Mac and Beans Medley - $3.25 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). 1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. 4 garlic cloves | Kroger® Whole Garlic Bulbs · 5 ct | $2.49 | 4 | $1.99 | $0.50 |
| 2. 1 bell pepper (green, red, yellow, or orange) | Fresh Yellow Bell Pepper · 1 ct | $1.67 | 1 | $1.67 | - |
| 4. 1 can tomatoes, low-sodium (14-15 ounces, diced) | Hunt's No Salt Added Diced Tomatoes · 14.5 oz | $1.59 | 425 g | $1.59 | - |
| 5. 1 can beans, low-sodium (15.5 ounces, black, kidney, pinto or other, drained and rinsed) | Simple Truth Organic® Low Sodium Black Beans · 15 oz | $1.25 | 440 g | $1.25 | - |
| 6. 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (crushed) | Simple Truth Organic® Crushed Red Pepper Shaker · 1.19 oz | $3.99 | 1 g | $0.12 | $3.87 |
| 7. 2 cups macaroni (cooked, without salt or fat added or other pasta) | Kroger 32 Oz Elbow Macaroni · 32 oz | $1.99 | 240 g | $0.53 | $1.46 |
red pepper flakes drives this basket at $3.99, 31% of the total. The next biggest lines are garlic ($2.49) and macaroni ($1.99). $5.83 of the basket - 45% - 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.
- Simple Truth Organic® Crushed Red Pepper Shaker · about 33 g left, $3.87 of value
- Kroger 32 Oz Elbow Macaroni · about 667 g left, $1.46 of value
- Kroger® Whole Garlic Bulbs · about 1 left, $0.50 of value
Bell peppers, tomatoes, and beans add color and flavor to this meal, while the red pepper flakes add a little bit of heat.
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 bell pepper (green, red, yellow, or orange)
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 can tomatoes, low-sodium (14-15 ounces, diced)
- 1 can beans, low-sodium (15.5 ounces, black, kidney, pinto or other, drained and rinsed)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (crushed)
- 2 cups macaroni (cooked, without salt or fat added or other pasta)
This recipe is credited to a partner program (Champions for Change Recipes Arizona Nutrition Network), so we don't reprint its directions - read them on the archived original.
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