Budget Meals Ideas - Tasty but CHEAP

Here's an idea you many not have considered - are you in the US and eligible for PUA (Pandemic Unemployment Assistance)? I was an independent contractor and am just familiar with that part of it - an IC who had their hours reduced due to COVID but is still partially employed is eligible for PUA. The program ends in a few weeks but benefits are retroactive.

If you're a regular employee and had your hours reduced due to COVID, check with your state.

This might be useful:

https://www.benefits.gov/benefit-finder

Boiled egg curry is a great one. There are many variations on the theme. Also chana dal... and dal in general can be very cheap, wholesome and delicious, can be made in big batches and it's barely any effort to make.

Also, rice and beans doesn't just have to be when push comes to shove. In the last 7 years, I don't think I've visited my mother and brother when they didn't have rice and beans (separately) in the frig or on the stove. She buys both in bulk, and the beans are dried.

We're Irish. Growing up it was big chunks of meat with potatoes.

Some of my fave fast cook/high protein skillet meals are:
bagged pre-portioned frozen fish for under $2 USD per portion and chicken thighs (sale usually $1 lb) served with veg. Frozen veggies frequently go on sale for $1 lb. and potatoes and beans are usually fairly affordable.

Rotisserie chicken (usually yields ~ 6 meals) for about $5 per chicken
Day 1: Legs and wings
Day 2: Thigh (s)
Day 3 (or freeze) white meat into small pieces for buffalo chicken salad, tacos, stir-fry
If you can find an hour (like when you are making & eating dinner) the carcass can be boiled for chicken stock.

If you live in a part of the world with an Aldi, they have incredible deals on good quality food.

Make friends with your crock pot/slow cooker.

Some great recipe ideas can be found on YouTube by searching "Jacques Pépin: Fast Food My Way" and "Jamie Oliver Quick Meals."

edited to add: You don't need a 'prep day' to prep meals. Just take it in little nibbles. For example, grate 4-5 carrots at a time (takes 5 minutes) and throw them in a ventilated baggie in the fridge. Throw some almonds in a baggie and pound them until they are fine and ready for your next crispy fish almondine.

Also? TVP is generally cheap. Makes a good meal stretcher. Especially in stews and chili.

Glad to hear you have an Aldi nearby. They are affiliated with Trader Joes' and between the two, you should manage quite the savings. If you haven't before, start paying attention to those weekly grocery circulars and/or check the weekly offerings online. My pantry and freezers are full and I am maniacally frugal (even making my own yogurt and laundry soap!) but I'll still watch the weekly ads and pounce on a great grocery deal now and then. Most months, my ENTIRE grocery expenditure consists only of eggs (when they are $1-1.30 a dozen), 2 gallons of milk and 2 quarts of half and half.

eta: Aldi has good deals on pre-portioned frozen fish, but stay away from the tilapia. The farming conditions under which it is produced may not be optimum. Search 'Healthy Eating at Aldi' on YouTube for some good advice about the store's hit and misses.

Have a look through Jack Monroe’s website:

https://cookingonabootstrap.com/

She’s a food writer and poverty activist in the UK and whilst I don’t need to be super careful with a budget I’m still a big fan of her sensible and imaginative approach to quick and frugal cooking. I think she’s vegan these days but there are plenty of her other recipes floating about too.

Might be worth a look.

Maybe obvious, but make friends with your freezer and buy/freeze meat and frozen veg on sale in bulk. Family size packs of chicken thigh, pork chop, or beef can be sandwich bagged into portions before freezing, saved for a couple of months.

Absent intolerance, 1 percent milk and non-fat yogurt in large containers. Very little real barnyard difference between regular eggs and pricier others with special claims. Skipjack tuna costs less with half the mercury (safely eat twice as often) as white - dress for sandwich or salad with low-fat mayo, celery, peppers, tomato. spices. For those with the taste, canned sardines (pilchard or herring), oysters, mussels, clams are often on sale, good straight or a topping for salad, eggs or rice dishes (sadly fresh fish has become pricey). The biggest rejected protein bargain is probably beef or poultry liver, generally laughably cheap and nutrient/protein dense (ketchup and onions).

I also buy whey protein powder on sale in bulk, used in morning porridge, yogurt, blendered with berries, fruit, nut butter, or shaken, often with cinnamon or curry powder and creatine supplement.

Generally, finding oneself surrounded by bright packaging and attractive displays is the clue to being in the wrong part of the store (or the wrong store.) Finally, these days it's worth checking Amazon or other online stores against supermarket sales flyers for any packaged and canned stuff - not hard to save a lot and qualify for free door delivery.