Disclaimer: everyone’s tastes and needs are different, so these things will not work for everyone. I’ve had to eat gluten free for years, and that gets expensive. I also get very sick if I do not eat healthily. Nowadays, I’m trying to feed a family of 3 on a $50/week grocery budget. That includes diapers and other household supplies. I’ve figured out a few things over the years, and so I wanted to put some things together in case it helps some other people.
1. If you want to eat better, take baby steps. Try to add 1 fruit and/or vegetable to each meal. This doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Have half a banana with your breakfast, for example, or part of a can of green beans with your dinner.
2. When shopping for produce, get whatever is on sale. If you’re a picky eater, this is harder. If you aren’t, then buy the cheapest fruits and veggies. The internet is your friend when it comes to figuring out how to use them. A good tip, nearly every vegetable can work in stir fry.
3. Potatoes are your friend. They’re high in a lot of good nutrients and are easy to use. You can make “baked” potatoes in the microwave, top with a little sour cream and cheese (both fairly cheap), and call it a day. Simple and delicious, and reasonably nutritious.
4. Brown rice is your friend. It can typically be twice as expensive as white rice, but is much more nutritious and filling. It can also be used for just about everything, and cooks fairly fast on the stove. For 1 cup rice, use 1 and ¼ cups water, bring to boil in a covered pan, and simmer until the water is absorbed. (I know the bag says 2 cups water, but that makes mush. Trust me.)
5. Eggs are probably the cheapest protein you can get.
6. Add an extra tablespoon of oil to nearly every dish you make. This sounds really counter-intuitive, but hear me out. Some good fats are essential in every diet, and they will help keep you full. When I do this, I usually end up eating less food overall, which in turn saves me money. If you can afford it, olive oil is the tastiest way to do this. It doesn’t have to be high-quality.
7. Rice with beans is a perfectly valid meal. It’s also dirt cheap and a complete vegetarian protein. Cook your brown rice, dump in your desired amount of canned beans, add sauteed onion for veggie and flavor, then drizzle with olive oil.
8. If you have a little extra cash one week, seasonings are a great investment. You don’t need to build a huge collection all at once. Buy one every week or two, and in just a few months you’ll have a decent selection. This increases the range of meals you can make. That being said, there is nothing wrong with plain salt and pepper.
9. If you have veggies that are about to go bad, freeze them. Cut them how you would like to eat them, cook them very simply, and pop in the freezer. They’ll make a great quick side dish for a future meal.
10. Batch cooking is your friend. This saves both money and time. If you are feeding a family, you can have leftovers for a meal later in the week. If you live alone, you can freeze individual portions for a later time. A big batch is, of course, more expensive at the time, but is spread over more meals. For example, this week I made a chicken curry that cost probably $17 total (I can’t remember exactly) BUT it made 12 servings. That’s less than $1.50 per serving of a very healthy, very tasty meal.
kianamaiart
izzy806
pixelskylines
blakekathryn
baratheonpilled
tangentwithtanner
snowghoul
jacobvanloon
2087