Cheap, Easy Recipes PLEASE!

dining on a dime
Not Just Beans
Everyday Cheapskate
Hillbilly Housewife ( I LOVE HER )

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Hi M.
I know where you are coming from I try to make healthy dinners for my family and it can get very expensive. We live on a very tight budget since I stay stay at home and my husband is the only one working. I have got very creative and have come up with a few. If you want to try these go ahead and send me a message if they work out for ya and I could probably pull up a few more. A couple of recipies I have are a little cheaper.

Spegetti: One box of barrilla plus angel hair pasta and your regular sauce and hamburger meat makes a wonderful meal and instead of the white pasta you have whole wheat enriched with fiber pasta and it isn't that expensive

Cajun Chicken- take your chicken breast and marinate them in olive oil and cajun seasoning then grill them, once they are finished grilling top them with either pepper jack or montery cheese, them top that with black beans, serve with any kind of vegetable and it is really tasty.

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I am glad you asked this...

There should be a law that says companies can't charge more for the healthy verision of food. Especially, with the way the government gripes about the obesity rate. It is easier, and cheaper to eat crap! Sadly enough...

Thanks for bringing this topic up!

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My favorite recipe website is www.recipezaar.com. Search for whatever ingredient you want to make and then sort based on rating so you can see the highest rated recipes. The one's rated highest or that have a high rating from the most members are usually pretty good.

Someone already mentioned the Angel Food Ministries which is a great organization, but they always have at least one thing that is breaded or fried so if you're trying to eat healthy, those items would probably go to waste.

I rarely buy anything at the grocery store that isn't on sale. Everything else I buy at Walmart or Target which tend to have the cheapest non-sale grocery items in my experience, except for meat. I only buy meat at the grocery store when it's on sale, or at Costco or Sam's when it's cheaper to buy in bulk. When I find meat at a good price, I stock up and freeze what I don't use right away. When you're on a budget, the freezer can be your best friend. That's why we have two!

Watch the cash register when you're checking out at the grocery store. Many times things come up the wrong price and a lot of stores give you the item free if it rings up incorrectly. I usually get at least one thing free on each shopping trip, not to mention the savings you get by making sure it's ringing up the correct price if they don't have the "get it free" program.

Look at the freebies forum on www.gottadeal.com. I've gotten a sleeping bag for free, teeth whitening strips, deodorant, shampoos and conditioners, dishes, laundry detergent, fabric softeners, dryer sheets, razors, a coffee maker, toys, books and other items I can't think of right now, all for FREE!

Living on a budget is tough, but it is doable if you're creative. :-)

Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

we have switched to ground turkey instead of beef. It is cheaper and healthier, you just have to season it more. There is also a book called the Tightwad Gazette that has some good ideas. We are struggling, too! We also make a lot of casseroles and eat them two nights in a row or freeze half. Someone else mentioned the Kraft magazine which has some great recipes. I am eager to read what others say! Great Topic!

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I LOVE Miserly Moms - http://www.miserlymoms.com/

I actually bought the book, but checked it out at the library first.

Good luck!
A.

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Try making breads and substituting frozen veggies for fresh. Yes, that was VERY hard for me... but throw in a few "enhancers" (salt free spices or flavorings) and my family doesn't know the difference.
Buy generic. Buy with coupons. Shop the sales.
Wondertime Magazine, Family Fun Magazine and Real Living Magazine have great things. You can see a lot of it online as well.
You could also try a food swap, where one person cans tomato sauce, one cans jam, one bakes breads, etc... then you swap it and everyone has some. Or you can buy in bulk and get premake (layer) casseroles, etc. and freeze them.
You can do it.
You'll save approx $20/month if you don't HEAT dry dishes in the dishwasher. It sucks to dry them some days.
Also I buy bar towels (at Target) and use a bunch of them instead and it cuts down on my paper towel use...
That was a big expense here.
Try using vinegar and baking soda and natural cleaners... WAAAAAAAAAAY less expensive than buying...
I have tons of ideas...
Em

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I AGREE! Trying to live on a budget and eat healthy is almost impossible! I'm working on this issue myself. You can make healthy "fries" by thinly slicing a sweet potato and baking on about 400 until somewhat crunchy... maybe 20 minutes. Just put a small amount of olive oil on the bottom of a cookie sheet, put the potatoes down and then lightly brush with a tiny bit more oil. My kids love them. Also, you can saute onion and add to just about anything to kick it up.... like a grilled cheese. You can use slighly less cheese (which is expensive)... maybe get the sharp instead of mild cheddar. You can add the sauteed onion and a slice of tomato or a bit of rotel to make a fantastic, healthy, grilled cheese. Again, with the same onions & rotel or hot sauce & cheese, you can make a pretty good burrito with low-fat refried beans out of a can. We've switched to the whole grain tortillas... more expensive.

These are just a couple of things I've found so far.

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