Food Ideas for when you are broke

monuments_n_melodies
monuments_n_melodies Posts: 13
in Food and Nutrition
Hey every one,
I am in the midst of moving and currently don't have a lot of funds available. I'm talking I can afford some top ramen and that is about all. Does any one know of any tricks or some cheap food that can get me by for the next few weeks that is relatively inexpensive but good for me and will not destroy my progress?



Thank you!!
«1

Replies

  • SouthernArt77
    SouthernArt77 Posts: 223 Member
    Rice & beans are cheap, easy, and filling! Buy dried beans and cook them in a slow cooker with some seasonings and then serve over brown rice, and you have several meals that only cost a few dollars! :)
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
    Rice & beans are cheap, easy, and filling! Buy dried beans and cook them in a slow cooker with some seasonings and then serve over brown rice, and you have several meals that only cost a few dollars! :)

    My thoughts exactly
  • jmagdalena707
    jmagdalena707 Posts: 28 Member
    A few deals I've seen at the store recently:

    Tuna in water - $1 per can
    Bag of dry black beans or lentils- $1.50
    Greek yogurt (store brand 6oz)-$1
    Fresh express salad- $1.86 per bag
    Lean Cuisine dinners- $2 each
    Mangos- $1 each
    Zucchini or yellow squash- 99 cents per pound

    Don't forget about coupons. I go online to my grocery store website and add coupons to my store card. I also clip coupons in the paper and online. I can often get some items for close to free.
  • MissNations
    MissNations Posts: 513 Member
    Depending on how many you eat at a time, a carton of eggs could last you at least a week...
  • photoshyY
    photoshyY Posts: 25
    I did a quick google search and here sites that came up with good ideas:

    http://www.divinecaroline.com/22177/52070-twenty-healthiest-foods-1
    http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/cheap-healthy-15-nutritious-foods-about-2-dollars
    http://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-11-2009/foods_under_a_dollar_per_pound.2.html

    Here a site I found that has recipes for Ramen with calorie and nutrition breakdown.

    http://allrecipes.com/search/default.aspx?qt=k&rt=r&origin=Home+Page&pqt=k&ms=0&fo=0&wt=Ramen noddles

    I think the hardest part is being creative. If you buy a whole chicken you can easily separate it into smaller portions for several meals. It cheaper than buying chicken breast, chicken thighs, legs ect.... If you eat red meat you can buy a roast and cut in half, boil half with spices, bake the other. Now you have two different tasting types of red meat. The boiled half of course can even be stretched out to other meals, salads, tacos, sandwich ect... Veggie and fruits are always cheaper, make them apart of every meal or snack. They are filling and good for you. Sometimes it just a matter of thinking outside the box in recipes. I have found some of my tastiest meals have come from almost empty pantry, and they can be healthy.
  • deagh93
    deagh93 Posts: 77 Member
    Echoiing the beans and rice idea. It's a complete protein, and if you put it with some in-season vegetables (you can generally find some cheap, or if you have family/friends that have gardens you might be able to score some for free) that should hold you until your cash flow is in better shape.
  • monuments_n_melodies
    monuments_n_melodies Posts: 13
    Thank you every one this is very helpful! :smile:
  • RuthSweetTooth
    RuthSweetTooth Posts: 461 Member
    Apples by the bag are cheap too.
  • BrownEyedG1rl
    BrownEyedG1rl Posts: 625 Member
    Last night I made this delicious black bean salad. I used 2 cans of black beans, 1 can of corn, i can of rotel (or just diced tomatoes if you want), 1 cup of italian dressing, 1 lime, 1 green pepper, 1/2 onion, 1 jalapeno pepper, and some garlic salt. You can obviously tweek it how you like, but it was cheap and delicious and I'm planning on it lasting me all week for my lunch.

    I also started buy the store brand greek yogurt, which is just as good as Chobani.

    If you have any farmer's markets close by, maybe check it out for produce. Usually it's cheaper there then in the grocery stores.

    I'm still figuring out ways to save money too, but this is what I've done so far. Good luck!
  • k4evans1
    k4evans1 Posts: 145 Member
    What about pasta with sauce and veggies? Also google depression era cooking on youtube because there is this old lady that makes super cheap meals and talks about the depression. She's very cute and funny!
  • monuments_n_melodies
    monuments_n_melodies Posts: 13
    Last night I made this delicious black bean salad. I used 2 cans of black beans, 1 can of corn, i can of rotel (or just diced tomatoes if you want), 1 cup of italian dressing, 1 lime, 1 green pepper, 1/2 onion, 1 jalapeno pepper, and some garlic salt. You can obviously tweek it how you like, but it was cheap and delicious and I'm planning on it lasting me all week for my lunch.

    I also started buy the store brand greek yogurt, which is just as good as Chobani.

    If you have any farmer's markets close by, maybe check it out for produce. Usually it's cheaper there then in the grocery stores.

    I'm still figuring out ways to save money too, but this is what I've done so far. Good luck!


    This sounds amazing!
  • invictus8
    invictus8 Posts: 258 Member
    Most of the food I eat now is cheap -- canned sardines, canned beans, frozen vegetables, raw chicken (a bit more expensive but still really cheap when I buy about 4 pounds of it).
  • zrmac804
    zrmac804 Posts: 369 Member
    My favourite breakfast is overnight oatmeal. Add 1 cup Scottish oatmeal and 3 cups water to the slow cooker in the evening, then cook on low all night. Serve with your choice of milk, cinnamon, honey, butter, maple syrup, fruit, nuts, etc.

    It's healthy, delicious and very filling!
  • moseler
    moseler Posts: 224 Member
    Apples, peanut butter, whole wheat bread... those are my best friends when I am broke.
  • jolinemariem
    jolinemariem Posts: 462 Member
    i buy my food at aldi which cuts my expense alot.....remember canned veggies are just as good as any and when im broke ...i know its sounds gross....i do alot of canned meat too... salmon...chicken and tuna .......all much less expensive then fresh or bulk frozen
  • nphillips0124
    nphillips0124 Posts: 72
    BEANSSSS

    Beans are seriously the best. Shove those bad boys in the crock pot with water and BAM you have a meal/meal base for like A DOLLAR FOR A WHOLE WEEK. You can add like everything to beans. Sour cream? Guacamole? Barbeque sauce?! HOT DOGS?! SALT?! HOT SAUCE?! etc

    plus they are so darn filling

    beans for president!
  • poesch77
    poesch77 Posts: 1,005 Member
    I dont know if you have one near you but I find alot of stuff at the Dollar Store....ours has a frozen food section and alot of times they get stuff that are brand name only because they are close to expiring.
  • CassandraM22
    CassandraM22 Posts: 89
    If you have a large Dollar tree in your area hit them up! I buy my whole grain bread there, and they have a freezer section. the Pict Sweet mixed veggie cartons are only about .98 at walmart and youll have enough for about two meals. Add that in some raman with a little soy sauce and voila!
  • KimMesser319
    KimMesser319 Posts: 22 Member
    bump
  • sharleengc
    sharleengc Posts: 792 Member
    You could use the ramen as noodles then add meat to get some protein...that way you aren't buying noodles.

    Rice and beans are great...
    Tuna is cheap
    Oatmeal can be filling....

    We have a beans and meat recipe that you could make in a crockpot and it would last for several meals...let me know if you want the recipe. It's ranch beans, ground beef/turkey, bbq and teriakyi sauce

    Also, look in your phone book for a butcher shop. We had one by our old house and ground beef was $1.65lb and chicken was $4/lb and various other meats...it saved us a bunch!
  • simplydelish2
    simplydelish2 Posts: 726 Member
    Pasta is always inexpensive - I use 1 box (16 oz) of pasta, 1 lb. of hamburger, and 1 can of Hunts pasta sauce. The pasta and sauce usually cost be $1 each and the burger about $3. I can usually get about 5 meals - at $1 and about 500 calories per meal.

    I also use a ton of (store brand) frozen veggies - usually about $1 per package (with at least 4 servings per package).

    I read through the feed - there's many great suggestions. Be creative and keep an eye on the calories. You'll do fine!
  • capriciousmoon
    capriciousmoon Posts: 1,263 Member
    Check the produce section, fresh fruit and vegetables can be cheaper than you'd think. I eat a lot of bananas when I'm broke. If you want to cut costs you're probably better off skipping meat and going for beans and grains (whole wheat bread, pasta, rice).
  • gvheintz
    gvheintz Posts: 138 Member
    What about pasta with sauce and veggies? Also google depression era cooking on youtube because there is this old lady that makes super cheap meals and talks about the depression. She's very cute and funny!

    Thanks for sharing about the depression era cooking with Clara! Just watched a couple ... they are adorable. Will have to go back and watch some more.
  • Mellie289
    Mellie289 Posts: 1,191 Member
    Ditto on the rice and beans ... and make sure you buy them from bulk bins! You can get a better deal probably than if you are shopping the isles of a grocery store.

    I quite like a 10 bean soup I get from Sprouts Farmers Markets. I also get brown rice there, lentils and chick peas. Some of these are really great with some onions and curry. I went through a period when I ate a lot of this stuff - I was challenging myself to keep my meals under $2 - this is quite the challenge if you include meat though, so it was more of an average for the day (more on dinner, less on breakfast). I ate a lot of pasta! I occasionally eat liver, which is fairly cheap and shop, shop, shop the fliers for sales. I recently picked up two whole chickens for about $3 each that I will use in about 5 meals - some with the 10 bean soup and maybe with "fried" rice. Maybe you have soy sauce left from your noodles or can get condiments at the Dollar Store. Fine for packaged foods but you'll need to look elsewhere for fresh food though.

    Eggs are great for cheap meals! I like eggs for breakfast protein and try to buy them on sale if possible (like $1.50/dozen - just over 13 cents an egg!) although Target has one of the better regular prices on them that I see around here (about 16 cents an egg).

    I also like steel-cut oats for breakfast sometimes, which I also buy for significantly cheaper in the Sprouts bulk bin than I've seen some of the packaged stuff in supermarkets.

    Sometimes, saving money doesn't mean cooking different things but looking around to get it cheap.
  • jolinemariem
    jolinemariem Posts: 462 Member
    If you have a large Dollar tree in your area hit them up! I buy my whole grain bread there, and they have a freezer section. the Pict Sweet mixed veggie cartons are only about .98 at walmart and youll have enough for about two meals. Add that in some raman with a little soy sauce and voila!


    yes dollar tree and aldi are my favorite places
  • snaxandpop
    snaxandpop Posts: 71 Member
    A large container of yogurt is only a couple of bucks and can be portioned. Mix it with sugar free jello to change the flavor for variety.
  • jawheb
    jawheb Posts: 295 Member
    Cottage cheese is really cheap and has 12grams of protein. Look for the sales papers, usually 1 out of 3 stores will have it marked 2 for $5
  • JaimeLaRae
    JaimeLaRae Posts: 279 Member
    I have a recipe for a great low cal turkey chili. Might cost about $10 a pot, but would feed you for a few days (or you can freeze it). And its yummy! Hit me up if you're interested!
  • Gidzmo
    Gidzmo Posts: 905 Member
    We have several dollar stores in our area. A few of them sell produce and dairy (just remember to check the expiration dates).

    Pasta can be as helpful as ramen noodles (btw, lose that seasoning packet in ramen, as it's loaded with sodium).
  • Kissybiz
    Kissybiz Posts: 361 Member
    Eggs are my staple.. they are inexpensive and you can do a lot with them.. salad, scrambled, hard boiled. Great source of protein. I am also a fan of making a big pot of soup.. lots of fresh vegetables and chicken breasts. You can actually slow boil til they are tender a variety of vegetables, carrots, leeks and/or onions, celery, mushrooms, cabbage, etc.. season the broth to taste, add boneless skinless chicken breasts at the end and let them simmer with the lid closed.. remove the chicken when done.. you can cube some of the chicken to put back in the soup, and slice part of it for sandwiches, etc..

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