Looking for new easy, CHEAP, fast recipes

lashleyrivera

Soon i will be going back to school but i dont want that to be an excuse to start eating bad again...i have a family so dinner will have to be made every night. for awhile i found some good recipes online, but we soon found out that it cost soo much because of all the little things we needed, it just wasn't doable any longer. I am looking for things to bring with me for lunch and snacks since i will be gone all day, and then dinner choices..i do have a slow cooker so that will help a little. I know its weird but i absolutely cannot snack on fresh veggies, i really dislike the taste and it doesnt satisfy me at all, so i would end up binging, i know from experience.,i was thinking crackers and some laughing cow cheese, maybe with tomato on top? idk i just need your help. I love eating fresh, it makes me feel good...thank you ))

AggieCass09

I'm also in school so I have the same sort of need for cheep fast dinners and filling snacks (especially for those LONG days on campus). For snacks I bring apples and almond butter (sweet BUT still healthy). I also love hummus on wheat thins or pita bread for snacks. Almonds are a huge favorite since they come roasted in all sorts of flavors and they keep you furll. In terms of dinner i have TONS of recipes that I can email you if you are interested (chili, coconut curry chicken <--SO YUMMY, str frys, pasta variations, eggplant parmagan, etc). Most of my recipes are vegetarian but can be alterd for meat-eaters. Just message me with your email if you want me to send you my recipes. Good luck!

mynameisdumbnuts

Mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 2 minced cloves of garlic, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a dash of black pepper. Add whatever herbs you like. Fresh ones are best, but you can economize with dried. Some good ones include parsley, rosemary, thyme and sage.

Pour in a bag and add a boneless, skinless chicken breast with some cuts made in it. Marinate for a couple of hours, then grill, brushing with the marinade every couple of minutes. If you don't have a grill, you could bake the chicken, although I recommend browning it in a pan with some marinade first.

That was our dinner tonight with a side of steamed lima beans and carrots.

xarrium

I'm not a huge fan of raw veggies (although red peppers are fantastic!), but I find that carrot/celery sticks can be satisfying if you bring some kind of dip--I use Philly garden vegetable, the low fat kind. I totally recommend LC & crackers--the starch keeps me full for longer than raw veggies. Fruits like oranges (yay for mandarins at Christmas) and apples are easy to pack and eat when you're on the run, and they have lots of fiber.

As far as dinner, I suggest making huge batches of stuff when you have time and freezing portions. Not sure if your family can/will help, but sometimes you just have to ask and people will deliver!

neelia

Do you have a George Foreman grill? I used a small one when I was in college and totally lived off of it. I would buy tilapia (individually packaged...got them at Walmart) and spread a little blackening seasoning on them, then put them on the GF and cook both sides for a few minutes (it doesn't take long at all). Each fillet is about 100 calories a piece and I'd make a salad or maybe eat a baked potato with it (put it in a sandwich baggie and nuke it for 6-8 minutes).

For snacks, I mostly eat protein bars or gala apples. Sometimes I will take 100 calorie packs with me.

Hope this helps!

JaydeSkye

Just about EVERYTHING I cook is made in about 7 minutes on the Foreman Grill. The big ones are on sale at Walmart for $34 and the small ones you can get for about $15, they might have even come down in price. I can't live without it. My entire family eats what I make..

I cook it in the mornings while getting ready for work, throw it in tupperware and wa-la, done. Dinner is even easier.

I eat a lot of chicken in tortillas, with taco bell hot sauce (no cal/fat/or carbs!) Lots of mahi-mahi, talapia, salmon, turkey, etc.

Most of what I buy comes from Costco in large quanities, the filler stuff I get at another store.. in smaller quanities.

There's always tuna. I love tuna. $1 a can and its ready whenever you are lol

caitlinclock

400caloriesorless.com

nilisabel

I'm a school-goer also:

snacks:
lowfat string cheese (60 calories per stick), almonds (1/4 cup is 200cal but totally filling), pistachios (I think you can eat like 30 for around 130 calories - see package), jello sugarfree (10cal), jello sugarfree or nonfat pudding (100cal), jello mousse indiv. serv (60cal) with a few strawberries totally decadent), saltines and nonfat cottage cheese or laughing cow cheese or 1 or 2 pieces weight watcher american cheese.

Lunch/sandwiches:
my fave is soup and sandwich. Healthy Choice soups or homemade with 99% fat free broths and lots of veggies and boneless, skinless chicken breast are good choices, I think.
lowcalorie bread (smart bread by wonderbread or light sara lee)
lettuce and tomato, turkey (lowerfat lunch meats like 80 calories for 1/4c or 2 oz)
no mayo, mayo is bad even a tsp has a bunch of calories. stick to mustard.
bacon has a bad rap, but as long as you don't use more than a slice or two of the pre-cooked version you can find in the lunchmeat aisle, it's only like 90 calories for a serving -granted its mostly fat (I don't eat much fat in my diet but I LOVE bacon)
Better Than Peanut Butter has a lot less calories and fat than regular peanut butter but also less protein (trader joe's, whole foods)

Dinner:
Boca burgers 70 cals per burger! 80 calorie sara lee buns. Also, casseroles: 2 cans tuna, 1 can 98% fat free canned cream of mushroom soup, 1 beaten egg, pre-cooked noodles (whole wheat), 1/4 cup fresh or frozen peas- combine in a casserole dish, cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. approximately 8 servings (whole box of noodles, 6oz cans of tuna) 300cal per serving, 6 points each. high in sodium, but high in protein and fiber.
Hebrew national 96% fat free hot dogs, chef boyardee 96% fat free beef ravioli

there are a lot of low-calorie guacamole - Cavalo is like 40 cal for 2 tbsp.

Desserts:
cool whip - put two tablespoons between two graham crackers or ready to eat tea biscuits and freeze in the freezer for an awesome ice cream sandwich.


Hope it helps!

Godsflower1789

for on campus, it's always hard, but you can stick to just about anything without cheating as long as you keep enough food on you. always bring more! it sounds crazy, but you're a lot less likely to overeat or cheat if you have an alternative on you (that's free and better for you!)

what I personally like that's easy and cheap, and keeps me going from 5am to 6pm on campus:

oatmeal (throw it in a cup with some chocolate chips, nuts, cranberries, honey, sugar,) and make it with water is only 120 calories

nuts, especially almonds and cashews (they keep you fuller, longer, and you can snack on them if you get the urge to)---you can also make a mix with nuts,seeds, chocolate chips, cranberries,etc for a low cal treat

a turkey sandwich. seriously, on low cal bread, a piece of cheese, and some condiment (mustard or bbq sauce) you can even throw it in the microwave for a extra treat!

as much peppermint tea as i want with a little sugar. good for a hot or sweet fix, and helps curb munchie cravings, keep a lot of water in my diet, and has virtually 10 calories a cup.

i usually have a big smoothie for breakfast with frozen berries, yogurt, whey protein and a banana which keeps me full until i get to school.
just some suggestions. :-)

angel79202

Crockpot Pizza Casserole (from big oven)

so so good!!!!


Ingredients
1 pound Lean ground meat browned and drained
3 ounces Turkey Pepperoni
1 can Fat free Cream of Mushroom soup undiluted
1 large Onion chopped (I omit)
12 ounces Shredded parmesan cheese
1 box of Rigatoni pasta cooked and drained
2- 14 ounce Pizza or Spaghetti sauce

Preparation

Mix together in bowl or skillet that was used to brown the meat:

Ground meat

Onion

Pizza or spaghetti sauce

Layer in 3.5 quart crockpot: in the order given:

Half of the meat mixture

Half of the cooked pasta

Half a can of the soup

6 ounces of cheese

Half of the pepperoni slices

Top with any other ingredients you like such as mushrooms, olives, etc.

Repeat layers.

Emi_chan

My faves are:

1 cup of Oikos Plain Greek Yogurt, mixed in with frozen strawberries, bananas, blackberries, blueberries topped with 2 tbsp of ground flaxseed

2 slices of Ezekiel bread, 2 tbsp of organic peanut butter (unsalted) with frozen banana slices on top. Or for an alternative to the PB&J, I put frozen strawberries on top

sweetestthing

one of my absolute favorites is a huge frozen bag of string beans or green peas, leave out overnight to thaw out. Put in a microwave or toaster oven with some low cal slice cheese melted on it. It fills you up so much! I love string beans with balsamic vinaigrette. add some broccolis too. Veggie or garden burgers, turkey burgers, eggs (love a healthy omelette's for dinner) and eat as much fish as possible. takes 5 minutes in a pan, spray some pam and you are done!!

sewele

Bump