Very cheap vegetarian meals

[REEREEG]

We are going to Disney in 3 weeks and I am $200 behind in saving for the trip. I have such a tight budget, food is my only wiggle room to try to save more over the next couple weeks.

Any ideas for really cheap vegetarian foods?
I have:
Cereal at home for breakfast and apples and bananas for fruit instead of berries & grapes...
- Grilled cheese & tomato soup
- Spaghetti
- English muffin pizzas
- omelettes
- quesadillas
- tacos

 

[LadyD]

Homemade beans and rice. Dried beans are super cheap and easy to make, and have the added benefit of being really healthy and filling. Lentils too, and they have the added benefit of being really versatile. Tofu can be really inexpensive as well, and it is something else that is super versatile from tofu steaks to taco filling, to baking it to put on top of salads, etc. Also, picking produce that is in season can really help cut down costs.

 

[LovesTimone]

Breakfast for dinner. Pancakes, waffles

Look at your pantry items, and then try to match up what you have in the freezer and frig... and use up everything. Clean out the cupboards...

Local Farmers market for produce.

Rice, beans, pasta... all inexpensive items... pair with a couple of other ingredient- sauté veggies, with pasta and a butter garlic sauce as a suggestion.

 

[Marionnette]

We are going to Disney in 3 weeks and I am $200 behind in saving for the trip. I have such a tight budget, food is my only wiggle room to try to save more over the next couple weeks.

Any ideas for really cheap vegetarian foods?
I have:
Cereal at home for breakfast and apples and bananas for fruit instead of berries & grapes...
- Grilled cheese & tomato soup
- Spaghetti
- English muffin pizzas
- omelettes
- quesadillas
- tacos

Beans and rice. Rice and beans.

zucchini burrito boats
tofu stir fry with frozen Asian veggies
quinoa and kale salad
sweet potato and chick pea curry
vegetarian chili
farro with eggplant, roasted peppers and mozarella
pasta e fagioli

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

We buy a $5 rotisserie chicken from Costco and make several meals from it to save money. A single chicken will usually feed us (2 people) for 3-4 meals. We like making chicken noodle soup since a single pot usually feeds DH and I for at least 2 days and doesn't use a ton of the meat. Some other favorites include chicken with lemon rice (Asian dish) and cucumber slices, chicken pita sandwiches, mixed green salad with chicken, chicken fried rice, and chicken panini with swiss cheese and vegetables. There are tons of recipe ideas online.

 

[aprilchem]

I can do rice with canned veggies for about $2.25 and have enough to feed my entire family of 5 for two meals. I cook 3 cups rice and use 3 cans of vegetables (usually mixed veggies, green beans, and a can of beans for protein). Canned veggies are 50 cents a can at my local grocery (so $1.50 for the veggies) and I buy the rice in bulk so I figure about 75 cents for the 3 cups of rice. $1.25 to feed 5 people is pretty cheap!

Another really cheap meal my kids really like is ramen. I don't use the sauce powder (because it contains MSG and a bunch of other things), but I'll cook the noodles and add vegetables and beans to them. I can get ramen packets for 6/$1.00 here, and I usually cook 5 for my family of 5 (and have enough leftover for a lunch or two). That's another meal that can feed the whole gang for about $2.50 or so.

Kraft macaroni and cheese has recently changed their formulation so it's natural - no artificial colors or flavors. I can get that for around 50 cents a box (sometimes a bit cheaper) and 3 boxes are plenty to feed my family (each box is 2.5 servings, but we eat a bit more than that if it's the entire meal). I often add mixed veggies to that as well (and cut up hot dogs, but if you're vegetarian that would be a no-go). Total cost with the add-ins is about $3.00 or so.

Breakfast for dinner is another really cheap meal, if you eat eggs. I can get eggs for about 69 cents a dozen at Aldi, and it costs me about $2.00 to bake a loaf of bread. Add in some veggies (a bag of frozen spinach costs me about 1.00) and that meal is around $4 or so.

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

We buy a $5 rotisserie chicken from Costco and make several meals from it to save money. A single chicken will usually feed us (2 people) for 3-4 meals. We like making chicken noodle soup since a single pot usually feeds DH and I for at least 2 days and doesn't use a ton of the meat. Some other favorites include chicken with lemon rice (Asian dish) and cucumber slices, chicken pita sandwiches, mixed green salad with chicken, chicken fried rice, and chicken panini with swiss cheese and vegetables. There are tons of recipe ideas online.

ETA: And I failed, since you asked specifically for vegetarian meals. We make lots of vegetarian Indian meals that are cheap. Rasam and sambar are personal favorites. They are easy to make and the ingredients are very cheap. You can easily google for recipes.

 

[kymom99]

I like to cut a zucchini into strips, coat with olive oil and roast in the oven. You can also sprinkle with Panko. Top it with some marinara sauce and a little Parmesan cheese. Good stuff.

 

[TabbyShabby]

Some really great ideas. I love making a big pot of chili. I save all the veggie scraps and make my own veggie broth that I then use for the base of the chili, but also for soup another day. It's super easy to do, just boil and strain, and I like knowing I'm getting every last use out of our veggies! Leftover chili can then be used on baked potatoes for another meal. Also, I make corn muffins from scratch, mixing in any leftover veggies, sometimes with leftover cheese. Broccoli and cheddar corn muffins are surprisingly good!

 

[DisneyWorldbuff]

I make a very simple, but hearty corn chowder. With corn so cheap right now, you can make a huge batch for very cheap.

 

[TwoMisfits]

We are going to Disney in 3 weeks and I am $200 behind in saving for the trip. I have such a tight budget, food is my only wiggle room to try to save more over the next couple weeks.

Any ideas for really cheap vegetarian foods?
I have:
Cereal at home for breakfast and apples and bananas for fruit instead of berries & grapes...
- Grilled cheese & tomato soup
- Spaghetti
- English muffin pizzas
- omelettes
- quesadillas
- tacos

If it's only 3 weeks, so repeating the foods above and emptying what you have is probably the cheapest way to go...add on the ridiculous cheap vegs/fruits in season (corn, tomatoes, zucchini should all be on outrageous deals) and call it dinner...

 

[Twilight Sparkle]

I make a very simple, but hearty corn chowder. With corn so cheap right now, you can make a huge batch for very cheap.

I would love to have the recipe if you don't mind sharing.

 

[Twilight Sparkle]

spinach quiche with homemade bread and some fruit to round it out (works for dinner, lunch, or breakfast) - don't have a crust or want to make one? make a frittata instead

lentil tacos (I make my own taco seasoning from spices I have on hand)

lentil ragout on top of rice, couscous, or quinoa if you have any in the pantry (I wouldn't go out and buy it in this case) - you can find recipes online. I was going to post a link to my favorite one for you but now I can't find it. Bummed! Should have printed it out and kept it.

if you need a different pasta idea than spaghetti with marinara: cooked plain pasta placed into individual bowls - drizzle bowl of pasta with olive oil, add garlic (we grow our own, so I use fresh not powdered but powdered might do if that's what you have on hand), basil (again, we grow our own but dried would probably work), and parm cheese, then finely shred raw spinach leaves and top each bowl with that - doctoring up each bowl uses less ingredients than making a saucepan of garlic olive oil sauce; my family loves this meal and it's super quick and easy; if i have pine nuts on hand, I toast them and add to the bowls, but pine nuts are expensive, so unless you have them already, don't use them

agree with breakfast for dinner - we do that often

also agree with a big pot of soup beans - brown, white, mixed - they're all good, cheap, and filling; add a chopped green like spinach, kale, or chard to the pot when done cooking and let it wilt into the soup; pair with homemade corn bread

for breakfast, we often do oatmeal with fruit and nut toppings or toast and hard boiled eggs; buy plain nuts either in bulk or in the baking aisle - don't buy in the snack aisle - too pricey and lots of added salt and other unnecessary ingredients

baked potatoes with vegetarian chili either as a separate dish or on top of the potatoes

homemade pizza - especially if you need to use up any veggies or greens

I use this recipe for homemade bread and for pizza crust:

http://12tomatoes.com/30-minute-dough/

 

[DisneyWorldbuff]

I would love to have the recipe if you don't mind sharing.

Certainly, it's super simple and you can add any veggies you have on hand. I like to add red peppers if they are on hand. Any potato you have is fine too. Also, often times I don't blend a portion and just mash it up a bit with a potato masher.

Summer Corn Chowder

Yield: 6 servings




Ingredients

• 8 ears fresh sweet yellow corn , husked and silks removed and kernels cut from cob
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 1 medium yellow onion chopped (1 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 clove garlic , minced
• 5 cups water
• 1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes , cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 2 - 3 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
• Shredded cheddar cheese , for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until onion has softened and just starting to brown around edges, about 8 - 10 minutes. Add in the flour and garlic and cook 1 1/2 minutes. While whisking, slowly pour in 5 cups water. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, then stir in corn kernels and potatoes. Add in thyme and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a light boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
2. Remove bay leave then transfer 2 1/2 cups of the chowder to a blender and blend until smooth. Stir the mixture back into the pot then stir in half and half and honey. Sprinkle each serving with chives and optional cheddar.
3. Recipe source: adapted from Cooks Illustrated via Tracy's Culinary Adventures

 

[Twilight Sparkle]

Certainly, it's super simple and you can add any veggies you have on hand. I like to add red peppers if they are on hand. Any potato you have is fine too. Also, often times I don't blend a portion and just mash it up a bit with a potato masher.

Summer Corn Chowder

Yield: 6 servings




Ingredients

• 8 ears fresh sweet yellow corn , husked and silks removed and kernels cut from cob
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 1 medium yellow onion chopped (1 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 clove garlic , minced
• 5 cups water
• 1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes , cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 2 - 3 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
• Shredded cheddar cheese , for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until onion has softened and just starting to brown around edges, about 8 - 10 minutes. Add in the flour and garlic and cook 1 1/2 minutes. While whisking, slowly pour in 5 cups water. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, then stir in corn kernels and potatoes. Add in thyme and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a light boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
2. Remove bay leave then transfer 2 1/2 cups of the chowder to a blender and blend until smooth. Stir the mixture back into the pot then stir in half and half and honey. Sprinkle each serving with chives and optional cheddar.
3. Recipe source: adapted from Cooks Illustrated via Tracy's Culinary Adventures

That sounds delicious! Thank you very much.

 

[REEREEG]

Thank you for all the great ideas - I think with all these suggestions I will be able to keep it less than $40/week for the next 3 weeks and save close to $200.
Thanks!!

 

[LadyD]

Thank you for all the great ideas - I think with all these suggestions I will be able to keep it less than $40/week for the next 3 weeks and save close to $200.
Thanks!!

My wife and I budget $40/person per week for food, and that includes some of the fancier vegetarian meals I tend to make. You can totally get below $40/week easily. Hope you're able to meet your savings goal!

 

[REEREEG]

My wife and I budget $40/person per week for food, and that includes some of the fancier vegetarian meals I tend to make. You can totally get below $40/week easily. Hope you're able to meet your savings goal!

Really ?!?! Wow!!
I average around $90 for me and my 8 year old.
What are your go to meals?

 

[LadyD]

Really ?!?! Wow!!
I average around $90 for me and my 8 year old.
What are your go to meals?

My wife is Colombian, so rice and beans is really big in our house. At our local grocery store, the beans and rice are even cheaper in the bulk bins than on the shelves. We can get two pounds of dried beans for less than $2 and same with the rice. Cooking up those beans with a few tomatoes, onion, cilantro, garlic, and spices on the stove will last us a week for dinner with the rice. Lentils are also one of our go to meals. They are a little more expensive at our grocery store in the bulk bin (~$1.50/pound), but we cook them up similar to the beans with tomato, onion, carrots, garlic, and spices served over rice. A couple of pounds of dried lentils will last us all week for dinner. I'll usually cook up a side of vegetables of whatever is on sale too.

Another meal we love to do is chickpea tacos. We just buy the canned chickpeas (usually ~$1/can), drain them, and sauté them up with some spices until they're crispy around the edges. I also will make my own bread and rolls at home when we want them since a bag of flour is so much cheaper than buying loafs. We will use the rolls to make a batch of pot pies and I use this recipe https://minimalistbaker.com/1-hour-vegan-pot-pies/. I don't make them vegan. I use regular milk instead of almond milk and I make my regular biscuits.

We always eat smoothies for breakfast (lately it is banana, strawberry, a tropical frozen fruit mix, kale, several tablespoons of ground flax meal, and flax milk) which I'm pretty sure is usually our most expensive meal of the day lol, and then for lunch I just tend to eat some roasted veggies or fruit. If we have sweets, I usually make cookies or brownies for the week.

 

[REEREEG]

My wife is Colombian, so rice and beans is really big in our house. At our local grocery store, the beans and rice are even cheaper in the bulk bins than on the shelves. We can get two pounds of dried beans for less than $2 and same with the rice. Cooking up those beans with a few tomatoes, onion, cilantro, garlic, and spices on the stove will last us a week for dinner with the rice. Lentils are also one of our go to meals. They are a little more expensive at our grocery store in the bulk bin (~$1.50/pound), but we cook them up similar to the beans with tomato, onion, carrots, garlic, and spices served over rice. A couple of pounds of dried lentils will last us all week for dinner. I'll usually cook up a side of vegetables of whatever is on sale too.

Another meal we love to do is chickpea tacos. We just buy the canned chickpeas (usually ~$1/can), drain them, and sauté them up with some spices until they're crispy around the edges. I also will make my own bread and rolls at home when we want them since a bag of flour is so much cheaper than buying loafs. We will use the rolls to make a batch of pot pies and I use this recipe https://minimalistbaker.com/1-hour-vegan-pot-pies/. I don't make them vegan. I use regular milk instead of almond milk and I make my regular biscuits.

We always eat smoothies for breakfast (lately it is banana, strawberry, a tropical frozen fruit mix, kale, several tablespoons of ground flax meal, and flax milk) which I'm pretty sure is usually our most expensive meal of the day lol, and then for lunch I just tend to eat some roasted veggies or fruit. If we have sweets, I usually make cookies or brownies for the week.

Thanks!!