REALLY Need economical ideas for meals

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karajulie
karajulie Posts: 40 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Down to one income for our household...which isn't a lot =(....I really need some inexpensive ideas for meals so I don't get side tracked and can stay focused on eating and becoming healthy. I am usually fairly frugal but it would be great to get some new ideas =D

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  • Calantorntain
    Calantorntain Posts: 172 Member
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    Check out Budget Bytes! http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/ There's also lots of other blogs out there about eating on a budget.

    Eat meat less frequently, and use it as a flavoring, rather than the main feature.

    Get your complete protein from rice + beans.

    Make large pots of soup/stew.

    Pick up a vegetarian cookbook from the library.

    Use everything; if you cook a chicken, keep the bones for broth.

    Look for sales. For example, broccoli crowns were recently on sale here for .68 cents a pound. That's cheaper than frozen! I ended up buying more than I can eat, and ended up cutting up and freezing quite a lot.
  • BCSMama
    BCSMama Posts: 348
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    I don't know if it's available where you are, but may be worth looking into. We have a local grocery/farmers market type store that has $1 baskets of produce in the back that are close to going bad. If you buy them and cook them the same day or next day, you can keep them in your fridge for a week. We usually plan our meals around those and what we get from our garden. Other things we do to eat healthy on a budget are:

    plan your meals weekly and prepare them from scratch as much as possible. We are a busy family, we I do most of our cooking for the week on Sundays.

    Keep things around like lentils, brown rice, barley, oats, and other dried beans.

    Buy produce in season and in bulk when it's a good deal. You can usually freeze what you don't use (just google how to properly prepare the produce for freezing).

    Buy meats in bulk and on sale as well. Buy whole chickens instead of the cuts and larger roasts tend to be cheaper per pound than steaks. Again, you can prepare the whole thing, then portion it out and freeze.

    Make as much as you can: bread, granola bars, granola cereal, kale chips, roasted chickpeas, or whatever you like for snacks.

    Cheap breakfasts:

    Plain Greek yogurt (buy it in the larger containers as it's cheaper than several smaller ones), with some chopped seasonal fruit and homemade granola with a drizzle of honey.

    Eggs and/or egg whites omelet with chopped seasonal veggies and cheese.

    Oats mixed with plain Greek yogurt and seasonal chopped fruit.

    Cheap lunches:

    Leftovers :-)

    tuna mixed with 2% cottage cheese on crackers

    salad with beans and diced ham or chicken (you can use homemade salsa for a dressing)

    Cheap dinners:

    Lentil and sweet potato soup

    Stir fried chicken and vegetables over brown rice

    Shredded pork and black bean Mexican style salads

    Spaghetti squash with homemade spaghetti sauce

    Cabbage, brown rice and ground meat casserole with steamed veggies on the side
  • shmoony
    shmoony Posts: 237 Member
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    Cuban black bean soup! I make a big pot of it 3-5 times a year and it's good for around 8 meals. Served with rice with a cheese quesadilla, sour cream and salsa on the side, it costs about $2.75 per meal. It's nutritionally well rounded, very filling and satisfying, about 350 cals for a big bowl, and freezes well if you want to save some for later. If you want more details, I can provide the recipe. Other than that, you cant go wrong with similar one pot soups and stews as long as you don't start using expensive meats, exotic vegetables, etc.
  • shellma00
    shellma00 Posts: 1,684 Member
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    We have a very cheap product coop in our community. It is great, you get tons of fruits and veggies for less than the sale price at the grocery store. Some of it is from local farmers or at least distributors from the area. And it is fresh, some of it still has to ripen a little when you get it. So it lasts the 2 weeks between deliveries, because you can order every 2 weeks. Buying a mixed basket is the best deal and you can also do al a cart. You may want to see if there is a coop in your area that does this. I am from IL and they do it all the way to ST Louis MO for our area.

    Also buy bulk meats on sale and freeze OR sometimes if I have enough extra I will go to the local Meat processing place and buy a meat bundle.

    I also like to stock up on items when the go 10 for $10 at our local IGA.
  • lesliefb
    lesliefb Posts: 88 Member
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    Great ideas so far! Here are my suggestions from another budget-conscious family:

    - Use meat as a side instead of the main course - fill 3/4 of your plate with veggies and hearty carbs like brown rice (mix with white to be even cheaper)

    - Buy whole chickens instead of boneless skinless - not only will the fat keep you full longer, but you can also make broth with the parts that most people throw in the trash

    - Bulk up pasta sauces with carrots, onions, zucchini, and other veggies. Makes pasta night much healthier and more filling.

    - Use beans instead of meat when possible, such as bean quesadillas instead of beef tacos

    - Buy whole veggies instead of pre-washed and packages -- for example, per pound, a head of romaine that you wash and chop is going to be cheaper than a salad bag.

    - Watch for sales on frozen veggies and stock up

    - Watch for sales on soups, broths, etc and stock up - these make a very economical lunch

    - Buy meats that you can get at least 2 meals, maybe 3 meals out of. Plan the leftovers for the next meal. (Ex. roast chicken one night, pasta with leftover chicken and veggies the next night, and chicken soup the next night)

    Edited to add one more idea... think International when it comes to meal planning. Chinese, Mexican, Mediterranean, etc. all use lots of inexpensive ingredients like beans, rice, and add rich flavors to them.
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
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    Vegan curry (yes even for meat eaters): mixed canned beans or dried lentils, any vegetables that need eating up or are cheap (eg. fresh: onions, aubergine, bell peppers, any squashes; or frozen: broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, spinach), block creamed coconut, canned tomatoes if desired, dried madras curry spice blend, frozen or fresh garlic. Eat alone or serve with brown basmati rice or brown chapatti.

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