Cheap recipes??
MrsYoungIII
Posts: 41 Member
My family like a lot of families is very tight finacially. Like really really tight. Like I need to feed 4 ppl for 7 days with sometimes less then $100. We mainly shop Price Rite or Save Alot. It's really embarrassing to post this but I don't know when we'll get out of this rut and until I can lower my depression and get healthy to help me become "stable" we're stuck.
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My family is in the same boat. A few things that are always on my shopping list are a whole chicken and pork roast. I throw these in the crock pot so they are done when I get home from work. I use the meat for dinner that night then divide up the left overs to use for additional meals. For the chicken we will have roast chicken dinner the first night then if there is enough left I will divide up in as many separate containers to freeze as I can. I can add BBQ sauce to one, taco seasoning to another or ranch and red hot for Buffalo wraps. I also will leave one plain to use in a stir-fry and add store bought sauce to put over with rice and frozen veggies, or to make soup with. I do the same with the pork roast. This helps a lot and I have premade dinners in the freezer for easy dinners during the week when things are busy.0
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Thanks! I use my crock pot a lot too. I just wish all the meals in my crock pot recipe book told me calories and stuff.0
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Dried beans are cheap and are very versatile. As for the whole chicken mentioned below, you can use the carcass to make a soup stock. Just add a carrot, celery and onion along with spices you have on hand and simmer till flavors combine. Drain the stock, discard the veggies and pick of any chicken left on the bones and return to the stock. Now you can add some veggies you may have, rice, pasta, beans ... use anything you have at home. Always shop sales! Good luck to you.0
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I will leave you to research the recipes on skinnytaste, but here is a break down of what your grocery bill could be if you plan right.
Monday: Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells (serves 9 with three shells each) $15.70 initial buy
- 1 pack frozen chopped spinach ($1)
- 1 large onion ($0.70)
- 2 cloves of garlic (one head of garlic $0.50)
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 28 oz cruched tomatoes ($1)
- 1 Tbsp chopped basil ($2 for a pack)
- 1 15 oz container of ricotta ($3)
- 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, part skim ($3 for a pack)
-1 egg ($1.50 for a cartoon of medium eggs)
- 1/4 cup parmesan grated parm ($3 a container)
Tuesday: Turkey "Parm" Burgers (serves 4) $11
- 1 4 pack of Turkey patties or 1 lb of ground turkey ($6)
- 4 oz shredded mozzarella (Have some left over from last night $0)
- 4 tbsp spaghetti sauce ($2)
- 4 Whole Wheat hamburger buns ($3)
Wednesday: Sloppy Joes $13.50
- 1 lb Italian sausage ($4)
- 1/2 cup onion (left over from Monday)
- 3 garlic cloves (left over from head of garlic)
- 2 green peppers ($1.50)
- 1 14 oz can crushed tomatoes ($1)
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary ($3 for jar)
- 4 hamburger buns (left over)
- 4 slices cheese ($2)
- 1 cup baby spinach ($2 for a salad pack)
Thursday: Left over night! What ever left overs you have you eat up tonight! If there are no left overs then Breakfast nightt! $8.50
- 8 eggs (already bought the cartoon)
- Bacon or sausage ($5 assuming bacon)
- Sliced bread ($2)
- Strawberries ($1.50 for a carton at Krogers right now)
Friday: Pizza night! $5
- 4 whole wheat tortillas ($3 for a pack)
- left over Shredded Mozzarella
- left over spaghetti sauce
- Mini pepperonis ($2)
Saturday: Italian grilled chicken with grilled marinated veggies! $23.40
- 8 4 oz chicken breasts (4 being saved for tomorrow after gilled) ($12)
- 1 bottle italian dressing ($2)
- 1 pack mini peppers ($5)
- 2 onions ($1.40)
- prepackages lower sodium marinade of your choice (usually about $3)
Sunday: Salad night! $9.00
- Left over grilled chicken
- Baby Spring Salad Mix ($4 for a huge tub)
- Salad dressing
-Carrots ($1)
- Radishes ($1)
- Salad dressing ($3)
That comes to about $86 for the dinners, assuming that you need to buy everything already. But if you already have the herbs, or the spaghetti sauce or the salad dressings then it makes it even cheaper. For breakfasts do cereals (get the bagged ones, they are cheaper), oatmeal, etc... And lunches can peanut butter sandwiches, or lunch meat sandwiches, with fruit and a cookie or two.
All the prices are based on Kroger prices, so depending on where you shop it could end up being even cheaper.0 -
Thank you!!0
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I go on a site that's called freecycle, google it for the town you live in. This time of year lots of people may have extra fruit on their trees or veggies in there garden,. Can them, freeze them, dry them. It really helps. Good luck0
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These are great ideas, thanks for sharing!0
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I cant believe someone would be so kind as to write out prices and a menu well done
:flowerforyou:0 -
Awesome breakdown, rduhlir! I really want to try the spinach and cheese stuffed shells.0
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I live in low income housing and i get food stamps and its hard survive off the little food stamps that they give us. So i agree its tough. I grew up on left over or must go. I grew up on alot alot of pasta. Buy in bulk if you can, the roast is always good. And many options. I would go back to basics, and just potion it out.0
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budgetbytes is awesome. It has changed the way we eat at great prices. You have to check it out!!
http://www.budgetbytes.com/0 -
Thanks! I use my crock pot a lot too. I just wish all the meals in my crock pot recipe book told me calories and stuff.0
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Go under the recipes tab and use the recipe calculator to figure calories and stuff. Works great!0
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15 bean soup with lean ham is awesome and inexpensive. Serve it with carrot, cucumber and green pepper strips for a delicious, healthy, low fat and ridiculously cheap meal. You can use those 15 bean soup bags at the grocery, or navy beans too. This also freezes well, so you can make extra and freeze for later.
One of my favorite, cheap, quick and relatively healthy meals is Zatarain's New Orleans Style Jambala. (I use Aldi's or whatever generic brand I can find). I chop an onion, a carrot, a celery stalk, 2 cloves of garlic, and a pepper if I have it, finely, sauté them in a little olive or canola oil (you could "sweat" them in water instead) until they are tender, and add them, and meat and cook according to directions.. You can use whatever you have on hand. I have used left over chicken, lean ground beef or turkey, or lean smoked turkey sausage. It's quick, cheap, tasty and filling. I serve it with raw veggies.
When my kids were home, I used to make and freeze chili for the winter. Chili is so yummy on cold nights and you can make it healthy and still tasty! It's another thing that lends itself to being served with raw veggies. The kids can did their carrot sticks or pepper strips in the chili!0 -
I live in the UK so the descriptions made be wrong but here goes.
I have 3 hungry teenagers to feed.
Sometimes I just get 2 tins of chopped tomatoes. Different root vegetables ( carrots, turnip, swede, parsnips), onions any vegetables you like. Chop them all up put them into my "slow cooker"/ crock pot? with vegetable stock to cover, switch on low and leave all day to cook. 3/4 of an hour before you want to eat make suet dumplings put on top of vegetables turn up to med heat and wait. The family can eat the dumplings you can eat the soup.
If you want the soup thicker, make the day before, when soup has cooled, blitz for a while in the blender, I generally blitz half and leave half then you get a thicker lumpy style soup. Store in fridge until next day. As each person comes home a portion can be heated in the microwave or I just put the whole lot back into a saucepan and reheat well.
We like it in the winter, it's good to come home knowing something hot is not far away.0 -
My family like a lot of families is very tight finacially. Like really really tight. Like I need to feed 4 ppl for 7 days with sometimes less then $100. We mainly shop Price Rite or Save Alot. It's really embarrassing to post this but I don't know when we'll get out of this rut and until I can lower my depression and get healthy to help me become "stable" we're stuck.
First, don't be embarrassed.
Many of us are in the same place for assorted reasons.
Pasta and rice can go a fairly long way. I sometimes use ramen noodles (I can get a six-pack of ramen noodles for about a dollar. Don't use the seasoning packet, as it's loaded with sodium). You can add veggies or other leftovers.
A website I recommend is www.livingonadime.com. One of the founders is dealing with fibromyalgia and is homeschooling her children. The site goes into many things, including food and recipes.
Sometimes I look at the clearance rack at the store (they usually hide it in the back). You can get some things at half- or quarter-price.
Coupons can be helpful, too (just check the dates and the store policy).
Can you grow anything at home? Maybe start a small garden, even if you grow things in a container (the gardening might be helpful with the depression, too).0 -
Nice menus and cheap,0
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Nice :drinker:0
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Also....if you have ethnic food places get stuff there.
For example, there is a huge Asian Foods market here and a pretty good sized Mexican foods market. I get black beans and kidney beans in bulk and cook up over the weekend then freeze. I just even 2 cups out in medium sized ziploc bags, and then put together in a large freezer bag. They last for a good while int he freezer. And 2 cups is about the average can size. But if you need the convinence (sounds like convinence is up your alley with the kiddos lol) then the dollar stores are great for canned goods. Or buy the Great Value ones at Walmart. If you end up having to get the higher sodium stuff just cut the added salt out and it will balance.
Be a hawk eye to the local ads, and don't be afraid to shop around for the food if you need to. Sometimes I end up going to different places in a grocery run just because the prices are better. Base the menu off the weekly ads.0 -
This website is a lifesaver for cheap recipes and whatnot -
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/category/recipes
I have found stuff beyond cheap to make during those weeks where I'm running short.0 -
Great suggestions!0
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This is an awesome menu, mind if I copy too? we try to keep our groceries under $100 too although there are only 3 of us, these are such great ideas
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A website I recommend is www.livingonadime.com. One of the founders is dealing with fibromyalgia and is homeschooling her children. The site goes into many things, including food and recipes.
Sometimes I look at the clearance rack at the store (they usually hide it in the back). You can get some things at half- or quarter-price.
Coupons can be helpful, too (just check the dates and the store policy).
Can you grow anything at home? Maybe start a small garden, even if you grow things in a container (the gardening might be helpful with the depression, too).
^ Great site! And I do all of the above things too, sometimes the menu has to change based on what's on clearance but that's OK
though coupons can be a trap when you're on a tight budget if you're not eagle-eyed with them -- use the really good deals but otherwise just go for what's cheapest. sometimes that's a trade off with what's healthiest though.
The garden, even just fresh potted herbs in your kitchen, is so helpful. Lettuces & tomatoes for us go a long way in summer.
I actually have a pre-planned "broke" grocery list that I go through when money is super tight and there's no chance of stretching it on the food. Learned this from my mom and sister who also do it Then if we have more, I can add in other things.
It includes some healthy basics, and I just steel myself to not buy something if it's above the price I have set that I can pay for it.
Some examples:
Boxed rice - $2
Bagged beans - $1 each
Ramen - 6/$1 (I know, not nutritional but at least there's something in the pantry)
2 dozen eggs - $4 (I hardboil one dozen)
Clearance bread- $1
Canned tuna - 4/$3
Peanut butter - $3
Cheap lunchmeat 2/$1
Turkey hot dogs $1
Shredded cheese $2
Frozen veggies $1 each
Canned veggies no more than 2/$1
Whatever fruits are on sale up to $5
A few frozen lunches $1 each
Big bag of frozen chicken breast $6
Lettuce $1
Fresh veggies on sale up to $4
Any fish or meat on a good sale (less than $2/lb)
... you probably get the idea.That all comes up to about $50. It works, even if it's not varied or ideal. You may notice I'm also not the greatest cook in the world, basically we eat chicken, veggies, rice & beans and salads, as well as soups and chili and sometimes tacos. Thats because I can't pull off the whole-chicken or roast thing, although it's a great idea. breakfast is bagels if I have some extra or an egg and toast if we don't. lunch is frozen, or PB or lunchmeat sandwiches. Snacks are fruits or hot dogs or sometimes some baked chips or popcorn. Thankfully usually these days we have lots extra but I keep the "broke" list around anyway.. it still forms the basis for the not-broke list 0 -
Bump for many great ideas!0
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if you have a Walmart near you right now (until the end of October) their rotisserie chickens are on sale for 4.98. You can't even get a whole raw chicken for that. You can get a couple uses out of one chicken. I use it with pasta or rice, in a wrap, or if you like salad you could bulk it up with some shredded chicken and veggies. There are several websites where you can print coupons off and a lot of stores double or even triple now. Good luck, we all go through hard times but things will get better!0
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WOW this is amazing!! thank you!!I will leave you to research the recipes on skinnytaste, but here is a break down of what your grocery bill could be if you plan right.
Monday: Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells (serves 9 with three shells each) $15.70 initial buy
- 1 pack frozen chopped spinach ($1)
- 1 large onion ($0.70)
- 2 cloves of garlic (one head of garlic $0.50)
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 28 oz cruched tomatoes ($1)
- 1 Tbsp chopped basil ($2 for a pack)
- 1 15 oz container of ricotta ($3)
- 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, part skim ($3 for a pack)
-1 egg ($1.50 for a cartoon of medium eggs)
- 1/4 cup parmesan grated parm ($3 a container)
Tuesday: Turkey "Parm" Burgers (serves 4) $11
- 1 4 pack of Turkey patties or 1 lb of ground turkey ($6)
- 4 oz shredded mozzarella (Have some left over from last night $0)
- 4 tbsp spaghetti sauce ($2)
- 4 Whole Wheat hamburger buns ($3)
Wednesday: Sloppy Joes $13.50
- 1 lb Italian sausage ($4)
- 1/2 cup onion (left over from Monday)
- 3 garlic cloves (left over from head of garlic)
- 2 green peppers ($1.50)
- 1 14 oz can crushed tomatoes ($1)
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary ($3 for jar)
- 4 hamburger buns (left over)
- 4 slices cheese ($2)
- 1 cup baby spinach ($2 for a salad pack)
Thursday: Left over night! What ever left overs you have you eat up tonight! If there are no left overs then Breakfast nightt! $8.50
- 8 eggs (already bought the cartoon)
- Bacon or sausage ($5 assuming bacon)
- Sliced bread ($2)
- Strawberries ($1.50 for a carton at Krogers right now)
Friday: Pizza night! $5
- 4 whole wheat tortillas ($3 for a pack)
- left over Shredded Mozzarella
- left over spaghetti sauce
- Mini pepperonis ($2)
Saturday: Italian grilled chicken with grilled marinated veggies! $23.40
- 8 4 oz chicken breasts (4 being saved for tomorrow after gilled) ($12)
- 1 bottle italian dressing ($2)
- 1 pack mini peppers ($5)
- 2 onions ($1.40)
- prepackages lower sodium marinade of your choice (usually about $3)
Sunday: Salad night! $9.00
- Left over grilled chicken
- Baby Spring Salad Mix ($4 for a huge tub)
- Salad dressing
-Carrots ($1)
- Radishes ($1)
- Salad dressing ($3)
That comes to about $86 for the dinners, assuming that you need to buy everything already. But if you already have the herbs, or the spaghetti sauce or the salad dressings then it makes it even cheaper. For breakfasts do cereals (get the bagged ones, they are cheaper), oatmeal, etc... And lunches can peanut butter sandwiches, or lunch meat sandwiches, with fruit and a cookie or two.
All the prices are based on Kroger prices, so depending on where you shop it could end up being even cheaper.0 -
Broccoli Chowder with Corn and Bacon:
4 slices of thick cut bacon ($3.49)
1 medium onion (.50)
1/4 cup flour (free pantry item)
1 large baking potato ($1)
1 head of broccoli, 1 lb ($2)
1 10oz package of frozen corn ($1)
1/2 tsp dried thyme ($1 for a small jar)
1 cup of milk ($3.50 for a gallon)
2 cans of reduced sodium chicken broth ($2)
1. In a large pot, cook bacon over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Increase heat to medium. Cook onion, stirring, until it begins to soften, 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Add flour; cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds. Add broth and potato; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; cook until potato is tender, about 10 minutes. Add broccoli, corn, thyme, and milk. Cook until broccoli is crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with bacon.
Servings: 4
Calories: 317
Fat: 7g
Carbs: 51g
Prot: 17g
Potassium: 762 mg
Total cost PER SERVING: $2.80, for a total of $11.20.
Total cost of inital buy: $14.50...assuming you don't have above items on hand.
ETA: Original Recipe is found here: http://www.marthastewart.com/314674/broccoli-chowder-with-corn-and-bacon0 -
Loving all the great ideas! BUMP!0
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Hello Mrs Young,
I came from a family of 10 so there were a lot of money saving recipes used, One of my favorites as a kid was stuffed hot dogs.
Stuffed Hot Dogs
1 pkg. Turkey Dogs (or whatever you like)
Mashed Potatoes
Mustard
3 slices of Cheese (optional), each slice cut into 1/3's
Preheat oven to 350F
Slice the hot dogs down the center being careful not to cut through. Spread mustard inside the hot dog, stuff with mashed potatoes, top with 1/3 of a slice of cheese if desired and drizzle a little mustard over the top. My mom got creative and made mustard swirls or wrote our names with mustard. Bake 30 minutes, or until the potatoes begin to crisp.
Egg dishes were also big in our home but then, we had hens. . .
Egg, Olive and Potato Frittata
4 Potatoes, peeled and cut in cubes
Fry in olive oil until browned and crisp
6 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup pimento stuffed Green Olives, slice or chopped
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a baking pan and add your fried potatoes. Pour egg into pan making sure it spreads evenly. Sprinkle olives over egg and potato mixture. Bake about 30 minutes or until eggs are set and begin to brown. Slice and serve.
Another favorite we called:
Toads in a Hole
Bread
Eggs
Oil and Butter
Use a drinking glass to cut a hole into the center of each slice of bread. Add oil to skillet and a pat of butter for flavor. Lay bread, incluing cut out circle in pan and turn over once to coat both sides with butter/oil. Crack egg into hole in bread. Season with salt and pepper. Turn over once. Cook as you like your eggs. I like mine over easy
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Oh yeah, don't forget about Rice & Beans (cheap, nutritious and best of all, delicious). There are a million recipes on line.
This meal tastes gourmet but is really inexpensive:
Pasta Al Augusta (Pasta in August) can be served hot or cold
1 Box of Pasta (my favorite is Farfalle or Bow Tie)
1 can Tuna
Juice from 1 Lemon
Olive Oil
Capers (a little goes a long way), rinsed and drained (optional but so worth it)
Parmesan cheese
Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain and pour into a serving bowl.
Shred tuna and fold into cooked pasta.
Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, mixing to combine.
Stir in Capers
Top with Parmesan Cheese
Ravioli Lasagna
Store bought frozen Ravioli's
Store bought Pasta Sauce
1 Pint Ricotta
1 egg
1 bag Frozen Spinach, thawed and drained
Parmesan Cheese
Preheat oven to 350F
Mix to combine ricotta, egg and spinach.
Spread a little of the pasta sauce in the bottom of your baking dish.
Place a layer of the uncooked ravioli's on top of that sauce.
Top with ricotta and spinach mixture.
Pour some sauce over that and repeat layering process until all is used up.
Bake at 350F for about 45 minute.
Summertime cold pasta salads are always good as well as inexpensive. Use tuna, deli ham or canned beans as your protein source (chickpeas go well in salads).0
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