Cheap Meal Plans??

tierra85

I am going to be going to university soon and i've had to start watching my money. I figure the more money i can shave off my food budget, i could put towards doing stuff with my friends. Does anyone have any budget friendly snacks and/or meal ideas? im getting sick of the same old same old. Thanks guys

chewysmommy

I coupon ALOT, which helps our budget and allows me to spend about 60% of our weekly budget on healthier foods. Even if you just use coupons w/ non food items on sale, that might help! I usually buy laundry detergent for .25- .50 so right there you are saving a few dollars.

barefootbeauty

We bought a rice cooker ($14) and a couple of times a week we will throw some rice and steamed veggies together -- delicious and cheap. One of the best ways to save money that I have found is by going veg a few times a week.

NoAdditives

First, there's no such thing as "cheap" food.

That said, making your own food from scratch is less expensive than buying processed foods. If you'll be living in an apartment you can buy chicken and meats in bulk and freeze it. Only buy fruits and vegetables that you know you'll be eating right away. We go to the store 2-3 times a week for food, but we no longer throw out rotten produce. we buy what we know we'll eat, not what we think we might.

Just remember that you need to eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and low fat dairy.

georgiagorwell

My friend who is a chef gave me some good advice before I went to Uni and that was to use rice in more dishes, a bag of rice goes a long way!
I like to cook a spaghetti bolognaise then then use the left over mince for a cottage pie the next day or have it on toast sloppy joe style. I also like to cook up a big vegetable and beef stew (sweet potato, swede, carrot, onion, etc) as these vegetables are all cheap but filling. I also like to make Ramen style noodle soups as dry noodles are so cheap but taste great with a good mushroom stock. Also, buy reduced meat and freeze it!

Lauriee2014

I agree with the other posters. Beans are a good source of fiber and protein and fairly inexpensive. You can buy them canned and stock up when they are on sale. Couple beans with brown rice and you have a complete protein. You can season it to taste with anything that doesn't contain too much sodium [I use salsa on tons of stuff.. again you can buy it jarred when on sale.. use on potatoes/rice, mix with fat free plain yogurt for a yummy/guilt free dip with veggies or baked tortilla chips]. I also shop several times a week like one poster said, keeping me from throwing things away that go bad.

If you have a freezer, you can buy lean meats in bulk, you can also freeze veggies that are in season- always cheaper when they are in season- to have for a later date. See if there is a co-op in your area. You can get great, quality foods, for lesser prices by buying with a group in bulk. You donate a couple hours when the food comes in-divyiing it up, etc. and can save loads on organic veggies, whole grain flours, meats, cheeses, plus personl grooming products, household cleaners, make up and paper goods.

If you have friends who eat similarly to you, maybe you could take turns making bigger meals, and sharing the cost. Some stores will sell certain items dirt cheap- say protein bars- because they are going out of date soon. Just buy what you would normally consume in that time period. I recently paid .60 cents for protein bars that cost up to $3 in some stores. I like to keep a 1/2 bar in the car for after the gym.. if I feel I need something on the drive home.

Hope this helps. Good Luck!

Pebble321

Planning!!! Make a list of the meals you are going to cook for the week, turn this into a shopping list and shop from the list.
This way you won't buy impulse items that you don't need. Only shop once a week.
Of course if you see basics like brown rice or beans or meat on special then it is worth stocking up on this.

godblessourhome

i have a friend who feeds 4 on $25 a week. she coupons like crazy! i think she has a blog about it, but i don't remember the name. (bad, bad friend!) maybe you can google it?

significance

A agree with the other commenter who suggested going veg for a few days a week. Cutting out the meat makes a big difference. Make good use of dried legumes (split peas, chick peas, lentils) as they are a good source of protein and usually much cheaper than fresh, frozen or canned varieties. When it comes to fruit and veg shopping, have a look around and see what's fresh and cheap rather than going shopping with a fixed idea of what you will buy: prices of fresh fruit and veg vary considerably seasonally. Big supermarkets tend to throw away food before it starts to wilt, but smaller greengrocers will often sell vegies that are slightly past their best very cheaply, so keep an eye out for that. You might have to buy in larger quantities than you are used to, but remember if you get a kilo of green beans for $1 or something similar, you can par-boil and freeze them for later use. Starches like rice and noodles are also usually cheap and a good way to flesh out meals, though they are also often not great for diet efforts and don't have a lot of vitamins. Rice can be cooked in a microwave just as easily as in a rice-cooker.

If you eat a lot of bread, it might be worth investing in a bread machine. If you do, don't buy bread mixes: just use flour, water, yeast and bread improver.