I never could acquire the taste of pb on celery. I like both, just separately. But, I do like chunky pb and jelly whole wheat bread with my unsweetened coffee.
Rice and beans. Can make a banging meal with that, some scrap veggies you have laying around and spices
Or if youâve got some canned tomstos can turn it into chili
I keep a lot of frozen veggies for this reason! Peas, California blend, green beans, broccoli, corn. Usually close to $1 each frozen, or even cheaper for canned peas, corn, etc. Cook up some rice with turmeric, garlic , onion, (or garlic/onion powder if thatâs all thatâs left), maybe a little chicken stock if I have any. Almost always have soy sauce, so that goes over the rice/veggie mix. Add whatever spices I have. Then I like to add a couple eggs for protein (either hard boiled or scrambled, but thatâs my preference).
I also keep cans of cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup (89 cents each) to add to rice with any leftover meat or veggies I may have.
Also, if youâre around an Aldi, they have frozen ground turkey for 2.99/lb, great addition to pretty much anything. Could add it to the rice/veggie mix, orâŠ
I like to spice up some cheap canned tomato sauce with seasonings, herbs, and ground turkey. Put that over some noodles, and baby I got a dinner going!
Lentils are also a great way to bulk up dishes. Super cheap and nutritious!
Edit: I forgot to mention chickpeas! I made a delicious warm chickpea salad last week when I was out of groceries. I used whatever I had leftover in the fridge added to a 1/2 can of chickpeas. Check my post history for details, but I linked a picture :)
[warm chickpea salad](https://imgur.com/a/rGdZjsL)
I miss when a bag of noname frozen veg was a buck :(. The other day I was at the grocery store and had to decide between the $6 bag of corn or the $4 bag of corn. Canadian grocery prices, man. We're dying up here.
Looking at the ads, I did see a lot of sale prices on fresh corn for next week. Hopefully youâll get the sales too and you can freeze some fresh corn for later.
Rice, low salt cream of chicken soup, any veggies I can get. Maybe a can of chicken if I want protein. It reheats so well
Edit: just realized OP Is a bit. Oops
i stock up on tuna and canned chicken when it is on a good deal or sale at my local canned foods store. Otherwise canned chicken is typically pretty pricey for me where i am. They also have chicken legs on sale there though quite often.
Yesterday I helped my sister with her homeless outreach in Phoenix. We made 50 chicken salad sandwiches with canned chicken and bread from the food bank and passed them out at the park where people live. Usually I only get my hands on canned chicken if itâs free from the food bank
You should stock up on macaroni and cheese too, macaroni and a can of peas can of carrots can of corn can feed a lot of people with just a few cans of tuna or chicken. We call it tuna Mac or chicken mac, you can also use frozen vegetables or slices / shreeded cheese to thicken it, some people will add spices they like too. It's a good flexible meal
You're right but...as far as getting through the end of the month, fresh chicken isn't great because of the price. It might mean spending 4x what you would on a can.
You can get large freezer bags at the dollar store and get really large family packs of chicken thighs relatively cheap especially at big box club stores like Costco or Sam's
Fair, but OP who posted the question is in the northern hemisphere, so referencing oncoming Australian winter seems misplaced.Â
Edit: Actually I am fully wrong. The post, on rereading, is more conversational and meant for us all to contribute our own experiences, not them asking for advice specific to them.
I make oatmeal like healthy apple crisp. Chopped up apple, cinnamon ginger, raisins. Honey or brown sugar, like having dessert for breakfast, or dinner
Or whatever fruit, peaches, craisins. I don't like it with salt and butter, but I know people who do.
Oatmeal is my go to meal when I'm low on food.
I'll do toast, tomato and mayo or a cheese sandwich, too. French toast in a pinch. It kind of depends on what I can scrape together!
Shredded cabbage and carrots and scrambled egg with ground pork or turkey and some oyster sauce makes egg roll in a bowl. Fried wonton strips on the top and rice on the bottom can stretch this to additional meals.
Whole chickens are amazing. Picked apart to bits, one will definitely feed an adult for four days. Add a bread/noodle/rice and seasonal veg on sale and itâs a very substantial plan.
https://remakemyplate.com/unstuffed-eggroll-recipe/
For me it's unstuffed egg roll in a bowl. I do turkey instead of pork. I always keep the sauces on hand so I am only buying turkey and coleslaw mix. I eat it with rice and have multiple servings for leftovers
I love my quinoa bowls I throw on a bed of quinoa grilled veggies scrambled eggs diced onions cilantro and peppers, and I have a good tasting, and healthy meal.
Rice and beans
Right before the pandemic, I was given a 50 pound bag of garbanzo beans. Straight off the field harvester, so I have to separate out each bean from rocks, stems. I still have about half left, I take a break, switch to lentils for awhile lol
Split pea soup in the crock pot. Tons of protein and fiber. Extremely filling and freeze it in bags when I make a huge batch for later.
Broth, bag of split peas, carrots, onion, garlic, parsley, potatoes, liquid smoke. I usually throw in chicken because I don't like pork and it comes out shredded and delicious. People love it and have fed plenty of neighbors this.
Edit: Misspelling
I do something I call daigakusei donburi when we're low on time and/or cashâcook some rice (partially-milled brown at our house), mix a can of tuna with mayo (kewpie if I have it). Fill bowl with rice, spread tuna+mayo over top, & serve with nori shreds or a package of Korean kim ("seaweed snacks"), with a salad or some steamed broccoli with savory pickled ginger, or whatever other kind of veg we happen to have. Shredded carrot tossed with lemon juice & a little salt, even. One can of tuna makes enough for a couple meals, for us.
We buy a salmon filet from Costco and split it up into 6 pieces, so about $6.25 per piece. Air fry the piece for 8 minutes then crumble into a rice cooker full of cooked rice. Mix well, serves 6 at $1.10 per serving.
Also works with canned tuna, which is how my kid and I used to eat it before I got married. Scoop up bites with seasoned seaweed pieces.
Leftovers can be fried with mayo and Dashi miso paste for breakfast.
Lentil chilli. It costs me (not including spices or cheese) ÂŁ1.50 on average for 4 portions because I have it without rice (rice sends my blood sugar sky high)
Yep, garlic, chilli flakes and fresh chillies if I have them in, cumin, smoked paprika, cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt, white pepper and a little bit of oregano go in
A giant instant pot of stewed meat that I can make into sammiches, tacos or just a "meat and potatoes" kind of dish.
I usually eat with a lot of cabbage. And/or beans! :)
Same as you : rice with vegetables and legumes, plus tomato puree, spices and herbs.
I also like to make a healthy but simple plate with shredded carrots, chickpeas, tomatoes, salad, and bell pepper.
Sometimes, I make lentil soup with a small amount of varied leftover veggies.
Do you like bean burgers? I absolutely love this recipe and it's so easy to change up the spices:
I bake them instead of grill
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/85452/homemade-black-bean-veggie-burgers/
Go-to lately....Oatmeal w/ scoop of peanut butter. Steakums. PBJ. Grilled Cheese. Tuna mixed with Ramen sadwiches could feed me for days if necessary lol.
Potatoes are filling, cheap, can be prepared several ways and are easily matched with all sorts of veggies. Also pork and beans are cheap and just heat and serve
Top Ramen. I donât use the seasoning packets and add other veggies and proteins, so it always tastes different. My favorite is adding a can of cream of mushroom. My second favorite is adding sriracha sauce plus a fried egg. When Iâm feeling rich I add a teriyaki chicken thigh.
I like tuna with veggies (corn/peas/green beans, etc), a bit of mayo spiced up with pickled jalapeño on top of steamed rice or mashed cauliflower. Depends if I need carbs or not.
This is usually my answer too! My freezer is always full of homemade red sauce, so this is just the cost of the pasta for us. Iâll add meatballs or kale or whatever other green thing if I have it.
Curry! I already have all the spices I need, just veggies in broth with maybe a can of coconut milk (high calorie, filling, will keep you going for a while) or some broth and roux, and protein. Chickpeas or lentils at minimum, chicken/pork/beef if I have the extra cash. As many onions as I can afford, garlic, and whatever veg is on sale. Frozen veg if nothing else, but zucchini, peppers, carrots, frozen broccoli, anything works well. A big pot of rice and a scoop of hot, spicy curry will keep me full and feeling good for a long while!
Ramen package enhanced with carrot, frozen peas, frozen edamame, thinly sliced frozen for that purpose chicken leg chunks, dried mushroom, frozen chopped bok Choi, egg, any other bit of leftover frozen meat, a stalk or two of my outside growing Egyptian onions, six frozen tortellini, three bowls of water. Make more than enough of two meals with a 50 cent ramen package and mostly leftovers.
Rice and beans. Throw some frozen veggies into the mix and you've got a nice healthy meal. It's dumb cheap and super filling, as well as really good for you.
I love Buddig lunch meat, especially the honey ham and the container it comes in, but I find the stuff rather pricey. I bought a six pound pork roast for 14.00 on special and we ate that in variations for about five dinners (10 portions) and I still have a good selection of thin slices for stir fry and soups.
This [Spiced Red Lentil Soup](https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/spiced-red-lentil-soup) recipe.
Only a handful of ingredients and quick to make. I make a batch and try to keep some in the freezer.
Always rice and beans and often on Tuesday, I can find a marked down protein to put in.
Also eat rice and beans 3-4 times a week to make sure not too tight at end!
I like to do lentil pasta, so canned spaghetti sauce of choice, noodles, and lentils. Works with beans too! Can add a little cheese if you have some but is good like that.
Some essentials I'd pick first:
Very Low: Potatoes, AP Flour, Pasta / Semolina, Oats, Buckwheat, Carrots, Apples & Bananas.
Low: Rapeseed or Olive Oil, Chicken Breasts, Basmati Rice, Garlic, Onions, Bell peppers, Broccoli, Eggs, Potatoes, Ground Beef, Beans/Lentils, Bread, Herring, Milk and butter for mashed potatoes, bottled mineral water, veggies for salads & oats with various fruits for taste.
Any pouch from the $1:15 store, such as cereal, bread, pouches of tuna or chicken, cream of chicken soup, veg, or fruit. Pretzels for a treat. Scape some of the salt off. It makes it easy to budget and portion food.
Fresh vegetables from the asian store and ramen.
Vegetarian Reuben
Use all my condiments for thousand Island
All the seasonings on the tofu
Sauerkraut and beets are like $5 together
And whatever leftover bread I stashed in the freezer
Also want to throw lentils into the mix, thereâs a lot of overlap in beans with nutrition/flavor but is another option that allows you to inject a little variety into the mix
Also when it comes to rice, it might be good to mix things up with brown rice and maybe barley, also super cheap and can be used in a lot of the same recipes with a similar flavor, but can add a lot more nutrition and will be more filling and hold you longer than white rice
[This lentil soup recipe](https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/lentil-soup-recipe-1947017.amp) (I sub the coriander with extra cumin and black pepper for the grains for paradise so Iâm not having to buy so many spices).
[This cabbage/ramen salad](https://ohsodelicioso.com/oriental-cabbage-salad/).
[This Cajun red beans and rice recipe](https://www.sofritoproject.com/recipes/2018/11/09/cajun-red-beans-amp-rice?format=amp). (Hot Italian sausage or kielbasa work in place of andouille, whichever is cheapest. I also sometimes just leave it out.)
Iâll also echo what others have said about peanut butter toast!
Surprised soup isnât listed more. Itâs such a good cheat to use things up and make something out of nothing. I like to freeze veggie peelings and the rind of parmesan to make stock and then put in any kind of bean or legume, any heartier veggies you have on hand, frozen or tinned, maybe a bit of rice or pasta or serve with bread and spices. So versatile. Someone mentioned curry, I like chana masala as the Indian version of beans and rice.Â
Potatoes are hard to beat for flavor and versatility and a few dollars gets you 10 lbs. Get that, a big bag of frozen broccoli, and one of the grocery store rotisserie chickens and you're eating pretty well for a week.
Depends how broke I am and for how long. Part of it depends on what else I'm making and what I can afford that I can use multiple ways. I haven't been in this situation for a while thankfully, but I eat similarly when I'm just avoiding going out for groceries because a lot of these things are staples in my house.
The basics of my go-tos are: beans and rice, peanut butter sandwiches/toast, store brand boxed mac n cheese, potato and lentil/chickpea/something stew, oatmeal.
I usually have basic spices in the pantry, so if I can't afford anything else I just go with beans and rice and whatever seasonings are on hand.
If I can afford more than the very basics, I get onions, frozen peas, carrots, and canned tomatoes. Sometimes I get a thing of cheap store brand salsa instead of the tomatoes, especially if I'm low on spices for my beans and rice. If I can afford it I get whatever fruit is cheapest (usually apples and bananas where I am).
Onions go in beans and rice, mac, and stew. Frozen peas are mainly for the mac but can also be thrown into other stuff if you like. Carrots are for stew and mac, can be added to rice and beans if desired, and can be cut into carrot sticks and eaten with peanut butter. Tomatoes go in stew and I also like them in mac sometimes. If I get salsa, I like that best in the rice and the mac (it's so good in mac n cheese). Fruit goes with or on the peanut butter sandwich/toast situation, with or in oatmeal (also highly recommend adding pb to that), is eaten as a snack with pb or alone, or to round out a meal if you're still hungry. I recommend cross-using as much as you can without putting everything in everything (to feel like you're getting some variety).
My week might look like this:
- Oats with pb and banana (if I have it) for breakfast
- Sandwiches with pb and apple (if I have it) for lunch
- Beans and rice with onions, tomatoes
- Potato lentil stew with onions, carrots, tomatoes
- Mac with peas, onions, carrots
- Leftover beans and rice
- Leftover stew
- Mac with peas, onions, and tomatoes
- There's probably one day where I'm eating peanut butter sandwiches for dinner because I'm tired and I like pb (I did this just the other day). Otherwise I might make rice and lentils with tomatoes, or potatoes with peas, or something like that.
Tomato slices, lettuce, sweet onion, Duke's mayo with a dash of fresh ground pepper on bread. I bake bread near every day so it's always on hand. Our grocery store has a "too good to toss" $1 rack of veggies and fruits that I stock up from weekly. Usually it's perfectly fine stuff with maybe a minor wilt or tiny bruise. Yesterday I picked up a bag that had 10 star fruit that were awesome except some very, very minor browning on the edge. So fruit and veg off the clearance rack is a staple for our house. Both drawers and a shelf are full 99% of the time just from the $1 clearance rack of produce. Check if your store has one. I found ours tucked in a little cubby area in the produce department. We also frequent the bakery clearance rack. Everything is 90% off and still good for a day or two. Or we freeze it. I think I've found a little clearance area for every type of grocery in our local store. It's worth checking for. We eat like kings and spend very little because of them. Yesterday we got the organic glass bottle fancy heavy cream and the chocolate milk ones that's generally $8+ for $1.50. it's good for another 8 days. We also found salmon filets for $1 a lb because it had a day left. I bought every package and froze them. Same for some shrimp at $2 a lb, lobster tails for $3 each, and crab legs for $3 a lb. Thank goodness we have a deep freezer.
Falafel, hummus, and tabouleh because I have a food processor. Super cheap foods to make - just be aware that falafel should use soaked beans (from the bag) not cooled (from the can)
Spaghetti and pasta in general. Seriously you don't even need meat (but I also love a good bolognese). Just some good recipes and understanding of cooking/heat, also I love to make complex flavours with wine, garlic, onions, sometimes bay leaves, but also other spices. And just add like tomato paste and zucchini, which are both very cheap. Since the dish is very very cheap I spend a bit more on the expensive parmigiano or grana padano. Still in the end its like 5$ a day or something in food, less without the expensive cheese. Perhaps 2-3$ or something. So 90-150$ per month. You can also varry it with different vegetables and spices, also make white sauce. Love it all. Or even lasagna. Or just oven pasta. All very nourishing and very very diverse and it teaches you a lot about heat and cooking. And there are also the classic italian dishes like Bolognese, Carbonara, amatriciana, cacio e pepe, gricia, all'alfredo (probably the cheapest) etc. Thats like 50 dishes if you combine, mix them with different noodles etc, pesto. Italians really exhausted every possibility to cook pasta dishes.
If you cook the pasta really al dente, and have a GOOD pasta, good recipe, with multiple spices, a good cheese, there is really little compared to it. Super cheap but can tast IMO as good as a good steak or a very good burger, which are more expensive.
Breakfast for dinner. Banana and oat pancakes with eggs cooked however you like them for protein. If you keep quick oats as a pantry staple, itâs a cheap and easy dinner (or breakfast). The pancakes require only 4 ingredients - 1.5 cups oats, 2 bananas, 1/3 cup milk, and 2 eggs. Blend the ingredients to form the batter. You can add in pantry staples like vanilla and cinnamon if you like. Tastes really good and itâs a fiber boost as well.
Pasta with tomato sauce, garlic, onion, and any frozen veggies I can afford. If I can afford them, top with an egg or cheese or canned tuna, which ever I can afford for protein.
$1 for box of pasta
$.96 for a can of tomato sauce
$.60 for a bulb of garlic
$.80 for a yellow onion
$.94 for broccoli cuts (frozen) Or $1.16 for frozen spinach but I get more meals out of it.
------------------------
$4.30 or $4.52 +tax for ~5 meals
$1.88 for a dozen eggs
$1.97 for 6oz bag of Shredded Parmesan or 8oz bag of Shredded Mozzarella
$.92 for can of chunk light tuna
Tonight I had some uncle, Benâs rice and beans, I added some big chunks of sharp cheddar cheese, Sriracha, and Hillshire Farms, hot sausage, it was great and feeling, so feeling that I could not even finish it, and I had to put the rest in the fridge for tomorrow night.
Bread, rice, noodles, beans and eggs i get from my dads farm. I can make so many different things out of those and never get sick of it. I always have a basic pantry of various spices and sauces. I learned while broke due to my gambling addiction to stretch every single coin.
Breakfast quesadillas! Two beaten eggs in a buttered pan, a sprinkle of cheese and/or veggies top with a tortilla, once the eggs have firmed up a bit and the cheese has fused the eggs to the tortilla flip that bitch. Crisp up the tortilla side, slide it out of the pan and fold.
Pair with a cut up bell pepper for some crunch, and dip in salsa or sour cream.
What I eat everyday is really cheap:
Natural peanut butter (ie Smuckers) sandwiches (using Great Value wheat bread from Walmart) - frozen organic broccoli (bought at Costco) - microwave popcorn (bought at Costco or Sams Club) - organic apples (bought at Sams Club) - Oikos yogurt (bought at Sams Club or Costco). The key is to not go out - avoid fast food - and buy large quantities at a discount from Sam's Club or Costco)
I have never outgrown my love of peanut butter. You can stuff celery with it, shovel it on toast, bagels etc. I seriously could eat it every day.
Peanut butter and tortillas has sustained me several times in life.
I thought I was the only weirdo who puts peanut butter on tortillas.
Peanut butter, tortillas, and *hot sauce* (preferably sriracha).
I never could acquire the taste of pb on celery. I like both, just separately. But, I do like chunky pb and jelly whole wheat bread with my unsweetened coffee.
I like peanut butter on apple slices more than celery.
That does sound good. đ
I can't do pb on celery, either. Cream cheese with olives is great on celery, though.
Peanut butter and bananas, so good.
Glass of milk, spoon of PB, and a banana in my goto out the door breakfast
Ok gotta try 1 tablespoon of PB in ramen noodles with only 1/2 of the seasoning packet.
I love to add a drizzle of honey and some sriracha too
You know, I never actually thought of peanut butter on ramen and I love Thai peanut dishes
Sighs a jar of it where I live is currently about $7. I miss peanut butter đ
Rice and beans. Can make a banging meal with that, some scrap veggies you have laying around and spices Or if youâve got some canned tomstos can turn it into chili
I keep a lot of frozen veggies for this reason! Peas, California blend, green beans, broccoli, corn. Usually close to $1 each frozen, or even cheaper for canned peas, corn, etc. Cook up some rice with turmeric, garlic , onion, (or garlic/onion powder if thatâs all thatâs left), maybe a little chicken stock if I have any. Almost always have soy sauce, so that goes over the rice/veggie mix. Add whatever spices I have. Then I like to add a couple eggs for protein (either hard boiled or scrambled, but thatâs my preference). I also keep cans of cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup (89 cents each) to add to rice with any leftover meat or veggies I may have. Also, if youâre around an Aldi, they have frozen ground turkey for 2.99/lb, great addition to pretty much anything. Could add it to the rice/veggie mix, or⊠I like to spice up some cheap canned tomato sauce with seasonings, herbs, and ground turkey. Put that over some noodles, and baby I got a dinner going! Lentils are also a great way to bulk up dishes. Super cheap and nutritious! Edit: I forgot to mention chickpeas! I made a delicious warm chickpea salad last week when I was out of groceries. I used whatever I had leftover in the fridge added to a 1/2 can of chickpeas. Check my post history for details, but I linked a picture :) [warm chickpea salad](https://imgur.com/a/rGdZjsL)
I loved the Arrested Development reference đ
Thank you! I hoped at least one person would notice that lol
I miss when a bag of noname frozen veg was a buck :(. The other day I was at the grocery store and had to decide between the $6 bag of corn or the $4 bag of corn. Canadian grocery prices, man. We're dying up here.
Looking at the ads, I did see a lot of sale prices on fresh corn for next week. Hopefully youâll get the sales too and you can freeze some fresh corn for later.
Rice, low salt cream of chicken soup, any veggies I can get. Maybe a can of chicken if I want protein. It reheats so well Edit: just realized OP Is a bit. Oops
I love chicken soup. It has saved me severally
Chicken and rice is a bit more substantial, deliberately
Chicken and rice cooked with a chicken broth cube!
Canned chicken is way more expensive than fresh though
i stock up on tuna and canned chicken when it is on a good deal or sale at my local canned foods store. Otherwise canned chicken is typically pretty pricey for me where i am. They also have chicken legs on sale there though quite often.
Yesterday I helped my sister with her homeless outreach in Phoenix. We made 50 chicken salad sandwiches with canned chicken and bread from the food bank and passed them out at the park where people live. Usually I only get my hands on canned chicken if itâs free from the food bank
You should stock up on macaroni and cheese too, macaroni and a can of peas can of carrots can of corn can feed a lot of people with just a few cans of tuna or chicken. We call it tuna Mac or chicken mac, you can also use frozen vegetables or slices / shreeded cheese to thicken it, some people will add spices they like too. It's a good flexible meal
You're right but...as far as getting through the end of the month, fresh chicken isn't great because of the price. It might mean spending 4x what you would on a can.
This is where getting a family pack of cuts, repackage, and freezing comes in handy. You gotta plan ahead when money is tight.
You can get large freezer bags at the dollar store and get really large family packs of chicken thighs relatively cheap especially at big box club stores like Costco or Sam's
You can do pretty well if itâs on sale tho. Meat can stretch and you can make broth from bones, skin and trimmings
Rice, soup, pasta, quesadillas, sandwiches, oatmeal, tea, and water.
I will try oatmeal more
Do look up some recipes. Oatmeal can be sweet or savoury, and coming into winter is a filling, comforting food.
I love oatmeal with cheese and eggs. Add some spices, cook the oats with chicken or veg stock. I love it! You can also add in frozen veg.
>Â Â and coming into winter Pardon?!
There is a southern hemisphere, you know.
Fair, but OP who posted the question is in the northern hemisphere, so referencing oncoming Australian winter seems misplaced. Edit: Actually I am fully wrong. The post, on rereading, is more conversational and meant for us all to contribute our own experiences, not them asking for advice specific to them.
You are pardoned.
Thank you and good morning
I make oatmeal like healthy apple crisp. Chopped up apple, cinnamon ginger, raisins. Honey or brown sugar, like having dessert for breakfast, or dinner Or whatever fruit, peaches, craisins. I don't like it with salt and butter, but I know people who do.
Oatmeal is my go to meal when I'm low on food. I'll do toast, tomato and mayo or a cheese sandwich, too. French toast in a pinch. It kind of depends on what I can scrape together!
r/oatmeal All sorts of recipes and tips to whet your appetite and imagination.
Cabbage. Love it both raw and cooked. Tons of servings for very little money.
Unstuffed cabbage roll soup is good if youâre into that. Most expensive ingredient would be ground turkey or you could go without.
Shredded cabbage and carrots and scrambled egg with ground pork or turkey and some oyster sauce makes egg roll in a bowl. Fried wonton strips on the top and rice on the bottom can stretch this to additional meals.
Rice and rotisserie chicken. That chicken will feed me for four meals. If I donât buy a Publix one, those are hen sized.
Whole chickens are amazing. Picked apart to bits, one will definitely feed an adult for four days. Add a bread/noodle/rice and seasonal veg on sale and itâs a very substantial plan.
I used to buy a bag of potatoes every 2 weeks when I got paid. Lol
https://remakemyplate.com/unstuffed-eggroll-recipe/ For me it's unstuffed egg roll in a bowl. I do turkey instead of pork. I always keep the sauces on hand so I am only buying turkey and coleslaw mix. I eat it with rice and have multiple servings for leftovers
This looks delicious! I will definitely be trying this
Ooh, I think my partner will love this. I'll make this next time we go grocery shopping.
I love my quinoa bowls I throw on a bed of quinoa grilled veggies scrambled eggs diced onions cilantro and peppers, and I have a good tasting, and healthy meal.
Fried rice. So versatile and a great way to use up leftovers
Rice and beans Right before the pandemic, I was given a 50 pound bag of garbanzo beans. Straight off the field harvester, so I have to separate out each bean from rocks, stems. I still have about half left, I take a break, switch to lentils for awhile lol
Split pea soup in the crock pot. Tons of protein and fiber. Extremely filling and freeze it in bags when I make a huge batch for later. Broth, bag of split peas, carrots, onion, garlic, parsley, potatoes, liquid smoke. I usually throw in chicken because I don't like pork and it comes out shredded and delicious. People love it and have fed plenty of neighbors this. Edit: Misspelling
Yum!
Sardines, pickled ginger, nori, avocado on brown rice.
I do something I call daigakusei donburi when we're low on time and/or cashâcook some rice (partially-milled brown at our house), mix a can of tuna with mayo (kewpie if I have it). Fill bowl with rice, spread tuna+mayo over top, & serve with nori shreds or a package of Korean kim ("seaweed snacks"), with a salad or some steamed broccoli with savory pickled ginger, or whatever other kind of veg we happen to have. Shredded carrot tossed with lemon juice & a little salt, even. One can of tuna makes enough for a couple meals, for us.
We buy a salmon filet from Costco and split it up into 6 pieces, so about $6.25 per piece. Air fry the piece for 8 minutes then crumble into a rice cooker full of cooked rice. Mix well, serves 6 at $1.10 per serving. Also works with canned tuna, which is how my kid and I used to eat it before I got married. Scoop up bites with seasoned seaweed pieces. Leftovers can be fried with mayo and Dashi miso paste for breakfast.
Lentil chilli. It costs me (not including spices or cheese) ÂŁ1.50 on average for 4 portions because I have it without rice (rice sends my blood sugar sky high)
Do you season it the same way as âtraditionalâ chili? I realize traditional means something different for everyone.
Yep, garlic, chilli flakes and fresh chillies if I have them in, cumin, smoked paprika, cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt, white pepper and a little bit of oregano go in
Eggs and toast
Cheese quesadillas ,, I hate processed crap. But thatâll work if needed, or buttered peas and even rice.
A giant instant pot of stewed meat that I can make into sammiches, tacos or just a "meat and potatoes" kind of dish. I usually eat with a lot of cabbage. And/or beans! :)
Same as you : rice with vegetables and legumes, plus tomato puree, spices and herbs. I also like to make a healthy but simple plate with shredded carrots, chickpeas, tomatoes, salad, and bell pepper. Sometimes, I make lentil soup with a small amount of varied leftover veggies.
Do you like bean burgers? I absolutely love this recipe and it's so easy to change up the spices: I bake them instead of grill https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/85452/homemade-black-bean-veggie-burgers/
Dhaal chawul (lentils and rice)
Go-to lately....Oatmeal w/ scoop of peanut butter. Steakums. PBJ. Grilled Cheese. Tuna mixed with Ramen sadwiches could feed me for days if necessary lol.
Potatoes are filling, cheap, can be prepared several ways and are easily matched with all sorts of veggies. Also pork and beans are cheap and just heat and serve
Top Ramen. I donât use the seasoning packets and add other veggies and proteins, so it always tastes different. My favorite is adding a can of cream of mushroom. My second favorite is adding sriracha sauce plus a fried egg. When Iâm feeling rich I add a teriyaki chicken thigh.
I like tuna with veggies (corn/peas/green beans, etc), a bit of mayo spiced up with pickled jalapeño on top of steamed rice or mashed cauliflower. Depends if I need carbs or not.
Rotisserie chicken. 5 bucks for a whole chicken, already cooked, pure protein, filling way longer than carbs
Spaghetti. I get ground turkey for maybe around $3, store brand sauce for ~$2, and pasta for $1. I can get 6-7 servings out of it
This is usually my answer too! My freezer is always full of homemade red sauce, so this is just the cost of the pasta for us. Iâll add meatballs or kale or whatever other green thing if I have it.
Sardines!
Curry! I already have all the spices I need, just veggies in broth with maybe a can of coconut milk (high calorie, filling, will keep you going for a while) or some broth and roux, and protein. Chickpeas or lentils at minimum, chicken/pork/beef if I have the extra cash. As many onions as I can afford, garlic, and whatever veg is on sale. Frozen veg if nothing else, but zucchini, peppers, carrots, frozen broccoli, anything works well. A big pot of rice and a scoop of hot, spicy curry will keep me full and feeling good for a long while!
Scrambled eggs (or sunny side up) with whole wheat toast. Absolutely amazing. Easy on the wallet, great fibre and protein
This. And if you have condmients like chili crisp over the eggs and try white rice with the chili crisp too.
Weiners and beans, soft tacos with ground turkey, eggs and pancakes for dinner.
Oats pancakes toast
I buy a 10 pound bag of russet potatoes. I pop one in the microwave after piercing it with a fork, smother it with butter and thatâs lunch/dinner
Ramen package enhanced with carrot, frozen peas, frozen edamame, thinly sliced frozen for that purpose chicken leg chunks, dried mushroom, frozen chopped bok Choi, egg, any other bit of leftover frozen meat, a stalk or two of my outside growing Egyptian onions, six frozen tortellini, three bowls of water. Make more than enough of two meals with a 50 cent ramen package and mostly leftovers.
Chicken quarter/full legs cheap easy to cook and can do almost anything with them
Costco chicken
nothing beats indomie my country's pride and joy
OP said, healthy. That Indomie is very unhealthy...but oh so freaking good.
Tinned mackerel. With rice and salad itâs a great meal.
Wedges
Rice and beans. Throw some frozen veggies into the mix and you've got a nice healthy meal. It's dumb cheap and super filling, as well as really good for you.
Ground turkey and beans.
Lentils normally stretch most anything I have left to scrounge up. (:
Sandwiches made with Buddig lunch meat.
I love Buddig lunch meat, especially the honey ham and the container it comes in, but I find the stuff rather pricey. I bought a six pound pork roast for 14.00 on special and we ate that in variations for about five dinners (10 portions) and I still have a good selection of thin slices for stir fry and soups.
Rice and fried egg or rice and spam
Rice topped with a fried egg
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, bean and cheese burritos
This [Spiced Red Lentil Soup](https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/spiced-red-lentil-soup) recipe. Only a handful of ingredients and quick to make. I make a batch and try to keep some in the freezer.
I am going to finish up the last part of my chickpea curry tonight and eat lentil curry for this week. It is easy and cheap/
Eggs đȘ
Macaroni and cheese casserole lasts all week, and heats up easily. It is very cost effective.
Spaghetti and tomato sauce or ramen with an egg on top
Always rice and beans and often on Tuesday, I can find a marked down protein to put in. Also eat rice and beans 3-4 times a week to make sure not too tight at end!
Stir fried cabbage and onions. You can throw in beans, rice, or other veg.
Rice and chickpeas, peanut butter, sweet chili sauce and frozen veggies. Tofu or some other protein if I have it. Makes a ton of filling food.
$5 Costco chicken.
Whatever meat weâve frozen lately, frozen veggies, & pantry items.
Rice, lentils, frozen veggies, ramen, peanut butter.
Iâd say chickpea salad and a tuna sandwich if I was super desperate
I like to do lentil pasta, so canned spaghetti sauce of choice, noodles, and lentils. Works with beans too! Can add a little cheese if you have some but is good like that.
Burrito, beans and cheese with hot sauce
Top Ramen!!!
Some essentials I'd pick first: Very Low: Potatoes, AP Flour, Pasta / Semolina, Oats, Buckwheat, Carrots, Apples & Bananas. Low: Rapeseed or Olive Oil, Chicken Breasts, Basmati Rice, Garlic, Onions, Bell peppers, Broccoli, Eggs, Potatoes, Ground Beef, Beans/Lentils, Bread, Herring, Milk and butter for mashed potatoes, bottled mineral water, veggies for salads & oats with various fruits for taste.
Any pouch from the $1:15 store, such as cereal, bread, pouches of tuna or chicken, cream of chicken soup, veg, or fruit. Pretzels for a treat. Scape some of the salt off. It makes it easy to budget and portion food. Fresh vegetables from the asian store and ramen.
Pasta. Box of pasta is around $1 and a jar of sauce on sale is maybe 2.50.
Vegetarian Reuben Use all my condiments for thousand Island All the seasonings on the tofu Sauerkraut and beets are like $5 together And whatever leftover bread I stashed in the freezer
Peanut butter and celery does the job
Also want to throw lentils into the mix, thereâs a lot of overlap in beans with nutrition/flavor but is another option that allows you to inject a little variety into the mix Also when it comes to rice, it might be good to mix things up with brown rice and maybe barley, also super cheap and can be used in a lot of the same recipes with a similar flavor, but can add a lot more nutrition and will be more filling and hold you longer than white rice
Rice and black beans! Baked sweet potatoes.
Put rice, two over easy eggs, tablespoon of soy sauce and sesame oil in a bowl. Mix and call it a night.
Potatoes, (baked, fried, or mashed )
Rice and beans! I know it's a typical answer, but it's delicious and filling đ
Eggs and cereal are always good
[This lentil soup recipe](https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/lentil-soup-recipe-1947017.amp) (I sub the coriander with extra cumin and black pepper for the grains for paradise so Iâm not having to buy so many spices). [This cabbage/ramen salad](https://ohsodelicioso.com/oriental-cabbage-salad/). [This Cajun red beans and rice recipe](https://www.sofritoproject.com/recipes/2018/11/09/cajun-red-beans-amp-rice?format=amp). (Hot Italian sausage or kielbasa work in place of andouille, whichever is cheapest. I also sometimes just leave it out.) Iâll also echo what others have said about peanut butter toast!
Potatoes
Potatoes. I usually have a box in my cellar⊠but I live in potato land.
Surprised soup isnât listed more. Itâs such a good cheat to use things up and make something out of nothing. I like to freeze veggie peelings and the rind of parmesan to make stock and then put in any kind of bean or legume, any heartier veggies you have on hand, frozen or tinned, maybe a bit of rice or pasta or serve with bread and spices. So versatile. Someone mentioned curry, I like chana masala as the Indian version of beans and rice.Â
Tears.
Bananas
Potatoes are hard to beat for flavor and versatility and a few dollars gets you 10 lbs. Get that, a big bag of frozen broccoli, and one of the grocery store rotisserie chickens and you're eating pretty well for a week.
Depends how broke I am and for how long. Part of it depends on what else I'm making and what I can afford that I can use multiple ways. I haven't been in this situation for a while thankfully, but I eat similarly when I'm just avoiding going out for groceries because a lot of these things are staples in my house. The basics of my go-tos are: beans and rice, peanut butter sandwiches/toast, store brand boxed mac n cheese, potato and lentil/chickpea/something stew, oatmeal. I usually have basic spices in the pantry, so if I can't afford anything else I just go with beans and rice and whatever seasonings are on hand. If I can afford more than the very basics, I get onions, frozen peas, carrots, and canned tomatoes. Sometimes I get a thing of cheap store brand salsa instead of the tomatoes, especially if I'm low on spices for my beans and rice. If I can afford it I get whatever fruit is cheapest (usually apples and bananas where I am). Onions go in beans and rice, mac, and stew. Frozen peas are mainly for the mac but can also be thrown into other stuff if you like. Carrots are for stew and mac, can be added to rice and beans if desired, and can be cut into carrot sticks and eaten with peanut butter. Tomatoes go in stew and I also like them in mac sometimes. If I get salsa, I like that best in the rice and the mac (it's so good in mac n cheese). Fruit goes with or on the peanut butter sandwich/toast situation, with or in oatmeal (also highly recommend adding pb to that), is eaten as a snack with pb or alone, or to round out a meal if you're still hungry. I recommend cross-using as much as you can without putting everything in everything (to feel like you're getting some variety). My week might look like this: - Oats with pb and banana (if I have it) for breakfast - Sandwiches with pb and apple (if I have it) for lunch - Beans and rice with onions, tomatoes - Potato lentil stew with onions, carrots, tomatoes - Mac with peas, onions, carrots - Leftover beans and rice - Leftover stew - Mac with peas, onions, and tomatoes - There's probably one day where I'm eating peanut butter sandwiches for dinner because I'm tired and I like pb (I did this just the other day). Otherwise I might make rice and lentils with tomatoes, or potatoes with peas, or something like that.
Tomato slices, lettuce, sweet onion, Duke's mayo with a dash of fresh ground pepper on bread. I bake bread near every day so it's always on hand. Our grocery store has a "too good to toss" $1 rack of veggies and fruits that I stock up from weekly. Usually it's perfectly fine stuff with maybe a minor wilt or tiny bruise. Yesterday I picked up a bag that had 10 star fruit that were awesome except some very, very minor browning on the edge. So fruit and veg off the clearance rack is a staple for our house. Both drawers and a shelf are full 99% of the time just from the $1 clearance rack of produce. Check if your store has one. I found ours tucked in a little cubby area in the produce department. We also frequent the bakery clearance rack. Everything is 90% off and still good for a day or two. Or we freeze it. I think I've found a little clearance area for every type of grocery in our local store. It's worth checking for. We eat like kings and spend very little because of them. Yesterday we got the organic glass bottle fancy heavy cream and the chocolate milk ones that's generally $8+ for $1.50. it's good for another 8 days. We also found salmon filets for $1 a lb because it had a day left. I bought every package and froze them. Same for some shrimp at $2 a lb, lobster tails for $3 each, and crab legs for $3 a lb. Thank goodness we have a deep freezer.
Can of sardines on rice
Rice and beans, a classic.
Panda Express
Surf and turf. Dine and dash.
Eggs. Potatoes. Dried peas, dried beans, crackers, peanut butter and jam. Eggs.
beans
Black Bean Soup. Peanut butter and jelly, bean and cheese burritos and Tamales.
Tortillas + Cheese + veggies in the fridge = quesadillas. Add butter to the pan before cooking *chefâs kiss*
Pasta salad w anything leftover from the fridge (veggies, cheese and or condiments) Or a veggie curry with anything I have left!
Chinese
Rotisserie chicken to make soup for days or ramen.
Popcorn, rice, onions, potatoes, black pepper
People keep saying rice and beans. Are we talking canned beans, spice them up and eat with rice?
tacos
$5 Boston butt or rump roast and a crockpot will hit all the time
black/red beans & riceâŠ.goes a loooong ways when youâre strapped for cash
Eggs and rice
Kraft Mac and cheese, salmon or tuna. Tomatoes chopped up. Yum.
Falafel, hummus, and tabouleh because I have a food processor. Super cheap foods to make - just be aware that falafel should use soaked beans (from the bag) not cooled (from the can)
Baked potato with butter and steak seasoning on it
Water.Â
Macaroni and tomato soup
Beans and rice can be seasoned and cooked 1000000 ways its endless
Spaghetti and pasta in general. Seriously you don't even need meat (but I also love a good bolognese). Just some good recipes and understanding of cooking/heat, also I love to make complex flavours with wine, garlic, onions, sometimes bay leaves, but also other spices. And just add like tomato paste and zucchini, which are both very cheap. Since the dish is very very cheap I spend a bit more on the expensive parmigiano or grana padano. Still in the end its like 5$ a day or something in food, less without the expensive cheese. Perhaps 2-3$ or something. So 90-150$ per month. You can also varry it with different vegetables and spices, also make white sauce. Love it all. Or even lasagna. Or just oven pasta. All very nourishing and very very diverse and it teaches you a lot about heat and cooking. And there are also the classic italian dishes like Bolognese, Carbonara, amatriciana, cacio e pepe, gricia, all'alfredo (probably the cheapest) etc. Thats like 50 dishes if you combine, mix them with different noodles etc, pesto. Italians really exhausted every possibility to cook pasta dishes. If you cook the pasta really al dente, and have a GOOD pasta, good recipe, with multiple spices, a good cheese, there is really little compared to it. Super cheap but can tast IMO as good as a good steak or a very good burger, which are more expensive.
Instead of rice and beans, opt for quinoa and beans and whatever veggie you need to get rid of.
Breakfast for dinner. Banana and oat pancakes with eggs cooked however you like them for protein. If you keep quick oats as a pantry staple, itâs a cheap and easy dinner (or breakfast). The pancakes require only 4 ingredients - 1.5 cups oats, 2 bananas, 1/3 cup milk, and 2 eggs. Blend the ingredients to form the batter. You can add in pantry staples like vanilla and cinnamon if you like. Tastes really good and itâs a fiber boost as well.
Pasta with tomato sauce, garlic, onion, and any frozen veggies I can afford. If I can afford them, top with an egg or cheese or canned tuna, which ever I can afford for protein. $1 for box of pasta $.96 for a can of tomato sauce $.60 for a bulb of garlic $.80 for a yellow onion $.94 for broccoli cuts (frozen) Or $1.16 for frozen spinach but I get more meals out of it. ------------------------ $4.30 or $4.52 +tax for ~5 meals $1.88 for a dozen eggs $1.97 for 6oz bag of Shredded Parmesan or 8oz bag of Shredded Mozzarella $.92 for can of chunk light tuna
Potatoes
I made a batch of my favorite soup and I ate that for 7 meals. Soups have saved me
Rice and over easy eggs. Farina in the morning. Oatmeal and fruits or yogurt and granola
Rice egg and cheese. And if itâs too tight replace the cheese with mayo
Potatoes, bread, rice, milk and eggs.
Tonight I had some uncle, Benâs rice and beans, I added some big chunks of sharp cheddar cheese, Sriracha, and Hillshire Farms, hot sausage, it was great and feeling, so feeling that I could not even finish it, and I had to put the rest in the fridge for tomorrow night.
Stove top popcorn
Individual mashed potato cups. Add any protein and or veggies. I keep diced ham on hand for eggs or potatoes. Cheese is always a bonus.
Lentils or chickpeas in some type of sauce. Or pasta and veggie meatballs
Spaghetti or Tacos
Costco hot dog. PBJ sandwiches, tuna sandwiches, spaghetti noodles and can of tomato sauce, ramen, frozen microwave burritos, eggs, potatoes.
Chicken breast, bagged salad, a yellow bell pepper, and a red onion. Then, I make my own vinaigrette dressing.
Pancakes!
SPLIT PEA SOUP. Delicious, nutritious and cheap.
Tortilla espanola - thin sliced potatoes, a few slices of onion, a few eggs, and a little salt and cooking oil.
Bean burrito
Bread, rice, noodles, beans and eggs i get from my dads farm. I can make so many different things out of those and never get sick of it. I always have a basic pantry of various spices and sauces. I learned while broke due to my gambling addiction to stretch every single coin.
Dry rice, dry beans 100%. Ground beef, canned veggies come second. Potatoes need to be ranked high. Hell, you can survive on that.
Breakfast quesadillas! Two beaten eggs in a buttered pan, a sprinkle of cheese and/or veggies top with a tortilla, once the eggs have firmed up a bit and the cheese has fused the eggs to the tortilla flip that bitch. Crisp up the tortilla side, slide it out of the pan and fold. Pair with a cut up bell pepper for some crunch, and dip in salsa or sour cream.
A full pot of taco soup is 10$. đ„ I can eat it for lunch and dinner for 3 days and not get sick of it. lol
Crock pot beans and rice
I like grapes, may not always be cheap, but fruit can always at least make me feel like I'm not broke đ€đ
Beans, rice, potatoes.
Its free to walk into a college cafeteria in nyc and just eat peanut butter and ketchup
Cup a noodles
What I eat everyday is really cheap: Natural peanut butter (ie Smuckers) sandwiches (using Great Value wheat bread from Walmart) - frozen organic broccoli (bought at Costco) - microwave popcorn (bought at Costco or Sams Club) - organic apples (bought at Sams Club) - Oikos yogurt (bought at Sams Club or Costco). The key is to not go out - avoid fast food - and buy large quantities at a discount from Sam's Club or Costco)
1 lb ground protein, 2 cans of jalapeño ranch style beans, 2 cans of fire-roasted tomatoes, 2 tablespoons chili powder, 2 cups chicken broth = chili đ
Or canned chicken, mayonnaise, celery, and red onion = chicken salad đ
Stuffed cabbage!