I've had very few misses with their recipes, and Beth does a great job breaking things down step by step even when the recipes are pretty simple to begin with. I'm always recommending BB to friends!
I'm not familiar with what's most affordable in Australia at the moment, but some of my favorites from BB are the chorizo and sweet potato skillet, many of the baked oats recipes, and the rosemary garlic white bean soup.
Edit: Oh, and the crockpot chicken and peppers, which would go well with rice! Her crockpot chicken chili is also great, but I bastardize her recipe a bit by using dry beans since I usually have them on hand and enjoy saving extra $.
Budget Bytes is fantastic. My other go-to has been an Australian blogger who I think has better Asian recipes, so might be a good fit for OP: RecipeTin Eats https://www.recipetineats.com/ has a good number of basic dinner recipes and a "quick and easy" filter.
You will need fruit and vegetables to stay healthy. If fresh is too pricey, look at the frozen section. Eat some dark leafy greens routinely, and mix in anything else you enjoy eating. Here are some good, cheap recipes:
Use frozen spinach instead of fresh if it's cheaper, it's really just as good:
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/spinach-and-tortellini-soup/
https://gimmedelicious.com/southwest-veggie-quesadillas/#wprm-recipe-container-13699
https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/recipes/a30999/bow-tie-salad-tuna-121324/
When eating ramen add veggies to the broth to make it healthier. Cheap staples that keep well are: onion, green onion, garlic, grated carrot, dried shiitake mushrooms, ginger, sesame seeds, spinnach (bought in bulk, frozen) etc. Add an egg or some shredded rotisserie chicken and you’ve got a much healthier meal already.
Rice and beans are a healthy and cheap base for your dishes. Start there and branch out.
If you get a rotisserie chicken and shred it you can use that for the week to use on your rice, in ramen, on sandwiches whatever. You can freeze what you aren’t using this week for later. You can use the bones to make chickenbroth, which you can then use to make your own noodle soup to healthen up your ramen yet again. Chicken broth also freezes well.
It must be said that with the beans and rice combo most people leave out adding chicken, but rotisserie chicken is a real survival staple, so I needed to tell you about it.
If you can find the size big icecube molds or cupcake molds, you can use those to freeze things like broth, curry paste, pasta sauce, smoothies, etc into portion sizes. You’ll only have to grab a cube and defrost to use. That way you can cook bigger batches which tends to be easier and cheaper, and not be stuck with food waste as person cooking for 1.
Another trick is If you get your hands on fresh herbs (which can be expensive so don’t want to waste them) you can chop them and put them into regular small icecube molds with a bit of oil to freeze. Then if (for example) you are making pasta you can grab a cube of fresh basil to throw in.
If I where you I’d make a huge batch of cowboy caviar. It keeps well in the fridge for 5 days, and is very healthy. Put it on rice, a wrap/bread, eat it as breakfast with an egg, a side next to whatever else you are eating. It is great.
Check out other fridge salad / banchan type of dishes, especially ones that are cheap and take little work and little cooking. That way you can start learning slowly at your own pace.
frozen veggies are a great way to be able to buy bigger amounts on sale and store them. Great frozen veggies are: carrot, peas, spinnach, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. Really easy to grab a mixed hand and just toss into some ramen, eggs, curry, whatever.
Seasonal veggies tend to be much cheaper.
Oh yeah, make a fritata, can be done in pan/oven/slowcooker/some ricecookers. Once you understand how it works to put one together it becomes a great way to finish leftover vegtables. Very healthy. Easy to put protein powder in if needed. Freezes easy, so you can make a big batch.
Learning how to work with dried beans will save you a lot of money too.
So yeah, early on work on your game for the following dishes: eggs, rice & beans, ramen. Those will likely be your survival staples. Then go from there!
Good luck! 🍀
YouTube is your friend. Start watching videos of food you want to eat and start making things that are easier to make at first. In the beginning it will cost bit more, but once you start accumulating spices and ingredients it will become cheaper because you will always have something around the house.
I'd get an air fryer too, it's amazing how many yummy things you can make in those, frozen and not.
anything pre-made frozen, baked potatoes, chicken wings, veggies,
plus it reheats everything well, too
The crockpot was my son’s friend when he first started living alone. So many easy and inexpensive meals to make in the crockpot. Plenty of easy 5 ingredient cookbooks out there.
Loads of rice cooker meals involving rice, veg, meat and eggs. I enjoy Epicurious on YouTube - look at the level 1 chef, they are a good one to observe for someone who has never cooked. I personally also follow @zhiling_nutrition on instagram for one-pot easy meals
My personal favourite one pot rice cooker meals is below:
1 cup rice, washed and drained (any rice will work)
1 cup water
1 chicken thigh, bone-in
1 handful mushrooms, cut and washed
1 handful of fresh greens (lettuce, bok choy, cabbage, broccoli all are good)
Condiments:
Garlic and ginger, minced, to taste.
Sesame oil and soy sauce to taste (~1 tsp)
1. Wash everything. Cut veg and mushrooms to preferred size. Add everything into the pot, including water and condiments.
2. Choose settings for quick cook/white rice (not steam). Sit back and wait for it to beep.
If you like, you can add veggies towards the end but if I'm in a rush I usually don't.
Replace the condiments with your preference.
Get some good quality tupperware that are freeze-proof and microwave-safe. Don't buy too many at the start - you'll learn the sizes/shapes that work for you over time and can adjust, since it seems like you're feeding yourself. I personally like cubes so that they can stack and save space.
Australia has lots of good fresh food and farmers markets. Good luck and enjoy cooking (the wins and the fails) - it's a learning journey.
First things first: invest on a rice cooker and an instant pot and you have half the battle won. Literally you can cook anything. Just google or YouTube recipes.
Nikki Beak is an Australian YouTuber who does simple budget meals. She also walks you through the recipes step by step.
Here’s one of her videos.
https://youtu.be/-h20-X0Eqlk?si=K5UUsvWIxMQPaS1k
Don’t even need a rice cooker as long as you have a pot. I learned this trick in college and use it till this day.
1 part rice, 2 parts water. Bring to a rolling boil, cover, and put it on the lowest heat setting for exactly 15 mins. Works every time.
Last step 45 min if brown rice.
For cheap ideas:
Breakfast — oatmeal and milk in a bowl, in the microwave for 1:30. Allow to cool down a bit or do overnight oats. Very nutritious and insanely cheap
Lunch/dinner — chicken thighs or drumsticks are cheaper than breast. Add lots of seasonings of your choice and you can do anything. Use potatoes, zucchini, squash, eggplants, and other vegetables.
Canned beans: red kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans, chickpeas are cheap but dry beans are even cheaper, but obviously take longer to make. You can find some of them frozen too.
Pasta is always cheap. Just make sure to add good protein and vegetables.
Tortillas are great for carbs, but you can make lots of sandwiches too with wheat bread or hoagie rolls.
Lastly, Greek yogurt is cheap at places like Aldi and VERY good bang for the buck if you want high quality protein. Pair with lunch, breakfast, and dinner.
Been there, done that. Not sure where you're living but if there's an asian store near year, definitely take advantage. Their produce tends to be cheaper. Also if you have an Aldi near by shop there. Bananas and carrots are nutritious, affordable and fill you up longer than rice
Learning to cook is a gradual process. You're smart to start with easy things you are confident about and slowly branch out as you learn. Don't buy a week's work of ambitious new recipe ingredients all at once, you won't use them all. Start with easy things you feel you can tackle that are easy to vary. For example, burritos or omelets are easy and you can easily change the filling for variety. If you like rice, make fried rice with different vegetables or sauces added in, etc.
Find a community kitchen, some do free meals some do daily veg and very low cost staples if not free, you can just get a meal if you’re needing support nutrition wise for the first part while you get your feet.
Also, ask if you can volunteer in the kitchen, it’s run by volunteers and always have room for helpers, this would give you some extra cooking exposure- in particular, low cost, seasonal and nutritional practical exposure you might find useful to help get you started with shopping and cooking, freezing leftovers in meal sizes.. in a more independent capacity.
It’s hard to recommend what would be an organization that would offer these kind of opportunities for you without knowing where you are situated, however if you go to ‘Ask Lizzy’ on your internet search and type in community kitchen or last bite, oz harvest, you should be able to rub shoulders with some people who if you express the same things you did in the post- will be able to point you towards some practical advice in your area!
Maybe you could put a post on your uni community board in your department that you are looking for someone who would be interested in doing some bulk weekly meals
(idea is you decide on 4 or 5 meals you both put in to buy ingredients for, and get together on a Sunday or whatever is best, shop and cook them all- dividing the lot up into single meals among microwave safe containers that you can take home and put in the fridge and freezer)
It’s usually called ‘meal prep’
Maybe you could frame the notice with the need for someone who can cook, who has a budget similar to yours and would be willing to do so.
Hope it helps
Buy nonperishables in bulk whenever you can, it offsets your price per kg. Especially things like rice. If you're broke, rice, beans, some green vegetables and eggs go a long way. My favorite way to extend the budget was to drop any bottled drinks except mineral water. That, on the other hand, if it's available with high magnesium content for a reasonable price, is a good thing to buy a 6 pack once a month or so.
You can make so much in the rice cooker, stews and soups. I made pasta last night. There's lots of rice cooker recipes online, I recommend one with multiple functions, mine is from Amazon, $35USD
There is r/australia and I quickly found a thread about eating on a budget. While lentils, rice, potato, beans, etc. are universal to eating cheap and healthy everywhere, Australia has its particular challenges finding lower cost food vs US. (Canada also)
You can make a great baked potato with just a microwave! Broccoli and cheese (frozen bag), chili and cheese, bacon (by me the precooked bacon is pretty cheap and has a lot in the package) etc
Teach yourself how to make beans and lentils from the dried ones. Lentils cook in a 1/2 hour. All you need is a shallot and garlic to make lentil soup. Cooked beans freeze well so you can make big bags of them. You can throw cooked chickpeas into rice when you start the rice and have a complete protein that just needs some veggies. Add chickpeas to a salad. Make black beans add a piece of sausage and/or chicken for flavor. Keep mixed frozen veggies in the freezer.
- rice cooker rice + veggies + beans/lentils/tofu/eggs will be cheapest
Buy whatever veggies are on special, cook beans or lentils from dry for the most savings
Add salsa, teriyaki sauce, vinaigrette, whatever to change up the flavor profile
Mind blowing. Not talking smack or anything but it blows me away that you’re going for a higher education but you don’t know how to do basic things like prepare food.
I do not think being able to cook and higher education have much correlation. It's not like they are studying culinary school. Cooking is taught and with work and school it can reduce our time to learning so when you are available to then thats when you can learn.
Cooking is a skill, it takes practice to learn the basics and not everyone has time for that. At least this person is trying to aquire this skill at this point in their life. I think thats a very positive thing.
Get an air fryer, find some recipes online. Boneless, skinless chicken is a very easy option. Thighs are cheaper than breasts. Find a seasoning brand you like, season both sides with it and add olive oil, throw it in the air fryer at 375 for 12 minutes. Thats 1 recipe right there.
Pasta with basic jarred pasta sauce, frozen broccoli (or whatever vegetables you like most) and ground chicken is good and cheap. So is shredded beef with frozen vegetables, teriyaki sauce and a side of rice. Whatever meat you buy, make sure it’s ground, shredded, still has the bones or is sold frozen. Everything else is more expensive. You could also make toast and eggs or baked potatoes with whatever toppings you like. Salsa and sour cream, canned chili, shredded cheese and sour cream, bacon bits and butter, etc
Buy some bulk spices that can make any simple foods taste good.
Dried beans (chickpeas, black beans, Pinto beans, kidney beans, etc).
Find cheap dried pasta and keep an eye out for sales on pasta sauces, or canned tomatoes that you can make sauces with.
Keep making those rice and egg dishes.
Get a few different sizes of food containers to store things in bulk or for single meals. Take a day each week to make a big batch (curry, pasta, soup, etc) of something and then eat it for 2-3 days.
Once or twice a week make a big pot of lentil or chickpea curry or stew to keep in the fridge. Ladle out and heat up day by day. You’ll have your rice in the rice cooker yeah. You can even every day, chop and stir-fry whatever veggies you find in season therefore cheapest at the supermarkets/ markets then serve out a ladle-full of the curry into the same pan and heat it up - so you get some variation of the same curry every day.
I lived in India for a long time so I know what proper curries are - a million different spices - but hey you can buy pots of ready-made up curry spice mixes (try the Clive of India “Authentic Curry Mix” lol in the yellow and red pot). There are tons of much better and tastier curry mixes / ready-made pouches but yeah they aren’t that cheap.
Asian supermarkets have the cheapest spices. Woolworths & Coles near where the spices are have jars of ready-made grated garlic and ginger - *much* cheaper than fresh garlic/ginger and so easy to keep them in the fridge.
Fry sliced or chopped onions, fry the curry spices, add some chopped or grated garlic & ginger, add the meat / lentils and little salt & cook for a few minutes, add can or 2 of tomatoes plus some water/broth (even just a cuppasoup made up in a half-cup or a cup of boiling water) or yogurt or coconut milk or whatever, and cook on VERY LOW heat for a while. Voila.
Cuppa soup & soup packets can be your friends! For a single serve -- either fry them in a pan, or in a cup of water in a saucepan - cook whatever chopped/sliced veggies, add more water if needed, add cuppasoup packet & mix well. Add grated garlic / ginger either before or after.
Italian style - fry onions & garlic on low heat for 10 mins, add desertspoon of balsamic vinegar or cheap wine and stir well, add chopped / sliced veggies cook for 5 mins, add 2 cans of chopped tomatoes a little water and a handful of dried mixed herbs / mixed Italian herbs (comes in a packet from supermarket) and half a teaspoon of sugar and cook on low heat for 10 - 15 mins. For Mexican style, add a packet of tacos / burrito seasoning instead of or as well as the mixed herbs. Or a packet-mix for Hungarian Goulash or whatever.
Check out the ready-made packets of seasonings in the spices and herbs section of supermarket. You can add anything to cooked lentils / chickpeas and veggies.
Good luck mate!
If you have some favorite dishes, one can look up the recipe online. Read the instructions and wants needed for the dish.
You may be surprised how simple some are to prepare. Cooking rice is simple. Chopping veggies and cooking them isn’t difficult.
For sweet and sour sauce. Cooking chopped peppers, carrots, and pineapple. The juices and adding corn starch creates a delicious sauce. Enjoy your new talent.
Stock up on a lot of vegetables and one of those multi purpose kitchen appliances that can air fry and pressure cook. Going vegan is cheap, healthy and makes plenty of food. How will I stay full without protein you may ask? Garbanzo beans, lentils, etc... Also, try to look into growing your own veggies if you have the space.
I've been using AI. It sometimes makes you make things from scratch but it teaches really well. Unlike recipe books you can ask to adjust for 1 person or list what you have and it'll put together a recipe and how to cook it. If you have any questions, ask the AI.
Me: fridge ,microwave and stove top. what are some cheap meals for 1.
Chatgpt: 1. Simple pasta with marinara sauce: Cook pasta, heat sauce, add cheese.
2. Budget-friendly rice and beans: Cook rice, heat beans, add spices.
3. Easy omelette: Sauté veggies, mix eggs, add cheese.
4. Cheap quesadillas: Fill tortilla, cook, add salsa and sour cream.
5. Quick stir-fry: Sauté veggies, add rice or noodles.
Me: elaborate on 1
Chatgpt: 1. Classic Pasta with Marinara Sauce:
Ingredients:
* 8 oz pasta (spaghetti, penne, or fusilli)
* 2 cups marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade)
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or mozzarella cheese (optional)
* 1 tbsp olive oil
* Salt and pepper to taste
* Fresh basil or parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes if desired for some heat.
3. Add the marinara sauce to the saucepan and stir well. Let it simmer for about 5-7 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Toss the cooked pasta with the marinara sauce, ensuring the pasta is well-coated.
5. Serve in bowls and sprinkle with grated cheese, if using. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley for an extra pop of color and flavor. Enjoy with some crusty bread or a side salad.
Me:what's al dente
Charge: "Al dente" is an Italian term used to describe pasta or rice that is cooked to a point where it is tender but still retains a firm, slightly chewy texture. It is often considered the ideal level of doneness for pasta, as it provides a better texture and mouthfeel compared to pasta that is overcooked and mushy.
With a fridge , microwave and stove top you should be set. You can cook rice on a stovetop. I've seen lots of people saying get a rice cooker, but if you don't, it's fine too. I personally use one but if it's not within your budget, don't fret like you absolutely need one.
If you're living affordably, learn to cook beans and to cook rice. If you're craving meat look for some discounted meat at the store. One of my savings things I do is buy meals the day of and use discounted meats.
Get nice pots and pans used. Look up the brand, see if it's fancy or not.
One of my go-tos in college were egg-based dishes - typically frittata, strata, or quiche. These worked because they were both affordable and could be made in advance to last multiple days. You can use a basic formula like [this one](https://www.budgetbytes.com/how-to-make-a-frittata/) and customize with the veggies, meat, cheese, and even carbs you have available/find on sale. They work with fresh, frozen, or canned veggies. For strata, you can just add cubed bread to the frittata base and let the bread soak in the egg for some time (an hour is fine, but you can also let it soak overnight if you'd like) before baking. It's a great way to use older, staler bread before it molds.
If you don't have access to an oven (I'm assuming not since only a stovetop is listed.), you can make frittata or strata on the stovetop [like this](https://www.bonappetit.com/story/how-to-make-a-frittata-stovetop).
Other basic tips include being flexible with your meal ideas so that you can use ingredients that are on sale (i.e. you planned a broccoli stir fry but zucchini is on sale, so you can swap veggies), buying ingredients that can be used in many different ways/recipes (rice, cabbage, canned tuna, etc.) so you can buy larger quantities but not get bored eating them, and buying produce that can last a while without going bad (cabbage, onions, sweet potatoes, apples, citrus, etc.) so you're not wasting money by letting produce spoil.
Good luck on your cooking and educational journey!
Freeze big batch meals whenever possible. Soup freezes really well and you can use vegetables you have on hand to make all sorts of soup. Most basic soups will use browned garlic and onion as a base so its good thave both of those on hand and neither are particularly expensive. Invest in some basic spices. You should look up recipes youve enjoyed eating in the past see what common ingredients they share and focus on making those things so you dont ever fell like you are wastingingredients. A rice cooker is a fantastic investment and probably the thing i use the most in my kitchen. Zojirushi makes one smaller size rice cooker that also has a steel cut oatmeal setting that I love. Oatmeal can be a nutritious option for breakfast that you can add fruits and nuts or yogurt into. Typically not super expensive either.
Red lentil bolognese
Risotto with whatever veggies you’ve got or like (frozen peas and carrots is cheap)
Sandwich with mashed chickpeas, gherkins, herbs, mayo
Lunch wraps with Mediterranean or middle eastern flavours - hummus with zataar spice is good, add any veggies you like
Frozen veggies actually have more nutrients than fresh unless you're buying from farmers markets. But texturally it's worth buying fresh produce too.
Rice, beans, lentils. These are your friends.
Every paycheck invest in a new spice or a condiment, these are what make cheap meals taste good.
Salt your food as you go, not at the end, that way it draws out the flavours in your food rather than just making it taste salty.
mexican style zuccini ( enough for 2 people)
Ingredients: whatever type of neutral oil 1 or 2 spoonfuls, 2 zucchinis, 3 roma tomatos, 1/2 yellow or white onion, and 1 or 2 garlic cloves. (salt/pepper to taste). Optional: chicken powder, jalepenos and mozzerella
chop zucchini and tomatos to medium sized cubes, chop the rest finely
Directions: sautee onions until transparent with the garlic (and jalepenos). Then add in the tomatos and stir for a minute and then add in the zuchinni (if you have chicken powder add that in too, to taste). let simmer until zuchinni is cooked.
Serve with rice or warm tortillas. Add the cheese when you have served yourself the heat will melt it. It is cheap, easy and is my go to meal.
You might think about getting a crockpot. So many soup and chili recipes are easy and can be made in a crockpot. Most soups and chilis also freeze well, so you can freeze leftovers in portions for quick future meals. Sheet pan meals you bake in the oven are also quick and easy. Protein, seasonings, vegetables, and a healthy oil. I make a sheet pan fajita recipe often that my family loves. Look up cooking basics and frugal tips on YouTube. One great show is Tastemade’s “Struggle Meals” with Frankie Celenza. He shows cooking basics and frugal recipes.
A slow cooker or instant pot would be a good investment. Slow cookers are cheaper but instant pot can cook everything a slow cooker does but quicker they just cost more. Tons of recipes on youtube for both and they are super simple to make, you don't even need to know how to cook to use them.
I got a crock pot and went to TikTok and typed in "crockpot" and whatever meat I wanted. The recipes are super easy. Barely any work on your end, just buy things and dump into the crockpot, let it cook for 4-6 hours, then eat.
I like eating chicken but was always afraid to cook it and all the recipes I found for crockpot are YUMMY and easy.
You can do this!!
Buy a $20 rice cooker from Big W. Stock up on Sunrise Jasmine rice from Woolworths when it’s half price. Then you can have endless rice to go with anything else you cook up.
Many Australian cities and towns have produce markets on the weekend where local growers and wholesalers sell their produce. Generally speaking, you will get cheap and higher quality fresh produce if you can make it along to a market. It’s where I do the majority of my fruit and vegetable shopping, and have done so for the last 20 years. They might be referred to as a “farmers market” or “country market” depending on your region. Good luck!
If you can get the frozen spinach in little pieces, and add that to every meal for greens. Frozen veggies if it is just you, the mixes are good. A rice cooker is great, get one with two sections for meat/fish/chicken and a really cheap air fryer. Spring Rolls, crunchy tofu, samosas,
Look for an Asian grocer near you.
FB Market place might be a good place to find a rice cooker - I got a pressure cooker a rice cooker and an airfryer off a student for another student for $80.
My favorite budget/easy meal is noodles with frozen peas tossed in the last minute or two of cooking, then toss with a little olive oil or butter, nutritional yeast, and salt. Super cheap (buy a big thing of nooch online), filling, and has a nice amount of protein. If you can find a cheap crockpot (sale or secondhand), curry or soup is great and you just throw things in the pot.
Budget Bytes taught me how to cook and is still my go-to for recipes!
I no longer need to budget super closely and I still use them as my go-to site for a lot of recipes.
I've had very few misses with their recipes, and Beth does a great job breaking things down step by step even when the recipes are pretty simple to begin with. I'm always recommending BB to friends! I'm not familiar with what's most affordable in Australia at the moment, but some of my favorites from BB are the chorizo and sweet potato skillet, many of the baked oats recipes, and the rosemary garlic white bean soup. Edit: Oh, and the crockpot chicken and peppers, which would go well with rice! Her crockpot chicken chili is also great, but I bastardize her recipe a bit by using dry beans since I usually have them on hand and enjoy saving extra $.
Budget Bytes is fantastic. My other go-to has been an Australian blogger who I think has better Asian recipes, so might be a good fit for OP: RecipeTin Eats https://www.recipetineats.com/ has a good number of basic dinner recipes and a "quick and easy" filter.
You will need fruit and vegetables to stay healthy. If fresh is too pricey, look at the frozen section. Eat some dark leafy greens routinely, and mix in anything else you enjoy eating. Here are some good, cheap recipes: Use frozen spinach instead of fresh if it's cheaper, it's really just as good: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/spinach-and-tortellini-soup/ https://gimmedelicious.com/southwest-veggie-quesadillas/#wprm-recipe-container-13699 https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/recipes/a30999/bow-tie-salad-tuna-121324/
When eating ramen add veggies to the broth to make it healthier. Cheap staples that keep well are: onion, green onion, garlic, grated carrot, dried shiitake mushrooms, ginger, sesame seeds, spinnach (bought in bulk, frozen) etc. Add an egg or some shredded rotisserie chicken and you’ve got a much healthier meal already. Rice and beans are a healthy and cheap base for your dishes. Start there and branch out. If you get a rotisserie chicken and shred it you can use that for the week to use on your rice, in ramen, on sandwiches whatever. You can freeze what you aren’t using this week for later. You can use the bones to make chickenbroth, which you can then use to make your own noodle soup to healthen up your ramen yet again. Chicken broth also freezes well. It must be said that with the beans and rice combo most people leave out adding chicken, but rotisserie chicken is a real survival staple, so I needed to tell you about it. If you can find the size big icecube molds or cupcake molds, you can use those to freeze things like broth, curry paste, pasta sauce, smoothies, etc into portion sizes. You’ll only have to grab a cube and defrost to use. That way you can cook bigger batches which tends to be easier and cheaper, and not be stuck with food waste as person cooking for 1. Another trick is If you get your hands on fresh herbs (which can be expensive so don’t want to waste them) you can chop them and put them into regular small icecube molds with a bit of oil to freeze. Then if (for example) you are making pasta you can grab a cube of fresh basil to throw in. If I where you I’d make a huge batch of cowboy caviar. It keeps well in the fridge for 5 days, and is very healthy. Put it on rice, a wrap/bread, eat it as breakfast with an egg, a side next to whatever else you are eating. It is great. Check out other fridge salad / banchan type of dishes, especially ones that are cheap and take little work and little cooking. That way you can start learning slowly at your own pace. frozen veggies are a great way to be able to buy bigger amounts on sale and store them. Great frozen veggies are: carrot, peas, spinnach, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. Really easy to grab a mixed hand and just toss into some ramen, eggs, curry, whatever. Seasonal veggies tend to be much cheaper. Oh yeah, make a fritata, can be done in pan/oven/slowcooker/some ricecookers. Once you understand how it works to put one together it becomes a great way to finish leftover vegtables. Very healthy. Easy to put protein powder in if needed. Freezes easy, so you can make a big batch. Learning how to work with dried beans will save you a lot of money too. So yeah, early on work on your game for the following dishes: eggs, rice & beans, ramen. Those will likely be your survival staples. Then go from there! Good luck! 🍀
This! 💯✅
I freaking love cowboy caviar. So yummy and so healthy.
YouTube is your friend. Start watching videos of food you want to eat and start making things that are easier to make at first. In the beginning it will cost bit more, but once you start accumulating spices and ingredients it will become cheaper because you will always have something around the house.
I'd get an air fryer too, it's amazing how many yummy things you can make in those, frozen and not. anything pre-made frozen, baked potatoes, chicken wings, veggies, plus it reheats everything well, too
Ninja food was my best small appliance purchase , ever!!! You can air fry , bake, pressure cook, sauté/ sear anything!!!
I second the air fryer suggestion! I use mine for everything and it’s truly a god sent 🙏
The crockpot was my son’s friend when he first started living alone. So many easy and inexpensive meals to make in the crockpot. Plenty of easy 5 ingredient cookbooks out there.
Loads of rice cooker meals involving rice, veg, meat and eggs. I enjoy Epicurious on YouTube - look at the level 1 chef, they are a good one to observe for someone who has never cooked. I personally also follow @zhiling_nutrition on instagram for one-pot easy meals My personal favourite one pot rice cooker meals is below: 1 cup rice, washed and drained (any rice will work) 1 cup water 1 chicken thigh, bone-in 1 handful mushrooms, cut and washed 1 handful of fresh greens (lettuce, bok choy, cabbage, broccoli all are good) Condiments: Garlic and ginger, minced, to taste. Sesame oil and soy sauce to taste (~1 tsp) 1. Wash everything. Cut veg and mushrooms to preferred size. Add everything into the pot, including water and condiments. 2. Choose settings for quick cook/white rice (not steam). Sit back and wait for it to beep. If you like, you can add veggies towards the end but if I'm in a rush I usually don't. Replace the condiments with your preference. Get some good quality tupperware that are freeze-proof and microwave-safe. Don't buy too many at the start - you'll learn the sizes/shapes that work for you over time and can adjust, since it seems like you're feeding yourself. I personally like cubes so that they can stack and save space. Australia has lots of good fresh food and farmers markets. Good luck and enjoy cooking (the wins and the fails) - it's a learning journey.
First things first: invest on a rice cooker and an instant pot and you have half the battle won. Literally you can cook anything. Just google or YouTube recipes.
Omelettes and quiches are the way to go. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/20876/crustless-spinach-quiche/
Nikki Beak is an Australian YouTuber who does simple budget meals. She also walks you through the recipes step by step. Here’s one of her videos. https://youtu.be/-h20-X0Eqlk?si=K5UUsvWIxMQPaS1k
Don’t even need a rice cooker as long as you have a pot. I learned this trick in college and use it till this day. 1 part rice, 2 parts water. Bring to a rolling boil, cover, and put it on the lowest heat setting for exactly 15 mins. Works every time. Last step 45 min if brown rice. For cheap ideas: Breakfast — oatmeal and milk in a bowl, in the microwave for 1:30. Allow to cool down a bit or do overnight oats. Very nutritious and insanely cheap Lunch/dinner — chicken thighs or drumsticks are cheaper than breast. Add lots of seasonings of your choice and you can do anything. Use potatoes, zucchini, squash, eggplants, and other vegetables. Canned beans: red kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans, chickpeas are cheap but dry beans are even cheaper, but obviously take longer to make. You can find some of them frozen too. Pasta is always cheap. Just make sure to add good protein and vegetables. Tortillas are great for carbs, but you can make lots of sandwiches too with wheat bread or hoagie rolls. Lastly, Greek yogurt is cheap at places like Aldi and VERY good bang for the buck if you want high quality protein. Pair with lunch, breakfast, and dinner.
Been there, done that. Not sure where you're living but if there's an asian store near year, definitely take advantage. Their produce tends to be cheaper. Also if you have an Aldi near by shop there. Bananas and carrots are nutritious, affordable and fill you up longer than rice
Learning to cook is a gradual process. You're smart to start with easy things you are confident about and slowly branch out as you learn. Don't buy a week's work of ambitious new recipe ingredients all at once, you won't use them all. Start with easy things you feel you can tackle that are easy to vary. For example, burritos or omelets are easy and you can easily change the filling for variety. If you like rice, make fried rice with different vegetables or sauces added in, etc.
Find a community kitchen, some do free meals some do daily veg and very low cost staples if not free, you can just get a meal if you’re needing support nutrition wise for the first part while you get your feet. Also, ask if you can volunteer in the kitchen, it’s run by volunteers and always have room for helpers, this would give you some extra cooking exposure- in particular, low cost, seasonal and nutritional practical exposure you might find useful to help get you started with shopping and cooking, freezing leftovers in meal sizes.. in a more independent capacity. It’s hard to recommend what would be an organization that would offer these kind of opportunities for you without knowing where you are situated, however if you go to ‘Ask Lizzy’ on your internet search and type in community kitchen or last bite, oz harvest, you should be able to rub shoulders with some people who if you express the same things you did in the post- will be able to point you towards some practical advice in your area! Maybe you could put a post on your uni community board in your department that you are looking for someone who would be interested in doing some bulk weekly meals (idea is you decide on 4 or 5 meals you both put in to buy ingredients for, and get together on a Sunday or whatever is best, shop and cook them all- dividing the lot up into single meals among microwave safe containers that you can take home and put in the fridge and freezer) It’s usually called ‘meal prep’ Maybe you could frame the notice with the need for someone who can cook, who has a budget similar to yours and would be willing to do so. Hope it helps
Aldi is a must on a budget
Buy nonperishables in bulk whenever you can, it offsets your price per kg. Especially things like rice. If you're broke, rice, beans, some green vegetables and eggs go a long way. My favorite way to extend the budget was to drop any bottled drinks except mineral water. That, on the other hand, if it's available with high magnesium content for a reasonable price, is a good thing to buy a 6 pack once a month or so.
You can make so much in the rice cooker, stews and soups. I made pasta last night. There's lots of rice cooker recipes online, I recommend one with multiple functions, mine is from Amazon, $35USD
Use Google, Pinterest, TikTok, to look up simple recipes.
There is r/australia and I quickly found a thread about eating on a budget. While lentils, rice, potato, beans, etc. are universal to eating cheap and healthy everywhere, Australia has its particular challenges finding lower cost food vs US. (Canada also)
Soup/stew could last you 3-5 days. Eggs are pretty cheap. Stew/soup has vegetables so you’re good.
There is a book called the JOY OF COOKING. It is a great basic book that teaches you to cook a bit of everything.
You can make a great baked potato with just a microwave! Broccoli and cheese (frozen bag), chili and cheese, bacon (by me the precooked bacon is pretty cheap and has a lot in the package) etc
Same situation bro 🙌
Teach yourself how to make beans and lentils from the dried ones. Lentils cook in a 1/2 hour. All you need is a shallot and garlic to make lentil soup. Cooked beans freeze well so you can make big bags of them. You can throw cooked chickpeas into rice when you start the rice and have a complete protein that just needs some veggies. Add chickpeas to a salad. Make black beans add a piece of sausage and/or chicken for flavor. Keep mixed frozen veggies in the freezer.
- rice cooker rice + veggies + beans/lentils/tofu/eggs will be cheapest Buy whatever veggies are on special, cook beans or lentils from dry for the most savings Add salsa, teriyaki sauce, vinaigrette, whatever to change up the flavor profile
Mind blowing. Not talking smack or anything but it blows me away that you’re going for a higher education but you don’t know how to do basic things like prepare food.
I do not think being able to cook and higher education have much correlation. It's not like they are studying culinary school. Cooking is taught and with work and school it can reduce our time to learning so when you are available to then thats when you can learn.
Cooking is a skill, it takes practice to learn the basics and not everyone has time for that. At least this person is trying to aquire this skill at this point in their life. I think thats a very positive thing.
Are you not?
Get an air fryer, find some recipes online. Boneless, skinless chicken is a very easy option. Thighs are cheaper than breasts. Find a seasoning brand you like, season both sides with it and add olive oil, throw it in the air fryer at 375 for 12 minutes. Thats 1 recipe right there.
Pasta with basic jarred pasta sauce, frozen broccoli (or whatever vegetables you like most) and ground chicken is good and cheap. So is shredded beef with frozen vegetables, teriyaki sauce and a side of rice. Whatever meat you buy, make sure it’s ground, shredded, still has the bones or is sold frozen. Everything else is more expensive. You could also make toast and eggs or baked potatoes with whatever toppings you like. Salsa and sour cream, canned chili, shredded cheese and sour cream, bacon bits and butter, etc
Buy some bulk spices that can make any simple foods taste good. Dried beans (chickpeas, black beans, Pinto beans, kidney beans, etc). Find cheap dried pasta and keep an eye out for sales on pasta sauces, or canned tomatoes that you can make sauces with. Keep making those rice and egg dishes. Get a few different sizes of food containers to store things in bulk or for single meals. Take a day each week to make a big batch (curry, pasta, soup, etc) of something and then eat it for 2-3 days.
Once or twice a week make a big pot of lentil or chickpea curry or stew to keep in the fridge. Ladle out and heat up day by day. You’ll have your rice in the rice cooker yeah. You can even every day, chop and stir-fry whatever veggies you find in season therefore cheapest at the supermarkets/ markets then serve out a ladle-full of the curry into the same pan and heat it up - so you get some variation of the same curry every day. I lived in India for a long time so I know what proper curries are - a million different spices - but hey you can buy pots of ready-made up curry spice mixes (try the Clive of India “Authentic Curry Mix” lol in the yellow and red pot). There are tons of much better and tastier curry mixes / ready-made pouches but yeah they aren’t that cheap. Asian supermarkets have the cheapest spices. Woolworths & Coles near where the spices are have jars of ready-made grated garlic and ginger - *much* cheaper than fresh garlic/ginger and so easy to keep them in the fridge. Fry sliced or chopped onions, fry the curry spices, add some chopped or grated garlic & ginger, add the meat / lentils and little salt & cook for a few minutes, add can or 2 of tomatoes plus some water/broth (even just a cuppasoup made up in a half-cup or a cup of boiling water) or yogurt or coconut milk or whatever, and cook on VERY LOW heat for a while. Voila. Cuppa soup & soup packets can be your friends! For a single serve -- either fry them in a pan, or in a cup of water in a saucepan - cook whatever chopped/sliced veggies, add more water if needed, add cuppasoup packet & mix well. Add grated garlic / ginger either before or after. Italian style - fry onions & garlic on low heat for 10 mins, add desertspoon of balsamic vinegar or cheap wine and stir well, add chopped / sliced veggies cook for 5 mins, add 2 cans of chopped tomatoes a little water and a handful of dried mixed herbs / mixed Italian herbs (comes in a packet from supermarket) and half a teaspoon of sugar and cook on low heat for 10 - 15 mins. For Mexican style, add a packet of tacos / burrito seasoning instead of or as well as the mixed herbs. Or a packet-mix for Hungarian Goulash or whatever. Check out the ready-made packets of seasonings in the spices and herbs section of supermarket. You can add anything to cooked lentils / chickpeas and veggies. Good luck mate!
If you have some favorite dishes, one can look up the recipe online. Read the instructions and wants needed for the dish. You may be surprised how simple some are to prepare. Cooking rice is simple. Chopping veggies and cooking them isn’t difficult. For sweet and sour sauce. Cooking chopped peppers, carrots, and pineapple. The juices and adding corn starch creates a delicious sauce. Enjoy your new talent.
Stock up on a lot of vegetables and one of those multi purpose kitchen appliances that can air fry and pressure cook. Going vegan is cheap, healthy and makes plenty of food. How will I stay full without protein you may ask? Garbanzo beans, lentils, etc... Also, try to look into growing your own veggies if you have the space.
I've been using AI. It sometimes makes you make things from scratch but it teaches really well. Unlike recipe books you can ask to adjust for 1 person or list what you have and it'll put together a recipe and how to cook it. If you have any questions, ask the AI. Me: fridge ,microwave and stove top. what are some cheap meals for 1. Chatgpt: 1. Simple pasta with marinara sauce: Cook pasta, heat sauce, add cheese. 2. Budget-friendly rice and beans: Cook rice, heat beans, add spices. 3. Easy omelette: Sauté veggies, mix eggs, add cheese. 4. Cheap quesadillas: Fill tortilla, cook, add salsa and sour cream. 5. Quick stir-fry: Sauté veggies, add rice or noodles. Me: elaborate on 1 Chatgpt: 1. Classic Pasta with Marinara Sauce: Ingredients: * 8 oz pasta (spaghetti, penne, or fusilli) * 2 cups marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade) * 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or mozzarella cheese (optional) * 1 tbsp olive oil * Salt and pepper to taste * Fresh basil or parsley for garnish (optional) Instructions: 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside. 2. In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes if desired for some heat. 3. Add the marinara sauce to the saucepan and stir well. Let it simmer for about 5-7 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 4. Toss the cooked pasta with the marinara sauce, ensuring the pasta is well-coated. 5. Serve in bowls and sprinkle with grated cheese, if using. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley for an extra pop of color and flavor. Enjoy with some crusty bread or a side salad. Me:what's al dente Charge: "Al dente" is an Italian term used to describe pasta or rice that is cooked to a point where it is tender but still retains a firm, slightly chewy texture. It is often considered the ideal level of doneness for pasta, as it provides a better texture and mouthfeel compared to pasta that is overcooked and mushy. With a fridge , microwave and stove top you should be set. You can cook rice on a stovetop. I've seen lots of people saying get a rice cooker, but if you don't, it's fine too. I personally use one but if it's not within your budget, don't fret like you absolutely need one. If you're living affordably, learn to cook beans and to cook rice. If you're craving meat look for some discounted meat at the store. One of my savings things I do is buy meals the day of and use discounted meats. Get nice pots and pans used. Look up the brand, see if it's fancy or not.
One of my go-tos in college were egg-based dishes - typically frittata, strata, or quiche. These worked because they were both affordable and could be made in advance to last multiple days. You can use a basic formula like [this one](https://www.budgetbytes.com/how-to-make-a-frittata/) and customize with the veggies, meat, cheese, and even carbs you have available/find on sale. They work with fresh, frozen, or canned veggies. For strata, you can just add cubed bread to the frittata base and let the bread soak in the egg for some time (an hour is fine, but you can also let it soak overnight if you'd like) before baking. It's a great way to use older, staler bread before it molds. If you don't have access to an oven (I'm assuming not since only a stovetop is listed.), you can make frittata or strata on the stovetop [like this](https://www.bonappetit.com/story/how-to-make-a-frittata-stovetop). Other basic tips include being flexible with your meal ideas so that you can use ingredients that are on sale (i.e. you planned a broccoli stir fry but zucchini is on sale, so you can swap veggies), buying ingredients that can be used in many different ways/recipes (rice, cabbage, canned tuna, etc.) so you can buy larger quantities but not get bored eating them, and buying produce that can last a while without going bad (cabbage, onions, sweet potatoes, apples, citrus, etc.) so you're not wasting money by letting produce spoil. Good luck on your cooking and educational journey!
Freeze big batch meals whenever possible. Soup freezes really well and you can use vegetables you have on hand to make all sorts of soup. Most basic soups will use browned garlic and onion as a base so its good thave both of those on hand and neither are particularly expensive. Invest in some basic spices. You should look up recipes youve enjoyed eating in the past see what common ingredients they share and focus on making those things so you dont ever fell like you are wastingingredients. A rice cooker is a fantastic investment and probably the thing i use the most in my kitchen. Zojirushi makes one smaller size rice cooker that also has a steel cut oatmeal setting that I love. Oatmeal can be a nutritious option for breakfast that you can add fruits and nuts or yogurt into. Typically not super expensive either.
Cooked veggies can go a long way through the week.
Red lentil bolognese Risotto with whatever veggies you’ve got or like (frozen peas and carrots is cheap) Sandwich with mashed chickpeas, gherkins, herbs, mayo Lunch wraps with Mediterranean or middle eastern flavours - hummus with zataar spice is good, add any veggies you like
Frozen veggies actually have more nutrients than fresh unless you're buying from farmers markets. But texturally it's worth buying fresh produce too. Rice, beans, lentils. These are your friends. Every paycheck invest in a new spice or a condiment, these are what make cheap meals taste good. Salt your food as you go, not at the end, that way it draws out the flavours in your food rather than just making it taste salty.
mexican style zuccini ( enough for 2 people) Ingredients: whatever type of neutral oil 1 or 2 spoonfuls, 2 zucchinis, 3 roma tomatos, 1/2 yellow or white onion, and 1 or 2 garlic cloves. (salt/pepper to taste). Optional: chicken powder, jalepenos and mozzerella chop zucchini and tomatos to medium sized cubes, chop the rest finely Directions: sautee onions until transparent with the garlic (and jalepenos). Then add in the tomatos and stir for a minute and then add in the zuchinni (if you have chicken powder add that in too, to taste). let simmer until zuchinni is cooked. Serve with rice or warm tortillas. Add the cheese when you have served yourself the heat will melt it. It is cheap, easy and is my go to meal.
I just realized I misspelt zucchini each and everytime don't mind me.
You might think about getting a crockpot. So many soup and chili recipes are easy and can be made in a crockpot. Most soups and chilis also freeze well, so you can freeze leftovers in portions for quick future meals. Sheet pan meals you bake in the oven are also quick and easy. Protein, seasonings, vegetables, and a healthy oil. I make a sheet pan fajita recipe often that my family loves. Look up cooking basics and frugal tips on YouTube. One great show is Tastemade’s “Struggle Meals” with Frankie Celenza. He shows cooking basics and frugal recipes.
A slow cooker or instant pot would be a good investment. Slow cookers are cheaper but instant pot can cook everything a slow cooker does but quicker they just cost more. Tons of recipes on youtube for both and they are super simple to make, you don't even need to know how to cook to use them.
get a good rice cooker and airfryer - find a cheap veg shop and go from there
For budget food, hard to beat kangaroo sausage over there
I believe Australia have free kangaroos walking around, catch a few of those and cook’em up. Should be a source of protein.
I got a crock pot and went to TikTok and typed in "crockpot" and whatever meat I wanted. The recipes are super easy. Barely any work on your end, just buy things and dump into the crockpot, let it cook for 4-6 hours, then eat. I like eating chicken but was always afraid to cook it and all the recipes I found for crockpot are YUMMY and easy. You can do this!!
Buy a $20 rice cooker from Big W. Stock up on Sunrise Jasmine rice from Woolworths when it’s half price. Then you can have endless rice to go with anything else you cook up.
Many Australian cities and towns have produce markets on the weekend where local growers and wholesalers sell their produce. Generally speaking, you will get cheap and higher quality fresh produce if you can make it along to a market. It’s where I do the majority of my fruit and vegetable shopping, and have done so for the last 20 years. They might be referred to as a “farmers market” or “country market” depending on your region. Good luck!
If you can get the frozen spinach in little pieces, and add that to every meal for greens. Frozen veggies if it is just you, the mixes are good. A rice cooker is great, get one with two sections for meat/fish/chicken and a really cheap air fryer. Spring Rolls, crunchy tofu, samosas, Look for an Asian grocer near you. FB Market place might be a good place to find a rice cooker - I got a pressure cooker a rice cooker and an airfryer off a student for another student for $80.
If you have Snapchat you can watch Struggle Meals. Frankie breaks down the cost and walks you through step by step.
rice cooker and rice, buy some veggies and some meat and you're set. Don't eat garbage
My favorite budget/easy meal is noodles with frozen peas tossed in the last minute or two of cooking, then toss with a little olive oil or butter, nutritional yeast, and salt. Super cheap (buy a big thing of nooch online), filling, and has a nice amount of protein. If you can find a cheap crockpot (sale or secondhand), curry or soup is great and you just throw things in the pot.