Meals for two ... on no budget

I have a cookbook called Six Ingredients or Less. The recipes are pretty easy with a lot of relatively inexpensive ingredients.... especially if you hit the sales. The meals are tasty and don't seem to be too bad for those trying to eat better. A lot of them can be frozen too.

Get your proteins from eggs and beans, they are by far the cheapest high protein foods.

Look for options for fresh fruits and veggies - sometimes farmers' markets are cheaper, sometimes they aren't. One of our local food pantry's even provides fresh fruits and veggies. Often, frozen is cheapest and it maintains more nutrients than other forms of processing, just make sure their isn't added sugar.

Don't worry about organic - recent studies show that the vast majority of people can't tell the difference in taste, there is no difference in nutrients, and they aren't even necessarily less chemically.

Check out cookbooks at your local library, especially vegetarian ones.

Whole grains are more filling and the price difference isn't enough to make up for the amount you will eat.

Check prices carefully - it isn't always true that bigger is cheaper. Other times, it is vastly cheaper. At one local grocery store, we can get 8 oz of mixed greens for 3.95 or 16oz. for 3.98.

Find the grocery store that is generally the cheapest - some people spend an awful lot of money on gas running around for the best deals here and there.

While you will have to cook for yourself the vast majority of the time, we have recently combined coupons with really good deals for cheap Lean Cuisine. Just remember that the box itself is only a mini meal, at best - you will need to supplement with veggies.

Never use coupons for things you wouldn't normally buy. The only exception is healthy things you couldn't afford without the coupon. But not "healthy" things like protein bars or Arctic Zero.

if you are eligible for SNAP (food stamps) get them and use them wisely.

thanks for the post... I'm in the exact same situation. (Economy sucks!)

As others have said PLAN YOUR MEALS! I get the weekly specials and go from there. My bill has gone down by at least 100 .


I go to a wholesale place and by a massive bag of frozen chicken. frozen vegetables, snacks, drinks etc.. everything lasts for a really long time!

1 - $9 3lb bag of frozen chicken tenderloins (unbreaded ofcourse) = 16 servings of meat
7 - $1 bags of frozen veggies (broccoli, peas, green beans, etc)
1 - $1.50 loaf of wheat bread (not the BEST bread choice...but it's better than white)
1 - $3 half gallon almond milk (or milk of your choice)
1 - $2 dozen eggs (or a carton of egg whites= about the same about of servings)
1 - $3 container of old fashioned grits/oatmeal - it will last forever
1 - $1 bag of black beans or legume of your choosing
1 - $1 bag of long grain brown rice
1 - $3 bunch of bananas
1 - $3 bag of baby spinach for cooking (it's labeled like this and with the greens and is FAR cheaper than buying the smaller bag that is intended for salad. It's the same product...just packaged and placed elsewhere!!)
1 - $3 bag of apples
1 - $10 for supplies to make a soup for the week. (Boil all ingredients with 12 C or water or broth, then let simmer for 45 minutes or until tender) This feeds 2 people lunch for a week!
$1 – bag of lentils
$1 – bag of split green peas
$3 – bag of barley
$3 – bag of quinoa
$1 – onion
$1 – powdered bullion (or just boil chicken tenders and use the broth)

Total Spent: $40.50

Buy a whole chicken every week and boil it. You get a nice broth to use as a base for soups too. I then shred the meat and use it in sandwiches, salads, tacos, stews, stir-fry.

Buy the "ugly vegetables" aka the ones that aren't pre-sliced, pre-bagged, still have dirt on them. That saves a lot.

Buy a whole chicken - about £3.50 in the UK. Have it roast on Sunday, then the rest of the week make curry, risotto, sandwiches, stir fries, salads - whatever takes your fancy. When you've just got bones left, make soup.

This is what I do. For $10 I can get Two 5-Pound Whole Chickens from the Grocery Store.

Roast/Cook them, scrape every bit of meat that you can off the chickens and freeze it all (or use soon afterwards if keeping in fridge), then throw the bones into a stockpot with water and seasonings to make Chicken Stock.

6-8lbs of meat + Stock for 10 Bucks! Not too bad at all Great to make soups with, you can do the same thing with a lot of different types of poultry.

Also, cheap beef and pork, if tenderized and cooked right, can make Great Eats!

Lentils, Beans, Rice, etc, also very reasonable prices and can be very versatile. Don't forget veggies!