Eating on a budget

What sort of place do you live in? If you have a yard, or even a balcony, it might be time to become a gardener! You can grow heaps of things to eat, even in pots on a balcony. If you're interested I could find some links for you. It's possible to grow many vegetables in pots. You could grow the fresh veg and use your $$ for staples like lentils and bread.

I live in a duplex, where I have a small yard, but no where for a garden. Is it possible to grow vegetables in pots indoors? I don't have any experience with growing anything so any insight would be much appreciated I do have a patio door that gets pretty good sunlight in it, so if I could keep my plants inside by a window do you think that would be a possibility?

I grow vegetables year-round in the Arctic (with no sunlight for several months), so it's definitely possible to grow them indoors if you get good sun. You should be able to grow enough to occasionally supplement your meals, at least. It's a long-term project though.. even the fastest growing vegetables take a couple of months before you can harvest anything.

Large buckets make great pots for vegetables, and you can move them out/indoors depending on weather. I recommend looking up "indoor gardening" or "bucket gardening" online, there's lots of helpful information. Root vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, turnips, and radishes are very easy to grow and give good yields. Salad leaves grow quickly and can be planted around other plants.

It may be worth checking out any local ethnic or farmers' markets.. some foods are more expensive, but others may be much cheaper.

Dried beans,any of your choice will make great bean soup.Soak 1 lb beans overnight,drain,cover with water,bring to a boil,then simmer on low,covered. Sauté onion& celery....if you have it.Onion is needed.Pepper....add to beans.Add meat if you have it.
If not,use a couple Tbl of any flavoring you have.Even Ramen:laugh: A can or two of broth adds more flavor.Even better reheated.Keep in fridge,eat till it's gone. No reason you can't toss in any veggie you have.Not broccoli tho.It looks nasty when cooked/ reheated.


Potato soup.....no meat needed.Use on line recipes.

My fav soup is veggie. I like to simmer the cheapest beef I can find,or soup bones if cheap.Just adds flavor. You can start with 4 C water,any & all veggies,fresh,frozen or canned......a can of tomato paste or large tomato sauce. Add more veggies,simmer on low for an hr or 2. BTW,you can usually find dried onion in cheap spices,same with garlic.
The beauty of veggie soup,you can eat some,then add more veggies.Freezes great.

Use a couple cans or dry packs of noodle soup as a base. Add a couple cans or cups of water,then veggies. You can do the same with other canned soup.

Add sliced hot dogs to canned baked beans,along with any type onion,a squirt of catsup,mustard a dab of sugar.Tsp or 2.Keeps in fridge several days.You Prob need just a couple spoons of water to reheat any beans.

Add veggies to Ramen noodles.Make egg salad with those eggs. Make egg drop soup.Make rice,then a big pan of rice with a veggie,onions,garlic & scrambled egg.French toast using bread & eggs.......a bit of water should work.Fried potatoes with eggs scrambled in.if you have a grocery,some meat depts will sell you meat by the piece,one chop,bacon slices etc. BTW,save the bacon grease. add just a Tbl of bacon fat to beans,egg & potato dishes for a ton of taste.Just a Tsp makes fried eggs Sooo good.

You can add whatever to Mac & cheese.Hot dogs,bacon grease (Tsp) for a serving,Boil the pasta (till almost done) in Mac & cheese. Drain.......add veggies,couple hard boiled eggs,well drained,onion,relish,dill pickle,what ever seasoning you have. Add what you like & will eat.You now have macaroni salad.

Look up budget soups on line.You can use recipes & omit meat. Hey,you won't starve.Kudos for budgeting. Also,go to search in MFP ,look for low cost food.
Didn't mean to write a book,but have been thru lean times.You can come thru it . :flowerforyou: Ppl on here will help you out. You are doing great. Hope you will let us know how it's going. Pat

Also if you haven't already google ways to cut down on your utility bills. There are a lot of tips and tricks for electric and heat. Also you can try to negotiate the interest rates on cards/ loans or refinance a car loan.

just make sure you do it the day you buy it

Dried rice, beans, and lentils. Large containers of rolled oats. Frozen vegetables. Fresh bananas. Eggs. Peanut butter. Loaves of whole wheat bread (peanut butter and banana sandwiches). Ground chuck (drain the fat out in a colander and saute with frozen vegetables and spices to serve over rice or use the chuck to make meatballs for pasta). Cheap cans or jars of tomato sauce for spaghetti and meatballs. Shop the expired bins- a lot of times the food is still fine. Gallons of milk, twin packs of cereal, served with bananas.