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  3. What meals do you cook when very low on money?

What meals do you cook when very low on money?

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asklemmy
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  • fritzapollo@lemmy.todayF [email protected]
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    H This user is from outside of this forum
    H This user is from outside of this forum
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    wrote last edited by
    #198

    Microwave meatball subs and raw broccoli.

    fritzapollo@lemmy.todayF 1 Reply Last reply
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    • H [email protected]

      Microwave meatball subs and raw broccoli.

      fritzapollo@lemmy.todayF This user is from outside of this forum
      fritzapollo@lemmy.todayF This user is from outside of this forum
      [email protected]
      wrote last edited by
      #199

      I don't have a microwave. Sounds good, though.

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      • fritzapollo@lemmy.todayF [email protected]
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        washedupcynic@lemmy.caW This user is from outside of this forum
        washedupcynic@lemmy.caW This user is from outside of this forum
        [email protected]
        wrote last edited by
        #200

        Here is my list of cheap foods I tend to keep on hand for making inexpensive meals.

        Non perishable: Rice, Beans (black, chick pea, and lentils), dry mixed beans, bulk flour, bulk sugar, cans of tomato paste, cans of diced tomato, dried red chills, dry noodles, (like soba noodles or ramen noodles,) cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, vegetable oil, white vinegar. (I don't really eat traditional pasta, but that is also a cheap, non perishable.)

        perishables: Onions, garlic, cilantro, carrots, Asian cabbage like nappa cabbage, green onions, green bell peppers, corn, potatoes, ginger root, soy sauce, ketchup, mayo, mustard, worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, yeast, bananas, tomatoes, cucumbers, seasonal squashes, seasonable fruit.

        More expensive optional perishables: Block of store brand cheddar and mozzarella cheese, eggs, butter, condensed milk, sweetened condensed milk, plain yogurt

        spices: Salt, pepper, paprika, chill powder, oregano, basil, cumin, coriander, garam masala, tumeric

        With that list of ingredients I can make these things: Fresh breads including naan, sandwhich bread, flour totillas, banana bread. Cheese pizza, vegetarian Chinese dumplings with dumpling sauce, felafel, channa masala (a chick pea curry I eat with rice and naan), black bean burgers, black bean chilli, spiced lentils, Dahl (a type of lentil soup), Raita which is a condiment made with yogurt, spices, and veggies, Vegetable yakisoba, cheap ramen enhanced with egg, corn, carrot and green onion, home made brownies, tomato soup, cheesy baked potato, mashed potato, home made caramel to serve with brownies, or fruit, or mixed into yogurt with fruit. With the seasonal squashes I can make a squash bisque using butternut squash, or veggie soup using the mixed dried beans with the squash and other veggies.

        When it comes to spices, I find that they are cheaper in my local asian grocery than the standard grocery store. When it comes to ketchup, mustard, and mayo, I get that for free just by asking at fast food joints, or grabbing them when they are freely offered in fast food joints.

        The other thing that keeps the cost of the foods I eat low, is the fact that I am making it all from scratch. You can see that I am primarily cooking vegetarian, because meat is really fucking expensive. PM me if you would like the recipe for anything I mentioned.

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        • fritzapollo@lemmy.todayF [email protected]
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          fritzapollo@lemmy.todayF This user is from outside of this forum
          fritzapollo@lemmy.todayF This user is from outside of this forum
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          wrote last edited by
          #201

          I just found a great cheap meal that's tasty, healthy, easy to cook, and ridiculously cheap. I thought I'd share it as so many people have shared theirs.

          I bought a bag of dried peas, added to cups of cold water, bring to boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. You now have a pan full of peas to use any way you wish. I decided to make a pea soup. So I added a bunch of stuff I had in my kitchen already: garlic, sugar, ginger powder, a dollop of margarine to make it taste not so watery, and cornflour to thicken it a tiny bit. It cost almost nothing to make, and I'll get 3 small meals out of it (all accompanied with bread). I might try a similar thing with lentils, to build my confidence cooking with them.

          umbraroze@slrpnk.netU 1 Reply Last reply
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          • fritzapollo@lemmy.todayF [email protected]

            I just found a great cheap meal that's tasty, healthy, easy to cook, and ridiculously cheap. I thought I'd share it as so many people have shared theirs.

            I bought a bag of dried peas, added to cups of cold water, bring to boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. You now have a pan full of peas to use any way you wish. I decided to make a pea soup. So I added a bunch of stuff I had in my kitchen already: garlic, sugar, ginger powder, a dollop of margarine to make it taste not so watery, and cornflour to thicken it a tiny bit. It cost almost nothing to make, and I'll get 3 small meals out of it (all accompanied with bread). I might try a similar thing with lentils, to build my confidence cooking with them.

            umbraroze@slrpnk.netU This user is from outside of this forum
            umbraroze@slrpnk.netU This user is from outside of this forum
            [email protected]
            wrote last edited by
            #202

            So I added a bunch of stuff I had in my kitchen already:

            In a lot of discussions about cheap food, that phrase is often replied with "man, I wish I had anything lying around in the kitchen already" 😅

            But seriously, investing even a little bit in spices whenever you happen to have the money does go a long way! Having decent access to salt and pepper does wonders, and I guarantee it's all up from there. I'm always wondering, like, "am I brave enough to check if this stuff tastes good with hot sauce? Guess today is the day we'll finally find out!"

            fritzapollo@lemmy.todayF 1 Reply Last reply
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            • fritzapollo@lemmy.todayF [email protected]
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              umbraroze@slrpnk.netU This user is from outside of this forum
              umbraroze@slrpnk.netU This user is from outside of this forum
              [email protected]
              wrote last edited by
              #203

              I keep a bunch of macaroni in the cupboard as the last resort. I tend to get potatoes, maybe some mayonnaise to go with it, and whatever special I can get on the cheap (e.g. sausages). Lots of squinting at the current deals!

              fritzapollo@lemmy.todayF 1 Reply Last reply
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              • umbraroze@slrpnk.netU [email protected]

                So I added a bunch of stuff I had in my kitchen already:

                In a lot of discussions about cheap food, that phrase is often replied with "man, I wish I had anything lying around in the kitchen already" 😅

                But seriously, investing even a little bit in spices whenever you happen to have the money does go a long way! Having decent access to salt and pepper does wonders, and I guarantee it's all up from there. I'm always wondering, like, "am I brave enough to check if this stuff tastes good with hot sauce? Guess today is the day we'll finally find out!"

                fritzapollo@lemmy.todayF This user is from outside of this forum
                fritzapollo@lemmy.todayF This user is from outside of this forum
                [email protected]
                wrote last edited by
                #204

                Yeah whenever I have a less crushing pay period, I make an effort to buy some long-term ingredients. It adds up if you keep doing it.

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                • umbraroze@slrpnk.netU [email protected]

                  I keep a bunch of macaroni in the cupboard as the last resort. I tend to get potatoes, maybe some mayonnaise to go with it, and whatever special I can get on the cheap (e.g. sausages). Lots of squinting at the current deals!

                  fritzapollo@lemmy.todayF This user is from outside of this forum
                  fritzapollo@lemmy.todayF This user is from outside of this forum
                  [email protected]
                  wrote last edited by
                  #205

                  Rice and flour (for fritters) are my default back-ups in case the poo REALLY hits the fan. I chose those because I really dislike cooking them, so I can resist the urge to use them up when other food is available.

                  Mayonnaise is very expensive here for some reason, but this week I managed to find a cheap(ish) one. Needless to say, I have been enjoying my mayo meals so far this week!

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                  • herrvincling@lemmy.worldH [email protected]

                    Life of Boris has a funny (and actually useful) series on budget cooking if you're into that. Great watch imo

                    Playlist

                    fritzapollo@lemmy.todayF This user is from outside of this forum
                    fritzapollo@lemmy.todayF This user is from outside of this forum
                    [email protected]
                    wrote last edited by
                    #206

                    Haha CH33KI BЯ33KI haha! He inspired me to binge on butterbrot with doctor's sausage and mayonnaise. Teaches poor people how to not starve, AND entertains them too. Thanks for the recommendation!

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                    • felixwhynot@lemmy.worldF [email protected]

                      TIL, thanks

                      otter@lemmy.dbzer0.comO This user is from outside of this forum
                      otter@lemmy.dbzer0.comO This user is from outside of this forum
                      [email protected]
                      wrote last edited by
                      #207

                      In general, when looking for ingenuous "hacks" in food, start with the originating culture. Thousands of years of poor people making the process more efficient, reliable, and just plain better? Sign me up.

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                      • fritzapollo@lemmy.todayF [email protected]
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                        fritzapollo@lemmy.todayF This user is from outside of this forum
                        fritzapollo@lemmy.todayF This user is from outside of this forum
                        [email protected]
                        wrote last edited by
                        #208

                        Update:

                        I cooked a batch of lentils, just to show myself I could, and experimented with adding spices etc. I ended up spraying them with mayonnaise and eating them semi-cold. Not great, not terrible.

                        So today I was a little bit more ambitious: I made rice (a little slooshy but it's the best rice I've ever cooked!), cooked some lentils and used them as a meat substitute for spaghetti bolognaise (with rice being the substitute for pasta). To the lentils I added frozen vegetables with fried onion, garlic and a can of tomatoes. I need to fine-tune the recipe a bit, but it tastes pretty good! This bowl I'm eating now is filling me up very quickly, and I still have a lot for tomorrow.

                        Here's a photo of what I'm eating now. It doesn't look great, but I'm just happy it turned out edible!

                        Thanks for all the suggestions and well-wishes! 🙏

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