Polenta with Pepper and Cheese - $1.96 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 1/2 cups corn meal (or polenta, uncooked) | Kroger® Yellow Corn Meal · 24 oz | $2.49 | 240 g | $0.88 | $1.61 |
| 1 can whole kernel corn mixed with green and red peppers (11 ounces, drained) | Green Giant® SteamCrisp® Mexicorn® Whole Kernel Corn with Red & Green Bell Peppers · 11 oz | $2.29 | 312 g | $2.29 | - |
| 2 cans green chiles (7 - 8 ounces) | Kroger® Diced Green Chile Peppers · 4 ozx2 | $0.89 | 213 g | $1.67 | $0.11 |
| 1 tablespoon margarine or butter | Kroger® Salted Butter Sticks · 4 sticks / 16 oz | $3.49 | 14 g | $0.11 | $3.38 |
| 6 ounces cheese, cheddar, reduced fat, shredded | Kroger® Reduced Fat Sharp Cheddar Shredded Cheese · 8 oz | $2.00 | 170 g | $1.50 | $0.50 |
| 1 can black or pinto beans, low-sodium (15 ounces, rinsed) | Goya® Low Sodium Prime Premium Black Beans · 15.5 oz | $1.99 | 425 g | $1.92 | $0.07 |
| 1 red bell pepper (cut into rings) | Fresh Red Hothouse Bell Pepper · 1 ct | $1.67 | 1 | $1.67 | - |
butter drives this basket at $3.49, 22% of the total. The next biggest lines are corn meal ($2.49) and canned corn with peppers ($2.29). $5.67 of the basket - 36% - 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® Salted Butter Sticks · about 440 g left, $3.38 of value
- Kroger® Yellow Corn Meal · about 440 g left, $1.61 of value
- Kroger® Reduced Fat Sharp Cheddar Shredded Cheese · about 57 g left, $0.50 of value
Enjoy this creamy and flavorful dish, packed with cheese, beans, peppers, and corn.
- 4 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups corn meal (or polenta, uncooked)
- 1 can whole kernel corn mixed with green and red peppers (11 ounces, drained)
- 2 cans green chiles (7 - 8 ounces)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon margarine or butter
- 6 ounces cheese, cheddar, reduced fat, shredded
- 1 can black or pinto beans, low-sodium (15 ounces, rinsed)
- cilantro sprigs (optional)
- 1 red bell pepper (cut into rings)
This recipe is credited to a partner program (California Health Department, Los Angeles County Es Facil Campaign Recipe submitted by Gloria Vargas), so we don't reprint its directions - read them on the archived original.
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