Budget recipe ideas

[LilyWDW]

Hey all! So, the next couple of months I am on a super duper strict budget. I've already done all the math and I can make it just fine, but it's tight. If I want to put ANYTHING away (which I need to do as I have a cat with health issues so I need that emergency money), I have to count every single penny. This has already included changing my health insurance (which I did before), dropping my cable, and watching my grocery budget.

So, this is where I come to you all for help. I need some ideas of budget recipes and meal planning. I am used to be able to get just about whatever I want so this is a change for me. For the time being, my budget is $100 for 2 weeks for one person, but that also included OTC meds, personal items, pet needs (like litter, their food is a different budget since they eat prescription food), and household goods. I did great this week by shopping sales and using what I have, but it's going to be hard to keep a stocked pantry and freezer since I can't buy "just because" it's on sale for later.

Thanks in advance for any help you all can give. I really appreciate it!

 

[Hikergirl]

I was just at Aldi's the other day and they had $3 off their whole chickens because the sell by date was the next day. I grabbed 2, so $4 and change total.
I cooked one in the pressure cooker last night for dinner. I saved the cooking liquid and the rest of the chicken pieces. I'm cooking the other one tonight and saving the liquid to combine with the first batch and chicken pieces to make soup. I'll freeze the meat from tonight so I can use it for a pot pie and enchiladas.
I think that is the most budget meals I have ever done.

 

[powellrj]

Dry beans are healthy, cheap and filling. Rice is another thing that you can make and add a small amount of meat and have a very filling meal. Pasta is always a great budget meal.m

 

[scrhsa]

Doing breakfast for supper is cheap as well. Pancakes, french toast(used with .99 cent bread), huevos rancheros (sausage/or bacon scrambled in eggs wrapped in a tortilla). Like another poster said...beans and rice and noodles can be cheap and filling. Chicken thighs are cheaper than breast--also fattier but I just take a bit of time to cut it all off. Lots of things to do with hamburger meat too. You'll find that the cheaper things are going to be less healthy though I've used the cheap canned spaghetti(less than an dollar) sauce and doctored it up with hmbg meat etc. My mom just bought some pork steaks that were so big she could cut them in half and got two meals for three people. If your grocery store has carnitas( different sizes of pork cuts-chunks really- all in the same package) you can separate that out for a bunch of different meals. I just used mine for some pulled pork sandwiches. Some of the larger pieces can be used for a small roast. I also cut some up and brown it and make a gravy over it and poor it over rice( my kids grew up calling that Raptor Rice--they were into dinosaurs at the time ) I've also done Jiffy cornbread, chopped broccoli, and cubed ham all baked together. Again, not all that healthy but Jiffy is cheap Good luck! It can be hard and stressful sticking to a budget.

 

[andiraye]

Another trick I like is to pick out a whole chicken and ask the butcher at the grocery store to cut it into pieces. That way you get split chicken at whole chicken prices. You can also ask them to cut it into tenths, as opposed to the standard eighths, to give you two more pieces. They split the breasts in half, which means you waste less (I usually find chicken breasts to be so enormous these days I can't eat them in one sitting).

Eggs are really filling and an inexpensive protein too. Shakshuka is an Israeli dish that uses egg, onion, and canned tomatoes - you basically bake the eggs in a casserole with the tomatoe sauce until they are a poached consistency. There are some good recipes online.

Also frittatas. Mix beaten eggs with ricotta cheese and any leftovers you have - diced pasta, chicken, beans, cooked veggies of any kind - and bake. Giata de Laurentis has a great recipe that can be modified to use whatever recipes you have.

Agreed about rice and beans. Also on letters and hash browns. Anything with potatoes.

Bananas are usually pretty inexpensive and filling. You can make banana bread using pantry items you probable have laying around.

Pasta with cottage cheese (it sounds weird but it's delicious).

I think part of cooking in expensively and healthfully is figuring out how you can use the same ingredients in more than one meal. So if you are going to buy flour or olive oil or another pantry item you need to think about how to use it in several meals.

 

[Fabnsab]

Just look at beans as a meat substitute. I use lentils for taco meat and we love it. I use black beans and kidney beans in chili instead of meat. ill add quinoa for texture if I have it.

Shop at aldi. Shop the stores when they mark their meat down. Buy frozen versus fresh veggies.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Hey all! So, the next couple of months I am on a super duper strict budget. I've already done all the math and I can make it just fine, but it's tight. If I want to put ANYTHING away (which I need to do as I have a cat with health issues so I need that emergency money), I have to count every single penny. This has already included changing my health insurance (which I did before), dropping my cable, and watching my grocery budget.

So, this is where I come to you all for help. I need some ideas of budget recipes and meal planning. I am used to be able to get just about whatever I want so this is a change for me. For the time being, my budget is $100 for 2 weeks for one person, but that also included OTC meds, personal items, pet needs (like litter, their food is a different budget since they eat prescription food), and household goods. I did great this week by shopping sales and using what I have, but it's going to be hard to keep a stocked pantry and freezer since I can't buy "just because" it's on sale for later.

Thanks in advance for any help you all can give. I really appreciate it!

So, you have about $40/week (if you take out $20 every 2 weeks for the other needs).

I was gonna suggest you think "protein x 3" and then "egg" (since these are wonderfully single serve) as your meal vehicles for the week. What I mean is that you should plan a single, same protein for 2-3 dinners in a row, since as an individual, even in the smaller packs, you usually have enough protein for 3-4 servings. This doesn't mean you have to eat the protein the same way each time, but it does mean you have to at least eat it a few days in a row.

I would stick to basic proteins - chicken breasts or thighs, pork chops, ground beef, fish filets - whatever is on the week's uber-sale.

As far as how to meal plan it as an individual...
If you have 1lb of ground beef, I would cook it down and drain it. Then, I'd split the beef in two and I'd season half for soft tacos (have a premade mix and soft tortillas, b/c you can use tortillas for lunches) and save the 2nd half to season the next night into bolognese or sloppy joes. If you have leftovers of either and don't want to have it as lunch, use a 3rd night to heat up a baked potato and serve whatever's left in an Italian or Mexican-inspired potato.

If you have 1.5lbs of chicken breast/thighs (since most are this high), I'd split the pack in 3 and I'd season one breast/thigh with honey mustard, one with a soy ginger marinade, (or any marinades you like) and I'd poach one then to make chicken salad (mayo, celery, grapes, and/or nuts and s&p). I'd have the chicken salad for lunch and then I'd cook the remaining 2 chickens over the remaining 2 nights.

Eggs would be my filler meal to use up veggies/meats in omelettes, frittatas, breakfast sandwiches, or just in scrambled eggs.

 

[Madteaparty001]

http://www.budgetbytes.com/ She breaks down the recipes and prices each ingredient, they are also very tasty!

 

[LilyWDW]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions so far. Lots of great ideas! I really appreciate the help. This has been causing me a lot of stress so seeing such great ideas has really helped with that.

The biggest issue is that I do have a limited diet due to a medical condition. As such, I often can't just get the cheapest of an item because of what it may contain. It stinks but luckily it seems like the Giant Eagle brand I can get at Market District is "safer" then many other of the "cheap" options. So that has helped a lot.

I googled for budget recipes yesterday and got some great ideas, even if the actual recipes were not things I could eat. Especially on how to stretch meat in a meal like with stir fries and the like. So I am now a bit excited to challenge myself!

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

Do you by chance have a Fresh Market grocery store near you?

They do something called meat Tuesday where every Tuesday they have chicken breasts and ground meat for $2.99/lb which is a great price near me.

 

[LovesTimone]

Don't know if you coupon or not, but you can save some with store coupons, and manufactures coupon, make sure to see if your store has digital coupons which I am finding that some times they are different from what's in the paper. Some stores will let you combine store or digital coupons with a paper manufactures coupon, so extra saving.

Check out your stores sale flyer before you go to the store and plan accordingly. Making a list and sticking to it will help you stay on track.

Local farmers market - for veggies and fruit is a great way to save money, and you can buy only what you need.

Taking your lunch is another huge money saver, there are several threads here on changing it up so you don't get bored with the same stuff from week to week.

Check out dollar stores for household items, I just picked up some Rubbermaid containers 2 or 3 in a pack depending on size, Some packaged thank you notes some had 8 or 10 in a pack, a few children birthday cards 2 for a 1.00, a couple of gift bags some were 2 together so 2 for a 1.00, a package of tissue paper, toilet cleaner (Clorox), a couple other things. I was under 20.00 bucks easy, and I had a lot of stuff marked off my list.

I find that it takes much more planning to save money, but its totally worth it in the long run.

 

[Marionnette]

I saw an episode of "Giada at Home" last weekend and it made me think of these budget meal threads. She was making a roasted chicken and used it for 3 meals. When I usually see people posting that they stretch a chicken that far, I kind of laugh to myself because it would have never worked for us when my boys were at home. But her recipes looked really good. Now, whether it's something you would eat is another thing and I don't know if you would even consider them to be "budget"recipes but I'm going to give it a try next week and see how it goes.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/giada-at-home/500-series/chicken-three-ways.html

 

[Vernie822]

Aldi is my favorite.

The other night I made a huge batch of this stuff. Super easy, relatively healthy (minimal processed ingredients) and very versatile.

Pack of chicken breast (ours was 1.5 lbs) ~ $8ish?
Jar of salsa ~ $2.50
Can of black beans, rinsed ~ $.99
Can of corn, drained ~ $.99

Dump it all in a crockpot. Seasoned with garlic powder, chili powder, and cumin, although the salsa gives it a lot of flavor so you don't really need to add much spice/

Cook on low 6-8 hours, shred the chicken.

You can serve this a few ways. Over rice, over a salad, on tortillas. We usually add a little cheese and sour cream. It was enough for 5 servings (probably more like 8, I had 2 servings and my fiance had 3 but his servings were probably double mine).

 

[Vernie822]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions so far. Lots of great ideas! I really appreciate the help. This has been causing me a lot of stress so seeing such great ideas has really helped with that.

The biggest issue is that I do have a limited diet due to a medical condition. As such, I often can't just get the cheapest of an item because of what it may contain. It stinks but luckily it seems like the Giant Eagle brand I can get at Market District is "safer" then many other of the "cheap" options. So that has helped a lot.

I googled for budget recipes yesterday and got some great ideas, even if the actual recipes were not things I could eat. Especially on how to stretch meat in a meal like with stir fries and the like. So I am now a bit excited to challenge myself!

Not sure what your dietary restrictions are, but Aldi has a great "Simply Nature" line. Target also has Simply Balanced which is their organic line. I like both but price-wise, Aldi can't be beat.

 

[DisneyHardin]

Definitely always check the "Managers Special" section of the meat dept for meat that is near the sell by date. I got lean ground beef for $2.50/lb the other day from that bin. The "family pack" of meat is generally cheaper per pound if you can adjust your budget to spend more one week and less another, you can buy a family pack of chicken or pork and divide it up for your freezer.

When I was first out of college and single, I had a budget similar to yours. I did try to not eat too much junk food, but honestly I didn't really "cook" too much. I ate a lot of hot dogs (I always liked the Fat Free Ball Park Ones), I would throw a hamburger patty or chicken breast on the George Foreman. I ate tons of French Toast. I packed my lunch, so I would always look for bread that was on "Managers Special" to use for my sandwiches and my hot dogs. I really watched the sales and based my eating for the week by what was on sale. I would go to several stores to get stuff, although now that Wal-Mart price matches, you don't have to go to so many stores anymore to get the deals.

Good Luck.

 

[Minnesota!]

We do the rotisserie chickens that stretch into at least 3 meals (family of 4..).

I bought one last week at Costco. So far, we have had chicken and cheese quesadillas, chicken and cheese omlettes, and today the rest of the chicken/bones are in the crockpot with water and veggie scraps. Will cook all day, strain and then toss in egg noodles and call it good. I will toss some mixed frozen veg in, too, for those that want it. Serving it with buttered crackers and greek yogurt..

The soup will feed us tonight, and lunch tomorrow, at least.

I made another soup this week… Took a head of cauliflower, chunked it up. Tossed it and 4 cups of veggie stock, 3 cloves of garlic, and some salt and pepper into the crockpot . Cooked all day. Shredded up a few cups of sharp cheddar and a good sprinkling of crushed red pepper, tossed it in the crockpot, then used my immersion blender to make it all smooth.
Probably the best soup I have ever made. Has fed me for lunch all week…

 

[stayhomemom77]

Soups and stews are the frugal cook's friend!!

My DH eats low carb most of the week and the amount of meat I had to buy to fill that man was wearing a hole in my pocketbook!! Out of self defense, I had to come up with some super cheap recipes to offset his super expensive ones. These are some tried and true meals that I eat for lunches all week long and they are crazy cost effective to make. If I get tired of something and there's still a lot of it left, I just chuck it in the freezer (in individual containers) so I can pull them out at night for the next day later on when I've had a sufficient break eating something else.

If you like Indian flavours...this is my favourite budget meal...makes a TON, is filling as heck and is super cheap!!

I make it as stated for a soup OR I add one more cup of lentils to the recipe and make a thick stew that I serve over a cup of rice. 1/2 cup of stew+one cup jasmine rice=a VERY full belly. I can make this for something like $0.30 to $0.60 a serving. Nutso!!

http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-red-lentil-soup-recipes-from-the-kitchn-212392

I also make a corn and potato chowder in the crockpot that is like the ultimate comfort food! I omit the bacon unless we already have it in the house but I never miss it. I use frozen corn and whatever potatoes I have on hand (often russets but whatever I have). It's about $3-$4 worth of ingredients and makes 8-12 servings, so it's very low cost. This one doesn't freeze very well because of the potatoes, so I suggest halving the recipe if you think you might get tired of eating it all week. My hubby loves this one so he hoovers it up on the weekend when he allows himself carbs, so I never have leftover problems!

http://www.onehundreddollarsamonth....-corn-chowder-with-bacon-potatoes-and-chives/

My all time favourite recipe so far is for chicken taco chili. It's healthy, filling and...if you get the chicken on sale...very reasonably priced. I make it without the cilantro and green chiles and usually only use one large or two small chicken breasts and just add more beans. It's fantastic over rice, in tortillas or served on it's own with some taco chips/corn chips for dipping. I've also added chicken stock at the end (maybe 4 cups or maybe 8--I can't remember...sorry!) and turned it into a delicious soup. This costs around $4 to make (depending on price and quantity of chicken used) and is at least six servings....usually 8 and when made into soup is even more!

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2008/11/crock-pot-chicken-taco-chili-4-pts.html

I also love picking up naan when it's on sale and tossing it into the freezer. I keep pizza sauce and mozza cheese on hand regularly and I pull out a naan at breakfast and it's defrosted by lunchtime, as which point I make a cheese or veggie pizza out of it. Easy, fast and oh so tasty and it's never more than a dollar to make. I add fruit and/or veggies and it's a complete meal!

I also use this recipe to make my own refried beans in the crockpot. This is the most ridiculously easy way to make them and they are delicious! I usually make them on the weekend, grab a pack of small flour tortillas and some shredded cheddar and makes bean and cheese burritos for the freezer! I roll them individually in tin foil, then fill a large freezer bag with them. I cook them in the oven from frozen for about 40 mins at 375 degrees and top with a salsa or sour cream. Yum, yum, yum! They can be unwrapped from the tin foil and microwaved for those quick lunches at work or whatnot. They are awesome alongside a salad and are very lost cost (approx $0.50 each when I get the cheese and tortillas for a good price).

http://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/easy-mexican-side-dish-recipes-refried-beans/

I have more but thought this would do to start! Hope these help!

 

[LilyWDW]

Soups and stews are the frugal cook's friend!!

If you like Indian flavours...this is my favourite budget meal...makes a TON, is filling as heck and is super cheap!!

I make it as stated for a soup OR I add one more cup of lentils to the recipe and make a thick stew that I serve over a cup of rice. 1/2 cup of stew+one cup jasmine rice=a VERY full belly. I can make this for something like $0.30 to $0.60 a serving. Nutso!!

http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-red-lentil-soup-recipes-from-the-kitchn-212392

I also make a corn and potato chowder in the crockpot that is like the ultimate comfort food! I omit the bacon unless we already have it in the house but I never miss it. I use frozen corn and whatever potatoes I have on hand (often russets but whatever I have). It's about $3-$4 worth of ingredients and makes 8-12 servings, so it's very low cost. This one doesn't freeze very well because of the potatoes, so I suggest halving the recipe if you think you might get tired of eating it all week. My hubby loves this one so he hoovers it up on the weekend when he allows himself carbs, so I never have leftover problems!

http://www.onehundreddollarsamonth....-corn-chowder-with-bacon-potatoes-and-chives/

I am SO making both of these... even after the financial situation goes back to normal. Yum! The red lentil soup/stew may end up on the next meal plan even. I like the idea of making it thicker and serving it over rice. Great idea to stretch it out even more as I already have a bunch of rice on hand.

My diet restrictions are very... long lol. A simple version is nothing spicy, nothing acidic (so no tomatoes, citrus, vinegar, and things like that), and no soy. Again, that is a very simplistic version of things and I often have to google if something new is safe or not. Luckily, I have been adding more foods back into my diet of late so that helps.

I have read and heard from many people that they are not happy with Aldi's meats so I have been staying away from that. I had originally planned on going there this past week, but the items I could buy there ended up being on sale for the same price as my normal store so I skipped the extra trip.

I don't really coupon as I don't GET coupons except for what I get sent by Market District in the mail. I should go online and see what's available to print and I will check my store's site to see what they have (I forget to do that lol).

The Farmer's Market won't open back up until May and is only on Saturday's which I normally work. I had already thought about that but no go.

 

[Tulips05]

Eggs are cheap and filling as are beans. Cutting down on the amount of meat you eat is healthier and cheaper. I use the app Flipp, it's free and you can see all the sales going on in your area for the week. I use the grocery adds to price match the sale items at walmart to save a bit on groceries.

 

[karly101]

I've had to live on a super strict budget and how I did it was -
* Breakfast - porridge/oatmeal with some banana or cooked apple. This is the cheapest breakfast you can buy and its filling.
* Lunch - toasted sandwich (just sliced cheese or if ham was on special I'd buy enough for a week), piece of fruit
* Dinner - Pasta + homemade tomato mince sauce (big batch and you can also do shepherds pie), whatever cheap meat source + frozen veggies stir fry with rice, rotisserie chicken but use every single bit and make soup at the end. Whatever veggie is in season make a soup out of that and that will last many meals. Freeze any leftovers that you will not eat in the next couple of days. You can pad out many meals by adding kidney beans or chickpeas and they are VERY cheap and good for you too. My favorite cheap meal is sweet potato + spinach + chickpea curry.

You basically live very repetitively but there is NO wastage of food, if any fruit got old I'd cook it and eat it with breakfast, buy cheap frozen veggies or if fresh veggies and they are looking old they would be cooked into that tomato sauce mix or made into a soup. Stick blenders are essential to make a small batch of soup that's still enough for one person for days! Also you get good at looking out for all the specials/reduced stuff at the supermarket but make sure you buy it to eat not just because its a good price.