eating healthy on a budget?

[dragonfly411]

Anyone have any inexpensive healthy recipe ideas?

I''m trying to build up, as we''re going to need it coming up.

 

[Skippy123]

Lentil or bean soups, high in protein, throw in veggies from the farmers market. Hope everything is okay DF.

 

[phoenixgirl]

Here are some from Eating Well: http://eatingwell.com/recipes/collections/healthy_budget_friendly_recipes.html I really like the beef and cabbage stir fry with peanut butter sauce.

If you don't mind leftovers, you can make a big batch of something inexpensive and then put some in the freezer for later or eat it throughout the week. Or if you'd rather cook something different, you can buy, say, 6 chicken thighs, and then use two for tonight's dinner and freeze the other four in packages of two and defrost them later for new recipes. I have the Eating Well Serves Two cookbook, and since the recipes are designed for two people I'm not throwing away half a can of tomatoes or anything. If I have to use part of something, the book recommends how to store or use the remainder.

 

[MsP]

Frozen vegetables. Frozen fruit. If you''re starting to skimp on protein sources, try a shake. You can get a pretty big tub online for like $40 and while it might seem like a lot... there is far more protein in there than what is in $40 worth of chicken. Don''t buy cutesy sized rices at the grocery store--go to the international market and buy a 40lb bag of brown rice. Rice is cheaper than pasta when purchased this way. And especially when comparing whole wheat pastas. Also hit up the international markets for spices... spices are really quite expensive at the grocery store but can be bought in way larger quantities at a market. Also, places like BJ''s/Sams are good for this. If you don''t have a membership, ask around. If you''re just going for a few infrequent purchases, you might be able to make a day of it with a friend.

 

[dragonfly411]

Thanks guys! A good start. I have like 5 million tuna alternates (tuna salad, tuna sammie, tuna salad salad, tuna melt, tuna burger, tuna noodle casserole), and I have a great black beans with cous cous dish that SO loves that is less than 1.00 a serving (thank goodness!!!). I also do a salsa chicken breast baked with steamed veggie side. I''m good at sammies, and we have great breakfast options so far. It''s mainly dinner that I''m going to need help on. I''m younger and never really have tried hard to cook (when we lived down south we ate out a ton, and we eat with my grandparents and his mom mostly right now so don''t have to cook) so I am still developing my skills (although I make a mean risotto with raisins and broccoli, but it depends on how much time I have).

Skippy - all is well, we are moving to our new condo and it''ll tighten our grocery budget just a smidge, so I just want to work on getting ideas

Thank you for thinking of me!!!!

 

[tlh]

I love salads http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/22/dining/22mlist.html?_r=2&hp

personally I use spinach all the time. I''ll have chicken on it, tuna on it, I''ll cook it in with my eggs, throw fruit on it. YUM. And cheap.

Black beans. YUM. I make burrito dishes, throw them in with eggs, chicken etc. put them in a whole wheat tortilla.. if I have extra, I''ll make quesedillas w/ chicken, which happens to be the perfect zone food.

EGGS. Like I said, versatile, and awesome!

 

[dragonfly411]

TLH - I like salads a lot too, and so does SO. I normally get spinach or mixed baby greens, and we do tuna or chicken, or fruit, I like to do one that is craisins, blueberries and feta over baby greens

.

I am going to have to work on my quesadilla/burrito skills b/c it''s something we both love. I love love love mexican food. We''re also taking my grandmother''s recipe for tortilla lasagna. It''s basically taco stuff with tortilla as the "pasta" layer. so so so so good.

 

[Octavia]

Buying grains in bulk is definitely the way to go. I always keep quinoa, bulgur, rice, and couscous on hand. Quinoa especially will give you enormous nutritional bang for your buck -- it''s a protein source as well as being a grain, so you can toss it with veggies and not have to use meat, but it will still keep you full. Having some meatless or near-meatless meals now and then will also cut down on grocery costs as long as you''re not substituting in expensive packaged foods instead. Also, LOTS of things freeze well, so if you only need part of a can of tomatoes, beans, etc. put the rest in a freezer bag and squeeze out the air, and it will keep just fine.

I''ll post more later if I think of anything!

 

[dragonfly411]

Octavia - great advice, thanks! We actually try to eat meatless several times a week, as my body doesn''t handle meats well. Esp. red meats.

Friday night I made a great dish from scratch with no recipe! It was whole grain pasta (stocked up while it was on sale) with olive oil, parmesan, oregano, and pumpkin seeds and added baby shrimps over. mmmmmm it was sooo good. SO went back for seconds too!

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

I''ve started buying my protein in bulk when I can. Especially chicken, which we seem to eat a lot of. Last week I was at the grocery store and got 5 lbs of chicken breast (about 7 breasts, so they were HUGE) for $6. These breasts can easily feed two people. I like to make enough dinner to bring for lunch the next day. Another thing to do is measure portions. You''ll be amazed at how much less you spend because you''re not over eating. For example, I bought steak tips the other day as a treat. It was a standard 1 lb flat of steak. I cubed them up and cooked them as kabobs. I then portioned out 4 servings (4 oz/serving) and we ate two for dinner and took the other two for lunch. So I stretched $10 over two meals for two people. Another trick for steak or chicken if you''re cutting corners is to thin slice the meat before serving. Visually it tricks the eye so you think you''re eating more than you are. We can easily stretch the meat out to two meals or feed four people this way.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

I also ditto the rice and quinoa idea. I buy in bulk and make a batch of each early in the week (cooking the starch always takes the longest when making dinner). Both will keep very well in the fridge for a week. I keep them on hand to heat up for dinner or to round out leftovers for lunch.

 

[monarch64]

Date: 8/7/2009 4:32:35 PM
Author: dragonfly411
TLH - I like salads a lot too, and so does SO. I normally get spinach or mixed baby greens, and we do tuna or chicken, or fruit, I like to do one that is craisins, blueberries and feta over baby greens

.

I am going to have to work on my quesadilla/burrito skills b/c it''s something we both love. I love love love mexican food. We''re also taking my grandmother''s recipe for tortilla lasagna. It''s basically taco stuff with tortilla as the ''pasta'' layer. so so so so good.

*Screeching brake noise*!!! WHAT is this deliciousness that you refer to as "grandmother''s recipe for tortilla lasagna?" It sounds heavenly. Please. Share. Recipe!!!

 

[dragonfly411]

Hudson Hawk - Those are awesome tips for meat!!! Thank you!!! Do you tend to watch for them to be on sale?

One good thing is that SO hunts/fishes a lot, so we end up spending a yearly or so amount on the ammo/tackle and then have food from it and it lasts us over the next year. I don''t eat beef (save for hamburger) and rarely eat pork (we prefer wild hog, which is leaner, and when SO smokes it...swooon... it falls right off), so we end up getting lots of meat from his habits. BUT I do like chicken... so have to learn there.


Monarch - I''ll get it for you as soon as I get home. It is TO DIE FOR

 

[joelly]

Hi DF,
Congratulations on getting a new condo.

 

[joelly]

I second Monarch on that recipe, please!!!! Thanks!!!

 

[dragonfly411]

sorry I''ve been delayed in getting it to you guys, been packing. I PROMISE I''ll get it posted tonight. We''re actually taking a copy of it with us to have. I love it

. It is basically layers of tortilla, taco meat, cheese and sour cream all baked into a casserole or (with the tortillas) a lasagna.

 

[princesss]

It''s pretty easy to make a lot of combinations of grains - lean protein - onions - bell peppers - garlic. That''s basically my staple diet.

For instance: Rice, chicken, onions, peppers, cheese, and salsa. Mix the rice, chicken, and veggies, then stir in salsa and cheese. You can add black beans, too, to make it extra filling. Also, cous cous, lean turkey, onions, bell peppers, and spices makes a great dinner.

Really, you''re set with just about any combination of those things.

 

[dragonfly411]

I have discovered the beauty of whole wheat spaghetti, and also I made a great dish of dirty rice with some sea salt and pepper with turkey sausage chunks.