When I’m planning hearty crockpot chili on a tight grocery budget, I turn to Dollar Tree for practical options. These 12 staples can help shape a satisfying pot for an easy family dinner.
1. RoTel Original Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies, 10-oz. Cans – $1.50
For chili that needs a lively kick, RoTel combines diced tomatoes, green chilies, acidity, and cooking liquid in one can. It is an easy dump-in ingredient for game day or a chilly weeknight.
Taste: The tomatoes taste bright and tangy, while the green chilies bring noticeable zest rather than overwhelming heat. Chunky pieces hold up well during the long simmer.
Make It Better: Pour in the entire can without draining it, then reduce any other added liquid if you prefer a thicker chili.
Parting Thoughts: Heat seekers may want more spice, but this is a dependable starting point for a family-friendly pot.
2. Supreme Tradition Onion Powder, 2-oz. Bottles – $1.25
On rushed mornings, onion powder supplies an aromatic chili base without leaving a cutting board behind. I add it early so its concentrated onion flavor has time to spread through the beans, tomatoes, and meat.
Taste: Its onion character can range from mild to full-strength depending on how freely you shake. The powder-to-flake texture disappears into the sauce rather than adding pieces of onion.
Make It Better: Pair it with garlic powder for a fuller savory foundation, especially when fresh onions are not available.
Parting Thoughts: Anyone who dislikes chopping onions will get plenty of practical mileage from this bottle.
3. Southgate Chili with Beans, 15 oz. Cans – $1.50
A ready-made chili base makes sense when dinner needs to practically assemble itself. This canned beef-and-bean chili can anchor a crockpot batch, then stretch into a larger meal with tomatoes, corn, or more beans.
Taste: The flavor is meaty, savory, and spicy enough to provide a solid foundation. Its thick consistency and tender beans give the finished pot an immediate heartiness.
Make It Better: Doctor it with extra vegetables and spices, then use broth or undrained tomatoes to loosen it only as much as needed.
Parting Thoughts: Think of this as a convenient head start, not a complete substitute for your own seasoning.
4. Del Monte Harvest Diced Tomatoes, 14.5-oz. Cans – $1.50
Chunky tomatoes are what I reach for when a slow-cooker chili looks too uniform. These ready-diced tomatoes add moisture and substance for an easy family dinner or potluck batch.
Taste: They bring a naturally fresh tomato flavor with gentle sweetness. The firm diced pieces retain their shape, giving each bowl a chunkier bite.
Make It Better: Leave them undrained for a looser chili, or drain them when the pot already contains plenty of liquid.
Parting Thoughts: For cooks who want visible tomato pieces rather than a completely smooth base, this can earns its place.
5. Goya Premium Pinto Beans, 15.5-oz. Cans – $1.50
Creamy pinto beans bulk up a meat-light chili without making it feel skimpy. The canned format is especially handy for a dump-and-go supper because there is no soaking or stovetop cooking required.
Taste: Their flavor is mild and earthy, so they absorb the surrounding tomato and spice notes easily. As they cook down, the beans become creamy while still giving the chili substance.
Make It Better: Use some of the canning liquid when you want extra body, or combine them with properly prepared kidney beans for more contrast.
Parting Thoughts: A mellow bean like this is an easy win for feeding a mixed crowd.
6. Supreme Tradition Garlic Powder, 2.5-oz. Bottles – $1.25
Few shortcuts work harder in a crockpot than a shake of garlic powder. Added near the beginning, it deepens the savory side of meat, beans, and tomatoes while keeping prep wonderfully simple.
Taste: Expect bold garlic flavor with subtle nutty and smoky notes. The fine granules dissolve readily, seasoning the sauce evenly without leaving a gritty bite.
Make It Better: Stir it into the tomato base before adding the remaining ingredients so it does not collect in one spot.
Parting Thoughts: Heavy garlic users will appreciate the price, though a measured hand keeps it from dominating the pot.
7. Del Monte Harvest Whole Kernel Corn, 15.25-oz. – $1.50
Sweet kernels bring welcome contrast to an otherwise dark, deeply savory bowl. I like this addition for casual weeknight chili, especially when I need to stretch the batch for an extra serving.
Taste: The corn is naturally sweet without added sugar, which helps balance sharper tomato and chile flavors. Its crisp kernels interrupt the softer beans with small, juicy bites.
Make It Better: Drain the corn and stir it in closer to serving time if preserving its crispness matters to you.
Parting Thoughts: Corn traditionalists can skip it, but its color and sweetness make a friendly addition to Southwestern-style chili.
8. Brown’s Best Light Red Kidney Beans, 1-ct. – $1.00
Large-batch cooks can get extra mileage from dried light red kidney beans. They require advance work, including washing, soaking, rinsing, and stovetop boiling, so save them for a planned meal rather than a last-minute dump dinner.
Taste: Light red kidney beans have a delicate, earthy bean flavor that will not overpower the seasonings. Their firm structure holds its shape well through extended cooking.
Make It Better: Soak and rinse the beans, then boil them properly on the stovetop before transferring them to the crockpot with sufficient liquid.
Parting Thoughts: The preparation is less convenient than opening a can, but patient batch cooks get satisfying texture and value.
9. La Sierra Refried Beans, 15.2-oz. Pouches – $1.50
When a finished chili seems disappointingly thin, refried pinto beans offer an easy rescue. The shelf-stable pouch can be heated for one minute in the microwave, then stirred into the crockpot near the end.
Taste: These beans have a simple, clean flavor with onion notes that blend easily into a seasoned chili. Their rich, creamy consistency thickens the sauce without adding whole-bean texture.
Make It Better: Add the beans gradually and stir well, stopping when the chili reaches the thickness you want.
Parting Thoughts: Keep this trick for creamy, substantial chili, while lovers of a brothy bowl may prefer to pass.
10. Extra Value Meats Beef Patties – $1.25
Frozen beef patties can stand in for ordinary ground beef when the meat case is outside the budget. Thaw, brown, and crumble them on the stovetop before adding them to the slow cooker for a meatier dinner.
Taste: Once seasoned, the patties provide a usable beef flavor, although some diners may notice the additives. The cooked meat crumbles well enough to distribute throughout the beans and sauce.
Make It Better: Drain after browning, then let the crumbles simmer with the tomatoes and spices so they absorb more of the chili flavor.
Parting Thoughts: Budget-minded meat eaters should find this useful, but ingredient purists may prefer conventional ground beef.
11. Swanson Natural Chicken Broth, 1-ct. – $1.50
Dry-looking chili benefits from broth more than it does from plain water. This shelf-stable option adds savory liquid while helping a bean-heavy crockpot batch cook into a cohesive meal.
Taste: The broth has balanced chicken flavor that supports rather than competes with the tomatoes and spices. Its fluid consistency loosens a thick pot without introducing chunks.
Make It Better: Add a little at a time because crockpots retain moisture; you can always thin the chili further near the end.
Parting Thoughts: It is a sensible pick for stretching a dense batch, provided chicken flavor fits your recipe.
12. Knorr Tomato Bouillon With Chicken Flavor, 8-pc Pack. – $1.50
For deeper flavor without pouring in much more liquid, tomato bouillon cubes are a compact solution. The eight-piece pack combines tomato, chicken flavor, vegetables, and spices for crockpot chili that needs extra savory backbone.
Taste: Each cube contributes a tangy tomato note and a lingering savory chicken character. Once dissolved, it blends smoothly into the cooking liquid without changing the chili’s chunky texture.
Make It Better: Dissolve a cube before stirring it into the pot, then taste before adding more because the flavor is concentrated.
Parting Thoughts: This little box suits cooks chasing bold depth, though it may be unnecessary in an already strongly seasoned chili.
