Need some advice... Cheap meals?

Question

Here's the deal. Hubby just lost his job, so that means I need to make the food budget stretch a little farther (we've already gotten rid of all the extras we could.)
I would like some cheap meal ideas, or websites. Prefferably low fat because I have issues with my gallbladder. I just don't know how long we can eat spaghetti, beanie-weanies, and pb+j...

Thanks.

Answer 1

Kraft Macaroni and cheese.

Hamburger.......meatloaf, spaghetti,

Corn fritters

Whole chickens are cheap.

Potatoes....potato soup

Bean soup

Answer 2

Salmon patties are really good. I made 4 BIG ones (easily could have made 6-8) from one can of salmon (about $2), with dried bread crumbs, an egg, and some seasoning...pan fry them .... also, ground chicken is available at Kroger's and about half the price of ground turkey/beef...... You can shred cabbage and combine it with lettuce for salads. It's a little more filling, and cabbage is cheaper than lettuce. Add some hard-boiled eggs and cheese to the salad ..... There's usually a tiny area in the meat dept. at the grocery, where they will drastically reduce meat with an expiration date of that day - but you can still freeze it. I've seen 5 lb. of ground sirloin for $3!! Or, ask the butcher in your market if they have any meat they need to "get rid of" quickly:) .... Rice will extend dishes, and is good to help lower cholesterol; so those carbs are actually doing something good for your body:) ... Bake some giant potatoes. Fluff them open and top with a can of chili, shredded lettuce, tomatoes & a little salsa....

Answer 3

Buy whole cuts of meat. A large whole chicken can feed a small family for a week, and costs very little. Even the skin and bones can be used to boil into stock for a soup.



One thing you can do to really cut costs is write to the companies. Tell them how much you love their product and anything else you'd like to say, but don't ask for anything. Generally companies will send coupons for freebies to appreciative customers. I wrote to a few of my favorite companies and recieved coupons for free full-sized products - it really cut our bill!



Check out www.mysavings.com - I spend a lot of time on that website, browsing the forums, signing up for freebies and printing coupons. Just make sure you use an alternate email address so you don't get spammed by the fakes.

Answer 4

try this chocohotopots for homecook chef nigella lawson.



http://youtube.com/watch?v=lrLKa2AAMbk



http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_35242,00.html



1 stick plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, with 60 percent cocoa solids

2 eggs

3/4 cup superfine sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Special equipment: 4 (2/3 to 1-cup capacity) ramekins



Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.

Butter the ramekins with 1 tablespoon butter.



Either in a microwave or in a bowl suspended over a pan over simmering water, melt the dark chocolate and 1 stick butter, then set aside to cool a little.



In another bowl, mix the eggs with the sugar and flour with a hand whisk and beat in the cooled butter and chocolate mixture. Divide the mixture between the 4 buttered ramekins. Bake for about 20 minutes, by which time the tops will be cooked and cracked and the chocolate gooey underneath.



Place each ramekin on a small plate with a teaspoon and serve. Make sure to warn people that these desserts will be HOT!



others:

here are some sites that teaches you. i learnt cooking from these sites too and it's works. before that, i recommend you to watch chef nigella lawson at http://www.youtube.com . she has the fastest, easiest and delicious recipes. really good. i learn cooking, baking, etc from her and get the full recipes from foodnetwork.com and foodtv.ca



http://www.foodnetwork.com



http://www.foodtv.ca



http://www.asianfoodchannel.com



http://www.taste.com.au



http://www.myrecipes.com



http://www.rachelraymag.com/recipes



http://www.kuali.com



http://www.joyofbaking.com



http://www.mrbreakfast.com



http://www.marthastewart.com



http://www.dyannbakes.com



http://www.dianasdesserts.com



http://www.bettycrocker.com



http://www.lifestylefood.com.au/home



http://www.abc.net.au/kyliekwong



http://www.ming.com/simplyming/



if you want to watch them cooking, can thru, their sites and learn cooking. if not, go to http://www.youtube.com and find for the chefs.



homecook chef nigella lawson = fast, easy and delicious

chef anna olson = dessert and pastry chef

chef giada de laurentiis = italian food

chef rachel ray = creative, and delicious food

Answer 5

You've got a low cash flow? Congratulations! Best way to lose weight is to not eat outside your budget :-) Seriously, if you have a dollar amount to the amount of food you'll allow yourself to buy, you'll both keep your wallet and your waist happy. And there's only one recipe you need to know: Cheap and tasty = fat free sauces + bases. Keep your fridge stocked with fresh vegetables - mushrooms and eggplants can be used in place of meat for pretty much anything, just buy whatever fresh vegetable is in season. You'll be shocked how cheap it can get - a kilo of potatoes can be a couple of dollars. Every day, you need to use up these veggies otherwise they'll go bad and you'll waste the money you spent to buy them - more motivation to make you eat healthy. Buy lots of hard fruits as well, as they don't go bad quickly. The trick to keep it tasty is to keep it changing - every time you go to the supermarket, buy something different in the fresh fruits and vegetables section. This way, you'll never get bored, it will be always different. Sometimes, you won't like what you get, but that's the price of experimentation. Then, to fill you up, keep lots of bread available - takes a while to eat, prevents you from getting hungry, but also dirt cheap. Can be used with above for sandwiches, bruschetta, pizza, etc., etc. Lastly, to make sure you actually enjoy your food: SAUCES. Go through the aisles and find a few different fat free sauces. You'll find incredible results with Teriyaki, and there's nothing bad in it. Soy Sauce, Honey, Cranberry, fat free caesar, keep going. Keep it interesting, try lots of different things, and you'll keep to your budge and lose weight. For exercise, do something active for a total of one hour each day, anything that puts your heart rate up but you can sustain without giving up. Good luck, and enjoy grilled eggplant with garlic and teriyaki on toasted pumpkin cob, sundried tomatoes and grilled onions...

Answer 6

Stir fry is great and cheap. You can use one cheap flank steak will serve 2-3 people in Beef and Broccoli stir fry. Add a head of broccoli and one broccoli beef seasoning packet for a total meal under $5. Serve it over brown rice.



CHicken and a million other stir fries make for variated combinations...change from rice to noodles frequently...you won't get bored!



Go asian! :)

Answer 7

Lemon Basil Bowties



1 pound bowties, or other short pasta

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

¾ cup pine nuts (about 4 ounces) toasted

1 ½ cups cottage cheese or ricotta cheese

1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, chopped

Grated peel of 2 lemons

Salt



In boiling salted water cook pasta until al dente; drain



Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl and toss with the olive oil. Add the toasted pine nuts, cottage or ricotta cheese, basil, and lemon peel, toss. Season to taste with salt.

Answer 8

Stew and bread are your best friends on a budget.



Our ancestors survived on stews of various kinds through very hungry times.



Buy cheap cuts of meat like chuck roast and stew it on Sunday with lots of potatoes, carrots, onions, and some garlic. Add a touch of vinegar for savoriness.



It tastes good, its filling, its nutritious and it can last you all week if you aren't extravagant with your serving sizes and fill it out with bread.



Also, beans with ham can last a similarly long time.

Answer 9

A great website to check out is Hillbillyhousewife.com. You can also search "frugal meals", "cheap meals" and "budget meals" and get great results. Good luck

Answer 10

There are many healthy fruits and vegetables. Fresh vegetables like broccoli and kale contain calcium and are packed with fiber.

Answer 11

you should get food stamps

get veggies and fruits to help full yourself

Snack healthy inbetween meal so you will not be too hungry to eat the world.

Answer 12

Here are a few E-Z recipes you might want to try. Good Luck & enjoy.



COLA CHICKEN



4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

> > 1 cup catsup

> > 1 12oz. can cola (pepsi, coke, etc.)

> >

Put chicken in a non-stick pan. Mix together catsup and cola, pour over chicken.

Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and cook 45 minutes.

(turning chicken a few times, while cooking...to prevent from

sticking to pan)

Uncover, turn up the heat and continue to cook until the sauce becomes

thick and adheres to the chicken.

It turns into the most incredible BBQ sauce. Yummmm!



You can double the recipe and use more pieces of

chicken....wings...would be ideal...add some hot sauce....presto "Hot

Wings"! Not tried this, yet.



I have used Ribs, just as good.



Fixed chicken wings, (using the above recipe) but...I

added the spices from a MILD (I don't care for "HOT") Buffalo

Wings packet...(the kind you get to bake in the oven).....I thought it

was really good.....(but you/I can't find a 'bad' way to fix chicken).



CRUNCHY ONION CHICKEN



1 1/3 cups French’s Original French Fried Onions

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1 egg, beaten



LIGHTLY CRUSH:



Onions in a plastic bag.



DIP:

Chicken in egg



COVER:

With onion crumbs, press firmly to adhere to chicken.



BAKE:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place chicken on lightly greased baking pan.

Sprinkle with additional onion crumbs, if desired.

Bake for 20 minutes or until no longer pink in center.









POOR MAN’S SWISS STEAK

Mix: 1 lb. hamburger

1 cup cornflakes

salt & pepper to taste

small amount dices onion

Spread in a square baking pan.



Pour: 1 can mushroom soup

1 can water

(combine together, first)

Pour over meat mixture.

Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.





CHILLI DOG CASSEROLE

1 pkg. (8) hot dog buns

1 pkg. (8) hot dogs (use more if you like)

1 can Chilli (15 oz. without beans, use more if you want)

1 small onion (chopped)

2 cups shredded cheese

mustard





DIRECTIONS: Pre-heat oven 350 degrees

In a 9" x 13" baking pan, break up hot dog buns (bite size) and spread in pan.

Cut up hot dogs (about 1/2" size) spread over buns.

Spoon/spred chilli over hot dog/buns.

Sprinkle onions over all.

Squirt mustard over entire mixture (don't spread...just make a few lines both ways across mixture)

Cover with shredded cheese.

Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly.

(Hint: If using extra hot dogs & chilli, don't add extra buns.)



POT ROAST

Your choice of beef (to fit crock-pot)

1 pkg. dry Ranch dressing mix

1 pkg. dry Italian dressing mix

1 pkg. dry Brown Gravy mix

1 cup water

Put beef in pot.

Mix together all the dry mixes….then add water …pour over meat and cover & cook on high 4-6 hours.

Until meat is tender.

The first time I mad it I didn’t have the Italian Dressing mix….so I added a pkg. of Onion Soup Mix….I have to say I liked that better.

If you use more water you might want to add more Brown Gravy mix….to make a thicker sauce. Was gonna add potatoes and carrots…but never got around to it.





OLD SETTLER’S BEANS

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 lb. ground beef

1/2 lb. bacon

1 chopped onion

Brown in skillet and drain excess grease.



ADD:

16 oz. can Red Kidney Beans (drained)

24 oz. can Pork & Beans (drained)

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup Catsup

2 TBLS. Molasses

1/2 tsp. dry mustard



Mix Thoroughly !

Cook in a crock pot until...hot...hot...hot!





MARINATED VEGGIE SALAD

1 lb. can French style green beans

1 lb. can small peas

1 lb. can white corn

1 - 4oz. jar pimento (chopped)

1 cup shopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped green pepper

1 cup sugar (I used artificial sweetener)

2/3 cup vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)

1/2 cup cooking oil

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper



1.)Pour green beans, peas, corn & pimento in a colander to drain over a

large bowl. Discard 1 1/2 cups of liquid.

2.)Put veggies in a large bowl and fold in onions, celery and green

peppers.

3.)Mix together thoroughly the remaining ingredients and toss with

veggies.

4.)Cover and let sit over night in refrigerator. (The longer it marinates the better.)



Desserts/Snacks



POUND CAKE



Combine:

2 sticks butter

1 2/3 cup sugar



Beat in:

5 eggs (1 at a time)



Add:

2 cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon rum extract



Mix thoroughly and bake 1 hour at 325 degrees.







E-Z Candy

(All recipes are mixed the same.)



Melt ingredients, seperately in microwave until runny.

Mix together and pour into serving dish.

Chill until firm, cut & serve.



Chocolate Fudge:

16 oz. container of Fudge Frosting

1 bag of Chocolate Chips (any flavor you like)



Peanut Butter Fudge #1:

1 small jar Peanut Butter (18 oz.)

2 bags of Peanut Butter Chips



Peanut Butter Fudge #2:

1 small jar Peanut Butter (18oz.)

16 oz. container of White Frosting



Marshmallow Nougat:

1 small jr Marshmallow Creme

1 bag White Chocolate Chips

1 tsp. Almond Flavoring

1 small bag Chopped Nuts



(I've made this without the flavoring & nuts....I want to try

rolling

into balls and dipping in a chocolate coating....sounds good to

me.)



I've doubled all the above recipes. The Marshmallow Nougat

recipe...doubled and added a container of white frosting (had an

extra one....so thought....why not!)



I use a double boiler..(prefer the double

boiler)...add chips in first ...then rest of

ingredients.....saving

nuts and flavorings for last.



Kreamy Kool-Aid Pie



1-(6 g) package un sweetened Kool-Aid powdered drink mix

1-(14 oz.)can sweetened condensed milk

1-(8 oz)container Cool Whip frozen whipped topping, thawed.

1-(9 inch) Graham Cracker Pie Crust (or Cookie crust)

Cool Whip for top (optional)



1. In a medium bowl mix Kool-Aid and condensed milk, thoroughly.

2. Fold in Cool Whip.

4. If desired, spread more Cool Whip on top.

5. Chill for a minimum of 4 hours.



I’ve used: Strawberry…Cherry…Lemon-lime (Key-Lime Pie)….Lemonade (Lemon Pie…might add some yellow food coloring for a more lemony look.)



OATMEAL PIE



INGREDIENTS:

2/3 cup uncooked oatmeal

2/3 cup light Karo syrup

2 eggs, beaten

2/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup melted margarine, cooled

1 – 9” unbaked pie shell



DIRECTIONS:



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients in order given.

Pour into pie shell.

Bake 1 hour or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.



(I used Karo Brown Sugar Syrup and topped pie with pecan halves. I made 2 pies the same day. The one that sat over night was the better of the 2…(my opinion).



CAKE MIX COOKIES

White Cake Mix

2 Tablespoons water

2 eggs

1/2 cup cooking oil

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup chopped nuts

powdered sugar



Mix all ingredients, except powdered sugar.



Drop batter (about a teaspoon per cookie) into a bowl of powdered sugar.



Roll in sugar until it is an approximate shape of a ball.



Place ion a lightly greased cookie sheet.



Bake at 350 degrees about 18 minutes, until lightly browned.



Cool on wire racks. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.



(Use any flavoring or cake mix you desire.)