Money saving meals

Does anyone have any tips on cheap meals that are healthy?

I need to start paying more attention to what I cook and cost. All the meals I found online that are cheap are really unhealthy.

Or- is there a way to cook or shop where I save a lot of money. I usually just go to the store everyday and buy the food I need to cook but it’s really getting expensive.

Thanks!!

How healthy are you talking? Basic food hierachy healthy, gluten-free dairy-free, gym rat, or vegan healthy? Some meals I can think of: veg and noodle soup, brown rice + beans/lentil/chickpeas, sweet potatoes + roast veggies. You can buy frozen veggies or buy fresh, eat some now + freeze the rest. Buy in season fruit and freeze for smoothies later. Meal prepping also saves money.

Posted by applecherrypie

How healthy are you talking? Basic food hierachy healthy, gluten-free dairy-free, gym rat, or vegan healthy? Some meals I can think of: veg and noodle soup, brown rice + beans/lentil/chickpeas, sweet potatoes + roast veggies. You can buy frozen veggies or buy fresh, eat some now + freeze the rest. Buy in season fruit and freeze for smoothies later. Meal prepping also saves money.

Not over the top healthy but not high cholesterol fatty carb induced food.

Like most of the low cost recipes are all Mac and cheese, and just mostly pasta and cheese variations.

Those are all good ideas. Thanks for those! Is there an app you know of for meal planning so I can organize my life?

Posted by Antiphates

Rice.

And...?

Water? Lol that’ll get boring real fast !

But yes I think incorporating more rice is a good idea. It’s just finding multiple cheap ways to cook it so everyone doesn’t get bored!

Idk about healthy but..

Spaghetti.. (last for days)

Meatloaf.. (made with ground Turkey)

Potato salad (add shrimp🤤)(goes good with almost everything)

Soup..

Stir fry..

Posted by Sjess

Posted by applecherrypie

How healthy are you talking? Basic food hierachy healthy, gluten-free dairy-free, gym rat, or vegan healthy? Some meals I can think of: veg and noodle soup, brown rice + beans/lentil/chickpeas, sweet potatoes + roast veggies. You can buy frozen veggies or buy fresh, eat some now + freeze the rest. Buy in season fruit and freeze for smoothies later. Meal prepping also saves money.

Not over the top healthy but not high cholesterol fatty carb induced food.

Like most of the low cost recipes are all Mac and cheese, and just mostly pasta and cheese variations.

Those are all good ideas. Thanks for those! Is there an app you know of for meal planning so I can organize my life?

click to expand

Search the book good and cheap by leanne brown. I never used it but it could have some good ideas. Apparently she developed it for people to eat under $ 4/day. It's free to download online.

I don't use a meal planning app lol. I just think of two dinner meals, a lunch meal, and breakfast where I can reuse ingredients throughout the week. This usually ends in a theme week. Like one week I'm cooking mexican, another it's indian, then chinese etc. Nothing too elaborate tho just basic meals. This is not the cheapest option since you cannot bulk buy ingredients like you could if you just ate the same thing every week but it's what I like to do.

Beans are inexpensive and filling and you can add them to meat/poultry meals to extend what you get and it's also healthy. Dried herbs can add flavor to anything. Root veggies like carrots, beets, yams, potatoes, and parsnips last a long time and are the cheapest of all the veggies. Plus they taste great. Frozen veggies cost less than fresh so get your corn and peas etc frozen. Soups, stews and chowders are both inexpensive and filling. Add lots of veggies to your meat meals cuz it's cheaper that way and avoid prepared foods if you can which are very expensive.

Posted by Antiphates

Posted by Sjess

Posted by Antiphates

Rice.

And...?

Water? Lol that’ll get boring real fast !

But yes I think incorporating more rice is a good idea. It’s just finding multiple cheap ways to cook it so everyone doesn’t get bored!

Unpeeled rice

Black pepper

Curry

Salt

Chilli powder

Then cook that whole thing.

I only eat the rice but it's something that can easily be combined with other elements.

click to expand

Ooooohhh sounds delisioso

Thanks!!

Posted by applecherrypie

Posted by Sjess

Posted by applecherrypie

How healthy are you talking? Basic food hierachy healthy, gluten-free dairy-free, gym rat, or vegan healthy? Some meals I can think of: veg and noodle soup, brown rice + beans/lentil/chickpeas, sweet potatoes + roast veggies. You can buy frozen veggies or buy fresh, eat some now + freeze the rest. Buy in season fruit and freeze for smoothies later. Meal prepping also saves money.

Not over the top healthy but not high cholesterol fatty carb induced food.

Like most of the low cost recipes are all Mac and cheese, and just mostly pasta and cheese variations.

Those are all good ideas. Thanks for those! Is there an app you know of for meal planning so I can organize my life?

Search the book good and cheap by leanne brown. I never used it but it could have some good ideas. Apparently she developed it for people to eat under $ 4/day. It's free to download online.

I don't use a meal planning app lol. I just think of two dinner meals, a lunch meal, and breakfast where I can reuse ingredients throughout the week. This usually ends in a theme week. Like one week I'm cooking mexican, another it's indian, then chinese etc. Nothing too elaborate tho just basic meals. This is not the cheapest option since you cannot bulk buy ingredients like you could if you just ate the same thing every week but it's what I like to do.

click to expand

Oh that’s a good idea! Theme week!

We can all dress up 😂

I’ll look up that book rn

Posted by VenusX

Beans are inexpensive and filling and you can add them to meat/poultry meals to extend what you get and it's also healthy. Dried herbs can add flavor to anything. Root veggies like carrots, beets, yams, potatoes, and parsnips last a long time and are the cheapest of all the veggies. Plus they taste great. Frozen veggies cost less than fresh so get your corn and peas etc frozen. Soups, stews and chowders are both inexpensive and filling. Add lots of veggies to your meat meals cuz it's cheaper that way and avoid prepared foods if you can which are very expensive.

Oh yeah good ideas here thanks!

Also I should buy a crock pot I am guessing to simplify my life.

A deep freeze would probably also help but it’s just getting the money for that!

sauteed string beans with garlic

braised cabbage

southern collard greens with turkey necks

Cook a whole pot of some food (soup, minestrone, anything that you can cook a big amount of) and freeze it in smaller containers. You can cook it on a sunday and eat it through the whole week. I used to do it and it saved me so much time and money

Posted by Sjess

Does anyone have any tips on cheap meals that are healthy?

I need to start paying more attention to what I cook and cost. All the meals I found online that are cheap are really unhealthy.

Or- is there a way to cook or shop where I save a lot of money. I usually just go to the store everyday and buy the food I need to cook but it’s really getting expensive.

Thanks!!

I got you mate. Buy lentils, beans and other legumes, they are cheap and packed with protein and other good stuff.

Lentils, put them in cold water, cook til it starts to boil, change water. Cook until tender, drop the water. In a medium pan, drop some oil, finely chopped onion, minced garlic(couple of cloves) , chopped cabanossi(type of sausage) cook till the onion is fairly translucent, add lentils, cover with cold water and a couple of chicken stock pods, sprinkle some orégano, salt and pepper to taste.

On the other hand, make rice. Wash the rice a couple of times to get rid of the extra starch. 1 cup of rice per 1 cup of water, one lemons juice, and drop a star anís if you can, cook till it starts boiling, then leave it to a VERY VERY gentle simmer, always keep the lid on so it can steam nicely and get all fluffy.

I cook 900 grams of lentils and a kilo of rice every other monday. It lasts me till Wednesday aprox.

Once you master this recipe i can tell you how to cook different kinds of beans and other legumes.

Salad



Veggies



Fruit



Egg salad



Grilled chicken



Grilled shrimp or fish



Peanut butter sandwich

And sex



All the above very healthy

oatmeal

Me and my crockpot are best friends

Oatmeal is also very inexpensive

Eggs 2

soups and stews, so many variations out there

Healthy chili variations can be frozen for months. Then you can just add your favorite toppings or put it over rice, make nachos, so many options!