10 best buys at my dollar store

The chain is Dollar Tree. And in recent years they have made a push to enlarge their grocery selection. You do need to know your prices, and do a little math in the store. But here's what I've found to be the 10 best buys at our local Dollar Tree.

1. Paper cupcake liners, 100 ct., both mini and regular-sized for $1
2. Graham Crackers (crucial ingredient in s'mores) almost a 10 oz box for $1 (they sometimes get Honey Maid Cinnamon Grahams, 16 oz boxes for $1)
3. Foil-wrapped holiday chocolate candies (Christmas, Valentine's, Easter), small bag of about 12 pieces for 25 cents, on clearance, after the holiday -- we use these for s'mores
4. Crackers, all kinds, 8 to 10 oz boxes -- I  don't know why anyone would buy crackers in a regular store. When we want crackers for a party or celebration, we head to the dollar store
5. Soy milk -- I buy Westsoy brand soy milk at the dollar store in a quart for $1. Soy milk has really jumped up in price in the last 5 years. I used to be able to frequently buy other major brands of soy milk in the regular grocery store for a dollar on sale. Just not happening anymore.
6. Individually-wrapped snacks, packages of 5, 6 or 8 for $1-- I don't usually buy these. But there is one occasion when I do. When we're traveling by plane I make a stop at Dollar Tree the afternoon before we leave and I buy the multi-packs of single serve, individually wrapped snacks of cheese and crackers, raisins, peanuts, trail mix, breakfast and granola bars. I put all these into a pile on the kitchen table, give each family member a bag, and tell them to choose 4 or 5 items from the pile. This is their traveling day snack, for in the airport, on the plane or any other time during that day, as they are hungry. I wind up spending $6 for the day's and flight's snacks, compared to maybe spending $6 per person in flight. And while it's kind of junky stuff, by our standards, we don't eat like this every day. So I don't feel bad about it.
7. Large sheets of poster board for school projects and signs, 50 cents per sheet.
8. Sweetened shredded coconut flakes for baking, $1 for 6 or 7 oz. bag (depending on brand). Do you make Dream Bars, the incredibly yummy, multi-layered coconut, graham crumbs and chocolate chip bar cookies? 
9. Sea Salt, $1 for  26 oz container of San Francisco Bay brand sea salt -- good for cooking, yes, but also nice for making bath salts
10. Panty liners, 40 ct. package, $1 -- grocery store brands have 22 ct. packages for about $1

Like I said, if you know your prices, you can snag some really great deals at Dollar Tree. What deals have you found at your dollar store?