Budget friendly dinner ideas.

ashliedelgado

Hey all. This week, my dogs got into a fight, to the point that one of them needed 2 staples. This happened after my regular vet had closed, and after trying to stop the bleeding in one teeeny puncture hole for an hour or so, I resigned myself to the emergency vet. The resulting devastation means my grocery budget this week is TIGHT. We have some staples like rice oats a few cans of black beans etc. I have 1lb of ground turkey and enough chicken to do that one night. So... what are your favorite cheap meals? I'm working with like $100 to feed 4 people for 5 days, two of us including lunch . I know we could skate by on ramen for a week but I just hit Onderland and don't want this week to throw me. Thanks!

pinggolfer96

Pork is extremely cheap. Stick to your cheap grains as you listed. Canned protein sources. Veggies such as squash are in season and large enough to feed a family in some cases. Buy all store brand products if you can. Eggs are pretty cheap and satiating. Idk what else to really say other than the typical "bro" foods that are cheap like oats, rice, peanut butter, pork, tilapia or swai(:

shadow2soul

I like Chicken Taco Chili found on Skinnytaste.com

For me all the ingredients end up around $10, but it makes 10 servings and is great served over rice.

Oh and I recommend shopping at a budget grocery store. Like Aldi's or Save-a-Lot. Examples of prices from the Aldi's by me:

Natural Peanut Butter - $1.49
2% or Whole Milk Gallon - $2.69
Skim Milk Gallon - $2.59
Almond Milk - $2.29
Mac & Cheese - $0.33
Whole Wheat Sandwich sliced bread - $0.85
Single Serve Broccoli & Cheese or Cordon Bleu stuffed chicken breast - $0.99
Garden Salad Bag Mix - $0.99
10 lb bag potatoes - $2.99
Canned Beans - $0.59
Cheese Slices - $1.79
Value Pack Tilapia Filets (if I remember correctly it's 3 lbs) - $5.39
Pack of 4 Tilapia Filets - $3.39
Yogurt - $0.39

cmtigger

Dried beans are cheap. Pasta E Fagoli is easy and good. Depending on where you live, bagged salads can be cheaper than all the parts. Egg based meals aren't as cheap as they used to be, but they still aren't expensive.

Sometimes it's hard giving too much advice because food prices can vary so much by region.

danika2point0

Ingredients I use when money is tight: canned veg, canned beans, rice, potatoes, and/or cheaper meats + SPICES. Maybe I'd start by making a soup/stew, and then change it up the next night by using the leftovers + adding in other veg or sauce and doing it over rice/pasta. You could make also chilli/bolognese sauce (vegetarian with beans and canned tomatoes can be just as good if meat is too expensive) and do it over pasta one night and then over rice the next. I usually can change it up and make it last longer by adding in various spices or different vegetables the next night. Best of luck.

Kalikel

Frozen fruits and veggies (edamame is more expensive than most veggies, but contains a lot of protein as well as other things, so can sub for meat), dried peas and beans, hot dogs (Ball Park makes a fat-free turkey dog), rice. You can stretch the ground stuff my making meatballs with bread crumbs or tacos. Plus whatever meat is on sale if you have none at home.

Use the bones from the meat to make some stock and then you have soup when you add veggies to it.

Mac n cheese is cheap! So is tuna, which can be added to Mac n Cheese to make it better. I like mine with tuna and peas.

Do you live near your parents? Time to have dinner over there.

I'm sorry about your pup! Hope he's all better now!

ashliedelgado

Thanks for the advice! Getting ready to head out, with what we have and some of the ideas here I think I'm going to be able to do it for right around $60. I appreciate the freash perspective everyone!

yayamom3

I grew up eating a lot of beans (great northern) and cornbread. I know my thrifty mom served it often because it was cheap. I find it absolutely delicious, and my family loves it too.

CrabNebula

Enchiladas are really cheap if you make your own sauce (way easy) and stretch the meat filling with black beans and/or rice. Veggie chili and cornbread is also really cheap.

jgnatca

Too late to help with this shopping trip. I'd be sure to get some flour and eggs. Tomatoes, too, some canned.

Tomatoes, ground turkey, and those black beans would make a great chili, and would extend probably to two dinners. Or one dinner and some leftover lunches.

With the flour and eggs I can make pancakes, quick bread, flour tortillas, and pastry.

ZeroDelta

The food shelf is your friend.