Low budget meals

[rickell]

I think some of the best meals our low cost. My favorite I think
is chili, what about yours?

 

[Yakuta]

You can season up your ingredients and make it look like a million dollars. I like a simple roasted chicken (and chicken is cheap) spruce it up with whatever I have at home (the most expensive thing is fresh herbs) and it goes in the oven.

Serve it with some oven roasted potatoes and carrots.

 

[Constance]

Ham'n beans is the first thing that comes to mind.

One thing my kids loved was SOS, made with peas, mushrooms, and chipped beef. I served it over toast or bisquits. You can feed a family of four a balanced meal for about $4.

 

[GB]

Quesadilla's or grilled cheese and tomato soup are the first things I think of when it comes to cheap and easy.

 

[kimbaby]

Lima beans and rice with home made biscuits or chicken and dumplings...
"GREAT THREAD"

 

[vyapti]

I cook alot with pasta and rice. Fried rice, arroz con pollo, jambalaya, etc provide an awful lot of bulk with not much meat. They're healthy to boot. Spaghetti with a basic marinara is the ultimate budget buster.

When I was in school, I budgeted $4.00/day for dinner for a family of 5. I did it with a whole lot of the above and a smattering of splurges. That was around the time that the price of beef went through the roof. I went completely away from beef and still do--and feel better because of it.

 

[htc]

stir fry with rice is myfavorite.

 

[Robo410]

pasta dishes, beans and rice, chili, tuna caserole, salmon cakes (another thread) baked/roasted stuffed vegetables like peppers, squash, cabbage, soups made from leftovers etc. wonderful family recipes!

 

[bethzaring]

any egg dish, scrambled eggs, omelets, you get your veggies and high quality protein together.

Think breakfast dishes; pancakes with a side of sweet potatoes. Any hot breakfast dish can be served for dinner.

I lived on fried eggs and toast and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for more meals than I care to remember.

 

[Ripliancum]

Raman noodles I think are the signature low budget food. But you can really make them into fine cuisine. Just add a little spice of your choice. Add some peanut sauce, or curry. You can add some vegetables or meat. Add whatever you want! They are the most versatile low budget food.

 

[ironchef]

I like making various types of donburi dishes. You can make it with chicken, fish, beef, pork, shrimp, etc. Just spoon it over hot rice.

 

[strangeseraph]

pizza pockets, and chef boyardee. Yes, I'm a brand name nut. ^_^ This is my third post, huzzah!

 

[Ishbel]

Mince and tatties
Fish pie
Pasta with various vegetarian sauces

All cheap, all tasty!

 

[katluvscake]

a little pasta and tomato sauce

 

[gary b]

Ham'n beans is the first thing that comes to mind.

One thing my kids loved was SOS, made with peas, mushrooms, and chipped beef. I served it over toast or bisquits. You can feed a family of four a balanced meal for about $4.

Constance,

Could you please give a recipe for the SOS? How do you think it would taste with shredded pork or beef chuck in place of the chipped beef?

thanks, Gary

 

[thumpershere2]

Creamed eggs on toast is very cheap and good meal.Made with a simple medium white sauce and hard boiled eggs and a dash of dry mustard and curry powder.You can add anything you like to this also.

 

[Constance]

Constance,

Could you please give a recipe for the SOS? How do you think it would taste with shredded pork or beef chuck in place of the chipped beef?

thanks, Gary

Here you go, Gary.

2 tbls butter
2 tbls flour
2 cups milk
1 can drained peas
1 can drained mushrooms
1 small jar pimentoes
chipped beef, tuna, chicken, ground beef or whatever...

Melt butter in saucepan and stir in flour. Whisk in milk and cooke until thickened. Add other ingredients and cook, stirring until all is heated through. Serve over toast, bisquits, or noodles.
You may want to make a larger amount of white sauce. Just remember, the formula is 1 tsp butter/1 tsp flour/ 1 cup milk.

 

[gary b]

Thanks Constance,

I thought SOS was basically a white sauce but I wasn't sure. Thanks again, Gary