Cooking for the (poor) single person

[Kaleva]

Homemade spaghetti sauce-

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 can Manwich
1 can kidney beans

stir together in microwave safe bowl. microwave till hot. serve on cooked Hamburger Helper noodles (hamburger is optional), Ramen Noodles or whatever pasta you happen to have on hand.

Boiled eggs-

boil eggs till done.
peel

Instant rice-

follow directions on box

Cold cereal-

pour in bowl
add milk

Canned vegetables-

open can
eat out of can to save on dishes

Raw red potatoes-

wash gently
dry
eat

Kool-Aid

follow directions on package
chill before serving

Homemade tomato soup-

add some water to almost empty ketchup containers, put cap back on, shake vigorously, pour in microwave safe bowl, add more water if needed. heat.

Ketchup sandwiches-

put ketchup on one side of two slices of bread.
put the two slices of bread together.
eat.

[irisblue]

1. were you my suitemate in college?

mid 70's? ramen noodles hadn't become popular yet...

[Wait Wut]

2. It does not make me happy...

...thinking that this is your menu for the week. Ketchup is not a vegetable, no matter how much Republicans try to tell us it is.

[KamaAina]

3. I rather like the spaghetti sauce idea

plain old rice is even cheaper than instant and cooks up in about 20 min.

But ketchup sandwiches?

[Bertha Venation]

4. Honey, if we weren't separated by several states,

Mrs. V. and I would have you over in a heartbeat. We'd feed you til you bust.

And as Mrs. V. would say, bless your heart. I wish there was something I could do for you.

Glad to hear you're quite creative!

[trof]

5. I'd nuke the spuds, bud.

Raw spuds ain't good for ya'.

For a change of pace, try a mayonnaise sandwich.
Or, as we called 'em when I was a kid (and was served them by my mom)
Man-Aze Sammich.

Good luck.

Oh yeah, ketchup and water mixed and heated make a kind of tomato soup.

[GoCubsGo]

6. You can cook them the same way you boil those eggs, too.

Or, cut them up, toss 'em with a little bit of oil and roast them in the oven.

A big slice of tomato would go good on that mayonnaise sandwich, especially if you can get some home-grown toms. Maybe a little salt and pepper, and a thin slice of sweet onion, if you have it, but not necessary.

[crunch60]

39. What's a matter with eating raw spuds? Been eating them since I

was a kid, still do. Love them with little salt.

[trof]

49. Here's what's the matter. It can kill you.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/369187-what-are-the-dangers-of-eating-raw-potatoes/

[crunch60]

50. Well, as a kid, I ate them out of our garden, now I buy them from organic gardeners at

our local farmers mkt. I have eaten raw potatoes for 60 years now, so..maybe I'm just lucky, ya think.
Never eat the green ones.

[RebelOne]

51. I used to eat mayonnaise sandwiches when I was a kid,

but haven't eaten one in years. Maybe I will try one again. I just need to buy some bread since I seldom eat it.

[Honeycombe8]

7. You'll save $ if you buy bag of non-instant rice. Boil on stove.

Those veggies in the can? Mix those in with the rice, and you've got a casserole-like meal.

COUPONS! WITH SALE ITEMS!

Tea may be cheaper than Kool-Aid. You can buy a big box of tea bags, generic. I'm not sure that's cheaper, since you have to add sweetener, but it's something to check out. (I don't like Kool-Aid.)

You will save money if you buy a BAG OF DRIED BEANS instead of buying canned beans. For the same price as that one can, you can buy a bag of dried beans and make several meals out of it. And it'll taste better and have more vitamins. Mix the beans with the rice you cooked, and you've got a COMPLETE PROTEIN (no meat necessary).

All kinds of beans: black beans, kidney beans, lima beans, blackeyed peas, white beans....all comes in bags, for cooking.

You can buy pasta in bags, for cooking. For about $1.50 to $2.00 you can buy a box of whole grain spaghetti, which will make several meals. You can mix a can of tomato paste (mixed with water) with it, and lots of seasoning.

[Kaleva]

10. I usually add a can of veggies to the rice.

The packets of Kool-Aid was essentially free. When one bought a package of 5 boxes of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, it came with a coupon for 8 (or maybe 10) free Kool-Aid packets. Since the packages of Kraft was on sale and I also had coupons for Karft product, my ex and I bought many boxes of macaroni & cheese.

The macaroni & cheese is long gone but we still have lots of Kool-Aid left and I'm using that now.

Next time I go go shopping, I'll look into buying bags of beans and the regular rice.

[crunch60]

41. To your generic Mac and Cheese, add a package of mixed veggies, and a

can of tuna. Healthier, and should give you two meals.

[Xipe Totec]

8. Flour tortilla recipe

http://www.texasrollingpins.com/tortillarecipe.html

Cheapest foodstuff I know.

That and refried black beans can keep a person alive indefinitely.

http://www.home-ec101.com/refried-beans-back-to-basics/

[Xipe Totec]

9. PS: I would not offer it, if I didn't use it myself

These are things I eat on a regular basis

As nutritious, as inexpensive, and as comfort food.

Enjoy!

[Honeycombe8]

12. Yum. I love black beans. Throw some picante sauce in that, and i'm sold. It's complete protein.

Whenever you mix high-protein beans (which are incomplete protein) with a grain, that makes a complete protein.

I love black bean soup. I make it in the winter from bags of dry black beans. Chop various kinds of peppers in food processor, add to bean soup. I like it spicy hot! Mash some of those beans so that the liquid is thick. Ladel into a bowl, and you can top it with anything (chopped onions, a bit of cheese, or crackers, or nothing). Yum. It is delicious. Some people would eat it with rice, I suppose, but I like just the bowl of thick soup with chopped onions on top. A true comfort food. And talk about cheap. I made a huge pot for a few dollars, and it makes a lot of meals, besides freezing well.

[Kaleva]

14. I'll have to try that! Sounds delicious!

[Xipe Totec]

17. I endorse that wholeheartedly! nt

[Xipe Totec]

16. Black beans and White Rice is an ancient Spanish dish called "Moros y Cristianos"

Moors and Christian

I've always wondered why Red Beans and Rice aren't called Cowboys and Indians...



Truthfully, I've had both, and I love both.

[crunch60]

40. I learned to love frijoles and rice in Central America. I still eat this fantastic

dish every couple of weeks, with some greens,(I prefer Kale) and hot sauce.
link is the version I like using black beans, add anything you like or have on hand. This dish is a complete protein.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frijoles_negros

[femmocrat]

11. Buy a bag of wide noodles instead of that Hamburger Helper stuff.

Cheaper and healthier.

I don't see any fresh food on that list. A bag of apples or spinach aren't super expensive. You could put the eggs over the spinach for a nice salad.

Do you have access to a food pantry? You need some healthier options, Kaleva. Good luck to you.

[Kaleva]

13. The boxes of Hamburger Helper were given to me.

I do on occasion buy a bag of apples and/or oranges. I also do buy fresh veggies as broccoli, celery, carrots and such.

[Honeycombe8]

15. I love apples, but they are pretty pricey, unless there's a good sale. I buy a several # bag...

at Sam's Club for $7.00. That's a good price, but I have to pay a membership fee to shop there. But for a poor person, $7 is a lot of money.

Better would be frozen fruit in bags that are on sale. Those are pricey but go on sale more often, and of course last a long time, since you can keep them frozen.

If you own a house with a yard, you can plant a fruit tree. I planted an inexpensive Mexican plum tree years ago. Every May I get tons of those little purple-reddish plums. They are delicious. I eat some and freeze some. No matter where someone lives, there is some sort of fruit tree that can be planted. Best are the ones that don't need to be sprayed with poison...that's unhealthy, plus costs money. My Mexican plum tree requires no poison. I just need to make sure it gets enough water and maybe fertilizer.

Blackberry bushes are cheap to buy and super easy to grow.

[Cronkite]

18. Why "instant rice"?

Seriously- why pay three times as much for rice?

Rice- Bring two measures of water to a boil. Add one measure of rice,cover and simmer for 30 minutes. The rice costs less than 1/3rd the cost of instant.

[Kaleva]

21. More habit then anything I guess.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

19. Here's a cheap recipe for ya...

and beans are high in fiber, low in fat, and have protein
Soak 2 cups dry beans overnight with salt (I get the beans in bulk at the local co-op)
In a large pot:
2 tablespoons olive oil, one pat butter, a little salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper, some vanilla if you have it, couple shots of Worsteshire sauce, 3/4 bay leaves, 1 tblspoon of cumin over heat
As oil heats and butter melts, throw in a chopped onion, as much crushed garlic as you like ( I add about 5/6 cloves), diced red potato or two, 2 chopped up carrots
saute for a few minutes
add about 8 ounces of veggie broth (not absolutely needed but does add flavor), cook until most of it is reduced (8-10 minutes)
drain beans, rinse well, add to pan, add clear cold water to the level you like
bring to a boil
reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 90 minutes.
Add salt to taste after cooking
You should get at least 8 bowls of soup from this. Enjoy!

[Kaleva]

20. Well, I bookmarked this thread.

Lot of good ideas here!

[crunch60]

42. Also, if you come across a used pressure cooker, maybe at a yard sale or the

thrift stone, it's great for cooking your raw beans. When you soak them overnight, they cook in half the time. I do all my beans in my pressure cooker. I have had it for 15 years now, what a time saver it is. As it cooks with pressure, you can use less water, and save lots of nutrients.

It also will make the cheapest cut of meat absolutely falling off the bone tender.

[kwassa]

22. You can eat very well on very little money.

Unprocessed food is cheaper than processed food.

If you buy raw ingredients and learn how to cook them, it will cost you less, actually. Learn how to cook, eat healthy, and eat well.

but you need to learn to cook.

[grasswire]

23. manwich is kind of expensive compared to home-made

I realize you may have a coupon for the stuff, or maybe it came from a food pantry.

But you can make a cheaper substitute with a can of chopped tomatoes -- they come in various varieties, Italian, or Mexican flavors too. Start with a can of the Mexican kind, add a bit of catsup, a bit of brown sugar, some chopped or dehydrated onion if you have it, some garlic if you have it, some worcestershire if you have it, a bit of hot sauce or whatever. Simmer a while. That's a really good basis for sloppy joe sauce (manwich). Chopped tomatoes are often two cans for a dollar or thereabouts, on sale. If you have some leftover meat, throw it in.

I think canned tomatoes are about the best value for working a frugal diet.

[Kaleva]

24. I have $32.00 on my food stamp card

I get $16.00 a month but as I just got the card today, it's back dated a month so that's why there's $32.00 on it right now.

Took the scooter to the local store and did some price checking.

Whole peeled tomatoes- .99 a can
5 lbs long grain rice- 4.63
10 lbs potatoes- 3.99
2 lb dried Northern beans- 3.63
1 lb. dried black beans- 1.99
1 lb. dried kidney beans- 1.95
2 lb dried split peas- 2.57

Buying ten cans of whole peeled tomatoes, I can get the above with the funds available.

If anyone can suggest other items I ought to have to make cheap meals, I'd appreciate any and all suggestions.

I have salt, pepper, eggs, milk and quite a few onions on hand.

[avebury]

25. So normally you will only have $16 per month to work with

when planning your meals? On my! Do you have a place that you could try to grow some vegetables if you had some seeds? When I go to the store tonight I'll think about what might work for you as I walk through the store.

Is there an Aldis Store where you live (it is a lower priced supermarket)? We have them in Oklahoma City and their prices are substantially lower on a lot of items then a Walmart and Homeland Market. If not an Aldis do you have something comparable to that?

I should have added that if you cannot grow vegetables you might want to look around for the lowest priced canned vegetables you can find. They would give you a little more variety to use with your rice and/or beans.

I would also recommend using the internet to try to find the best coupon deals possible to make your funds go the farthest. I don't know where you grocery shop but some places will match coupons from other stores. Sometimes the price of the larger cans are less then the smaller cans and you can get more than one meal out of it if you add some to your rice or beans.

[crunch60]

44. At my Mexican market, I buy dried Peruvian beans, .69 lb. They are

delicious, very creamy, simple to cook, no pre soak necessary. I never add salt until after the beans are cooked, salting while cooking makes them kind of tough. Here is a video you can refer to. I'm a vegetarian, so I eat all kinds of beans, peas etc.

[TheCruces]

54. Only $16/month?

I got $200/month when I was unemployed. Not that I have a job, I make too much to qualify for anything, even though I barely live above the poverty line.

[avebury]

26. Do you have a place indoors where you can

set up a little herb garden? If you could grow your own herbs you might have a way to make your flood more flavorful.

I would also suggest that you do some research on line to find out what foods will give you the biggest nutritional bang for your buck after taking care of the potatoes, beans, etc. Red & Green Hot Chili Peppers are great for flavor and have a lot of Vitamin C. Fresh herbs like thyme and parsley, dark leafy greens (like kale), broccoli and Cauliflower also have a lot of Vitamin C.

You might also want to cruise the various recipe websites to find less expensive ways to prepare some of the foods that are sold canned. For example, I have come to love rotel over canned tomatoes because they have more flavor with the hot chili peppers.

I would think that the key to being able to survive a low dollar food budget is trying to figure out little things you can do to try to add some variety to your meals.


How to make rotel:
http://www.food.com/recipe/rotel-tomatoes-homemade-copycat-20049



Recommended sites:

www.livestrong.com

http://www.healthaliciousness.com/

www.cooks.com

www.allrecipes.com

[pokerfan]

27. brown rice >> white rice (nutritionally speaking)

Unlike white rice, brown rice includes the husk, bran, and germ, i.e. important nutrients. I buy long grain brown rice in bulk from the grocery store for ~50¢ a pound.

Rice and beans together is very nutritious (and inexpensive). Rice is rich in starch, an excellent source of energy. Rice also has iron, vitamin B and protein. Beans also contain a good amount of iron and an even greater amount of protein than rice. Most significantly, the consumption of the two in tandem provides all the essential amino acids.

[Kaleva]

34. My ex has a bag of wild rice.

I bought it when we were still married earlier this year. If she isn't going to use it, which I don't think she will, she'll probably gladly give it to me.

[lunatica]

28. You can get lots of stuff at the Dollar Tree stores, or the Dollar stores

You can get all kinds of food. Cookies, bread, chips, canned soups, canned vegetables, refrigerated things like hotdogs, yogurt, small packaged meals, juices, spices, soft drinks and more. And everything is no more than $1

[laundry_queen]

29. Could you somehow get some flour?

With the split peas you bought you could make a tasty Indian meal if you had curry powder, or cumin and coriander and garlic and some oil and/or onions.

Basically, you take some flour - any amount really, but at least a cup and a half (save some for rolling) and mix with water till you have a stiff dough. Knead like crazy. roll into balls and let rest for 30 min. Then roll out into very thin disks, fry in oil. That's how my uncle made Roti.

He also showed me how to make a type of daal. Fry onions in a large pot (dutch oven), add spices and cook till spices are fragrant, then add water and split peas. Let cook until split peas are soft and falling apart, and the water is thick. You can mash the peas to make it thicker. Dip roti in daal. Yum. Sometimes I add in a can of tomatoes.

With 3-4 cups of flour, 1 onion, some spices and oil and half a bag of split peas and a can of tomatoes, I can make a meal that lasts 4 meals for me and my kids. I can see it lasting a week for a single person. And you don't even really need the onion and can of tomatoes. The spices are important though.

[Kaleva]

32. I forgot to mention that I do have flour (and sugar)

I'll have to buy some cooking oil though which i should have on hand anyways.

Going to have to have try your recipe as it sounds delicious!

[laundry_queen]

45. I'm so glad you do have flour

I forgot to mention: lots of salt if you can (if you don't have dietary restrictions). My uncle always put in quite a bit and it makes a big difference.

[avebury]

47. I realize that many cooks don't use exact measurement of spices

but do you have an estimate of how much of each of the spices you use in the Indian dish? Thanks!

[laundry_queen]

48. Yeah, you're right I don't usually measure :)

If I'm making a big pot of daal, I'd say at LEAST 1-2 tbsp of curry powder and I've used 4 tbsp before (with curry that was more mild - curry powders vary so much). Sometimes instead of curry powder, I'll put in approx 1 tbsp garam masala, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp coriander and I'll saute some fresh ground ginger with the onion. I like to use about 1 to 1.5 tsp salt in both cases. Hope that helps!

ETA: garlic powder, I forgot to add that, you can use fresh garlic and saute with the onions, or about 1 tsp garlic powder in both versions. Garlic powder is just something I just 'do' to everything (lol) so I forgot, sorry!

[truedelphi]

36. I love Indian food, and any time you post

Such great recipes, feel free to Pm me so I can see them.

Also, when a person is broke, adding spices like curry to an everyday dish like peas or beans really makes a person feel high class. Like they' re eating some take out from the new Indian restaurant in the neighborhood, even if they can't afford to eat out.

[laundry_queen]

46. Will make a mental note

to PM you. I love to post in these kind of threads. Thanks for the compliment

[truedelphi]

30. Want something that is tasty and not that expensive -

Buy a cabbage.

If you can't afford a whole one, ask produce mgr to cut one in half for you (They do that all the time for rich single people who are stingy about having food spoil, and won't think anything of it.)

Then to enjoy as a meal -

Boil till soft. Then have some butter on it.
####
If you have some mayo around and it is a hot day, simply make homemade cole slaw:
3/4 cup of very finely shredded cabbage
And coleslaw sauce

For the sauce, put together some dollops of mayonnaise, mixed with vinegar, whisked together until it is well mixed

(Many people then add sugar or honey to the mayo/vinegar sauce, but I only add red or black pepper)

You can chill it for an hour or two, or simoply eat as soon as prepared.

Cabbage is very cleansing. It helps you feel better.

We ate that two nights a week, alternating with pea soup, when struggling financially.

And be careful about the Manwich stuff - the chemicals in it make a person have no appetite control,if you are someone who cannot handle MSG. So in addition to being poor, now you are ravenously hungry! Plus it can cause depression (The MSG, not the Manwich.)

[Kaleva]

33. Good idea about the cabbage!

I do like it cooked and have made cole slaw in the past.

[TheCruces]

55. Another cabbage idea is colcannon

It's good and super easy to make.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/colcannon/

You can easily use onions (cheaper) instead of leeks and ease up on the milk/butter. But yeah, it's a staple for me.

[HopeHoops]

31. Ramen noodles rock - 20 cents a pack.

[tabbycat31]

35. Frozen vegetables

You can still get a very good deal on them and they are just as fresh (if not fresher as they're frozen at the height of freshness) as the fresh (and more expensive) ones. If you are like me, then they save you a lot of prep work.

In the area I just temporarily left (I'm on the road for work right now), a fairly high COL area, the house brand is about 99 cents a bag for the basic ones, the higher end ones being a little more.

I stir fry them in olive oil and "Stir Fry Sauce" (available in the Asian foods section of your local supermarket)

[dimbear]

37. Rice:

call me a heretic, but the way to make rice is in the microwave. 2 quart casserole (glass) 2 cups water or 2 and a half if you like your rice soupy, salt to taste, about a teaspoon of oil or butter--best is olive oil.

5 minutes on high, add 1 cup rice, 20 minutes more on 50% power. Saves electricity, saves heating up the kitchen, always comes out perfect.

Experiment a little to see how your microwave does. When the rice looks done, taste it to see if it is. If it still tastes like cardboard, keep cooking at the same power setting.

[kurtzapril4]

58. My rice recipe

Fill a sauce pan with water. Dump in your rice. Cook for however long you're supposed to cook. Drain. Makes fluffy rice all the time, no measuring required.

[dimbear]

59. You should take your luck to Las Vegas. You're going to be rich in no time.

[riderinthestorm]

38. Oatmeal, pancakes (get the $1 "complete" box that just needs water), grilled cheese

stuffed cabbage rolls, pasta with an egg and cheese mixed in while its still hot, rice with any veggie(s) and lots of soy sauce, scrambled eggs. Any of these can be ramped up with other ingredients if you have them or extra $$ (fresh fruit with the oatmeal, or raisins in the pancakes, tomato and bacon on the grilled cheese... ).

Bean soups are always really cheap and very nutritious. Very easy to make as well as long as you have time for the beans to cook.

I too wish you were closer, I'd have you over for dinner!

[Tsiyu]

43. Soups and pasta salad are good and filling

You can make a corn chowder with corn and powdered milk and some cut up onion and water.

Veggie soup with whatever, add beans, leftover rice, pasta, tomato sauce and herbs (or ketchup). Keep a pan in the fridge where you throw any scraps or leftovers and after a couple days add water and simmer.

Pasta mixed with tuna and mayo (or just oil and vinegar or whatever salad dressing you have) and chilled is good. Cold pasta salad is also good mixed with a little garlic and diced veggies like zuchini and red pepper. You can eat on this for a couple of meals.

See if there is a discount food store, or day old bread store (or a rack at the local grocer's where they put the old stuff. I've lived okay shopping that way.)

I hope things get better for you

[RebelOne]

52. Love pasta salad with celery and olives, Italian dressing,

and if you can afford it, some cocktail shrimp.

[hunter]

53. Lentils & Rice with just about anything.

With salsa is good.

I buy brown rice 25 lbs at a time, and get nervous when my supply runs low. That's my "won't starve this month" security food.

I like red potatoes too, but I bake 'em in the microwave. I wouldn't think raw potatoes bad. I eat them raw sometimes when I'm slicing them up to cook.

In my wandering years I'd sometimes haunt fast food places for condiments. My sense of honor allowed me to take them if they'd already been handed out to customers and abandoned. I didn't take 'em off the counter, but maybe I was never that hungry.

[TheCruces]

56. Get some tortillas!

Granted, I'm in NM so tortillas are insanely cheap here, but they're still pretty cheap other places. Beans and rice are healthy. I eat those a lot.

[Evoman]

57. When I was a student (and even now occasionally) I used to eat Tuna and Olives.

I'd get a can of olives and tuna when they were on sale. I'd buy a lemon. Then I would combine the tuna with some olive oil and fresh lemon juice, add a bunch of olives, a lot of salt and pepper, and eat it. Good protein when I would go to the gym and it didn't cost me very much. One can of sliced olives would last me a while and Tuna isn't crazy expensive (I don't know if its too much for you though).

My friends would be grossed out at my meal but I always thought it was delicious.

edit: I know olives aren't really that cheap. Like I said, I would occasionally get them on sale. If I had some extra money, sometimes I would buy the loose olives. I just really like olives though so....lol

[susanr516]

60. Have to agree, beans/lentils and rice is the cheapest way to get complete protein

Tomato sauce is also one of the cheapest ways to add vegetables to your diet. Way better than ketchup, nutritionally. I'd switch from cold cereal to oatmeal, cheaper and better for you--although it does take a little time to cook. I survived several pretty lean years in my life, pm me if you want hints on eating cheap (although I've never tried to do it on $16 per mo.)