Eating Healthy on a Budget

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kimberninja
kimberninja Posts: 26
in Food and Nutrition
Any suggestions for recipes for eating healthy on a strict budget? I love slow cooker recipes as well as traditional. cooking for a family of three (two adults, one tween). I would welcome any and all suggestions! Thank you in advance!

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  • xlnv03y
    xlnv03y Posts: 14
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    I enjoy: frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts in crockpot, large can of diced tomatoes, can corn, rinsed and drained can black beans, large can tomato juice, sliced carrots, cabbage, onion(really whatever veggies you like) and cook on medium from lunch until dinnertime. You can serve over rice if you like, but I like it as a soup. i usually add water as it cooks down, and lots of seasonings (adobo, garlic, pepper, etc)
  • kimberninja
    kimberninja Posts: 26
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    That sounds yummy, and I am pretty sure the whole family would enjoy that! Thanks for the suggestion!:smile:
  • kimberninja
    kimberninja Posts: 26
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    A quick question on the above chciken recipe...my slow cookers only have low and high settings...if they are frozen, and I put it together in the morning, low would be good until dinner time, don't you think? specially if it is served as soup, because if it overcooks, no biggie....right?
  • erinsueburns
    erinsueburns Posts: 865 Member
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    Switch to boneless skinless chicken thighs, they tend to be way cheaper, plus more flavorful and easier in a crock pot or braised than breasts. Plus there is more collagen so it breaks down and makes a lovely thicker broth. I braise a few rounds of thighs straining off and freezing the liquids, then use those liquids to make a lovely soup/stew.

    ETA: If you are worried about the fat (I'm usually not, and it really isn't much), braising typically cooks most of it out, and when you freeze the liquids, the fat floats to the top and solidifies, making it easy to take off. I use the chicken fat for cooking other things, like frying eggs, instead of butter. Don't know if it is any healthier, compared to butter, but it is a cost saving thing. Butter isn't exactly cheap, and the fat from the chicken is basically free.
  • vicrandom
    vicrandom Posts: 80 Member
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    I'm not a slow cooker master, but every slow cooker instruction guide I've read says not to put frozen food in the slow cooker because it will spend too much time at an unsafe (read: bacteria farm) temperature.

    If you plan ahead you can put frozen meat in the fridge for 24 hours, and that's usually enough to defrost it unless it's a roast or whole chicken.

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