Budget Meals

[eltonsha]

Even though we can afford it I started thinking about how much I spend monthly on groceries compared to people with bigger families and realized I needed to make some changes. I think that with it being a new year I should try to save even more money this year than last year and was wondering what are some budget meals that you use.

 

[newMrs.Robinson]

Same problem here except we are a family of 7. My kids don't want cheap food. We eat lots of fresh stuff including berries. They don't like ground beef at all and frown on chicken more than once a week. Yikes!

 

[eltonsha]

That has to be extremely hard. I am pretty lucky since we are only a family of three and my DS is 4.5 so he doesn't eat a ton, and he loves everything especially fruits and vegetables. The only idea I would have is to try and coupon or buy in bulk when things are on sale.

 

[pigletto]

I was just thinking about this. I do pretty good with a budget. The problem now is that we are trying to eat healthier and lose some weight. Leaner cuts of meat and more fresh fruit and veggies is simply going to cost more. However, by not having ice cream, pop and chips etc in the house I am sure I'll come out even. I need new menu ideas that will go with our new goals, so I am looking through recipes today.

 

[Northernlites]

Real food that everyone loves, shows the picture of the meals and the cost per serving. No fancy ingredients that no one can pronouce and healthy food. I bought my at bookcloseouts.com for $3.oo

 

[mjantz]

Crockpot meals can be economical. They don't all have to contain cream soups. My kids love when I make a roast with baby carrots & potatoes. I wait until I find a roast for about 50% off & we get a good meal & leftovers for a few days. My DD in particular is great about taking leftovers for her lunch. That's another way to keep costs down. I'm not as good as I would like on leftover management but I'm working to be better.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

I found that when we went vegan, my grocery bills dropped - no meat, no dairy, no eggs, and those are often the most expensive items people buy. Dried beans are about the cheapest form of protein out there, tofu is also inexpensive (and no waste), leaving more money for fruits and vegetables. We don't eat a lot of bread, but what we do have is made in my bread machine with a sourdough starter (saving money on yeast!).

To me, it's not just about saving money on food, it's about eating healthy food. By trying to avoid processed foods, and focusing on "real" foods (beans, nuts, seeds, fruit, vegetables, etc.) I am saving some money but also getting nutritious meals. My focus is on trying to make sure we all get the recommended servings of fruit and vegetables every day.

TP

 

[sarahlovesmickey]

Do you like different types of casseroles? Those can be very healthy and very filling. I have a large family and often I will just create casseroles either from various left overs or from ingredients I just have on hand. My family loves them---most of the time! LOL

 

[eileenrbl]

This year I am going to work harder at garden to table meals and skip the fast food processing - like boxed and canned goods.

 

[Marionnette]

Even though we can afford it I started thinking about how much I spend monthly on groceries compared to people with bigger families and realized I needed to make some changes. I think that with it being a new year I should try to save even more money this year than last year and was wondering what are some budget meals that you use.

Sometimes eating "cheap" is foolish when it comes to being healthy. Cheap meats like ground beef and hot dogs are horribly bad for you but they seem to be the go-to proteins for people trying to cut back on their grocery bill.

Beans and rice, quinoa, eggs (separate and use only half of the yolks), smaller portions of beef/pork/chicken and adding more vegetables to round out your plate can extend a budget but remain healthy.

The other quick fixes include eliminating bottled beverages, chips and cookies, luncheon meats and deli cheeses, bakery goods and convenience foods from your shopping trips. The more that you do "from scratch", the more control you will have over what you're putting in your mouth and the less you will spend at the check-out.

Learning how to slow cook the tougher cuts of meat will make them more palatable. Growing fresh herbs and using them to add punch to your recipes also helps. Soups and homemade breads make for great dinners on cold winter nights. They use less meat than you would include in a meat & potatoes dinner but they are very filling. They also use the pieces of meat that are too small or left over from other meals.

Lastly, assess how much food you're throwing out due to spoilage or because you made too much. Either adjust your recipes down so that you prepare less or else begin to freeze leftovers in easy to reheat portions.

 

[BeachLove]

If you're looking to just save some money start with drinks. Replacing soda with water would save money and it doesn't require much planning. Like revamping your meals would have. Are you just comparing your budget with the people on here? If the budget allows it, just eat the way you've been eating. I find that the budgets on here for a family is lower than what I spend on myself sometimes.

 

[Smile4Me]

What a great goal OP. i like to shop the ads and plan my menu around what is in season and what is on sale. For example whole Amish fryer chickens are on sale for .99 a lb this week. Ill pick up 2, cook one in the crock pot for dinner and have 2 veggie sides with it or rice and a veggie. The excess meat and bones will go into the stockpot for chicken noodle soup. The other chicken will get saved for another week or two and we will do the same thing and make chicken tortilla soup. A little variety plus saving money while eating healthy.

 

[newMrs.Robinson]

These are good tips. I tend to wander the grocery store and just buy what looks good. My first step is going to be eat what is in the house. It seems like after we grocery shop we don't even have room for the food because our cabinets are full of stuff we bought and didn't eat. Time to declutter and start fresh.

 

[eltonsha]

I spent December doing exactly that, trying to use what was in my pantry and freezer. I think the idea about the soda is a great idea not only will we save money but it would also benefit us health wise.

 

[mhsjax]

Sometimes eating "cheap" is foolish when it comes to being healthy. Cheap meats like ground beef and hot dogs are horribly bad for you but they seem to be the go-to proteins for people trying to cut back on their grocery bill.

Beans and rice, quinoa, eggs (separate and use only half of the yolks), smaller portions of beef/pork/chicken and adding more vegetables to round out your plate can extend a budget but remain healthy.

The other quick fixes include eliminating bottled beverages, chips and cookies, luncheon meats and deli cheeses, bakery goods and convenience foods from your shopping trips. The more that you do "from scratch", the more control you will have over what you're putting in your mouth and the less you will spend at the check-out.

Learning how to slow cook the tougher cuts of meat will make them more palatable. Growing fresh herbs and using them to add punch to your recipes also helps. Soups and homemade breads make for great dinners on cold winter nights. They use less meat than you would include in a meat & potatoes dinner but they are very filling. They also use the pieces of meat that are too small or left over from other meals.

Lastly, assess how much food you're throwing out due to spoilage or because you made too much. Either adjust your recipes down so that you prepare less or else begin to freeze leftovers in easy to reheat portions.

NOt all ground beef is cheap. I buy 97% lean and it isn't cheap. I do agree that the more you do from scratch, the better off you will be, it is so much cheaper. I also don't advocate using bread for anything, we consume way too much flour, same for potatoes, they aren't good for you, useless carbs. I guess what I am saying, OP I am sorry, I am just not aware of anything really that cheap these days. Food in general is way too expensive. I just try and catch things on sale, I use a lot of boneless skinless chicken breasts. Also we love fish, but it is so very expensive, especially for a family of 5 with teenage boys. I feel helpless sometimes. I refuse to load up on bread and potatoes, I also have a DD that is diabetic and she has put herself on a low carb diet, her Dr says she can eat the carbs she wants, but she feels better and stays full longer without the empty carbs.

 

[newMrs.Robinson]

Tomorrow I am going to do vegetable soup. My kids won't be thrilled but they will eat it. Soup starter pack, 3 cans of tomatoes, 2 cans kidney beans, corn, green beans, peas and carrots, and a hand full of pasta. That's quite a few cans and then we will use crackers that come in all the gift sets at Christmas.

 

[weeluvdisney]

I try to not used packaged foods and cream of something soup but this recipe is so good in my opinion. You could use homemade stuffing and homemade soup to make it healthier.
For a family of more then 4 you would want to double it.

1 chicken breast baked or poached and cut up in small pieces
1 package or broccoli partially cooked
put both in the bottom of a casserole dish and cover with cheese (I use american)
1 can of cream of ? soup (I use celery) mix with 1/4 cup of milk and pour over chicken, broccoli and cheese
meanwhile cook a box of premade stuffing (or make homemade)
put stuffing on top of other mixture-I bake covered for 20 minutes then uncovered for 5 minutes at 350.

This meal is about $4.00 if not a little less.

 

[weeluvdisney]

Also want to add that we use meat as an ingredient more then a main dish. I do alot of soups, stews and casseroles especially this time of year.

 

[DawnM]

We typically just try to stick to a meat, vegetable, and starch for dinners. I keep it simple. A few of us could stand to lose a few pounds and the creams and cheeses in a casserole type dish don't need to be used.

I can keep our costs fairly low if I don't buy the extras......juices, soft drinks, chips, expensive cereal, that sort of thing.

In the Tightwad Gazette, Amy talks about what she does......she makes everyone 6 ounces of meat for dinner, and then makes a lot of extra pasta, rice, potatoes or whatever the starch is. She limits the meat, but allows them to eat all the vegetables and starch they want.

Hungry for a snack? Heat up that leftover potato or rice and add some salt or butter and enjoy. 3 cups of rice is about .10. 3 cups of chips is about $3.

Homemade popcorn is also a very low cost snack.

 

[AmericangirlinFrance]

The biggest things are:
1) Make a meal plan, and base it around
2) The weekly sale at the store!

This saves a lot of money if you are not doing it already. BEFORE going grocery shopping, look over the weekly sale flier at the grocery store carefully - note particularly what meats and produce are on sale, and plan your weekly meals around that. I plan breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Also note when there is a good price on a staple you will use (i.e., pasta or cereal) and stock up. After doing this for a few months, you will have a good idea of what a "stock up" price is for things you buy frequently. I find that most grocery stores rotate their main items on sale every 4-8 weeks.

We also stretch our dollars by shopping at Aldi - I find meat and produce prices to be significantly cheaper.

If meat is on sale in a large package, I will divide it into smaller portions and freeze. I freeze some produce as well.

I also "stretch" meat with some filler, or just use less in general (you really can't tell a difference). For example, if I'm making a fast spaghetti meal, I used to make 1 lb of ground beef and mix with 1 jar of spaghetti sauce. Now, I use 1/3 lb of ground beef, and cook it with diced onions and peppers. I rinse and drain the beef well to remove fat, then add the sauce. The sauce still tastes rich and full of stuff (the onions and peppers), but you save money.

I also coupon.