I started grocery shopping at Dollar Tree to save money. Now, I swear by these 11 items I've found for under $1.50.

• Now, I head to the budget store to buy snacks, frozen veggies, fruit preserves, and more.
• I’ve also found some great staples, like cornstarch and egg noodles, at an affordable price point.

Finding $1.50 quick grits has been a breakfast lifesaver.

I only started eating grits a few years ago, so the novelty hasn’t worn off just yet. I prefer a savory breakfast over something sweet, so when I have time in the morning, I make warm grits with butter on top.

My Dollar Tree sells 10-ounce boxes of Harvest Hill grits for just $1.50. At other stores, I’ve seen similarly sized boxes cost $4 or $5.

My local Dollar Tree introduced me to $1.50 So Natural strawberry and raspberry preserves.

These 16-ounce jars of preserves are my favorite Dollar Tree grocery find so far.

They are delicious and a great deal: In comparison, Aldi’s Specialty Selected premium fruit spreads are almost half the size (10 ounces) and twice the price at $2.99 each.

These preserves work well in a PB&J sandwich, but I think they really shine when used in baked goods, like thumbprint cookies or coffee cakes.