Cheap? Healthy? Help!

elle18287

So my husband and I are poor right now. Really poor. Our job search is continuing into year two and we are eating Ramen at least three time a week. And I am telling you.... too much Ramen starts to eat your soul... and I expect your organs as well. I miss good food! We have been eating a lot of cheap sandwiches and frozen meals too. nothing particularly good for you. I try to buy whatever fruits/veggies are on sale... but it is tough with food prices.
So.... Any ideas for extremely (I mean seriously) cheap meals that are still very healthy. I do pretty well with breakfast, eggs and oatmeal, but I need lunch/dinner ideas.
Please... for my souls sake!

elle18287

Also, if anyone knows any companies hiring engineers or journalists/pr practitioners... let me know. I would really love to put some meat on the table once in a while.

worm5996

Where are you located? And what do you consider to be cheap? I feed my family of five on about $175 every two weeks. I have no choice but to eat healthy as I have recently been diagnosed with high blood pressure and I am borderline diabetic with a strong family history of both. My family consists of me, DH, DS (15years), DD (1 but eats like a 3 year old) and my father. So three adults a teen boy and a toddler. I am more than willing to share my menus with you if you would like. We are meat eaters too. Chicken has become a staple though.

msjwilder

ok..... so what i do is Aldi's here in cincy. They have frozen vegetables called steamers and i like the italian ones. But i mix those with a bag of the buddig turkey ( or any other kind of meat you want). it's wonderful filling and cheap. You could even add some pasta and it should work out well. Enjoy!

elle18287

I consider cheap to be Ramen Noodles.... so cheap!
You seem to do an awesome job!
I am located in Louisville, KY.

CaptainGordo

FROZEN VEGETABLES
Frozen veggies are typically a great value, and very nutritious.

BEANS
Crock pot (slow cooker) is great way to go. Cook 'em overnight and then freeze any surplus. If you go with canned beans, I would recommend rinsing them to cut down on the sodium. Some nice folks have even added the rinsed versions of most canned beans to the food database.

OATMEAL
Oatmeal is another great, cheap, healthy food.

COSTCO REAL EGG (EGG WHITES COLORED YELLOW)
The box of 6 cartons comes out cheaper than even Walmart's brand, and is a great low-calorie, protein-rich food.

GROCERY STORE PRICE MATCHING (WALMART)
We have been able to buy a lot more fruit and veggies (along with meats and other items) thanks to Walmart's price-matching policy on groceries. We check all of the special that come in the junk mail for local grocery stores, jot them down and head to Walmart.

The best fruit and veggie prices here are found in the Latin markets -- it's not uncommon for us to pick-up 6 lbs of oranges for $0.99, for example. Sometimes, though, the quality can be poor at the store offering the sale, so we just take that price to Walmart. It will also save you time and gasoline/bus fare. Walmart's price match policy is that you don't have to bring the ad -- just be able to tell them where you found the offer. They keep the local ads there, supposedly. We've never gotten any hassle though.

kirstinalexis

Try buying bulk pasta, it's better (at least in terms of salt intake) than ramen and can be dressed up with cheap frozen veggies and some sauce. Plus there are a lot of websites that have instructions on how to make cheap "pasta" dishes using ramen noodles as the base (http://www.rasmussen.edu/student-life/blogs/college-life/ramen-noodle-recipes/). Also, tortillas + cheese + veggies make good quesadillas. Rice and beans are both cheap and filling and can be used in burritos, etc.

Googling recipes for poor college students will help a lot also. Good luck!

elle18287

I am good about using frozen vegetables, but I get a little high strung when it comes to meat quality. I am funny like that so I avoid it. I have almost cut pasta out of my diet because I really tend to go over board and don't find it filling... even whole grain.
I am trying to work it in in moderation though seeing that it is so cheap!
Any cheap soup recipes?
How about lunch?

_SusieQ_

Beans are cheap. Brown beans, navy beans, lentils. You can find all kinds of recipes for those on here or google them. Pasta is cheap. Find recipes for your own pasta sauce, made from tomato sauce and spices and it's cheaper than buying a jar of Ragu. Heads of lettuce made into salad. I know that iceberg lettuce has like no nutritional value vs other greens, but at least it's basically a free food, and buying heads of it vs in the bag is much cheaper. Do you like tabouli? I know that I can make a batch of tabouli, with tomatoes and cucumbers, for about $6 and it makes enough to feed a army!

frogmommy

I am a huge fan of beans, lentils, brown rice, barley and quinoa. All of those things can be purchased in large quantities (dry) for pennies per serving. The spice combinations are endless to create globe-trotting meals. I tend to go for ease, so I make many servings of the grains or beans at once, keep them in the fridge and scoop out as needed.

I write about food for work in addition to that being my hobby and passion, so can give you some specifics if you are still in need after people have posted on this thread. Send me a message if you want specific recipes or just combinations!

NoExcuseTina

beans
frozen veggies

find the meat that needs to be sold TODAY...it is usually marked down and still good

buy frozen bulk chicken

buy whole chickens and take the skin off yourself (pain, but will save money)

I like chicken thighs better than chicken breasts...and they are not horrible in the calorie count...and less expensive

find a farmer's market...fruits and veggies are less expensive

milaxx

I have been laid off for a year and a half. I feel you, but I have not eaten a single ramen noodle. I buy Quinoa. it's a complete protein, dirt cheap and very versatile. For lunch or dinner use it instead of rice, add veggies to it or cook and chop up one chicken breast if you eat meat You'll get the taste of meat but because it's a complete protein you can get away with using less chicken. Buy a crock pot. You can get one for a little as $10 at like Walmart or Kmart.. You can then make beans or chili from scratch. Dry bean re also dirt cheap. I buy quick sale produce from the market. The veg you can blanch in water for 3 mins/shock in an ice bath to stop the cooking and preserve the color and then separate into freezer bags for later use. if it's fruit, separate and freeze for use in baking or smoothies. You can get ziplock bags from the dollar store. Find out if there is a farmer's market in you area. I get 3 doz extra large eggs for $4 from my local farmer's market. Clip coupons. I'm not talking extreme couponing, but I have a small binder and coupon wallet I use. On Sunday is my food prep day. I spend probably an hour sorting coupons, checking circulars for deal. If I have gone shopping I may spend another 2 hours cooking and separating up food. Also buy an whole chicken and cut it up yourself. Then use the carcass and make a pot of soup. Use up all your left over veggies. When I make a pot of soup I automatically freeze half because I know I'll get tired of eating it before it's all gone. Don't be a brand snob. I shop at Sav a lot, the Dollar store and Whole Foods and Trader Joe's in addition to hitting the farmer's market. it's all about who has the best deals.

osucristina

Pita pizzas!
Whole Wheat pita, pizza sauce and cheese. I top it with.. whatever I have on hand or leave it just cheese.

Also to milaxx- you seem to be doing an AWESOME job! I need to take your advice, while I do work.. I can easily put away $300 bucks a month on groceries just for myself! EEK! I wish my farmers market had eggs for that cheap. sheesh!

elle18287

Thank you for all of the great ideas guys and gals!

elle18287

Thank you for all of the great ideas guys and gals!

Missjulesdid

Lentil soup
1 heaping cup carrots diced small (about four small or 2 large carrots)
1 cup celery diced small
1 medium onion diced small
1 cup dry split red lentils rinsed (do NOT use brown or green lentils only use the orange split red lentils)
4 cloves garlic, crushed or finely minced
8 ounces frozen chopped spinach
2T olive oil
7 cups vegetable stock or 7 cups water and a maggi or knorr chicken or vegetable cube
1t paprika
1t cumin
lemon or lime juice

pour olive oil into large heated pot. Add carrots, celery and onion. Cook until the onions are soft and the carrots have lost a bit of their color. Add garlic and cook a minute or two until the garlic gives off that "I'm ready" smell. Add cumin and paprika, stir. add rinsed lentils stir to mix well. Add 7 cups of vegetable stock or water with a stock cube. Cook for 20-30 minutes until the lentils are breaking apart and broth has thickened. Add frozen spinach and cook for 7-10 more minutes. If you like add salt to taste but the stock usually has plenty of salt already. Garnish with lemon or lime juice and a drizzle of quality Lebanese olive oil if you don't mind the extra calories.

These are all very inexpensive ingredients. Soup in general is cheap.

I also buy chicken leg quarters with back for 29-39 cents a pound and then I boil them for an hour. remove skin and throw it away, remove meat from bones and chop it up. Return bones to pot and slowly simmer for a few hours with some scrap veggies (the greens from the bottom of the cauliflower, carrot tops, pepper tops, onion tops and bottoms, just all the scraps that you don't eat, I put in the freezer then put it in to make soup) After a few more hours of simmering, Strain the bones and vegetable pieces so you have a nice broth. Let it cool and skim off all the fat (I cool it overnight in the fridge and then it's sooooooo easy to remove the fat from the jellied chicken stock) Then the next day add the chopped meat to the stock. Saute a few cups of onions, carrots, and celery with a little garlic then add to the soup and cook for 15 minutes then add some egg noodles and Voila. delicious soup! I actually make a huge batch of soup and freeze most of it and only add the egg noodles right before I want to use it.

ccaym

Is there a natural food store or co-op near you? Stores like this often sell grains (oats, brown rice, quinoa) and beans from bulk bins. Much cheaper than prepackaged. I don't cook with recipes very often, so I don't have any to share but try googling "frugal recipes" (can a recipe be frugal? I don't think so, but you know what I mean : ). This blog seems to have some good ones:

http://cheaphealthygood.blogspot.com/

Homemade veggie & bean soups make very inexpensive meals. Try using tomato paste in homemade soup broth. A little goes a long,and makes the soup rich. Tofu is very inexpensive (about 1.79/pound) and there are tons of tasty recipes online. Good luck to you!

worm5996

Chicken noodle soup is cheap and easy. Boil a whole chicken. Remove from pot, let cool until you can work with it. Save the broth you just made for the soup. Bring it to a boil then turn it down to a simmer. Add frozen veggies to cook while you pick the chicken. I use garlic (minced), onions, celery, carrots, peas, green beans, corn. Whatever I have on hand. Use only half the chicken in your soup. Save the rest in a baggie for another meal. Make noodles, toss in and cook until desired consistency.
Noodles are easy to make. a cup of flour, an egg, and a tablespoon of water. Roll them out and cut into desired shape. I do strips but when DS was little I would use a small cutter/die and cut fun shapes for him.
When you cook dinner at night, save those leftover veggies to throw in your soup.
Do you have Aldi's to shop at? They are very cheap. I wish we had one here. Do you have Kroger? Iheartkroger.com does coupon matches for Krogers. There are others that do the same for drug stores. You can get some cheap food at the drug store. I never pay more than 59 cents a can for Tuna. Still a little high but the best you can do in my area. Walgreens usually has it on sale. So I price match at Walmart. Target is expanding their food offerings. You can use both a Target coupon and a manufacturer coupon on each item. I don't use too many food coupons but getting hair supplies, soap, and deodorant for free or next to nothing frees up money for food. I also make my own laudry detergent. I spend about $20 a year, if that, to make laundry soap. Another expense out the door. Use vinegar in the washer instead of fabric softner.

Missjulesdid

Chicken noodle soup is cheap and easy. Boil a whole chicken. Remove from pot, let cool until you can work with it. Save the broth you just made for the soup. Bring it to a boil then turn it down to a simmer. Add frozen veggies to cook while you pick the chicken. I use garlic (minced), onions, celery, carrots, peas, green beans, corn. Whatever I have on hand. Use only half the chicken in your soup. Save the rest in a baggie for another meal. Make noodles, toss in and cook until desired consistency.
Noodles are easy to make. a cup of flour, an egg, and a tablespoon of water. Roll them out and cut into desired shape. I do strips but when DS was little I would use a small cutter/die and cut fun shapes for him.
When you cook dinner at night, save those leftover veggies to throw in your soup.
Do you have Aldi's to shop at? They are very cheap. I wish we had one here. Do you have Kroger? Iheartkroger.com does coupon matches for Krogers. There are others that do the same for drug stores. You can get some cheap food at the drug store. I never pay more than 59 cents a can for Tuna. Still a little high but the best you can do in my area. Walgreens usually has it on sale. So I price match at Walmart. Target is expanding their food offerings. You can use both a Target coupon and a manufacturer coupon on each item. I don't use too many food coupons but getting hair supplies, soap, and deodorant for free or next to nothing frees up money for food. I also make my own laudry detergent. I spend about $20 a year, if that, to make laundry soap. Another expense out the door. Use vinegar in the washer instead of fabric softner.

I use iheartcvs.com and iheartriteaid.com I have not paid for shampoo, toothpaste, mouthwash deodorant, makeup, cold medicine, air freshener, all purpose cleaner, or soap for a year.. You just have to know how to use your coupons in conjunction with the store's sales and their cash back and rebate programs. Once you get the hang of it you save a TON. A few weeks ago I walked out of Rite aid with over 80 dollars worth of merchandise and in the end I wound up not spending a dime on any of it.. Actually I would up getting $4.00 back! Anyone who is struggling with making ends meet should really consider these resources.

Elizabeth_C34

If you have a crock pot, you can do a lot of very inexpensive meals. Check around for a farmer's market or local grown veggies. Often you can buy bulk and can or freeze them yourself and save a ton of money.

Beans, rice, local veggies and fruits, and frozen (not the sauced frozen ones) veggies are all good staple foods. Also consider buying whole chickens and cutting out the parts you want instead of breasts. Chicken breasts are REALLY expensive by the lb especially for the fresh kind. You can usually get a whole chicken for half the price of a package of fresh chicken breasts. Also consider dark meat (legs, thighs) as they are less expensive too. Avoid the frozen meats (way too much sodium).

aub7

You should look up angelfoodministriescom. They are all over the US and usually sponsored through a local church. They have different options of food boexes every month, and you get produce and poultry and meat and some other staples. You can look at the menu online before you decide if you want to purchase a box. I think they are reasonably priced. Good luck!

bblythe1

I would say start your own garden and grow your own veggies. I found at Meijer right now you can get 4-7 tomatoe plants for $1.00 juust look them over and alot of time you can find 2 of them growing in same container, 4 green pepper plants for $1.00, 4 jalapeno plants for $1.00, and so on...a pack of green beans for $1.00 and that lets you grow about 12-15 plants. This is really cheap and good for you. You can can your own and save them through out the rest of the year to have plenty for later. If you are looking for a meat with high protein I would look for chicken thighs under $1.00 or ground turkey for about $1.50 a pound. Buy floor and make your own noodles. 2 cups of flour, 4 eggs salt and pepper add a little water and roll them out and cut with a knife to how ever big you would like them. This makes alot of noodles and what ever you do not eat you can freeze before cooking them. I hope this helps you out I know I dont have much money and I never go hungry and burned out on ramen noodles since I was a kid and it was the only thing that was a quick fix for after school.

Good Luck

lynnmarie60

Try this site:

http://www.mealsmatter.org/

Good luck, I understand exactly how it is.

milaxx

2 really good blogs I follow

http://www.facebook.com/Tips4Green

http://www.facebook.com/Hunt4Freebies