Your favorite CHEAP meal!

californiansun
californiansun Posts: 392 Member
in Food and Nutrition
What is your favorite cheap meal that is nutritious?
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Replies

  • sophomorelove
    sophomorelove Posts: 193 Member
    Omelet with frozen veggies, onion, and curry.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Refried beans (make your own from dried for extra savings) on a tortilla with salsa and cabbage.

    Pasta, frozen vegetables, and tomato sauce.

    Minestrone soup.

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    These kinds of questions make my head spin :# Everything I eat is nutritious, and the majority is made from cheap food ingredients; I aim to use it up and only make/prepare the amounts I'm going to eat, so the meals are cheap too. To pick ONE favorite meal is impossible, I love food now and the variety is an important contributor to that. But you can take a look at My meals (w/pics) to get an idea.
  • Bonny132
    Bonny132 Posts: 3,617 Member
    Rice noodles with whatever spices I have left in the cupboards, with either leftover meats or chicken/minced beef and a scrambled egg mixed in. If I have leftover onions/garlic, finely sliced carrots or peas/broccoli I throw that in too.

    Cheap, healthy and great way to use up leftovers.
  • californiansun
    californiansun Posts: 392 Member
    Y'all rock! Thanks for the ideas!
  • JeffreyOC
    JeffreyOC Posts: 810 Member
    I love tuna cakes! :)
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    Breakfast: 3 eggs on some lightly buttered toast with a slice of cheese.

    Lunch: Can of tuna, and some veggies (spiced however).
  • carrieloveshk
    carrieloveshk Posts: 128 Member
    I've been trying new recipes (used to HATE cooking) and found this last week. It's SO good! It made enough for me and my husband to eat 3 times.

    https://www.skinnymom.com/skinny-chicken-fried-rice/
  • CatherineLaurel
    CatherineLaurel Posts: 197 Member
    I ALWAYS have a can of black beans and instant rice in my home. You just spice it right,.maybe add hot sauce, maybe cheese if you want. If you have any veggies lying around toss em in.
  • geneticsteacher
    geneticsteacher Posts: 623 Member
    Vegetarian chili (homemade) with rice.
  • laur357
    laur357 Posts: 896 Member
    Jasmine rice with soft boiled egg, avocado (or asparagus), and soy sauce/sriracha.
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
    beans & rice. This one. I only use 1 color pepper though since really, it doesn't taste all that different.

    http://www.skinnytaste.com/arroz-congri-cuban-rice-and-black-beans/
  • Samuraiko
    Samuraiko Posts: 180 Member
    Almost all of my crockpot recipes are cheap. :smile: Lots of food, easily prepped, and a couple days' worth each time.
  • thenewkayla
    thenewkayla Posts: 313 Member
    JeffreyOC wrote: »
    I love tuna cakes! :)

    What's a tuna cake?
  • californiansun
    californiansun Posts: 392 Member
    thenewkayla wrote: »
    JeffreyOC wrote: »
    I love tuna cakes! :)

    What's a tuna cake?

    Like a crab cake but made with tuna.

    And thanks for the ideas guys! Keep em comin!
  • elgie3
    elgie3 Posts: 23 Member
    Had this tonight w/ some mods: White Bean and Roasted Chicken Salad (didn't have chicken or basil, added a bunch of spinach, gave son option of adding goat cheese we had in refrig) along with a couple slices of wheat baguette. Great for a hot night.

    Gnocchi (I fry it with some onions, misc veg such as spinach or kale or other green stuff and sometimes a bit of leftover ham, sprinkle w/ parmesan)

    Stir fry
  • lulalacroix
    lulalacroix Posts: 1,082 Member
    baked potato with 2 over easy eggs and salsa
  • thenewkayla
    thenewkayla Posts: 313 Member
    Eggs toast and salsa
    Chicken and rice
  • AngryViking1970
    AngryViking1970 Posts: 2,847 Member
    lulalacroix wrote: »
    baked potato with 2 over easy eggs and salsa

    I know what's on my menu tonight! This sounds yummy.
  • savithny
    savithny Posts: 1,200 Member
    Eggs with vegetable hash
    Black bean burritos with veggies
    Huevos Rancheros with tortilla, black beans, scrambled eggs
    Big salads with shredded chicken.
    Thai chicken and cabbage salad

    Anythign can be cheap if you cook it yourself. Stretch expensive meat with inexpensive vegetables or whole grains. I would have a hard time eating hard-core paleo or very low carb on our current budget, but we eat a lot of whole foods, local meat, and veggies for well under the USDA Thrifty Plan pricepoint.
  • LuckyNumbers
    LuckyNumbers Posts: 208 Member
    Eggs overeasy on top of rice. Add salt and pepper and I'm in heaven.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Leftovers! Practically free. Put them in a wrap. Add a little cheese, a little lettuce, a little hot sauce.
  • johnnylakis
    johnnylakis Posts: 812 Member
    Pizza, yes pizza. If you eat only one slice, 272 cal, 10g fat, 33g carb, 12g protein. Very balanced
  • cblairnh
    cblairnh Posts: 25 Member
    Don't forget to look in your grocer's produce section for marked down vegs that need to be sold right away. They might be a little bruised or getting limp but you can still cook with them.
  • CandehMandeh
    CandehMandeh Posts: 66 Member
    Hummus sandwiches : )
  • Saskwatch99
    Saskwatch99 Posts: 75 Member
    Bean and rice with salsa and sliced avocado.
  • Ben_there_done_that
    Ben_there_done_that Posts: 732 Member
    1 x bag of steamable frozen vegetables. 1 x pre-cooked (but microwaveable) frozen chicken breast. Costs like $2 a meal and it's all done with a microwave. I can't cook though. Clearly.
  • need2belean
    need2belean Posts: 358 Member
    Low carb tuna casserole. One bag of frozen broccoli/cauliflower (2$), a little light mayo (.50c), 2 cans of tuna (2$) and some fat free cheese (or whatever cheese you want) ($1.50). Super filling meal for 6$. And most people can't eat the whole thing but I like my protein and I love my veggies.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Beans and cornbread with chopped scallions
    chili
    Anything made with venison (supplied for the cost a bullet by our local furry friends)
    Anything made with eggs (we have chickens, but eggs are pretty cheap anyway)
    Beans and rice
  • Annamarie3404
    Annamarie3404 Posts: 319 Member
    Avocado and Egg salad

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