Jump to content

Favorite budget meals


Seshi

Recommended Posts

What are your go to meals on a budget?

Some people go to great lengths to stretch their budget. Let’s help each other out and share some good recipes.

I know that many people don’t like quinoa, because it isn’t something they are used to eating, but quinoa is a complete protein and filling carbohydrate source as well. Any meal you can add quinoa to will increase your calories and health. 

An idea of a cheap simple meal with quinoa is quinoa tacos. Seasoned cooked quinoa with taco sauce can be a neat replacement - a pretty impressive feat if you ask me. Just add some beans, veggies, cheese, whatever you want on your taco or burrito.

  • Awesome (Sugoi) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used to eat frozen meals all the time before I learned the art of cooking. I like real food so much more though now, and it tastes so much better plus beater for you. Though I have learned how to make a pretty good sun butter/cinnamon, and ginger sandwich only takes about 5 mins to make. So I guess that would be it these days.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I recently tried and have been enjoying trout. I get a steelhead fillet, season it with "Uncle Chris Gourmet Steak Seasoning", wrap it in foil, and stick it in the oven for about 25 minutes. Accompany that with some seasoned asparagus or green beans, and that's a pretty solid meal for like six bucks. And when I'm done, just throw the foil away and relax.

  • Wow 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, Seshi said:

What are your go to meals on a budget?

Some people go to great lengths to stretch their budget. Let’s help each other out and share some good recipes.

...junk foods

like, no lie, that's what i eat >.>, and im still somewhat fit-ish, (probably couse i have so much stamina to go jogging, cycling to far places (e.g review center) and such <.>

 

though, sometimes i don't eat anything at all, just to save cash, 

yet, i don't think another second when someone wants to eat, i buy them snacks (atleast, if im close with them)

there's something wrong with me ~.~

  • Silly 1
  • Funny 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sleep.

But in all seriousness dishes that revolve around beans as their primary ingredient are good. I've bean eating tomato and borlotti bean soup a lot over the past couple of weeks with slight variations to it every time I cook it, either due to not having certain ingredients or wondering how other ones would mix well in the dish.

Basics are:

1 onion, diced (not 100% necessary but nice to have)

2 sticks of celery, diced (again, not 100% necessary)

1 carrot, diced (I don't bother peeling them)

2 cloves of garlic

1 400g can of tomatoes

1 400g can of borlotti beans (I've used other types of beans before, it's not a big deal what you use)

1L (4cups) of stock (I usually use chicken)

And a bunch of pepper and some salt at the end.

I usually double those ingredients since I like to make enough so that I end up just eating that for 2 meals a day, I also usually end up tripling the onions and carrots since I like both in soups and stews. Other stuff I add into the soup is turnips, parsnips, potato, cabbage, zucchini, swedes and diced bacon. For seasoning I add some bay leaves and have also added a tablespoon of Italian herbs into it. I haven't tried adding barley or anything like that into the soup but I've found that the soup ends up being pretty filling and nutritious, also depends on what produce is cheap in your area and what you can get on sale. Canned tomatoes and beans in my town tend to be around $0.80-$1 each, vegetables fluctuate but usually if you go to the markets or something like that then you should get a good deal. This is one of my main meals I'm using to help me lose weight. Dish goes well in a slow cooker as well.

Another cheap meal I make in the slow cooker is chicken and corn soup. Buy the cheapest cuts of chicken (usually chicken legs, ideally anything with bones for extra flavour), make sure to add stuff like soy sauce, garlic and oyster sauce for extra flavour as well.

  • Like 1
  • Funny 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, threeeighteen said:

Sleep.

But in all seriousness dishes that revolve around beans as their primary ingredient are good. I've bean eating tomato and borlotti bean soup a lot over the past couple of weeks with slight variations to it every time I cook it, either due to not having certain ingredients or wondering how other ones would mix well in the dish.

Basics are:

1 onion, diced (not 100% necessary but nice to have)

2 sticks of celery, diced (again, not 100% necessary)

1 carrot, diced (I don't bother peeling them)

2 cloves of garlic

1 400g can of tomatoes

1 400g can of borlotti beans (I've used other types of beans before, it's not a big deal what you use)

1L (4cups) of stock (I usually use chicken)

And a bunch of pepper and some salt at the end.

I usually double those ingredients since I like to make enough so that I end up just eating that for 2 meals a day, I also usually end up tripling the onions and carrots since I like both in soups and stews. Other stuff I add into the soup is turnips, parsnips, potato, cabbage, zucchini, swedes and diced bacon. For seasoning I add some bay leaves and have also added a tablespoon of Italian herbs into it. I haven't tried adding barley or anything like that into the soup but I've found that the soup ends up being pretty filling and nutritious, also depends on what produce is cheap in your area and what you can get on sale. Canned tomatoes and beans in my town tend to be around $0.80-$1 each, vegetables fluctuate but usually if you go to the markets or something like that then you should get a good deal. This is one of my main meals I'm using to help me lose weight. Dish goes well in a slow cooker as well.

Another cheap meal I make in the slow cooker is chicken and corn soup. Buy the cheapest cuts of chicken (usually chicken legs, ideally anything with bones for extra flavour), make sure to add stuff like soy sauce, garlic and oyster sauce for extra flavour as well.

I once cooked borscht in a large vat and when my brother asked what’s for breakfast, answer was borscht, lunch? Borscht, dinner? Borscht 😄 we still joke about it years later 

But really, soups are so cheap and versatile.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 9 months later...

@Seshi what a great topic!

For me, deciding to eat mostly fruits & veggies & cutting out fast foods have completely changed my food budget for the better. I'll give some examples:

I used to go to Subway at least 5 days a week but sometimes up to 7 days a week & I'd spend at least $10 everyday. Doing that 7 days a week meant that I was spending at least $280 a month and that's just for one meal each day! Now that I've cut that out along with all other fast food places & just make my meals at home, I spend less than $280 for all of my meals for the entire month. 

For my breakfasts I have things like fruit smoothies made with thawed frozen fruit, some nonfat Greek yogurt, a dash of cinnamon, tumeric, & flaxseed, chia seed, or hemp seed, as well as things like avocado toast, egg white omelettes seasoned with herbs(I buy containers of just pure egg whites that are about $5 a 32 oz. container which will last me well over a week, so less than $1.00 a day plus it's a great source of protein & also happens to be fat free), cold cereals like Special K or overnight oats or hot cereal like regular oatmeal(oats & oatmeal tend to be very inexpensive & are also very filling), & also turkey bacon. 

For lunches I sometimes either have salads or Lean Cuisines(these are often on sale at my local grocery stores & even when they aren't they are usually only $2.50 each. I don't eat more than 5 per week, if that, so I spend about $50 a month on them.) I also try to add in another smoothie to help keep me full & from snacking until dinner time.

For dinners I'll either have some lean meat i.e. chicken breast, tilapia, or salmon probably baked or broiled with some steamed veggies, pasta, or another salad. If I'm feeling really lazy, I'll just have a sandwich or Lean Pockets & call it good. 

As for my smoothies, I buy a lot of frozen fruit. A 3lb. bag at my local grocery store costs about $8 & I get several bags because I mix the varieties & they last at least a month so I'd say I spend about $40 a month. For all my add ins i.e. nonfat Greek yogurt, skim milk, etc. I'll add another $35 just to be safe, so $75 a month for my smoothies, keeping in mind of course that I have my smoothies everyday & more often than not, multiple times a day. 

The rest of my food budget gets spread out over things like lean meats, some processed foods, condiments & sauces, & fresh produce as well. 

I'm on a weight loss journey, so I'm also doing this to improve my health. And yes, I know I mentioned quite a few fat free items but I do realize that some fat is needed for good health so I try to get that fat from the lean meats that I eat as well as things like avocados, nuts, & the different seeds that I use in my smoothies. And of course, I still have junk/snack foods occasionally but nearly as often as I used to. 

Oh, which reminds me! Another reason I was able to cut down my food budget is by cutting out things like sodas & instead opting for brewing my own tea or drinking skim milk or water. 

Edited by RuthisianCodex
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Illusion of Terra said:

@RuthisianCodex really enjoyed reading that. kinda took me back to when I ate healthy as well.

I made a yummy pasta dish earlier that is the most simple one I've ever made & the cheapest too. I used some Skinner Super Greens spaghetti(about $2 a box & has enough to last me several meals), prepared it al dente, drained most of the liquid & then added some lemon juice, minced garlic, a little bit of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray, &  a few dashes of Tabasco, then let it cook on low for about 5 minutes. It went perfectly with the chicken piccata I made. 

Skinner® - Learn More

  • Love it! (Daisuki) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, RuthisianCodex said:

I made a yummy pasta dish earlier that is the most simple one I've ever made & the cheapest too. I used some Skinner Super Greens spaghetti(about $2 a box & has enough to last me several meals), prepared it al dente, drained most of the liquid & then added some lemon juice, minced garlic, a little bit of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray, &  a few dashes of Tabasco, then let it cook on low for about 5 minutes. It went perfectly with the chicken piccata I made.

If you want to go even simpler, one of my favorite lunches to have at the moment is pasta, seasoned with taragon and salt, and if it's too dry you can add some olive oil. Sounds almost too simple but I love it :D

I consider my general diet to be pretty much a budget one. I'm pescatarian and there's nothing better to me than some vegetables, mashed potatoes and a piece of fish (usually salmon or sea bass, but I love haddock or cod too!).

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, RZ. said:

If you want to go even simpler, one of my favorite lunches to have at the moment is pasta, seasoned with taragon and salt, and if it's too dry you can add some olive oil. Sounds almost too simple but I love it :D

I consider my general diet to be pretty much a budget one. I'm pescatarian and there's nothing better to me than some vegetables, mashed potatoes and a piece of fish (usually salmon or sea bass, but I love haddock or cod too!).

You, Sir, are welcome in my kitchen anytime! I like your pasta dish, it is very simple. 

I've recently been using tarragon quite a bit. I like tilapia but I've also had a craving for rainbow trout or some blackened catfish. 

Way to go, RZ. Now I'm drooling over here, lol. 

  • Friendly 1
  • Awesome (Sugoi) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the topic revive. I love talking about food 😛

Recently I've been making crock pot pinto beans, as a main dish, adding some home cooked collards and corn bread. For the pintos and collards all you need is a ham hock and onions and a low and slow cookin for about 8hrs.. Or longer if you have the time. Cooking collards overnight turns them into butter they are so tender *drool*.

Most of the time my meals look a lot like the ones @RuthisianCodex mentioned though. Without the smoothies. I am all smoothied out. I had too many lol

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

31 minutes ago, RuthisianCodex said:

You, Sir, are welcome in my kitchen anytime! I like your pasta dish, it is very simple. 

I've recently been using tarragon quite a bit. I like tilapia but I've also had a craving for rainbow trout or some blackened catfish. 

Way to go, RZ. Now I'm drooling over here, lol. 

Taragon and Parsley are my go-to fish seasoners. For salmon I usually season with salt, garlic, black pepper and either of the afformentioned. I experimented a bit by adding Dill and Majoram but they're pretty weak seasoners tbh. For some reason I always think of trout as a dull, boney salmon, though that could just be the ones my grandma bought and she never seasoned them lol. As for catfish - it looks amazing, unfortunately my local supermarket don't sell it so I'll have to find a fish monger when the quarantine is finished.

Oh, and we musn't forget Mackrel in tomato sauce :D

  • Love it! (Daisuki) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

31 minutes ago, Seshi said:

If you haven-t tried seasoning your salmon in lemon and butter you are missing out my friends. I will say lemon or orange extract work best though, as opposed to the actual juice.

YES! I like to broil my salmon with lemon slices & fresh dill underneath the skin side & put a few more lemon slices & some Cajun seasoning on top. YUM! 

 

  • Cool (Kakkoii) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Seshi I'm all about breakfasts that are easy to put together but I can't eat the same thing everyday so I try to switch it out every few days. Overnight oats with a few slices of turkey bacon & some fruit are one breakfast that I can eat for a week at a time without getting sick of it, I just switch up the flavors of overnight oats & the fruit that I pair with it. My favorite fruit for breakfast is blueberries with cinnamon sprinkled on top. A 3lb bag of blueberries will last me about 5 days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ive tried overnight oats a few times. I didnt really like the texture as well as the fermented taste they give. Although I bet its pretty healthy due to that property.

Lately Ive just been having ham and toast. I prefer lazy mornings. I do love cooking large breakfasts on occasion I go all out and make a full english breakfast (not exactly budget friendly)

89497333-traditional-full-english-breakfast-with-fried-eggs-sausages-beans-mushrooms-grilled-tomatoes-and-bac.thumb.jpg.3489faf2732ee0f72d6b67d9e1969a72.jpg

  • Awesome (Sugoi) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, Seshi said:

Ive tried overnight oats a few times. I didnt really like the texture as well as the fermented taste they give. Although I bet its pretty healthy due to that property.

Lately Ive just been having ham and toast. I prefer lazy mornings. I do love cooking large breakfasts on occasion I go all out and make a full english breakfast (not exactly budget friendly)

 

  Hide contents

89497333-traditional-full-english-breakfast-with-fried-eggs-sausages-beans-mushrooms-grilled-tomatoes-and-bac.thumb.jpg.3489faf2732ee0f72d6b67d9e1969a72.jpg

 

OMG, that looks amazing! And yes, I too have fuller breakfasts on the weekends mostly. Loaded omelettes, more bacon or turkey bacon, toast or English muffins slathered with fruit spread or Indonesian coconut egg spread or even clotted cream if I'm going for a more English tea inspired meal, some fruit, sauteed veggies, & if I'm super hungry maybe even some small banana pancakes(literally made by putting some bananas & oats in a blender with a little cinnamon & honey..ta-da! healthy pancake mix!) or light muffins. I've also gotten more into juicing my vegetables so I may also have a glass of fresh juice, English breakfast tea, or steamed milk with honey with my meal. 

I swear, if we ever meet we MUST prepare a meal together! LOL!

  • Love it! (Daisuki) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, IIVIsouljam said:

 I also use veggie scraps for veggie burgers. You might think I'm a vegetarian but I'm not. Vegetable leftovers are just so useful, especially on a budget!

Agree 100% Cost efficiency is one of the main reasons I eat so much produce. Not to mention you can use them in literally anything! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just tried out a new salad recipe! 

I used some mixed Spring greens, a few dashes of Tabasco, some Yuzu fruit juice(it's a citrus fruit so lemon juice can be easily substituted), some apple cider vinegar, a teaspoon of crumbled goat cheese, a teaspoon of bacon bits, sliced mushrooms, & some croutons, mixed them all up & it was outstanding. The crumbled goat cheese & the other liquids made a very lovely dressing! This recipe is a keeper for sure but the next time I may add some hard boiled egg, tomatoes, avocado, red onion, or black olives to make it as filling as possible. 

All of these ingredients are relatively inexpensive & it's quick to make. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i use grains, usually. i eat a lot of leftover pastas and rice, and mix other leftover things into them to turn it into a meal when i've got nothing else. my favorite is mixing leftover taco sauces or salsas into rice. i also like to make a porridge out of rice or oats, because i can put sugar and any leftover nice desert spices i got, like nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla. oh, eggs and beans are good to fill you up too, and have protein.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...