Chili Tomato Macaroni - $5.62 a serving
Every non-staple ingredient matched to a real product on the shelf, priced on 2026-07-19 at Kroger - Kroger On the Rhine (ZIP 45202). 2 pantry staples excluded. Prices change without notice - this is what we paid attention to on that date, not a quote.
| The recipe says | We found | Package | Uses | Costs | Left over |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3/4 pound ground beef, 90% lean | Kroger® 85/15 Ground Beef Tray 1 LB · 1 lb | $8.99 | 340 g | $6.74 | $2.25 |
| 1 cup macaroni, uncooked | Kroger 32 Oz Elbow Macaroni · 32 oz | $1.99 | 140 g | $0.31 | $1.68 |
| 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, low-sodium, undrained | Kroger Diced Tomatoes · 14.5 oz | $1.00 | 411 g | $1.00 | $0.00 |
| 2 teaspoons chili powder, mild | Kroger® Chili Powder Shaker · 4 oz | $2.49 | 5 g | $0.11 | $2.38 |
| 2 servings Eating Smart Seasoning Mix (1/2 cup) | Old El Paso Original Taco Seasoning Mix Value Size · 6.25 ozSUBSTITUTE | $4.49 | 60 g | $1.52 | $2.97 |
| 2 ounces cheddar cheese, reduced-fat, shredded | Kroger® Mild Cheddar Shredded Cheese · 16 oz | $3.50 | 57 g | $0.44 | $3.06 |
ground beef drives this basket at $8.99, 40% of the total. The next biggest lines are taco seasoning mix ($4.49) and shredded cheddar cheese ($3.50). $12.34 of the basket - 55% - is package remainder: food you buy because stores sell packages and recipes call for amounts. It does not vanish, it sits in your kitchen for the next meal.
- Kroger® Mild Cheddar Shredded Cheese · about 397 g left, $3.06 of value
- Old El Paso Original Taco Seasoning Mix Value Size · about 117 g left, $2.97 of value
- Kroger® Chili Powder Shaker · about 108 g left, $2.38 of value
- Kroger® 85/15 Ground Beef Tray 1 LB · about 114 g left, $2.25 of value
- Kroger 32 Oz Elbow Macaroni · about 767 g left, $1.68 of value
You don’t have to use salt in this macaroni, tomato, and beef dish seasoned with the Eating Smart Seasoning Mix.
- 3/4 pound ground beef, 90% lean
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup macaroni, uncooked
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, low-sodium, undrained
- 2 teaspoons chili powder, mild
- 2 servings Eating Smart Seasoning Mix (1/2 cup)
- salt (optional, to taste)
- 2 ounces cheddar cheese, reduced-fat, shredded
This recipe is credited to a partner program (Eating Smart, Being Active Colorado State University and University of California at Davis), so we don't reprint its directions - read them on the archived original.
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