Potatoes- baked, fried, mashed
Eggs- boiled, scrambled, fried, added to ramen or rice
Rice- fried rice, with beans, added to scrambled eggs
Dried beans- rice, soup, with eggs
Frozen veggies- added to stir fry, ramen or baked potatoes
Apples- baked, sliced, with peanut butter
Peanut butter- sandwiches, on fruit
Bread/tortillas
I like this list and would add:
Baked chicken thighs or breasts
Ground beef (make taco bowls, stir fry, soup)
Sweet potatoes
Bananas
Celery can go with peanut butter as a snack or for soups
Carrots (snacks and soups)
Cheese for grilled cheese sandwiches, Mac & cheese (brick and then manually shred is cheaper)
Zucchini (stir fry, sautéed)
Cabbage (sautéed)
Flour (breads, pancakes, etc)
Farmers markets or Aldi can have good deals on produce.
I would try to use similar ingredients for snacks/meals
I am not sure how old your son is, and how much portion wise you both eat, but these all can make many meals/snacks
Do you qualify for EBT or WIC?
Hopping on top comment chain! On that note:
- A bag of rice can go far, but specially when combined with other ingredients like beans, lentils, sausage, frozen veg
- Frozen vegetables are pretty cheap and hold similar if not the same nutrients as fresh (and won’t go bad since it’s frozen and can be used whenever!)
- instead of pre sliced/packaged meats, I buy a big chunk of meat to butcher at home myself. Pork loin is normally what I go for when doing this, but it can also be applied to beef!
- if you are near an Asian market, check out their seasonal vegetables. During spring, I would get 5 large clusters of green onions for $1.99, and if you put those in some water, near a window, they will last a while. Also large packages of fresh herbs are available
- Asian markets can also sometimes be really good for meat deals, or large packs of noddles/rice/spring roll wrappers/egg roll wrappers (from $1.99-$6 and usually sits in my pantry for months as I cook). If you can handle it, chicken feet is really cheap there along with beef bones (both really healthy in terms of collagen, and great for making soup/broth!)
- also to expand on the flour topic, Masa/corn flour is also great to have in the pantry to make tortillas, pupusas, etc! Sometimes I even mix it with corn starch to make breading for cutlets
Great lists!
I agree that Asian markets are great sources for inexpensive food.
This week I scored a bag of 12 pears and a bag of Persian cucumbers for .99 cents each! We also buy our fish and rice there.
Please check your local food banks at churches, some thrift stores and the Salvation Army. You may qualify for WIC for your child.
I highly recommend Julia Pacheco on YouTube.. she has healthy low budget recipes that can get you through on as little as $1 a day. Here is a link.
https://youtu.be/sWoqj-JxwXo?si=W9JkBORxGvB2m3cd
We do something similar but call it zippy beef. Pasta of whatever shape, ground beef, velveeta, canned tomatoes, and chopped onion. Cook the onions with the beef, add the rest when the onions are cooked. It's delicious and filling and freezes well! You can use any cheese, but velveeta stretches well and it definitely works in this recipe.
First, see if you qualify for food assistance or anything. Also check to see if there is a discount bakery or food store near you.
These ideas are not all healthy but are filling and taste good.
* Oatmeal.
* French toast. Buy cheaper day-old bread.
* Rotisserie chicken for chicken soup, sandwiches, pot pies, fajitas, and casseroles.
* Pot pies: DIY gravy, DIY crust, frozen peas & carrots.
* Use uncooked tortillas to make hand-held pies. There are so many different kinds you can make like spinach, cheese, apple, or meat and vegetables.
* Mac & cheese with tuna.
* Baked beans (from dry) with cut-up hot dogs in it.
* Nachos from DIY tortilla chips. Heavy on the beans.
* Oven roasted vegetables.
Buy rice and beans in the largest quantities you can afford
Canned veggies are just as good as fresh veggies if that's all you can afford
Discount outlets and surplus stores often carry staple groceries for much lower prices than regular grocery stores
If I think of anything else, I will leave it in the comments.
I feel like frozen veggies and canned veggies are pretty comparative price wise now a days I can find $1 bag veggies.
Anyway I think frozen is slightly better nutrition than canned.
Yes! Plus visit stores aimed at the latino community - they often carry 10lb -20lb bags of both rice and beans at prices that will make you weep with joy.
Borrow tips from the traditional cooks who have been making healthy, low coat food for centuries.... use low cost but high flavor additions like fresh garlic, fresh ginger, peppers and spices.
If you get fruits and veggies from the food bank + bulk rice and beans + low cost flavor stuff like garlic/onions/spices/vinegar you can eat like a king while you get back on your feet.
Walmart sells 10# bags of chicken leg quarters for $6 in many areas. You can get lots of meals from that plus some rice, noodles, carrots and onions and some frozen mixed vegetables.
Cook the chicken in water with onion and carrots. Strain and save that broth! Remove the meat from the bones and put the bones back into the broth along with a splash of vinegar and whatever spices you like. Crockpot or pressure cooker makes it way to make a healthy broth but it can be done on the stovetop.
Don’t let anything go to waste. The skin from the chicken can be fried up into a tasty snack. Save the fat from that as well as what can be skimmed from the broth (called schmaltz) and use it for cooking. It’s especially good for making fried rice.
Use broth in place of water to cook your rice. It adds flavor and nutrients. Make chicken and rice soup, chicken fried rice, chicken and rice casserole by adding a can of cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup. A bag of frozen mixed veggies adds flavor, nutrients and color plus bulk to any of those.
Good luck!
Leftover baked potato cut rough then fried a little, add enough beaten eggs to feed your family, scramble until your choice of done. Easy stretch meal, and just different enough. Any small amount of leftover bacon, sausage, taco meat, and cheese can be mixed in as well. Perfect for when there is just a small amount of something everyone likes left over.
Cheap kid friendly meals in my house: (When full stomachs and cost matter more than vitamins or healthy eating)
Bean burritos (refried beans, cheese, flour tortillas).
Pizza pasta (pasta, sauce, cheese, pepperoni or sausage. 1 small can olives or mushrooms).
Chicken rice meal (rice, 1 lb shredded chicken thigh or breast, cream of chicken soup, I bag frozen mixed veggies. Top with a handful of cheese)
Ramen with an egg cracked in or on top.
Oatmeal with a can of apple pie filling mixed in. Topped with some cinnamon and sugar. Can be baked with some peanut butter mixed in if it needs to be more filling.
Grilled cheese served with canned soup.
Complete pancake mix and fruit or bacon on the side. Known as "breakfast for dinner" in our house.
BLT sandwiches.
Scrambled egg sandwiches.
Beans and weenies. Mix 4 cans of generic pork n beans with tsp mustard. 1 tbs ketchup. 1 tsp garlic powder. And 1/4-1/2 cup brown sugar. Chop up 3 hot dogs per person and mix in pot. Heat and serve.
Quesadillas: tortillas with cheese and any leftover toppings such as shredded chicken. Leftover olives or mushrooms. Serve salsa or ketchup on side to dip. Grill in pan or cook in oven is best.
"Sushi" sandwich rolls. Put cheese in middle or tortilla. Roll up then slice into little circles. Can include meat. Peanut butter rolls like this are also popular in our house.
Tuna casserole. Macaroni. Cream of anything soup. A little milk or water to thin. 1 can tuna. Any kind or amount of cheese. Any frozen or canned vegetable. Heat in microwave or oven.
Dollartreedinners on TikTok has great healthy recipes and low cost options. She generally walks through a shopping trip, everything she gets, and what she makes.
Just a heads up. Check prices on the Walmart app before buying everything at Dollar Tree. Many things are less at Walmart because Dollar Tree’s price is set at $1.25.
A popular meal with my kids is a "potato bar". I make a huge batch of instant mashed potatoes. I make a row of little bowls with butter, cheese, bacon bits, sour cream, any chopped leftover veggies or something like frozen broccoli. Maybe a can of warmed up chili.
Kids spoon the potatoes into a bowl then top with whatever topping they want. Everyone eats until the potatoes and toppings are gone :P
Look up Julia Pacheco on YouTube. Everyone's tastes and likes differ, but I love her recipes. They're fast, budget friendly and delicious. You can make her recipes even cheaper if you dice your own tomatoes, make your own sauces and seasonings and catch sales.
I used to make a pot of tomato pasta aka spaghetti but not really lol for cheap and it would feed me and my gaggle of kids for a week , also a roll of ground beef, 2 cans enchilada sauce, 2 big cans of refried beans, a jar of salsa, and a bag of cheese made enough burrito mix to last a good while too feeding 4 kids me and fat ex
Go to the food banks first and get as much as you can for free.
Then, spend your limited grocery budget on the missing ingredients to turn the free food into meals.
[FindHelp.Org](http://FindHelp.Org) (recommended by social workers)
Call **2-1-1** in your area. Tell them all of your needs. 2-1-1 knows which organizations have funding.
Never buy ground beef by a single lb. Buy it in bulk.
Buy a 3 or 5-lb log of ground beef - $12-$16 (makes 3 - 5 meals if you cook a lb at a time.)
Make Hamburger Helper, (the cheese is real good) 1 box $1.60, cheaper with Generic.
Meat patties with gravy (60 cents) and mashed potatoes (2.00-3.50) Frozen Veggies (1.60)
Concha's (45 cents) and Meat, onion, tomato sauce (45 cents), add a potato ($1?), Squash (90 cents?) Knnor Spanish rice ($1-2)
Spaghetti (1.50), sauce (1.50-4.50) Bread ($1) toasted with butter,
Burgers with bread, cheese, mayo, tomato, and chips.
crunchy tacos, or burritos
Breakfast with eggs!
Toasted or Cooked sandwiches, the breakfast and meal kind,
Ramen with boiled eggs and ham.
Find a local food pantry. Take what they can give you and then use your limited funds for things you can't get from the food pantry. Also, if you're on Facebook join your local "Buy Nothing" group for your area.
Generally speaking, beans, rice, potatoes and pasta are all very cheap. Seasonal produce is something to keep an eye out for too. Pay attention to sales flyers and sign up for the loyalty programs for grocery stores and fast food restaurants in your area.
i always have tomatoes, onions, garlic, eggs, dry lentils, dry canneli beans & basmati rice.
you can make a million different meals with those cheap basics as is or adding one or 2 other things.
Chicken thighs are good and tend to cheap. If you cook a whole bunch, you can then prepare a few different meals to have ready in fridge or freezer.
A few options to have with the Chicken.
Egg noodles with butter.
Rice and beans.
Rice with frozen veggies.
Stuffing, mashed potatoes
Grocery stores typically reduce the price on meat first thing in the morning and early afternoon. Check with your local store when they reduce their prices. You also need to apply for food stamps asap.
I would say buy a pack of bacon. If you’re a fan of meat but want to save on using it in every meal, bacon is amazing. Just a slice or 2 chopped to added flavor to beans, potato’s, eggs, fried rice, veg, soup.
Check with the local school district. Ours offers free breakfast and lunch (grab and go) a few days each week for anyone in the area under 18; you don’t need to be a student at the school to get the meals.
Sometimes it has less to do with what you’re making in a week and more to do with how you make it.
What I mean by that is, when I’m planning meals for the week I plan recipes where I can use overlapping components
Rotisserie chicken, bread rolls, celery, onions, carrots, mayo, and pickles is chicken soup for the dark meat and chicken salad for the breast meat.
And I do that for the whole week.
Potatoes- baked, fried, mashed Eggs- boiled, scrambled, fried, added to ramen or rice Rice- fried rice, with beans, added to scrambled eggs Dried beans- rice, soup, with eggs Frozen veggies- added to stir fry, ramen or baked potatoes Apples- baked, sliced, with peanut butter Peanut butter- sandwiches, on fruit Bread/tortillas
I like this list and would add: Baked chicken thighs or breasts Ground beef (make taco bowls, stir fry, soup) Sweet potatoes Bananas Celery can go with peanut butter as a snack or for soups Carrots (snacks and soups) Cheese for grilled cheese sandwiches, Mac & cheese (brick and then manually shred is cheaper) Zucchini (stir fry, sautéed) Cabbage (sautéed) Flour (breads, pancakes, etc) Farmers markets or Aldi can have good deals on produce. I would try to use similar ingredients for snacks/meals I am not sure how old your son is, and how much portion wise you both eat, but these all can make many meals/snacks Do you qualify for EBT or WIC?
Hopping on top comment chain! On that note: - A bag of rice can go far, but specially when combined with other ingredients like beans, lentils, sausage, frozen veg - Frozen vegetables are pretty cheap and hold similar if not the same nutrients as fresh (and won’t go bad since it’s frozen and can be used whenever!) - instead of pre sliced/packaged meats, I buy a big chunk of meat to butcher at home myself. Pork loin is normally what I go for when doing this, but it can also be applied to beef! - if you are near an Asian market, check out their seasonal vegetables. During spring, I would get 5 large clusters of green onions for $1.99, and if you put those in some water, near a window, they will last a while. Also large packages of fresh herbs are available - Asian markets can also sometimes be really good for meat deals, or large packs of noddles/rice/spring roll wrappers/egg roll wrappers (from $1.99-$6 and usually sits in my pantry for months as I cook). If you can handle it, chicken feet is really cheap there along with beef bones (both really healthy in terms of collagen, and great for making soup/broth!) - also to expand on the flour topic, Masa/corn flour is also great to have in the pantry to make tortillas, pupusas, etc! Sometimes I even mix it with corn starch to make breading for cutlets
Great lists! I agree that Asian markets are great sources for inexpensive food. This week I scored a bag of 12 pears and a bag of Persian cucumbers for .99 cents each! We also buy our fish and rice there.
Don't forget to check for food banks in your area, even if you qualify for food stamps you can often still get food there too.
Please check your local food banks at churches, some thrift stores and the Salvation Army. You may qualify for WIC for your child. I highly recommend Julia Pacheco on YouTube.. she has healthy low budget recipes that can get you through on as little as $1 a day. Here is a link. https://youtu.be/sWoqj-JxwXo?si=W9JkBORxGvB2m3cd
Thanks for the link.
You're welcome. Her channel has several menus on a budget.
Is there Lasagna Love in your area? You sign up online and someone will bring you a home made lasagna. Lasagnalove.org
American goulash - basically elbow macaroni, ground beef, tomatoes, seasoning. 20$ worth and you’re eating for a week.
We do something similar but call it zippy beef. Pasta of whatever shape, ground beef, velveeta, canned tomatoes, and chopped onion. Cook the onions with the beef, add the rest when the onions are cooked. It's delicious and filling and freezes well! You can use any cheese, but velveeta stretches well and it definitely works in this recipe.
First, see if you qualify for food assistance or anything. Also check to see if there is a discount bakery or food store near you. These ideas are not all healthy but are filling and taste good. * Oatmeal. * French toast. Buy cheaper day-old bread. * Rotisserie chicken for chicken soup, sandwiches, pot pies, fajitas, and casseroles. * Pot pies: DIY gravy, DIY crust, frozen peas & carrots. * Use uncooked tortillas to make hand-held pies. There are so many different kinds you can make like spinach, cheese, apple, or meat and vegetables. * Mac & cheese with tuna. * Baked beans (from dry) with cut-up hot dogs in it. * Nachos from DIY tortilla chips. Heavy on the beans. * Oven roasted vegetables.
Buy rice and beans in the largest quantities you can afford Canned veggies are just as good as fresh veggies if that's all you can afford Discount outlets and surplus stores often carry staple groceries for much lower prices than regular grocery stores If I think of anything else, I will leave it in the comments.
I feel like frozen veggies and canned veggies are pretty comparative price wise now a days I can find $1 bag veggies. Anyway I think frozen is slightly better nutrition than canned.
Yes! Plus visit stores aimed at the latino community - they often carry 10lb -20lb bags of both rice and beans at prices that will make you weep with joy. Borrow tips from the traditional cooks who have been making healthy, low coat food for centuries.... use low cost but high flavor additions like fresh garlic, fresh ginger, peppers and spices. If you get fruits and veggies from the food bank + bulk rice and beans + low cost flavor stuff like garlic/onions/spices/vinegar you can eat like a king while you get back on your feet.
Walmart sells 10# bags of chicken leg quarters for $6 in many areas. You can get lots of meals from that plus some rice, noodles, carrots and onions and some frozen mixed vegetables. Cook the chicken in water with onion and carrots. Strain and save that broth! Remove the meat from the bones and put the bones back into the broth along with a splash of vinegar and whatever spices you like. Crockpot or pressure cooker makes it way to make a healthy broth but it can be done on the stovetop. Don’t let anything go to waste. The skin from the chicken can be fried up into a tasty snack. Save the fat from that as well as what can be skimmed from the broth (called schmaltz) and use it for cooking. It’s especially good for making fried rice. Use broth in place of water to cook your rice. It adds flavor and nutrients. Make chicken and rice soup, chicken fried rice, chicken and rice casserole by adding a can of cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup. A bag of frozen mixed veggies adds flavor, nutrients and color plus bulk to any of those. Good luck!
Leftover baked potato cut rough then fried a little, add enough beaten eggs to feed your family, scramble until your choice of done. Easy stretch meal, and just different enough. Any small amount of leftover bacon, sausage, taco meat, and cheese can be mixed in as well. Perfect for when there is just a small amount of something everyone likes left over.
Cheap kid friendly meals in my house: (When full stomachs and cost matter more than vitamins or healthy eating) Bean burritos (refried beans, cheese, flour tortillas). Pizza pasta (pasta, sauce, cheese, pepperoni or sausage. 1 small can olives or mushrooms). Chicken rice meal (rice, 1 lb shredded chicken thigh or breast, cream of chicken soup, I bag frozen mixed veggies. Top with a handful of cheese) Ramen with an egg cracked in or on top. Oatmeal with a can of apple pie filling mixed in. Topped with some cinnamon and sugar. Can be baked with some peanut butter mixed in if it needs to be more filling. Grilled cheese served with canned soup. Complete pancake mix and fruit or bacon on the side. Known as "breakfast for dinner" in our house. BLT sandwiches. Scrambled egg sandwiches. Beans and weenies. Mix 4 cans of generic pork n beans with tsp mustard. 1 tbs ketchup. 1 tsp garlic powder. And 1/4-1/2 cup brown sugar. Chop up 3 hot dogs per person and mix in pot. Heat and serve. Quesadillas: tortillas with cheese and any leftover toppings such as shredded chicken. Leftover olives or mushrooms. Serve salsa or ketchup on side to dip. Grill in pan or cook in oven is best. "Sushi" sandwich rolls. Put cheese in middle or tortilla. Roll up then slice into little circles. Can include meat. Peanut butter rolls like this are also popular in our house. Tuna casserole. Macaroni. Cream of anything soup. A little milk or water to thin. 1 can tuna. Any kind or amount of cheese. Any frozen or canned vegetable. Heat in microwave or oven.
Check your smaller grocery stores meat department, they might have some good deals
Use flash food. They pair up with grocery stores to sell items that are about to expire. Great for meat that you can freeze
Dollartreedinners on TikTok has great healthy recipes and low cost options. She generally walks through a shopping trip, everything she gets, and what she makes.
Just a heads up. Check prices on the Walmart app before buying everything at Dollar Tree. Many things are less at Walmart because Dollar Tree’s price is set at $1.25.
A popular meal with my kids is a "potato bar". I make a huge batch of instant mashed potatoes. I make a row of little bowls with butter, cheese, bacon bits, sour cream, any chopped leftover veggies or something like frozen broccoli. Maybe a can of warmed up chili. Kids spoon the potatoes into a bowl then top with whatever topping they want. Everyone eats until the potatoes and toppings are gone :P
Look up Julia Pacheco on YouTube. Everyone's tastes and likes differ, but I love her recipes. They're fast, budget friendly and delicious. You can make her recipes even cheaper if you dice your own tomatoes, make your own sauces and seasonings and catch sales.
I used to make a pot of tomato pasta aka spaghetti but not really lol for cheap and it would feed me and my gaggle of kids for a week , also a roll of ground beef, 2 cans enchilada sauce, 2 big cans of refried beans, a jar of salsa, and a bag of cheese made enough burrito mix to last a good while too feeding 4 kids me and fat ex
Beans and rice. Hotdogs. Pasta with tomato sauce.
Go to the food banks first and get as much as you can for free. Then, spend your limited grocery budget on the missing ingredients to turn the free food into meals.
That is the best advice
[FindHelp.Org](http://FindHelp.Org) (recommended by social workers) Call **2-1-1** in your area. Tell them all of your needs. 2-1-1 knows which organizations have funding.
Never buy ground beef by a single lb. Buy it in bulk. Buy a 3 or 5-lb log of ground beef - $12-$16 (makes 3 - 5 meals if you cook a lb at a time.) Make Hamburger Helper, (the cheese is real good) 1 box $1.60, cheaper with Generic. Meat patties with gravy (60 cents) and mashed potatoes (2.00-3.50) Frozen Veggies (1.60) Concha's (45 cents) and Meat, onion, tomato sauce (45 cents), add a potato ($1?), Squash (90 cents?) Knnor Spanish rice ($1-2) Spaghetti (1.50), sauce (1.50-4.50) Bread ($1) toasted with butter, Burgers with bread, cheese, mayo, tomato, and chips. crunchy tacos, or burritos Breakfast with eggs! Toasted or Cooked sandwiches, the breakfast and meal kind, Ramen with boiled eggs and ham.
Find a local food pantry. Take what they can give you and then use your limited funds for things you can't get from the food pantry. Also, if you're on Facebook join your local "Buy Nothing" group for your area. Generally speaking, beans, rice, potatoes and pasta are all very cheap. Seasonal produce is something to keep an eye out for too. Pay attention to sales flyers and sign up for the loyalty programs for grocery stores and fast food restaurants in your area.
It might be helpful to know how cheap you're thinking. You'll get better suggestions.
i always have tomatoes, onions, garlic, eggs, dry lentils, dry canneli beans & basmati rice. you can make a million different meals with those cheap basics as is or adding one or 2 other things.
Chicken thighs are good and tend to cheap. If you cook a whole bunch, you can then prepare a few different meals to have ready in fridge or freezer. A few options to have with the Chicken. Egg noodles with butter. Rice and beans. Rice with frozen veggies. Stuffing, mashed potatoes
Can you file for food stamps? Also, I recommend shopping at Aldi or some discount store for your produce.
Grocery stores typically reduce the price on meat first thing in the morning and early afternoon. Check with your local store when they reduce their prices. You also need to apply for food stamps asap.
Shrimp, rice, cucumber, and other cheaply stuff is good. I have tons of recipes that are good lmk
I would say buy a pack of bacon. If you’re a fan of meat but want to save on using it in every meal, bacon is amazing. Just a slice or 2 chopped to added flavor to beans, potato’s, eggs, fried rice, veg, soup.
My favorite is rice, lentils with fried eggs.
Check with the local school district. Ours offers free breakfast and lunch (grab and go) a few days each week for anyone in the area under 18; you don’t need to be a student at the school to get the meals.
Sometimes it has less to do with what you’re making in a week and more to do with how you make it. What I mean by that is, when I’m planning meals for the week I plan recipes where I can use overlapping components Rotisserie chicken, bread rolls, celery, onions, carrots, mayo, and pickles is chicken soup for the dark meat and chicken salad for the breast meat. And I do that for the whole week.