For Those Looking for Cheap Meals

JohnnyNull

Every now and again someone posts an inquiry into finding inexpensive meals. I'm now getting off my *kitten* to recommend "Clean Eating" magazine. Low-calorie meals, with a pretty strong emphasis on keeping things low-cost. Sometimes even listing the cost-per-serving (If memory serves, most under $3 per serving.).

Thus far, everything we've cooked from the magazine has been very tasty. We've subscribed to it.

basalmouse

A lot of the Pamper Chef Recipes are around $3 dollars a serving, and Pretty low calorie!

sheetsofheaven

bumb.....gonna check it out later, thanks

popsicle33

thanks for the recommendation. I wonder if they have something online?

nachisdoll

Ive gotten great recipes from allrecipes.com and simply by googling!!

joybell32

allrecipes is a great site for that!

annacataldo

if i had to pay $3 per serving (3meals a day), thatd be nearly $300 a month, for just me to eat.. That is alot! I spend $200 a month to feed mostly me, but to share with my mom quite a bit too.

HeatherMarie1215

Thanks!

cmmull67

if i had to pay $3 per serving (3meals a day), thatd be nearly $300 a month, for just me to eat.. That is alot! I spend $200 a month to feed mostly me, but to share with my mom quite a bit too.

Breakfast should come in under $1.00/day. Oatmeal is about 8-12 cents serving, and if you add fruit, it's still under $1.00.
Lunch can be a pb&j sandwich and some veggies (carrots, celery, small salad) and still come under $2.00.
So, even if dinners average $3.00/serving, that's still under $200/month.

JohnnyNull

if i had to pay $3 per serving (3meals a day), thatd be nearly $300 a month, for just me to eat.. That is alot! I spend $200 a month to feed mostly me, but to share with my mom quite a bit too.

Excuse me, I misspoke. Under $3 per serving for dinner. Other meals are typically cheaper.

JohnnyNull

You're all welcome. Glad it was helpful.

cmmull67

Just checked out the site, and it looks promising. Thanks for the tip.

redxmasqueen

Funny, I was just looking at an issue of that at the grocery store last night! I may have to give a second look.

Atlantique

There's a Meal PLanning section as well on their website-something I desperately need!

annacataldo

if i had to pay $3 per serving (3meals a day), thatd be nearly $300 a month, for just me to eat.. That is alot! I spend $200 a month to feed mostly me, but to share with my mom quite a bit too.

Breakfast should come in under $1.00/day. Oatmeal is about 8-12 cents serving, and if you add fruit, it's still under $1.00.
Lunch can be a pb&j sandwich and some veggies (carrots, celery, small salad) and still come under $2.00.
So, even if dinners average $3.00/serving, that's still under $200/month.

I couldn't eat such a small breakfast and be stuffed enough to last 4hrs. That is also under 200cal, so id be severally under my calories if I combined that was the 300cal lunch u suggested.. I guess that $3 dinner must be pretty amazing to be over 1300calories. I'm gunna go check it out, thanks.

kittyinaz

if i had to pay $3 per serving (3meals a day), thatd be nearly $300 a month, for just me to eat.. That is alot! I spend $200 a month to feed mostly me, but to share with my mom quite a bit too.

That's the problem I have, too. And I pay for my boyfriend's food too until his hours increase AND then his children who are here 4 days out of the month (but oh my god in those 4 days they eat me out of house and home!). People are like "how do you spend $400+ a month on FOOD?!"

It adds up quick! If it was just me, I'd probably spend about $200-$250 as well.

mnkarp

I like that magazine too. Tosca Reno has a few cookbooks out and I've made some recipes or been inspired by some recipes she has in there. Some healthy foods are luckily cheap:

dried beans
rice (love black rice - have you tried it???)
in season produce or frozen veggies

freebies from my garden - growing from seed is super cheap and I never pay for salads during the summer. I just go out back and pick my lettuce, cukes, tomatoes, peppers...

JohnnyNull

mnkarp: Thanks for the suggestion! We've not tried black rice (at least that I can remember). We'll give it a go.

Yeah, we're "between homes" right now, so I'm looking forward to the day I can garden again.