i strongly advise BEANS!
They are cheap and healthy. The most economical form you can buy are dry beans. You just soak them overnight and cook as usual. My favorite kind are lentils. You buy them dry in a bag but can cook them immediately.

Remember it's calories in/calories out. You can lose weight eating exactly what you are already consuming by reducing your portion. Certain foods may make you feel more filled/satiated but weight loss is all about calorie consumption and expenditure.

Where I live the farmer's markets are not at all cheaper than fresh produce from walmart. Home grown/farmers market vegetables do generally taste better in my opinion and because of such, you and your spouse may be more inclined to eat them. It's just something you will have to investigate based on your local food offerings and decide what is best for your family. Frozen vegetables are a good option too.
Btw, if you like rice white is cheaper, however I feel like brown rice is more filling so I tend to justify such a purchase. Oatmeal, grits, and cornmeal can really stretch a food budget too.

*some of this post has been copied from 1 of my previous entries*

Ramen noodles nutrition facts

There are a few websites with suggestions for how to make ramen noodles into a more nutritious meal. Most talk first about the high sodium (don't use the flavor packet or just use half or less of the packet). One suggestion is to see the ramen in the package as two servings. When adding vegetables and lean meat, that stretches the package to be really four servings with the added volume. So you have to work out the nutrition yourself. My own preference is just to treat the plain noodles (no packet) like spaghetti!