straight, then the quality will make all the difference in the world. And even if you’re making mixed drinks, the flavor of a bad bourbon will come through much more prominently than the flavor of a bad vodka.

Save on:

• Canned vegetables - No-brand, generic names often taste just as good and sometimes the price difference can be quite high.

• “White” Liquors when making drinks - When you’re looking to buy vodka, gin or rum for the purpose of making mixed drinks, you won’t notice the difference if you buy generic brands. Especially when you are going to mix your liquor with something strongly flavored like Blue Curacao, Coffee Liqueur or Creme De Menthe.

• Cured meats - When a recipe calls for pancetta or even prusciutto, you can often get away with using bacon instead. Even though the flavor is not exactly the same, bacon provides a similar rich taste.

• Small packaged dry goods - Flours and different dry goods are usually not of a better quality if it comes nicely packaged. Find the bulk section in your grocery store and go for the cheaper alternatives. We have found that our local grocer uses better quality in their bulk section than they carry on the isle.

• High-end cheese for the purpose of cooking - When you’re making casseroles, lasagnas and other pasta dishes, you can often go for the lesser quality cheeses because there will be so many different flavors competing for attention. It is often unnecessary to utilize the higher priced fontina, gruyere, emmentaler or Parmigiano Reggiano when cooking.

• Vanilla Extract - Often chefs recommends using the highest priced vanilla extract that you can find. The truth is though, that when you're baking and adding vanilla extract to a variety of other ingredients you won’t be able to tell the difference. So unless you’re making a crème brule, or a vanilla ice cream where the flavor will be especially prominent, don’t buy the expensive brand.

How much does a simple sandwich cost to make at home?

Sandwiches are some of the most common meals - they can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch and even dinner. So how much does one sandwich actually cost? As shown below, the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich is clearly the cheapest, and the basic grilled cheese sandwich comes in a close second...

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich - $0.29 per serving, 370 calories

The classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich takes first place on the cost scale. It is cheap, tasty, stays well at room temperature and provides protein - no wonder it's such a staple in the lunch box.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich - $0.43 per serving, 334 calories

The basic grilled cheese sandwich simply consists of white bread, cheese and butter. For a fancier sandwich, add sliced ham, bacon or tomato slices.

Egg Salad Sandwich - $0.51 per serving, 460 calories

When eggs are the main ingredient, the price is usually low. This sandwich has a slightly higher calorie content then the other contestants, due to the addition of mayonnaise.

Bagel with Cream Cheese - $0.89 per serving, 360 calories

Can it get more simple than this? The toasted bagel with cream cheese is such a common meal, especially among college students. For a more interesting twist, add some smoked salmon or sliced deli meats...

Tuna Salad Sandwich - $1.24 per serving, 431 calories

Tuna is inherently expensive and this sandwich tops the price chart. However tuna, with all its good fats make an excellent sandwich which makes up for the high price...

Classic BLT Sandwich - $1.29 per serving, 339 calories

The classic BLT consists of bacon, lettuce and tomato on white bread with mayonnaise. Contrary to common belief, bacon isn't very high in calories once it's cooked since so much of the fat renders in the cooking process.

Salami & Havarti Cheese Sandwich - $0.98 per serving, 501 calories

The cheese and coldcut sandwich is a common sight. Here salami and havarti is served on hearty bread with mayonnaise, mustard, lettuce and tomato.

Vegetarian Hummus, Avocado and Tomato Sandwich - $0.75 per serving, 376 calories

This sandwich might not be very common, however it's very tasty. Homemade hummus is very cheap - however if you use store-bought hummus, this sandwich will be considerably more expensive.

In these days of rising food prices it’s even more important than ever to cook at home. We have assembled a list of tips and strategies for the home chef to assemble low-cost, healthy meals for their families.

1. Buy Bulk - Beans, lentils, rice, grains, flour, sugar etc… It is surprising how many different dry goods can be found in the bins at a well-stocked grocery store. Often the food in bulk does actually get replaced faster than food on the shelf and you can buy exactly as much as you need. So make it a habit to buy food in bulk, it’s usually remarkably cheaper and you have more control over how much you buy.

2. Don’t buy pre-cut meat. If you are looking to make a stew or a even a roast, you can save significant amounts of money by buying a large cut of meat and then cutting and cleaning the piece yourself. By buying a larger piece, you can cut exactly the size piece you need and you can freeze the rest.

3. Buy frozen vegetables. Some fresh vegetables are always relatively low in cost such as carrots, potatoes, celery etc. But vegetables that are affected by the season tend to be very expensive during most of the year such as asparagus, broccoli and peas. Look for those items at the frozen isle instead, where they are usually considerably cheaper. Frozen foods are most of the time more nutritious anyway since they are frozen at the peak of their ripeness.

4. Individually freeze certain meats. Some kinds of meats such as bacon and sausage are terrific flavor agents and can lift a dish immensely, even in small amounts. However, you often don’t need to use a whole pack at once. Instead, buy a large pack, then individually freeze packs of 3-4 slices of bacon or sausage links in aluminum foil and then in plastic bags. That way, you always have some on hand, and a large pack goes a long way.

5. Don’t buy canned broth. Canned broth is a big money-grabbing ingredient that you often need quite a bit of if you are making soups or stews. Instead, look for bullion cubes which you dilute in water. These little cubes give you a lot more for your money, and you can always adjust the salt content of your dish if you are concerned about sodium.

6. Buy vegetables that are in season. Don’t be stubborn and buy ingredients for a summer salad in the winter. Embrace the reasonably priced vegetables that the season brings. For example, winter cabbage makes an excellent salad and green kale provide a hearty alternative in light soups.

7. Cook double batches of food occasionally so you can freeze portions to have on hand. Then when you come home and want food with no effort, it’s easy to heat up some lasagna from last week or butternut squash soup from the week before.

8. Label all your frozen foods with the content and the date. It’s too bad when you have a well-stocked freezer and end up throwing a lot away because you don’t know how long it’s been there. Make it a habit to always mark each meal or ingredient thats in your freezer.

9. Seek out oriental markets and stores for those hard-to-find ingredients. Often, exotic foods can be found for considerably lower prices in these specialty stores as opposed to your regular grocery store.

10. Eat a diet rich in legumes, whole grains and root fruits. The cheapest foods are often the best for us. By eating home cooked meals with lots of beans, peas and lentils as well as a variety of whole grains such as brown rice, pearl barley and wheat berries you ensure a nutritious balance and a budget-friendly price.

Some dishes from the Food Network are surprisingly expensive to make. Of course certain recipes will naturally cost a lot if it utilizes an expensive cut of meat or fresh fish. However, just as many dishes come up high in cost because they call for a lot of different ingredients that contribute to a high price.

1. Tyler Florence's Mozzarella Grilled Cheese - $5.59 per serving ($11.17 total cost)

2. Giada De Laurentiis Champagne Risotto - $8.83 per serving ($17.66 total cost)

3. Paula Deen's Bourbon Beef Tenderloin - $7.94 per serving ($63.51 total cost)

4. Giada De Laurentiis Penne a la Carbonara - $7.36 per serving ($29.46 total cost)

5. Emeril's Roman-style Stuffed and Braised Artichokes - $6.99 per serving ($41.96 total cost)

6. Rachael Ray's Italian Chicken Chili With Pancetta Croutons - $5.96 per serving ($35.74 total cost)

7. Rachael Ray's Cider House Chicken - $5.86 per serving ($23.44 total cost)

8. Paula Deen's Fired Up Rosemary Salmon - $5.60 per serving ($56.04 total cost)

9. Robert Irvine's Sirloin Steak with Mushroom Marsala Sauce - $4.79 per serving ($38.28 total cost)

10. Rachael Ray's Red & Green Lasagna - $5.41 per serving ($32.44 total cost)

We all love classic dishes such as meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, hearty soups and cream pies. However, sometimes it can be difficult to decipher how many calories these dishes contain as well as their total cost. Here we take a look at common and loved classic dishes and brake down how much they generally cost to make as well as their calorie content.

The purpose of this menu

The goal of this menu is to prove that you can live very well and healthy on a $50 a week budget for two people. Sure, $25 per person (or $100 for 4 people), isn't as cheap as you could possibly go, many people survive on much less than that. But with this menu we are not trying to eat rice and beans every day (even if that is served a couple of times) - we are trying to enjoy a varied diet with legumes, vegetables as well as meat and fish. And yes, it can be done, the key here is planning your meals in advance and actually cooking/preparing all your meals in the kitchen, no take-out or restaurant visits.

Meals Breakdown

For breakfast in this menu we feature filling meals that keep you full for a long period of time. We alternate between oatmeal with milk, and eggs and toast for breakfast, with the Saturday pancake exception. If you don't like regular oatmeal, you could easily substitute old fashioned oats for steel cut oats. They take a little longer to cook, but if you have the time (most of us don't), then they provide an even tastier and healthier alternative.

For lunch, we try to prepare food that is easy to bring along whether to work or school. Sandwiches play an important part here, as do beans and rice. Another important aspect of lunch is ease of preparation. You don't really want to be cooking when lunch comes around, that's impractical for most of us.

For dinner, we try to provide a varied diet that includes budget alternatives such as lentils and polenta and garbanzo bean soup. But when you're eating on $50 a week, you can actually afford meats as well as the occasional fish. For meats, we use chicken thighs which provide excellent flavor for a good price, as well as sausage and bacon. On Friday, we feast on salmon.

We have not accounted for drinks in this menu, other than a glass of orange juice each morning for breakfast.

We have attempted to make a practical menu. For example, we allocate a pack of bacon over two days: pasta carbonara one day, and BLT sandwiches for lunch the next. We make a double batch of soup, so that the other half can be enjoyed for lunch the next day.

Cost Calculation

All of these meals are priced with the accrual method. That means, that we only calculate the cost of as much as you need. In other words, if a recipe calls for 1/2 pound of bacon - we only calculate the cost of 1/2 a pound, even though you might need to buy a one pound package. That means, that it might cost more than $50 to purchase the ingredients for these recipes, however if you already have staples, it might cost less. Overall, the difference in price averages out over time: the price calculated for these dishes is exact.

Many of the recipes listed, calls for making more than 2 servings. Either scale down the recipe to fit your needs, or make a larger batch and freeze for another day. If you have leftover sausage for example or if you need to buy a larger pack of salmon - then freeze the individual filets or sausage links and use at another time. Sure, the price will be slightly higher one week, but next week it might be lower.

The prices of these ingredients reflect an average across the country. Sure, some people in some areas of the United States will be able to make this food at a lower cost.

$50 Weekly Menue (2 people)

Each meal is priced for two servings (two bowls of oatmeal, two sandwiches, two servings of each dish...)

Total cost for the whole week: $50.02