$30, 9 days, empty fridge
spacelump
Posts: 233 Member
Alright, you savvy MFP's. I have $30, 9 days til payday, and an empty fridge but for about a pound of chicken and bag of brown rice.
Please share all your frugal meal suggestions for this broke little dieter trying to stay on the fed and healthy path.
I intend to buy skim milk, bananas, some tuna, and eggs. What else might I add as filling staples for meals?
Thank you all in advance!
Please share all your frugal meal suggestions for this broke little dieter trying to stay on the fed and healthy path.
I intend to buy skim milk, bananas, some tuna, and eggs. What else might I add as filling staples for meals?
Thank you all in advance!
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Replies
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Beans. Bags of beans. Cheap, easy, protein.
Peanut Butter
Tortillas maybe...
Breakfast - Eggs, bananas, peanut butter, apples.
Lunch/Dinner - Have some chicken, use leftovers for sandwiches/fajitas/wraps. Use remaining leftovers for soup/stew. Add beans and water/broth and a can of rotel. Tuna...make tuna melts with cheese and tortillas.0 -
Change that skim milk to whole milk. You're going to need that extra dietary fat if you are planning on eating for just $3.33 per day.
Check out potatoes, peanut butter, beans/lentils, pasta, and just about any fruit and veggie at a reasonably priced store.0 -
Milk is a little pricey, so depending on how much you love milk, you could pass on that one in my opinion (also depends on your ability to hit protein goals without it). I'd definitely buy some frozen vegetables, and I'm hoping you already have a stock of spices available.
Do you own flour? You could easily make your own bread by picking up some active yeast, which is super cheap. Also I'd recommend some dried black beans or lentils. Combine those with rice, and you have a complete protein. Peanut butter is cheap and can add some extra calories if needed. I buy large tubs of greek yogurt; again, they can be a little pricey, so depends on protein goals. Honestly, I feel like that's a ton of money for 9 days. Cook up the chicken in some spices and combine with different things (rice and black beans for a mexican dish, with lettuce for some salads, with BBQ sauce for some pulled chicken sandwiches. For snacks you can pick up a huge block of cheese and portion it out or have some fruit.0 -
You can buy a big package of chicken quarters or legs for less than $5 here. Might be worth it... that would last me 5-6 meals.
Otherwise - oatmeal, rice, beans. With chicken and eggs that would be a few meals there. And frozen veggies with whatever you have left.
I'd probably pass on the apples because they're still close to $1 each unless you find a really good sale on them... bananas are cheaper.
I wouldn't buy milk either, but to each their own.
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two words. food bank
there is no shame in getting help. also a box of cereal goes a very long way w milk can be filling and nutritious.
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Food bank is a great suggestion. I will look into some local ones today. I'm not above receiving help, but I would hate to take and another more in need person not receive.
I suppose milk isn't necessary. I think it's one of those things I just buy automatically. (We never had it as kids). But 2% is indeed wiser when we are talking needed calories.
Yes! I forgot about oatmeal and beans! I can get some cheap chicken, peanut butter, eggs, bananas, sometimes they have clearance Greek yogurt (because it expires in a week).
I'll tell you...I'm a very sad cook, so trying to make my own bread might be a stretch for me, but I can certainly try, right? I'll find out where they hide the active yeast. It's a good season to learn.0 -
The yeast is in the refrigerator section. I looked for a very long time in the baking aisles of various stores before I finally asked someone. Who knew?0
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I love ramen noodles (20 cents each!). I only use half the flavor pack and I add 1/3 bag of mixed frozen vegs. and some scrambled egg or chicken for protein.0
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Food bank is a great suggestion. I will look into some local ones today. I'm not above receiving help, but I would hate to take and another more in need person not receive.
I suppose milk isn't necessary. I think it's one of those things I just buy automatically. (We never had it as kids). But 2% is indeed wiser when we are talking needed calories.
Yes! I forgot about oatmeal and beans! I can get some cheap chicken, peanut butter, eggs, bananas, sometimes they have clearance Greek yogurt (because it expires in a week).
I'll tell you...I'm a very sad cook, so trying to make my own bread might be a stretch for me, but I can certainly try, right? I'll find out where they hide the active yeast. It's a good season to learn.
Yeast packets (baking aisle....probably top shelf) aren't cheap when sold individually. You have to buy a jar ($5+) to get a good price.
Maybe something more along the lines of biscuits.....or batter bread (uses baking powder & baking soda)0 -
You could check the dollar store for bread too. Or see if one of your store has a clearance section. Mine always has random bagels and rolls there for like $1 for 6 (plus cheese, deli meat, some prepared food and cut fruit and veggies at 50% off).0
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lauries8888 wrote: »I love ramen noodles (20 cents each!). I only use half the flavor pack and I add 1/3 bag of mixed frozen vegs. and some scrambled egg or chicken for protein.
I secretly love Ramen too, but they always without fail constipate me to a place of total misery and regret. But! Pasta is a grand idea. Can pasta be healthy?
Biscuits. That I can do. I'll wait until more moolah comes to experiment (and probably waste a ton of product) with baking.
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This was going to be my advice. She's currently doing a "September Challenge" where she only spends $31/week on groceries.
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I secretly love Ramen too, but they always without fail constipate me to a place of total misery and regret. But! Pasta is a grand idea. Can pasta be healthy?
Pasta is inexpensive and has potassium, iron and protein, all of which are essentials. Pair it with a red sauce (cheap bottled sauce, add spices) and it is very healthy as long as you don't need to restrict carbs for health reasons.0 -
lauries8888 wrote: »I love ramen noodles (20 cents each!). I only use half the flavor pack and I add 1/3 bag of mixed frozen vegs. and some scrambled egg or chicken for protein.
^^this^^0 -
Alright, you savvy MFP's. I have $30, 9 days til payday, and an empty fridge but for about a pound of chicken and bag of brown rice.
Please share all your frugal meal suggestions for this broke little dieter trying to stay on the fed and healthy path.
I intend to buy skim milk, bananas, some tuna, and eggs. What else might I add as filling staples for meals?
Thank you all in advance!
The cheapest meal that still fulfills nutritional requirements I have come up with:
Boil rice
boil a bag of mixed frozen vegetables
add canned tuna to taste ( I use one can per meal, but it is still tasty with less, but making sure you still have some nutritional value from the tuna )
put in the fridge
scoop out a portion for each meal and either eat it with lime/lemon juice or a bit of mayonnaise as a salad
or heat it up and add a tiny bit of cream, or sprinkle with some cheese
You can also add fresh or dried herbs to the salad and the heated up version.
I aim for at least half rice and half vegetables and often for more vegetables than rice.
I make this often ( logged under " rice bowl " ) because I really like it. I also use canned chicken, or salmon ( which here in Mexico also come in standard tuna size cans and usually have between 87-100 calories ).
I grow my own parsley and cilantro and add copious amount of either to either version to get some crunch, some freshness and vitamins. The visual effect is also nice.
Also the same is also very delicious using any kind of beans ( black, kidney, pinto etc ) mixed with rice and vegetables ( makes an excellent complete protein ! ) with either tuna, or by itself furthermore adding chopped onion, tomato and cucumbers or whatever you like.
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The budget bytes challenge has some great ideas and easy recipes. Actually excited to try a few. +1
Also, the rice bowl is a great idea! Balanced, inexpensive, can be eaten hot or cold. All over it. You guys are life savers. My simple self thought I was going to live off eggs and bananas and rice for over a week. Yay for real meals!0 -
I highly recommend this site: http://www.leannebrown.com/. Author, who is highly qualified, gives some good advice and good recipes for living on a tight budget.0
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Use coupons.
Coupons.com
Combine said coupons with your grocery store's sales ad.0 -
I also make " Oatmeal Upma " ( there are 100s of recipes when googling the internet ).
It's a savory/spicy oatmeal dish originally from India.
It's the only way I eat oatmeal, because I don't like sweet things.
Cook oatmeal with salt ( or some broth or vegetable granules) until " al dente " ( or mushy if youprefer.
During the cooking process add chopped vegetables and maybe a chopped potato.
After that some people add black, or white pepper. I add curry powder and some extra cumin. I have also added a spoon of thai curry mix, because that's what I had in the fridge.
When serving I add lime juice and cilantro or parsley, or sometimes a spoon or two of home made plain yogurt.
The oatmeal is also fine with just the broth and the vegetables.
Again, a very nutritional dish that is easy and fast to make and cheap.0 -
Do you live near an Aldi? In my neighborhood, all the cheap basics are even cheaper at Aldi!
If you lived near me I'd invite you over for dinner.0 -
Buy a big bag of flour, make pici (canned tomatoes to make a sauce), make Parisian gnocchi (need butter) etc etc
Chicken thighs or whole chickens are generally reasonably cheap per lb, and can use the bones for broth and and render fat from the skin to cook with0 -
Buy a whole chicken and you can have several meals out of it plus make a soup with the bones and hard to get at meat. Just add in some beans, rice, celery and you have some soup too.0
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I like what is listed, but I'd add a bag of baby carrots ( or regular if it's cheaper where you live) and a bag of some sort of frozen veggies.0
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Do you live near an Aldi? In my neighborhood, all the cheap basics are even cheaper at Aldi!
If you lived near me I'd invite you over for dinner.
Oh, how I wish. I'm in Denver. You're a sweetheart.
So, I did get ahold of a local food bank and will be visiting tomorrow. They just help out locals up to 5 xs a year with a five day food supply. So that will help plenty. I'm going to continue looking up these easy recipes and see about trying some a few of you have graciously shared with me.
What beans are the best for a person and least likely to make your tummy hurt? As for baking with flour, I'm sitting down to look up easy and cheap things now.
Damn you all are some crafty folks!
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Black eyed peas and Lima beans are both easy to make. And potatoes are inexpensive as well. Big 8-10 lb bag will only set you back a $2-3 and you can do a lot with them (baked, boiled, soup, oven fries, etc).
I've got a recipe for sausage veggie soup that runs me about $10 for everything, but it makes this gigantic stock pot of soup if you're interested.
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Soda bread is the easiest bread to make. I used to make this for us when we were broke all the time. lol. And you don't have to buy buttermilk; you can make make your own with regular milk and little vinegar or lemon juice.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/213827/real-traditional-irish-soda-bread/
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Beans/legumes and rice offer the cheapest base on which to make up some meals. If you have or can score a pressure cooker you can buy dried beans for much less than canned and reconstitute them yourself in quick order; otherwise, do the soak and cook method.
We have bean and rice dishes frequently, with and without meat.
Ham and pea soup; the ham can be pricey though but the rest of the ingredients are cheap.
I make beef stews and soups often in the fall and winter and will add lentils to stretch the soup further and add more nutrition to every bowl (plus I like the taste).
Saute some onion, garlic, add a couple large cans of diced tomatoes and a cup and a half of dried lentils; spice it up any way you like. Serve over rice. Makes enough for several meals. inexpensive.
Don't fear baking bread. It really isn't that hard and the smells... yum. Good workout kneading the dough too.
Finally, do not hesitate to visit your local food bank. They are there to help and you could use a hand right now. They won't be turning someone away because you took their help. My wife volunteers at one and is always surprised when someone expresses a need but doesn't accept their help.0 -
lauries8888 wrote: »
i wonder why? Here in NC its on the baking aisle.0
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