Home› All Encompassing Trip

What's your favorite cheap recipe?

Brain of J.LoBrain of J.Lo Posts: 3,259
edited May 2008 in All Encompassing Trip
In light of rising grocery costs, I'm obsessed with finding cheap ways to feed my family. What's your favorite cheap recipe?
Post edited by Unknown User on
«1

Comments

  • mindimindi Posts: 1,862
    spaghetti is always cheap.

    soup and sandwiches

    Let me think on it, my kids are killing each other right now, gotta go break up a fight.
    To 10c; "Your PJ tshirt should be tight enough to show you're a woman and loose enough to show you're a lady." - bionicamy
  • _Crazy_Mary__Crazy_Mary_ Posts: 1,299
    Well, I don't shop organic, so that saves $$ right there. I try to buy whatever protein is on sale. Today I bought chicken for $0.99/lb. I bought a package of fresh green beans for $2.50 and I'll serve those with short grain brown rice (which costs $2.20/package but I'm only using 1/4 of the package). So the entire meal will cost about $6-$7 for my family to have a healthy dinner.
    I really screwed that up. I really Schruted it.
  • ledveddermanledvedderman Posts: 7,761
    Buffalo Chicken Dip...it's heaven on Earth
    E8toX.gif

    http://www.reverbnation.com/brianzilm
  • mindimindi Posts: 1,862
    Eggs are coming back down in price. I was paying about $10 for 5 dozen. Now they are a bit more than $7 for 5 dz.

    My kids love eggs. Boiled,fried,scrambled they don't care. You can make egg salad too. Great cheap source of protein.

    I shop the sales too. And look for discounted stuff that is close to the use by date.
    To 10c; "Your PJ tshirt should be tight enough to show you're a woman and loose enough to show you're a lady." - bionicamy
  • TrixieCatTrixieCat Posts: 5,756
    Beans.
    I love to buy a bag of dried beans and cook a pot.
    They are great with rice, in burritos, with chicken.
    Cheap, cheap, cheap
    Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
    And I don't feel right when you're gone away
  • Get_RightGet_Right Posts: 13,297
    Pasta-make a big lasagne or a baked rigatoni (you can get as fancy with the ingredients as you like) on Sun and it is good for at least three meals

    Beans. Dried preferable, but there is almost no end to the dishes you can make-soups, chilis, burrito filings, simple bean salads-black beans, lentils and chick peas are my favs, very cheap and good.

    Look for the best prices on fruit and veggies, sometime I go to three stores for produce depending on price.

    I spend a fortune at the butcher and the fish market I try to find other ways to cut costs.
  • _Crazy_Mary__Crazy_Mary_ Posts: 1,299
    I have to agree that beans are a great deal. Dried beans are dirt cheap!
    If it were up to me, I wouldn't make pasta. I'm actually mad at myself for having pasta today, but I guess once every 6 months isn't that bad. If you're looking to feed your family for cheap, then by all means, make pasta. If you want to feed your family on the cheap and be healthy, go with beans.
    I really screwed that up. I really Schruted it.
  • Lukin66Lukin66 Posts: 3,063
    I love hamburger helper stroganoff :o
    deep, deep blue of the morning
    gets to me every time
  • gabersgabers Posts: 2,787
    Two words:

    Frito Pie
  • Get_RightGet_Right Posts: 13,297
    TrixieCat wrote:
    Beans.
    I love to buy a bag of dried beans and cook a pot.
    They are great with rice, in burritos, with chicken.
    Cheap, cheap, cheap


    didnt see that, great idea
    ;)
  • TrixieCatTrixieCat Posts: 5,756
    Get_Right wrote:
    didnt see that, great idea
    ;)
    :)
    I love that you cook beans, you being all savvy with meat and seafood.
    I don't know if I ever did garbanzos. I love doing a huge pot of black or pinto.
    I don't know if it is the iron my body craves, but sometimes I just crave beans.
    :o

    Oh and soups. Cheap, cheap.
    I have a great market near me that sells fresh produce for great prices. I will buy a butternut squash, some carrots, onions and celery. And add some spices. So yummy and awesome for you.
    Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
    And I don't feel right when you're gone away
  • Phantom PainPhantom Pain Posts: 9,876
    ledvedderman wrote:
    Buffalo Chicken Dip...it's heaven on Earth

    We make that everytime we have people over

    It's gone in no time

    I prefer the celery sticks with it rather than crackers
    My drinking team has a hockey problem

    The ONLY thing better than a glass of beer is tea with Miss McGill



    A protuberance of flesh above the waistband of a tight pair of trousers
  • CollinCollin Posts: 4,931
    When I was hitchhiking in the States my primary source of food was Campbell's beefaroni and bread.

    But I'm not sure if this is what you're looking for :D
    THANK YOU, LOSTDAWG!


    naděje umírá poslední
  • TrixieCatTrixieCat Posts: 5,756
    ledvedderman wrote:
    Buffalo Chicken Dip...it's heaven on Earth
    Recipe please.
    Thank you.
    Or I could get off my lazy hag butt and google it.
    :)

    This? Sounds healthy. :p

    INGREDIENTS

    * 2 (10 ounce) cans chunk chicken, drained
    * 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
    * 1 cup Ranch dressing
    * 3/4 cup pepper sauce, such as Franks® Red Hot®
    * 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
    *
    * 1 bunch celery, cleaned and cut into 4 inch pieces
    * 1 (8 ounce) box chicken-flavored crackers


    DIRECTIONS

    1. Heat chicken and hot sauce in a skillet over medium heat, until heated through. Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing. Cook, stirring until well blended and warm. Mix in half of the shredded cheese, and transfer the mixture to a slow cooker. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, cover, and cook on Low setting until hot and bubbly. Serve with celery sticks and crackers.
    Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
    And I don't feel right when you're gone away
  • TrailerTrailer Posts: 1,431
    I love girls who know how to cook.:D Out of all the girls I have dated, I've always been the one who is better in the kitchen:eek: Some day I'll find one:rolleyes:...
    Whoa, chill bro... you know you can't raise your voice like that when the lion's here.
  • Get_RightGet_Right Posts: 13,297
    TrixieCat wrote:
    :)
    I love that you cook beans, you being all savvy with meat and seafood.
    I don't know if I ever did garbanzos. I love doing a huge pot of black or pinto.
    I don't know if it is the iron my body craves, but sometimes I just crave beans.
    :o

    Oh and soups. Cheap, cheap.
    I have a great market near me that sells fresh produce for great prices. I will buy a butternut squash, some carrots, onions and celery. And add some spices. So yummy and awesome for you.


    mmmm garbanzos make a great little salad, with thinly sliced purple onion, olive and vinegar, and oregano. Season to taste. And always better the next day! They are nice in an indian or morrocan style stew/tangine as well.

    You crave good food. Beans are good food. :)

    Soups, I dont make enough of them. I think its because I havent found a store bought stock that I like and I always feel like I need to make it from scratch-and who has time for that???

    Everything is expensive near me. Premium gas is $4.35 right now!!!!
  • TrixieCatTrixieCat Posts: 5,756
    Get_Right wrote:
    mmmm garbanzos make a great little salad, with thinly sliced purple onion, olive and vinegar, and oregano. Season to taste. And always better the next day! They are nice in an indian or morrocan style stew/tangine as well.

    You crave good food. Beans are good food. :)

    Soups, I dont make enough of them. I think its because I havent found a store bought stock that I like and I always feel like I need to make it from scratch-and who has time for that???

    Everything is expensive near me. Premium gas is $4.35 right now!!!!
    I eat alot of garbanzos...i just don't think I have ever cooked them from scratch.
    You said tangine. :)
    Pea soup is inexpensive and really yummy too. :)
    Oh and lentils. :)
    Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
    And I don't feel right when you're gone away
  • HailHailVitalogyHailHailVitalogy Posts: 5,413
    ramen + beer
    2003: Uniondale, MSG x2 | 2004: Reading | 2005: Gorge, Vancouver, Philly | 2006: East Rutherford x2, Gorge x2, Camden 1, Hartford | 2008: MSG x2, VA Beach | 2009: Philly x3 | 2010: MSG x2, Bristow | 2011: Alpine Valley x2 | 2012: MIA Philly | 2013: Wrigley, Charlottesville, Brooklyn 2 | 2014: Milan, Amsterdam 1 | 2016: MSG x2, Fenway x2, Wrigley 2 | 2018: Rome, Krakow, Berlin, Wrigley 2 | 2021: Sea Hear Now | 2022: San Diego, LA x2, MSG, Camden, Nashville, St. Louis, Denver | 2023: St. Paul 1, Chicago x2, Fort Worth x2, Austin 2 | 2024: Las Vegas 1, Seattle x2, Indy, MSG x2, Philly x2, Baltimore, Ohana 2
  • mindimindi Posts: 1,862
    My kids love ramen! I try to limit it since it is really crappy healthy wise. They love when I add stuff to it. Their favorite is to add scrambled eggs to it. They like vegies in it. I add whatever is leftover in the fridge.

    We eat a lot of frozen vegies.

    I can get a 10 lb bag of chicken leg quarters for under $5. we cut the leg and thigh apart and bbq the legs for the kids and put hot sauce on the thighs for us.
    To 10c; "Your PJ tshirt should be tight enough to show you're a woman and loose enough to show you're a lady." - bionicamy
  • memememe Posts: 4,695
    I just blew 40 dollars on lamb chops with smashed green peas and pita. But I think it was worth it :o
    ... and the will to show I will always be better than before.
  • _Crazy_Mary__Crazy_Mary_ Posts: 1,299
    meme wrote:
    I just blew 40 dollars on lamb chops with smashed green peas and pita. But I think it was worth it :o

    OMG that sounds so good. It sounds worth it!
    I really screwed that up. I really Schruted it.
  • JeanieJeanie Posts: 9,446
    I usually go with what's available and in season, what looks fresh and is priced well. Seasonal foods are the way to go I reckon and of course you can't go wrong with a good staples pantry. We always have pulses here. Dried lentils, canned chick peas, kidney beans and the like. I also buy meat when it's on sale and bring it home and freeze it in portions immediately.

    For instance this week we got a huge bunch of fresh silver beet given to us so so far I've made a really yummy red lentil and silver beet soup and a vegetable risotto which was also yum. I was also given a bag of fresh lemons so I've been using them in my cooking as well. :)

    Seeing as there's a bit of silver beet left and it's still looking fresh I'm going to make vegetable fritatta tonight. :)

    All really simple and easy and healthy. :) AND CHEAP!!! :)
    NOPE!!!

    *~You're IT Bert!~*

    Hold on to the thread
    The currents will shift
  • ryan198ryan198 Posts: 1,015
    Cheap recipe that got me through college at least once every other week anyway:
    1 box chicken nuggets (I can teach you how to make homemade but it's more expensive that a crappy river valley box or whatever)
    1 box rice-a-roni
    Hot Sauce
    Ranch Dressing

    Chop up baked nuggets into small pieces, pop on top of rice a roni, mix in hot sauce and ranch dressing to taste. Sounds like stupid school pothead food, but I still pull it out once and again and it is good.
  • JaneNYJaneNY Posts: 4,438
    Vegetarian Burritos:

    Can of refried beans.
    Packet of burrito sized tortillas.
    Jar of Salsa
    Package of grated cheese, or buy a block and grate it yourself if that's cheaper.
    A couple tomatoes chopped.

    Usually makes about 8 burritos, feeds 4 or more people.

    Spread the beans on 8 tortillas.
    Sprinkle with the chopped tomatoes.
    Sprinkle on the grated cheese.
    Spoon on the salsa.
    Fold up burritos: fold the ends in, then fold one of the long sides in and the other one over that.

    Put on a cookie sheet with the folded side down and bake for 10-15 minutes till cheese is melted and they are heated throughout.

    You could make it even cheaper if you cooked dried pinto beans from scratch and mashed them yourself.
    R.i.p. Rigoberto Alpizar.
    R.i.p. My Dad - May 28, 2007
    R.i.p. Black Tail (cat) - Sept. 20, 2008
  • ledveddermanledvedderman Posts: 7,761
    :)

    Buffalo Chicken Dip isn't healthy at all...but if not eating it would give me youth and becomg immortal--I'd take the dip
    E8toX.gif

    http://www.reverbnation.com/brianzilm
  • Brain of J.LoBrain of J.Lo Posts: 3,259
    JaneNY wrote:
    Vegetarian Burritos:

    Can of refried beans.
    Packet of burrito sized tortillas.
    Jar of Salsa
    Package of grated cheese, or buy a block and grate it yourself if that's cheaper.
    A couple tomatoes chopped.

    Usually makes about 8 burritos, feeds 4 or more people.

    Spread the beans on 8 tortillas.
    Sprinkle with the chopped tomatoes.
    Sprinkle on the grated cheese.
    Spoon on the salsa.
    Fold up burritos: fold the ends in, then fold one of the long sides in and the other one over that.

    Put on a cookie sheet with the folded side down and bake for 10-15 minutes till cheese is melted and they are heated throughout.

    You could make it even cheaper if you cooked dried pinto beans from scratch and mashed them yourself.

    That sounds so good, and it's funny that you suggested this because I just told my husband an hour or so ago that I wanted to make veggie burritos next week!
  • memememe Posts: 4,695
    _Crazy_Mary_ wrote:
    OMG that sounds so good. It sounds worth it!

    http://food.realsimple.com/realsimple/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1728868

    :p
    ... and the will to show I will always be better than before.
  • RolandTD20KdrummerRolandTD20Kdrummer Posts: 13,066
    mindi wrote:
    spaghetti is always cheap.

    soup and sandwiches

    Let me think on it, my kids are killing each other right now, gotta go break up a fight.


    You'd save more money if you let them finish each other off...
    Progress is not made by everyone joining some new fad,
    and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
    over specific principles, goals, and policies.

    http://i36.tinypic.com/66j31x.jpg

    (\__/)
    ( o.O)
    (")_(")
  • sweetpotatosweetpotato Posts: 1,278
    pasta is a good go-to, and since it's relatively cheap, you can buy the high-protein/ whole wheat/ organic whatever version. i like barilla's.

    to go-with, ground beef browned and seasoned with garlic & onion and a splash of red wine (the alcohol cooks off but leaves a nice finish), stirred into one jar of prepared sauce and one can of crushed tomatoes. the meat, prepared this way, stretches much further than if you made meatballs with it.
    "Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States, Barack Obama."

    "Obama's main opponent in this election on November 4th (was) not John McCain, it (was) ignorance."~Michael Moore

    "i'm feeling kinda righteous right now. with my badass motherfuckin' ukulele!"
    ~ed, 8/7
  • SchokiSchoki Posts: 5,072
    Pasta with carrots and cheese (blue mold cheese)
Sign In or Register to comment.