Yes you can! (eat well on a limited budget)

[cali]

the following aren't for people who don't cook or who are flat broke, but they are for people trying to manage a food budget who do cook.
Your food budget will go much further if you stay away from prepard foods and you buy carefully. Please add your own cost busting tips and healthy and inexpensive recipes.


meats and fish:

Chicken thighs
canned salmon
canned tuna
whole chickens on sale
chuck beef
ground turkey
eggs (yeah, yeah. I know eggs aren't flesh or fish)
tofu (yeah, it's not meat or fish either)

inexpensive vegetables and fruit

bananas
cabbage
celery
carrots
zucchini in season
apples in season
mushrooms
tomatoes in season
broccoli
iceberg and romaine
corn in season
beets in season
dried beans and lentils
onions

a little goes a long way

condiments and spices
nuts
nut butters
olive oil
tamari or soy
better than broth products

starches

rice
oatmeal
couscous
barley
pasta


A few cheap and healthy recipes:

curried rice salad (great for summer main dish)

cook 1/2 cups brown rice, let cool slightly
chop 1/2 cup celery, 1/2 cup green onions, 1/2 cup, bell pepper, 1/2 cup shredded carrots, 1/2 cup chopped apple 1/2 cup raisins, 1 cup diced cooked chicken, 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds or chopped peanuts. Add all to rice and mix

Make a dressing of 2 tbs cider vinegar, 1+ tsp curry powder, 1/2 cup light mayo, 1/2 cup plain low fat yogurt and a pinch or two of salt and a tsp or so of sugar. Mix with rice and other ingredients. Serves 6 to 8 with ease.

Spanish Tortilla

cup olive oil
four large potatos (peel and cut into small pieces about 2mm thick)
salt to taste
one large onion, thinly sliced
four large eggs.

Some people add thin slices of red pepper together with the onion.

Heat the oil in a 9-inch skillet, add potato pieces, one slice at a time so that they don't stick. Alternate layers of potato and onion. COOK slowly, medium flame. DO NOT FRY!! Turn occasionally until potatoes are tender, but NOT brown. They must be loose, not "in a cake".

Beat eggs in a large bowl with a fork. Salt to taste. Drain potatoes. Add potatoes to beaten eggs, pressing them so that eggs cover them completely. Let sit for 15 minutes. Heat 2 tbsps of the oil in large skillet. Add potato-egg mixture, spreading quickly. Lower the heat to medium-high. Shake pan to prevent sticking (crucial step!!) When potatoes start to brown, put a plate on top skillet and flip to cook other side, adding another tbsp of oil. Brown on the other side. Can flip three or four times for better cooking.

http://www.xmission.com/~dderhak/recipe/tortilla.htm
I often make the above recipe. I always serve it at room temperature. It makes a great appetizer with a glass of wine- or sherry.

Salmon cakes:

2 cups fresh bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 teaspoons minced fresh dill weed
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (14.75 ounce) can salmon, drained
2 tablespoons butter



DIRECTIONS
In a large mixing bowl, place 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs. Set aside remaining 1/2 cup. Add eggs, parsley, green onions, dill weed, lemon juice and black pepper. Mix well.
Add salmon and mix with hands, breaking up salmon into small pieces. Form into 8 patties; each about 1/2 inch thick.
Place remaining 1/2 cup bread crumbs on a plate and dip both sides of the salmon cakes into crumbs.
In a large skillet, melt butter. Fry salmon cakes over medium heat for about 3 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Turn, adding more butter if necessary, and fry about 3 minutes on other side.
Serves 8.

Dill Sauce: mix 1 cup plain low fat yogurt with 1/4 cup chopped dill, 1 cuke peeled and chopped fine and 1/2 c reduced calorie mayo. Serve cakes with lemon wedges and sauce.

stuffed zukes

6 medium zukes
1 medium onion
2 tomatoes
1/2 lb ground beef or turkey
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
feta, parmesan or cheddar cheese

Halve zukes lengthwise. Scoop out flesh leaving a quarter inch shell. Dice zuke flesh, onion and tomatoes. Saute meat, add onion and zuke flesh. Saute until soft, add tomatoes and cook for a couple of minutes. Add bread crumbs and if needed a little water. Season with salt and pepper and herbs or spices of your choice. Cool mixture slightly and pile into shells. Bake in greased casserole dish covered with foil at 325 for 30 minutes. Remove from oven top with cheese and put back in oven without foil for another five minutes or so.

chicken and corn stew from Epicurious
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/108728

[mdmc]

1. nice

thanks for the ideas:kick:

[cali]

3. I've made the rice salad for so many years

I can't remember not making it. You can add or subtract just about anything but the rice.

And you're welcome

:hi:

[SoCalDem]

39. I make something I call confetti rice

rice (cooked)

brown some bacon or left over ham & saute a BUNCH of green onions sliced small

add in a BUNCH of celery diced

you can also add water chestnuts, diced jicams, snow peas..just about any ole veggie you have

run about a pound (or more) carrots in shredder (foodprocessor)

Mix it all together
the carrots turn it all a very pleasing saffron-y yellow..it's very tasy, makes as much as you want/need and provides MANY meals...

[gademocrat7]

2. I appreciate the recipes.

[hobbit709]

4. The hard part is getting my wife to eat like this.

The only fish/seafood she will eat is fried catfish.
The only veggies she will eat are potatoes, cooked bell pepper, overcooked mushy carrots, some onion and mushrooms. Everything else is out.
She'll eat bananas and occasionally strawberries-no other fruits.
She would rather eat a cheeseburger and fries than anything else. She will eat chicken wings.
We're both diabetics and she wonders why my glucose count stays 50-60 lower than hers.

[glowing]

20. Wow, without the berries, how does her skin look.. She'd shed 10yrs

with the addition of berries.. only a cup full a day.. and its really a cheap breakfast to start the day on.

[knitter4democracy]

48. My in-laws were like that.

We started cooking for them when they'd visit, and I use tried-and-true ways of sneaking in extra veggies (chili, spaghetti sauce, and casseroles are easy places to hide them). They rave and rave about our cooking, so they must like the veggies. ;)

She won't eat steamed asparagus?! That's practically heresy. How could she not like asparagus!

[PetrusMonsFormicarum]

5. whole chickens

is one of the smartest things on your list. With a sharp knife and some practice, an 8-buck whole bird can be pieced down into 15 bucks' worth of meat cuts plus a carcass crying out to be made into soup stock.

But I have found that growing something--anything--yourself and adding it to your diet does wonders not only for your pocketbook, but also your sense of well-being. I have a full-on garden now, but when I lived in a loft in downtown Portland, I still grew herbs in pots.

[cali]

9. I have a small garden. Peas and spinach started

but here in Northern Vt, It'll be another week before I put out more tender crops.

And you're right about the chicken. I'm no expert, but I can cut up a whole bird and often do.

[glowing]

23. One thing I don't miss about VT.. I'm already getting tomatoes and cucumber

and pepper out of the garden.. Still need to put in the greens, beans, and corn... my neighbors are entirely too jealous of my green thumb.. I thank my women of VT who taught me how through rocks and stone, to garden like a pro.. now I compete with sand... It is absolutely my calgon moment.. I love gardening.. I am so grateful that we finally had the chance to buy when we did.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

13. I have a townhouse and gardening on the grounds is not possible. I do have a deck garden. So far

I have 5 tomato plants, 3 chili pepper plants and basil growing. Tomorrow I'm going to get some more herbs. It really is satisfying to be able to grown your own. :)

[JaneQPublic]

34. Gardening and/or farmers' markets

Even if all you have is a balcony or a sunny window, you can grow tomatoes, peppers, and herbs in pots.

I bought my tomato plants at a farmers' market from a lovely old couple -- only a buck a plant. The plants will pay for themselves dozens of times over through the summer, plus homegrown tastes vastly better than storebought and contain more vitamins and antioxidents.

Some herbs are easier to grow than weeds: Basil, flat-leaf parsley, oregano, dill, and mint come to mind. And fresh-cut herbs can make an inexpensive piece of meat or fish taste like it came from a 5-star restaurant.

I'm a big fan of farmers' market, because it's food that's picked locally at the height of freshness, rather than picked green and then trucked across the continent. Plus, if you go regularly and develop a relationship with the farmers, they'll make sure you get the best they have to offer.

[fight4my3sons]

6. nut butters

almond butter is really expensive at our grocery store, but is actually about $6 less expensive at our local health store.

thank you for these recipes :)

[Mrs. Overall]

24. We actually make our own nut butters by using a food processor. It takes awhile,

and makes a lot of noise, but a couple of handfuls of raw almonds and you get a terrific, tasty, smooth almond butter for a fraction of the cost.

We've also experimented with mixed nut butters--combining a few peanuts, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts.

Also, I buy bulk sesame seeds, throw them in the food processor and I get a very inexpensive tahini that lasts for months in the fridge.

[fight4my3sons]

28. great ideas!

why didn't I think of those :think:

Thanks! Sometimes I get a little too wrapped up with the kids and common sense goes right out the window.

[jtrockville]

7. I'd add:

Vegetable:
Onions (inexpensive and very healthful)

A little goes a long way:
Chipotle in adobo - adding one of these plus a little of the sauce will elevate just about anything!

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

10. I love chipotle in adobo and I also have dried ground chipotle which I use a lot.

[tridim]

18. Chipotles are amazing

Just don't over do it, and don't burn them.

They last a long time too if you put plastic over them and then a lid. I can make a can last about 6 months if need be.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

8. Thank you! I would also like to add for you veggie list - eggpants and canned tomatoes.

Eggplants are a great substitute for meat. I love to make eggplant parmesian, which is very reasonable. I have my own twist. Instead of breadcrumbs, for those who have it available, matzoh meal. It is a light breading and doesn't overpower a good tomato sauce.

[cali]

11. Good additions.

I love eggplant too. I'm not wild about Eggplant Parmesan, but I love Baba Ganoush and Ratatouille.

http://www.recipesource.com/munchies/appetizers/baba-ganoush1.html

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

17. Yummmmmm!

[RazBerryBeret]

12. thanks! I'm getting my list together

to go to the grocery with the goal to spend LESS than 200 bucks---wish me luck!!!

[Unbowed]

14. And dust off the crock pot. It's not just for holidays.

Or if you are in a hurry and want FAST food, get a pressure cooker.

[knitter4democracy]

49. I totally agree. Our crockpot has really cut down our food budget.

I got a good one for half off at BB&B once, and it gets used at least once a week. I will say that those new Reynolds liners are great, though, especially with tomato-based dishes. Soooo nice not to scrub even after a good soak.

[Unbowed]

63. Liners? Hmmm....have to try those. Not too crazy about scrubbing.

:)

[global1]

15. I Don't Know If This Qualifies But I'm A Fan Of Vitamin Water.......

I like flavored water over plain water - but Vitamin Water is about a $1.00 per bottle. You can buy a case of 20 at Sam's or Costco and get the price down under a buck - but still rather pricey. So here's what I've been doing to save some money. I buy a case of regular water like Aqua Fina at Sam's. You get about 32 bottles for $4.88 per case. Then I buy a bottle of fruit juice and make up my own flavored waters. It doesn't take much juice to give the water the flavor of the juice - so a quart of juice goes a long way. This is cheaper. It's as good tasting. Probably healthier than the Vitamin Water.

This is my tip for the day. I think DU should have a forum on how what people are doing around the country to economize and save money in this time of impending recession. I would sure appreciate hearing other's money saving tips and learn how others are coping.

[Pawel K]

19. If you bought a water filter you would save even more money

and no sense in throwing all those plastic bottles away when you can buy a reusable water bottle.

[horseshoecrab]

44. yes!

I just recommissioned the ol' Brita pitcher by buying a new filter. (It had been serving time as a large vase for at least a year.)

Should last for awhile anyway. For $10 we'll save money usually spent on spring water in the 2 1/2 gal. or sport bottles. If I remember right, I think we (2 of us) can get a couple of months out of a brita filter.

The water from the brita tastes great! I kept a couple of the spring water sport bottles so that I can reuse them for taking water out with us in the hot weather.

I hate the thought of adding to the plastic bottle/plastic trash islands floating around on this earth, and saving money definitely agrees with me. :-)


horseshoecrab

[noamnety]

32. Buying bottled water

doesn't count as a tip for living on a budget. :)

The Truth About Bottled Water: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfPAjUvvnIc

Aquafina = tap water. "Bottled at the source P.W.S." PWS = public water supply = tap water, that we've ALREADY paid for in the form of taxes.

[Pawel K]

16. I'll add ground bison

Very healthly alternative to ground beef, high protein and low far.

My local Albertson's has it packaged for $4.99 a pound.

And thanks for the list, I'm always looking for grocery list ideas, I'll have to try out canned salmon.

[knitter4democracy]

50. Better yet--buy in bulk from a bison ranch.

We got half a bison last summer for around $3.34 a pound, processing and everything, and we're still eating that. I won't get so many roasts next time, but it's really been a blessing. Higher in iron than beef, lower in fat than skinless chicken, and has the same Omega 3 as fish. Better still, the ranch I like to buy from is on a reclaimed gravel pit, so they're doing a good thing there, too.

[Pawel K]

53. Thanks for the tip, I'll look in to that

I appreciate it.

[Uben]

21. If you want to eat healthy......

When you go to the supermarket, buy on the perimeters of the store and stay away from the internal aisles. Dairy, meat, and vegetables are the key. The internal aisles are where the processed foods are, and they are the ones that are more harmful to your health.

[riderinthestorm]

22. Tuna casserole, spaghetti, meatloaf...

Remember some of these? Old fashioned comfort food but they can be modified into healthier versions very cheaply.

We're so reliant upon processed food, it's going to take some time for many people to re-learn to cook again.

I read a book "Julie and Julia" a while back, it's about a woman who cooks a recipe from Julia Child's great french cookbook, every day (and yes, she also held down a full time day job). Some days they ate pretty late of course since the recipe took some time to prepare but what struck me was the process of it all - we have become so removed from real food and how it's prepped. Yeah, some of Julie Childs' recipes take hours but tuna casserole takes about an hour - we cringe at thinking of waiting an hour when we get home but get used to it if you want to eat healthfully but cheaply.

[Jeanette in FL]

25. Utilizing our freezers

I think one of the most under utilized appliance in the kitchen is the freezer.

Soon, there will be bumper crops of vegetables for very reasonable prices. Now is the time to stock up on them and freeze. It is so easy to do. For most vegetables all you need to do is prepare them and quickly blanch in boiling water for about 2 minutes, then quickly cool by submerging in ice water. Dry them off and put serving sizes in freezer bags. Saves a ton of money, plus you get seasonal vegetables any time of the year.

Another good hint of mine is when you are making spaghetti sauce, stews or soups, double or triple the recipes and freeze in serving sizes for your family. It takes no more time to do so and on those nights when you don't want to cook or don't have the time, dinner can be done in minutes.

I buy bulk pasta, rice and flour and keep them in the freezer as well.

I bought my chest freezer at a scratch and dent store for a fraction of the cost. You can see the dent if you get on the floor and look up at a certain angle using a flash light, swear on it. I have had it for 5 years and it works out great for us.

[knitter4democracy]

52. Canning, too.

If you can, it's shelf-stable for a year. My freezer's full to the top right now, so anything I do will most likely be canned for awhile. Canner's are worth the money.

[flashl]

26. Don't know about inexpensive cabbage paid $5/head for organic last week. nt

[sniffa]

27. I'd scrap your list and go this route

Farmer's market
Local butcher

We go to Lambert's across the river in Dorchester (yes, it's not a farmer's market, but their prices are comparable, and the produce is just as fresh) and load up on our fruits and veggies for no more than half of what it costs at Stop & Shop.
We have a local butcher where the meat prices are roughly a 3rd of what they cost at S&S.

[Habibi]

30. Me, too.

I get my produce at the farmer's market because it's hella cheaper than the grocery stores. We used to have a good meat market nearby but they closed. I pretty much wait for sales, and stick to cheap cuts of chicken and pork.

Also--tofu is bloody expensive around here--$3.50/lb and up, so it's off my list.

[cali]

36. Farmer's Markets are great. And I'm lucky. There are 5 organic

farms within a five mile radius of where I live. My small town has a farmer's market and a co-op. It's wonderful you have a local butcher. Wish I did. The nearest is 45 minutes away. The list is still good though. I don't have Shop and Save or any big SuperMarket within 25 miles. I do most of my shopping at the co-op and a very well stocked country store.

[sniffa]

37. We're heading out in a few minutes

We're going to Target to spend $100 (because that's what you always spend even if you just went for a few items) on toiletries, cat litter, etc.
From there we'll hit Lamberts for our produce.
Then from there, we're going to Roxies (butcher) to replenish our freezer. The freezer was pretty well stocked, but much of it was there for about a year, and such, so Bi-Baby just finished cleaning it out of the old stuff.

[SoCalDem]

40. You can also team up with another family and split

the cost of a hind quarter locally.. We used to do this in NM and CO, and we had grass raised beef..raised locally without all the "additives"..

[SoCalDem]

41. MAKE YOUR OWN SOUP..

Save cuttings from meats..freeze them until you have a bunch

make a broth from them with onions & celery (butt ends & leaves trimmed off the stalks..

skim off all the "solid parts"..

add some lean cut up chunkc of london broil (on sale a LOT out here) or any lean cuts.

chunks of carrots, cabbage, green beans, corn, canned tomatoes(squished up), cubed potatoes, parnips, turnips, diced celery..3 or 4 bay leaves...simmer all day in a big pot & you got yoursel;f some YUMMY soup..

do the same with chicken parts you saved in the freezer..only make your own dumplings and introduce cut up chicken instead of the beef..

my dumplings are super easy..scramble the eggs, mix in salted-peppered flour & drop off a spoon into the soup.. I do not put bayleaves into the chicken broth..

Make your own broth..the canned broth is NASTY and super salty too :)

EXPERIMENT...go easy on the salt.. soup is great & easy

[sniffa]

42. OMG, your new sig

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[SoCalDem]

43. she looks so happy for a moment there..just before the claw drops it

:)

[msongs]

29. save big $$ by dumping meat, soda, chips etc. humans do NOT need animal products nt

[cali]

35. that's true. but most folks here aren't vegans or vegetarians

and if you'd bothered to read the OP, you'd have seen that soda chips and prepared foods aren't suggested. Tofu and dried beans are. Nuts and nut butters are. And barking out orders isn't persuasive.

[pansypoo53219]

31. 1/2 bag of yellow split peas

Ts of chicken boullion +/-
onion
celery
potato
2 carrots
water

at least 8 -10 servings.

oh, my spices-basil, parsley, pepper, celery seed,some-not much garlic, marjoram. lotta marjoram.

add a little bacon if you want.

for bean soup, take out carrots add can of stewed tomatoes. same for lentil/black or red bean.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[uppityperson]

57. True, that will help save money. Also, if you eat meat, use it as a condiment.

Not as a course.

[RazBerryBeret]

38. my mom is from the south

and born near the end of the great depression, with 10 siblings (!!) she picked up a lot of tips on family cooking on a budget; one of my favorites, and I still joke with her about this is the recycling meal;
sunday dinner-ham, mashed potatoes, some veg.
monday- leftover ham, use mashed potatoes to make potato cakes (mashed potatoes w/onion, fried in lard)
tuesday- end of the ham...with "soup" beans (southern favorite, like navy beans) and cornbread.
wednesday- leftover beans, throw in some onions and gr. beef and sesoning, it's chili.
thursday- take the cold chili and mash it w/potato masher--make hot dogs, put the mashed chili on top and it's chilli dogs!
then you only have friday and saturday to contend with...
in the summer throw in some green beans from the garden w/new potatoes from the garden...and it's a meal...

no fast food, no prepared food (well, the hot dogs..)

[Flying Dream Blues]

45. Thanks so much for this. The recipes look great! nt

[Fireweed247]

46. Soymilk maker

If you purchase a soymilk maker, you can make soy milk for a quarter a gallon(or something like that)
With the soymilk, you can add lemon juice and you have tofu.
There is leftover Okara with which you can mix with oatmeal and make soyburger, loafs etc.

[Fireweed247]

47. Inexpensive ice cream

I got this great Cuisinart ice cream maker for $30, now I can make ice cream in 30 minutes with soy milk and cream and a few ingredients and it is 1/10th the cost of ben and jerry's. This is now one of my favorite appliances! I make my husband milkshakes with lunch for work and he is a happy camper.

[fortyfeetunder]

51. A can of chopped tomatoes and /or juice and do wonders

You can mix it with anything and come up with a casserole or meal.

Meanwhile my score for yesterday was at Costco for low-sodium V8 juice. (I can't tolerate salty things) I can make soup for my next two weeks lunch! I have chard and frozen broccoli-cauliflower mix to mix in the soup. I can't wait to have soup this week....

[lonestarnot]

54. Thanks Cali! What is a zuke?

[Hekate]

60. Zucchini

Raw, slice into sticks and dip in yogurt. Slice smaller and put in salad. Stir fry in a little olive oil. Grated, it goes into zucchini bread.

My toddler gobbled up "nootinis" until she got old enough for her little friends to tell her it was yucky. Took her about 20 years to rediscover them.

Hekate

[ebayfool]

55. I make salmon fish sticks similar to your salmon cakes ...

instead of shaping into patties, mold into 'fish sticks'. Roll in the bread crumbs (italian seasoned are reaalllly good on these!) - lay on wax sheets & freeze. After they are frozen, bag 'em up & replace in freezer.

My grandson pitched a hissy whenever we had fish, but he lurves fish sticks (go figger!). The salmon sticks were so much tastier, & he loved being able to help shape them ... a win-win for both of us!

[TexasLady]

58. We do mackerel cakes

Although I've had a helluva time finding any! Mackerel is about 97 cents a can here in Texas, and made much the same way as salmon patties/cakes.

[Jed Dilligan]

56. I'm all about the cubesteak

Cheap and lean.

[nemo137]

59. Sounds like growing up at my house

Ask me about the 40 pound bag of ziti we took with us on two moves (one in-state and one out-of-state) some time. That and the more kid-friendly moosewood recipes were what we lived on when mom was cooking. When dad was cooking it was a week of Penn Dutch style chicken soup.

[lazyriver]

61. Suggestion for the starches section of your list- ever tried quinoa?

I buy it in bulk at our local Natural Living Center. It's more expensive than rice but has lots of protein. I cook it with chicken or vegetable stock instead of plain water. Very tatsy and good for you.

[demmiblue]

62. The Near East website has some good recipes:

http://www.neareast.com/home.html


One I recently tried:

SPINACH & FETA COUSCOUS FRITTATA
A variation on Spanikopita

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups lightly packed fresh chopped spinach or one 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/2 cup sliced green onion
3 eggs
1 cup hot water
1 teaspoon oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup plain couscous
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1. Heat olive oil in a 10-inch ovenproof non-stick omelet pan. Add spinach and green onion. Cook 2-3 minutes until wilted. Remove from heat.
2. In medium bowl beat eggs, water, oregano, salt and pepper. Pour over spinach. Stir in couscous. Sprinkle feta cheese over top.
3. Bake at 350°F 12 minutes or until set. Let stand 3 minutes. Cut into wedges


Feta cheese can be somewhat expensive, however, you can cut down on the amount you use. Also, I may try using dill and a little more salt the next time.

[Contrary1]

64. If you can handle the sodium...

Ricearoni is a great base to start with. I cut up about 8 ounces of cooked chicken, add corn, peas, and carrots. Great way to use leftovers. Costs a little over three bucks. It's a cheap and quick meal that feeds four.