Okay help please
loveyourselfbabe
Posts: 11
I’m limited to a budget of $100 for groceries, and I do really want to start eating healthier to help out my energy and skin and overall awesomeness that healthy eating does. But I’m stumped on good recipes that are cheap while still staying healthy. Like, I know that I can make spaghetti and chicken stir fry easily, as well as basic breakfasts like porridge/oatmeal and scrambled eggs. But that’s it regarding healthy. I want some ideas for lunches and snacks like fruits that are in season (I'm in Australia so going into Summer) as well as like Salada's with cheese and tomato (is that even cheap? :l ) and just...
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Help
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Replies
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I'd suggest you invest in a good multivitamin if you haven't yet.
Cooking is a trail and error. I'd suggest to start searching around youTube for tips/recipes. There's alot of great videos on practical food you can actually make.0 -
Try the Clean Eating site. They have a lot of great, healthy recipes for people on a budget.
http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/Recipes/Budget-Recipes.aspx0 -
Go for whole foods as much as possible - the basic ingredients like fruits & veggies, meats, etc. It will end up costing less than buying packaged dinners. Also, if you're buying just for yourself it makes sense because you can buy just enough for you.
Beans are inexpensive and full of protein, fiber, iron, and B vitamins. Frozen veggies are just as good as fresh (sometimes better, since they haven't been sitting on the truck & shelf for a week, the freezing preserves the vitamins) and keep longer. Eggs make a good breakfast and/or lunch and aren't too expensive. If you make dinners big enough for two servings and then save the second for your lunch the next day, it may cost you less, too (per serving).
Buy things when they are on sale, especially frozen and shelf-stable. I like to have some cans of soup in the cupboard and some meat in the freezer for the end of the month when I've run out of most of my grocery money - it's good to know I have a bit to fall back on. Compare prices when you shop; make sure you look at size and nutrition as well as basic price, but you can usually buy generic for less and it's just as good as name brand. Plan a week's menu out and buy groceries once a week - you'll do less impulse buying that way.
Our budget is about $100 (U.S.) per person, and I have 3 kids who are teen or nearly teen and seem to be filling up a hollow leg. It seems to work okay as long as we plan out and don't go shopping every day and don't buy a lot of pre-made or packaged foods.0 -
if you're in Australia $100 should be plenty!! shop at the little asian fresh food places rather than woolworths and coles because they're cheaper and fresher.
try going on taste.com.au there are sooooooo many recipes and you van search based on budget etc.0 -
Not sure what the cost is in Australia for plain, unprocessed whole grains such as quinoa and millet - both are good protein sources and quick & easy to prepare. Use for breakfast (nice alternative to oatmeal), as a substitute for rice (again, protein!) in rice & beans, to thicken soups & stews, etc.
One cheap trick I like is to buy a whole chicken and slow roast in the oven. Lots of recipe ideas available online. One chicken is pretty cheap and you can eat for an entire week.
Eggs are a traditional low-cost cheap source for protein. You can make an easy crustless quiche - just saute a mixture of onions, spinach and asparagus, for example (about 1 - 2 cups total) in a tablespoon of oil. In a bowl, whisk together half a dozen eggs. Add some chili pepper or flakes, salt & pepper to taste, throw in a handful or 2 of cheese, and pour over the veggies. Cover the skillet and bake in a 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until the eggs get firm and cheese melts.0 -
Nah, tomatoes are SO expensive here in Oz, at the moment. You could make soups? I made a soup the other day with left-over carrrots, pumpkin, sweet potato. Browned an onion, some garlic, some ginger, added a few spices (cumin and ground coriander), some vegetable stock and a can each of chickpeas and lentils, and that was it! Crazy cheap to make, and it's lasted me six meals so far.0
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I'm also trying to keep my food bill for the month under $100. I've been buying lots of spaghetti, sauce and ground beef, pasta, milk, eggs, and veggies for pasta salads, bagels, beans (homemade chili with ground beef).0
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I'd suggest you invest in a good multivitamin if you haven't yet.
Cooking is a trail and error. I'd suggest to start searching around youTube for tips/recipes. There's alot of great videos on practical food you can actually make.
I was going to look at one after I do the groceries since I don't have money to spare :l
And youtube hasn't pulled up anything for me, I don't like relying on videos when I have restricted internet anyway. I want actual websites, not just vague "search on youtube" hints thanks0 -
Thank you! That's the kind of recipes I'm afterTry the Clean Eating site. They have a lot of great, healthy recipes for people on a budget.
http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/Recipes/Budget-Recipes.aspx
bookmarked 
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Go for whole foods as much as possible - the basic ingredients like fruits & veggies, meats, etc. It will end up costing less than buying packaged dinners. Also, if you're buying just for yourself it makes sense because you can buy just enough for you.
Beans are inexpensive and full of protein, fiber, iron, and B vitamins. Frozen veggies are just as good as fresh (sometimes better, since they haven't been sitting on the truck & shelf for a week, the freezing preserves the vitamins) and keep longer. Eggs make a good breakfast and/or lunch and aren't too expensive. If you make dinners big enough for two servings and then save the second for your lunch the next day, it may cost you less, too (per serving).
Buy things when they are on sale, especially frozen and shelf-stable. I like to have some cans of soup in the cupboard and some meat in the freezer for the end of the month when I've run out of most of my grocery money - it's good to know I have a bit to fall back on. Compare prices when you shop; make sure you look at size and nutrition as well as basic price, but you can usually buy generic for less and it's just as good as name brand. Plan a week's menu out and buy groceries once a week - you'll do less impulse buying that way.
Our budget is about $100 (U.S.) per person, and I have 3 kids who are teen or nearly teen and seem to be filling up a hollow leg. It seems to work okay as long as we plan out and don't go shopping every day and don't buy a lot of pre-made or packaged foods.
I'm restricted to "buying once a week" because I have to walk the 1.2km there and back to get the food; no car nor license is rather annoying when you're smack bang between two supermarkets. I've stopped impulse buying entirely so I don't have to worry about that thankfully. Also, i'm more asking for recipes than actual food tips; I already know basic shopping tips from my mother and just in general having to go shopping on my own for the past year.0 -
if you're in Australia $100 should be plenty!! shop at the little asian fresh food places rather than woolworths and coles because they're cheaper and fresher.
try going on taste.com.au there are sooooooo many recipes and you van search based on budget etc.
Actually, that website caters to more artistic and inventive cooks. even their basic recipes are too much for me when I'm in a rush to leave for course or just too tired at the end of the day to cook for an hour for a meal that just looks good but doesn't taste good. I've used their recipes before and I just don't like them0 -
beans... there is a ton of different kinds of bean and u can go nuts with them and there fairly cheap...or reasonable any how..one bag for one person can make up enough to last for several meals.0
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To stop from repeating myself, I'll say this again
I'm just looking for recipes. No tips on what's great and what's cheap, I already know that from doing my own research the last year on being on my own. I just want recipes please. I won't be replying to anyone who's posting hints and tricks; I'm JUST after recipes0 -
Stop cooking and eat fresh raw food and grilled meat.0
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LUNCH
Taco salad:
2 ounces tortilla chips
2 ounces cooked ground turkey
2 tsp corn/canola oil (to cook
turkey)
¼ cup kidney beans*
½ ounce low-fat cheddar cheese
½ cup chopped lettuce
½ cup avocado
1 tsp lime juice (on avocado)
2 Tbsp salsa
Beverage:
1 cup water, coffee, or tea**
DINNER
Spinach lasagna roll-ups:
1 cup lasagna noodles(2 oz dry)
½ cup cooked spinach
½ cup ricotta cheese
1 ounce part-skim mozzarella
cheese
½ cup tomato sauce*
1 ounce whole wheat roll
1 tsp tub margarine
Beverage: 1 cup fat-free milk
Here is what I had to eat yesterday I really hope this will help with your goal for healthy foods on a budget0 -
Try to write down here your usually grocery list so we can suggest you some recipes. And maybe some ideas for other things to buy. I'm also living by myself and I am a decent cook (no venting here).0
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I managed to feed 2 people on $250 a month. My go to was;
1 packet of cheap meat (Gravy beef, chicken etc - usually about 250-500 grams for $5) Chopped up
1-2 cups of mixed frozen veg (2kg bag =$10 ish)
Mushrooms
cous cous - flavoured - $2 a serve or a 1kg bag is about $5-7
Total cost per meal is about $25 and you get 4-6 serves at least. I made one of these each week and ate for lunch at Uni. You can make about 3 different tasing meals out of the same ingredients.
Meal 1= stew
Diced meat in saucepan with some water, cook until browned. Add mushrooms. Add more water. Add veg. Simmer until you think its cooked. Add cous cous to soak the water up. Eat.
Meal 2=
Marinade meat in whatever you have (vegemite and chilli workes really well) cook. Cook veg and cous cous as per packet. Serve as pretty as you like.
Meal 3 doesn't include cous cous.
Take leftover meat form bbq or cook extra night before. Put veg in cold frypan and add meat as it heats up. Stir in any sauce you have for "stir fry"
I was surprised at how different each meal seemed especially if you change the type of frozen veg you buy. You can manage really simply if you work out 5 "sides" you can do ie, Steamed veg, cous cous, corn, baked potato and garden salad, and each night you pick one or two of them to have with whatever meat you can find. Also polony and sauce rolls sustained me during summer when I hated the kitchen.
I spent around $45 on vegetables each month, $30 on rice, pasta and cous cous and then whatever I had left went to meat or if I saved up I could go to the pub with friends.0 -
I'm talking $100AUSD a fortnight actually, so everyone going by one month etc I'm letting you know that for me it's fortnightly >.<
I don't have a standard shopping list honestly, because my housemates have been helping me come up with food ideas and they don't know what to suggest now that I've changed my diet. Add into that the fact that the past three fortnights I've lived off of food hampers because of unexpected bills (now sorted thankfully), I didn't have much of an option on what I got. But generally? I'll include the staples and general stuff, as well as what I have currently;
SHOPPING LIST
Milk 2L
Bread x 2/3 white (going to change to wholemeal)
Cereal (either Cornflakes, Rice Bubbles or a sultana bran, was considering Just Right)
Meat (mince, chicken breast/thigh cutlets, whichever's cheaper)
Apples red
Carrots
White sugar
Zucchini
Mushrooms
Potatoes
Sweet potato
Celery
Eggs
Pasta sauce (want to change that to being a home made sauce though)
HAVE CURRENTLY
Oats
3L Milk
Butter
Plum jam
Pasta sauce
Cheese
Flour
Brown sugar
Caster sugar
Black tea
White sugar
Tomato sauce
Salt & pepper
Mixed herbs
Pasta
Sweet Soy Sauce
White rice 1kg
Canned items such as spaghetti, chicken soup, chopped tomatoes
Minced garlic
Bananas
Bok choy/Baby choy sum (not sure which, came in a food hamper as did the below)
Zucchini/the other green thing that's like zucchini
1 mandarin
2 green apples
1 celery
1 broccoli
2x Pak choy
I can cook with ease spaghetti (just pasta sauce, mince and pasta) but would love to add into the mince and make my own sauce. I've done it once with the help of my housemate but that was a month ago. Also would love great, sweet tasting chicken stir fry's with vegetables and home made sauce as that was yum when I made it but again, housemate helped. I can do scrambled eggs, porridge and eggs on toast as well as cereal for breakfast. I would love to be able to make soups like pea and ham (that one's easy to do I know). I'm wondering what I could make to take with me to course Monday and Tuesdays for lunch to avoid buying lunch; I'd rather save that $3 a day thanks >.<
I guess I would love to learn how to make great, yummy and healthy muffins and cookies because I've got the cooking ingrediants to use, such as the caster sugar, flour, brown sugar, milk and I just need eggs and the fillings. Or even good variations on dinner meals that the leftovers can be frozen for lunch the next day, or yummy snack ideas.
Note: I HATE peanut butter. Hate it. So please don't suggest anything with it
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Lunch idea:
tuna
add mayo
chopped dill pickles
salt
pepper
eat plain or on crackers or bread
BTW, what is a fortnight?0 -
I actually helped keep my food costs down a bit by growing some of my own veggies. I live in apartment and have a patio. I have 2 tomato plants, strawberries, cucumbers, lettuce and fresh herbs of all kinds. In USA, cost about $2 per starter plant or $1 for seeds. I live in the south with a longer growing season. I planted in early April and will still continue to have veggies and herbs to pick through most of October. Patio garden takes very little effort to maintain and there is nothing like going to your own plants and picking your dinner. 10 feet from garden to plate. Can't get any fresher than that.0
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I actually helped keep my food costs down a bit by growing some of my own veggies. I live in apartment and have a patio. I have 2 tomato plants, strawberries, cucumbers, lettuce and fresh herbs of all kinds. In USA, cost about $2 per starter plant or $1 for seeds. I live in the south with a longer growing season. I planted in early April and will still continue to have veggies and herbs to pick through most of October. Patio garden takes very little effort to maintain and there is nothing like going to your own plants and picking your dinner. 10 feet from garden to plate. Can't get any fresher than that.
I can't grow a garden 1) My housemate's dogs would dig it up, 2) it's going into Summer here and Summer means droughts, which means water restrictions, 3) Costs for top soil are kinda expensive over here when I don't have money to spare. At all.
If i wanted a garden, i would have asked for that. I'm asking for recipes.
Can you PLEASE read the full thread before replying?0 -
try googling healthy budget recipes, i just did and LOTS came up :happy:0
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This is how I make a pretty simple pasta sauce. I'm not really much of a cook but this is something I can throw together fairly easily. The biggest dangers are burning the onions or not reducing it enough so the sauce is watery.
For about three portions I'd probably use:
1tsp oil
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 red pepper
1/3 of a courgette (I think this is a zucchini)
6 closed cup mushrooms
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 vegetable stock cube
1 tsp tomato puree
a sprinkling of various herbs - basil, thyme, oregano and rosemary are my usuals, but you can also buy mixed herbs which are good if you just want to use them all
Start by chopping the onions and garlic. Then heat the oil - get it nice and warm so it glides around the pan easily. Now you can add the onions and garlic and turn the heat down. You want to wait for the onions to soften so keep an eye on it, but in the meantime you can chop the rest of the vegetables. When the onions are soft dissolve the stock in about 150ml water and add it to the pan. Throw in all the veg, the herbs, and the chopped tomatoes, and the tomato puree (I think that's everything). Start cooking pasta. Bubble the sauce gently until it's not too liquid, then you're done.
I don't eat much meat so you might want to adjust serving sizes if you're eating meat with it.
Adding chopped bacon at the same time as the onions makes it a fantastic meal (if you do this you don't need any oil - bacon is fatty enough) - make sure the bacon is cooked before adding the stock and vegetables etc.
Adding red lentils can be good if you just want some extra protein but it doesn't do wonders for the texture.
The vegetables can be swapped around for whatever you have. Adding chopped up cherry or salad tomatoes is excellent if you want a really tomatoey sauce.0 -
This is how I make a pretty simple pasta sauce. I'm not really much of a cook but this is something I can throw together fairly easily. The biggest dangers are burning the onions or not reducing it enough so the sauce is watery.
For about three portions I'd probably use:
1tsp oil
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 red pepper
1/3 of a courgette (I think this is a zucchini)
6 closed cup mushrooms
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 vegetable stock cube
1 tsp tomato puree
a sprinkling of various herbs - basil, thyme, oregano and rosemary are my usuals, but you can also buy mixed herbs which are good if you just want to use them all
Start by chopping the onions and garlic. Then heat the oil - get it nice and warm so it glides around the pan easily. Now you can add the onions and garlic and turn the heat down. You want to wait for the onions to soften so keep an eye on it, but in the meantime you can chop the rest of the vegetables. When the onions are soft dissolve the stock in about 150ml water and add it to the pan. Throw in all the veg, the herbs, and the chopped tomatoes, and the tomato puree (I think that's everything). Start cooking pasta. Bubble the sauce gently until it's not too liquid, then you're done.
I don't eat much meat so you might want to adjust serving sizes if you're eating meat with it.
Adding chopped bacon at the same time as the onions makes it a fantastic meal (if you do this you don't need any oil - bacon is fatty enough) - make sure the bacon is cooked before adding the stock and vegetables etc.
Adding red lentils can be good if you just want some extra protein but it doesn't do wonders for the texture.
The vegetables can be swapped around for whatever you have. Adding chopped up cherry or salad tomatoes is excellent if you want a really tomatoey sauce.
Thank you so much! This sounds a lot like the recipe my housemate and I used a month ago0 -
Lots of good ideas here!0
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A few basic items I'd first invest in getting in some non-fat greek yogurt, non-fat cottage cheese, skim milk, eggs (you can always choose to not use the yolk), whole wheat or sprouted wheat bread, tomatoes, lettuce or salad, tuna and other lean meats, and different fruits and vegetables.
One recipe I made the other day was super quick, delicious and healthy was a tuna pasta salad.
3 cups whole wheat pasta (I used garofalos farafali bow tie noodles)
2 cans of tuna
3/4 of a tomato, chopped
1tbsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
2tbsp. parmesan cheese
3 tbsp. reduced fat catalina dressing *this was a recipe of my own and I personally thought this was yummy, you could use olive oil, reduced fat mayo.. whatever you have or find that's low fat*
On a skillet heat your tuna, tomato, garlic and red pepper. Doesn't have to be for long just brown the tuna slightly. Boil your noodles, drain and place in large bowl. Add the contents in the skillet and stir then add your cheese and dressing and voila! Tuna pasta salad (: good warm or cold. I prefer to have it after it's been in the fridge.. very very good.
I love to make omelots using peppers, tomato, zucchini, any type of lean meat -roast beef, ham, chicken-, low fat cheese, and some hot sauce. Good low cal, low carb, low fat and high protein breakfasts.
Make burritos! Just use some canned beans (Again low-fat is best), cheese, tomato, you can add meat if you like, and use whole wheat tortillas. I suggest using a multigrain tortilla with flax...
Salad was a good idea.. add peas, hardboiled egg with the yolk removed, some multigrain cracker, cheese, tomato, light dressing, lean meat, low-fat beans... anything you can think of.
http://caloriecount.about.com/dan-good-chili-b582926 <<this is a wonderful chili recipe I found and tried. I didn't have all the ingredients but it was delicious!
http://www.pbfingers.com/2012/04/15/banana-protein-pancakes/ <<<Wonderful!!!! Tastes so delicious and doesn't use any flour.. so it's super healthy and satisfied my pancake crave... top with some jam or pb and fruit.
Hope those help... I have lots more (: but that gives you a few ideas.0 -
A few basic items I'd first invest in getting in some non-fat greek yogurt, non-fat cottage cheese, skim milk, eggs (you can always choose to not use the yolk), whole wheat or sprouted wheat bread, tomatoes, lettuce or salad, tuna and other lean meats, and different fruits and vegetables.
One recipe I made the other day was super quick, delicious and healthy was a tuna pasta salad.
3 cups whole wheat pasta (I used garofalos farafali bow tie noodles)
2 cans of tuna
3/4 of a tomato, chopped
1tbsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
2tbsp. parmesan cheese
3 tbsp. reduced fat catalina dressing *this was a recipe of my own and I personally thought this was yummy, you could use olive oil, reduced fat mayo.. whatever you have or find that's low fat*
On a skillet heat your tuna, tomato, garlic and red pepper. Doesn't have to be for long just brown the tuna slightly. Boil your noodles, drain and place in large bowl. Add the contents in the skillet and stir then add your cheese and dressing and voila! Tuna pasta salad (: good warm or cold. I prefer to have it after it's been in the fridge.. very very good.
I love to make omelots using peppers, tomato, zucchini, any type of lean meat -roast beef, ham, chicken-, low fat cheese, and some hot sauce. Good low cal, low carb, low fat and high protein breakfasts.
Make burritos! Just use some canned beans (Again low-fat is best), cheese, tomato, you can add meat if you like, and use whole wheat tortillas. I suggest using a multigrain tortilla with flax...
Salad was a good idea.. add peas, hardboiled egg with the yolk removed, some multigrain cracker, cheese, tomato, light dressing, lean meat, low-fat beans... anything you can think of.
http://caloriecount.about.com/dan-good-chili-b582926 <<this is a wonderful chili recipe I found and tried. I didn't have all the ingredients but it was delicious!
http://www.pbfingers.com/2012/04/15/banana-protein-pancakes/ <<<Wonderful!!!! Tastes so delicious and doesn't use any flour.. so it's super healthy and satisfied my pancake crave... top with some jam or pb and fruit.
Hope those help... I have lots more (: but that gives you a few ideas.
Thank you so so much! I'm going to use that tuna pasta salad because I've got tuna and pasta readily available >.<
Oh all of those sound so yummy0 -
Basic soup recipe
Saute an onion in a tbsp olive oil till glossy
Optional: add a couple of cloves of garlic chopped or a tsp garlic powder
Add vegetable : i use either a couple of zuchinni, or a head of cauliflower or a bunch of carrots.
Add one potato as well, it will help to give it body
Add a water to cover ( about 4 cups) and bouillon cubes or powder
Bring to boil then reduce and cook for 15 minutes
Use immersion blender to blend soup into creamy consistency
Or let cool and blend in blender
Season with pepper and salt, you can add curry powder for cauli, ginger and coriander to carrot
Serve with a dollop of yoghurt, or some croutons
I make a big pot and freeze them, they take no time to reheat and enjoy, can also be beefed up with rice or beans added0 -
You're welcome (: and yes the pasta is super good... I still have some leftover I am eating right this moment lol. I added a little bit of skinless chicken breast to up the protein and a few nuts to leave me feeling full for awhile. Always wonderful ways to make things healthy and filling.0
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soups and stews that incorporate a variety of beans and vegetables is always a great go-to healthy meal. In Australia, find some inspiration from China town.. they have PLENTY of dishes that are extremely inexpensive.. Im sure you have plenty of asian stores there...
A good soup that is from India is called "Daal" or "Dahl".. its a lentil soup with a variety of spices, onion and tomato. You can easily bulk it up with spinach, kale, or whatever else vegetable you like. The lentils really do fill you up and its a hearty soup!
A bulk homemade tomato base can easily be made for making tomato soup, sauces, etc.0
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