I figured this was the best place to ask, because we all eat. I'm facing 4 years worth of tuition payments at the moment, time to make some lifestyle changes. No more take out, filet mignon, etc...
I know I've heard the recipes that you can use left over turkey for a load of different recipes and things like that, but never actually tried it.
Does anyone have any good, *cheap* recipes to share? I don't want to eat peanut butter and jelly every night for the next 4 years if I can help it.
Thanks for any help you can give! I'm open to any ideas you can pass along!
Carol,have you ever thought about couponing? I know there have been many jokes made about cutting coupons,but this is now my hobby and a very rewarding one! I use to spend $100+ on groceries a week for the two of us,a dog and 2 cats.My grocery bill now averages between $25 and $35 a week,sometimes less,and we eat steak,shrimp,boneless chicken breast and other good stuff! I get coupons out of Sunday papers(have friends to save me theirs),magazines,and even find them on tear pads in grocery stores. It helps even more if you have a grocery store that has a savings card and doubles coupons. Recently a beer company had a display with $1 off hamburger or hamburger buns. I'd grab a few every time I saw one and now have loads in the freezer. I wait for a store to have it on sale and load up! A local store had ground chuck 80% lean for .99 a lb,I found the smallest packs I could,and paid .14 to .33 each a package. I love the thrill of the hunt for bargains! I know its not for everyone,but if you have the time,its amazing what you can get free or almost! Oh,on ebay there is restaurants.com that sells gift certificates to restaurants in every state.I got a $25 one for a local restaurant for only $2!! Be sure to read the fine print,as some its only half price or for a party of 4.So yes,you can still eat out at that price.
Dianne
Cheap meal and family loved
1lb ground chuck fry in pan with slat pepper and oinion to taste
1 large can of tomatoe soup
1 can corn
Take any noodles and boil about 1/2 bag or 1/2 box of small shell noddles after cooked mix in with meat.
Scallop Potatoes and Ham
1can cream muchroom
6 potatoes sliced
1 C milk mix with 3 table spoons flour
salt pepper
get a slice of ham from deli and cut into cubes
bake 350 1 1/2 hours
or in micro for 45 until potaotes are cooked
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one thing you can do is cut down the amount of meat you use in any recipe.
for example, we usually use a pound or more of hamburger with one of those packages of spaghetti sauce mixes, but it's just as good with half a pound...or even no meat at all.
the same with rice casseroles. you can cut the amount of meat in half.
and you can make a good beef/vegetable soup with only a little meat. when you buy a chuck pot roast, cut yourself a good, meaty soup bone out of it and you get two meals off the same roast.
chicken and noodles. boil a whole chicken, de-bone, and use just a little of the chicken meat (wings and legs) for your noodle dish, saving the rest of the meat for a rice casserole or hot chicken/gravy over biscuits.
a trimmed brisket (on sale). cook the whole thing, then make two or three meals of it....with barbque sauce or gravy.
a pork shoulder roast....buy a big one, cook the whole thing and make two or three meals of it.
add a little pasta to your salads.
TexasShadow
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Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else.
Ground beef on Fritos (dip size) with grated cheese.
Cheese crisp: place flour tortilla on cookie sheet in oven (to make slightly crispy) with grated cheese on top, remove when cheese melted.
A snack dip: Mix some hot (or mild) sauce (according to taste) with cottage cheese, use dip size Fritos to dip with.
I buy most of my meat at BJs in large quantities and repackage into family size portions. It's usually half the price of the supermarkets. I also buy my gas there, it's about 10 cents a gallon less than the name brand places.
Also, this is not readily apparent, but you waste more money by buying cheaper cuts of meat, taht have fat and bones. When you look at how much protein you get per lb, it's often cheaper to buy lean meat. For example, I buy chicken tenderloins in a 3.5 lb bag at BJs, you might say cut up chicken fryers are cheaper, but when the bone and fat and skin are gone, you are actually paying more for those chicken pieces. Likewise, the ultra lean ground beef costs more, but less is lost in fat. Minimal shrinkage, so you can use less to begin with, and just think what a favor your are doing for your arteries!!
I buy powdered skim milk and us in recipes, to make pudding, whatever. We keep the usual milk for drinking.
Then of course, we have the garden in the summer for fresh veggies. You can plan alot around a bumper crop of squashed, tomatoes, peppers, etc. You can make and freeze your own salsas, etc.
A good recipe is Chicken Cordon Bleu. Easy and pretty cheap.
Flattened boneless chicken breast (place one piece at a time between saran wrap then smash with the flat part of a meat-tenderizer)
Swiss cheese slices
Ham slices (any kind)
Chicken gravy (optional)
Layer a flatten chicken breast (on bottom), with a slice of ham and swiss cheese. Roll up tight (the thinner the cheese, the easier it is to roll). Dip chicken roll-up in a beaten egg, then bread crumbs. Bake 350 for about 45 min or so.
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Some time ago I was faced with a similar low budget problem and started my own Bachelor Cookbook and that is a link to it. All meals are under $1.00 for one person. Enjoy!
When we were raising our girls, money was very tight. I always tried to get two meals out of one.
I would fix a roast (on sale of course) and then make a meat pie or hot beef sandwiches. Big pot of spaghetti sauce and make spaghetti one night, freeze the sauce and pizza or something else using spaghetti sauce (see recipe below).
I bought a cheap chuck roast and cut it into chunks for stews, a lot cheaper then packaged stew meat. Buy in bulk or multiple items when things are on sale. Buy whole chickens and cut your own, or roast a whole chicken, yum!
Here's a dish that is quick, easy and very cheap
Veal Parmesan
4 veal breaded cutlets (find in the freezer section)
1 small jar of spaghetti sauce (or use your own)
Grated Mozzarella cheese
Defrost and brown veal cutlets in a little bit of oil. Drain on paper towel. Place cutlets in a baking pan; pour a couple of tablespoons of spaghetti sauce over each cutlet. Bake in oven for about 15 - 20 minutes. Sprinkle with a little bit of cheese. Bake for 3 or 4 minutes until cheese melts. Serve.
Through in a bake potato a salad and a loaf of French bread and you have a great meal.
Good luck
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I am a single mom and live very frugally also. I do clip coupons and use them on things I would normally buy. I also watch the ads from our local grocery stores and make lists of what I need that they have on sale. I NEVER EVER EVER buy meat unless it is on sale. Then I buy extra and put it in the freezer. For hamburger, I make 1/4 lb patties and freeze them individually. That way, I can pull out just two if we are having hamburgers or 1/2 pound if I want to make spaghetti or more if I need it (you get the picture). I do them same thing with other meats, but with chicken I put two in a pack, etc. It makes it more manageable for me.
OH YES....sometimes our Ingles will have WHOLE sirloin tips pretty cheap. I will get them to grind one of those into hamburger meat and put it up in patties also. usually they are $1.29 - 1.49 per lb. That is a pretty good deal!
I don't shop at the warehouse clubs too often, although I do buy some things at Sam's. I find I spend WAY too much when I got in there being lured by some things I don't really need and/or will go stale before I can use it.
If you like soup, this is a recipe I make quite often and it freezes well. I use store brand veggies in this since I cook it all day and the flavors blend. I never make it the same way twice, so...feel free to make it YOUR way. It is GREAT with cornbread:
Hamburger Minestrone Soup
1 lb hamburger meat (I use a lean kind - chuck, ground sirloin - whatever was on sale)
1 onion, chopped
Chopped garlic to taste - usually use at least 1tsp of minced garlic in a jar
1 can whole kernel corn - NOT DRAINED
1 can light red kidney beans - NOT DRAINED
1 can green beans - NOT DRAINED
1-2 cans tomatoes (diced, whole, whichever you prefer)
1-2 ribs of celery OR 1 tbsp of dried jarred celery
1tbsp Italian Seasoning
Brown hamburger meat with chopped onion and garlic, drain. Mix all canned veggies, spices, and celery in stock pot with meat. Add water (usually 1 can per can of tomatoes used) and let cook all day.
Serve with cornbread or by itself.
The original recipe calls for a fresh zucchini and 1/2 cup of cabbage and I like it that way, however, it doesn't seem to freeze that well. If you plan to freeze I wouldn't put them in. If you don't plan to freeze, by all means, ADD THEM.
I also change out veggies, add more, etc. Sometimes I add butter beans, etc. Adds variety.
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