Comments on: I need some cheap but healthy meal ideas?

By: cclover3

cclover3 — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:23:59 +0000

You’re budget is kind of tight but, you can still work with it. Here are some cheap meal ideas for two:

1…Spaghetti, tomato sauce, frozen green beans
2…Frozen chicken breast, Minute Rice, zucchini
3…Hamburger Helper, steamed broccoli
4…Deli Sandwhices on French bread
5…Hamburgers with corn on the cob***buy lettuce, tomatoes, and onion in bulk for a salad the next day

It really helps to buy frozen vegetables which don’t go as bad as quickly as fresh veggies. That way you’ll get more for you money. Also, try to buy the cheapest brands. Hope I helped!!!
References :

By: icook4u99

icook4u99 — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:35:59 +0000

First, go to the dollar store if you have one in the area. A lot of their foods are just as good as the name brands. Also, don’t try to purchase prepared meals as they tend to be more expensive.

I find that getting whole roaster chickens are a great deal – get the heaviest ones you can so there is more meat and less bone. You can cook the chicken once and eat from it for several days, plus use the carcass to make broth instead of buying broth. If you can find the chicken on sale, that’s more of a bonus. I have also been known to get powdered milk and mix it (prepared) with "regular" milk to help make that stretch, too.

Make sure that you plan your meals BEFORE you go shopping, so that you are only getting what you need and not getting stuff you won’t use. Buy the largest package you can of what you need so that it will carry over and save you money next month. If you have extra money, get things that are on sale that you are likely to use later, too.

Popcorn (not the microwave kind) is a good, cheap snack. I also think it tastes better than the micro kind! Kool-aid and brewed iced tea are pretty inexpensive for beverages, as well as *gasp* tap water. (Does anyone but me still drink that?)

If you are willing, you can e-mail me your address and I will be happy to send you a small cookbook that is filled with cheap, easy meals. You can contact me through my profile. I use it all the time and there are several recipes that I just LOVE!!!
References :
Personal budget issues feeding a family of four.

By: loobyloo

loobyloo — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:57:59 +0000

Like you am on a budget at the moment, Pasta and Potatoes are my top tip, you can add just about anything to them… pasta, ricotta & spinach; pasta and tomato’s; jacket potato and beans/salad/cheese.
Stock up on frozen veg, you an create stir frys, stews, and sides easily with them for very little cost, just add some of your favorite spices. Try going veggie for the month, you would be amazed at how much money you can save. I did that last month and am actually tempted to keep it up. Meat substitutes are loads cheaper and eating all those veggies must be doing some good.
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By: sirima b

sirima b — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:41:59 +0000

Buy frozen food like meat, fish or chicken, it is cheaper than fresh, cook a lot at one time and keep in freezer for next days, save cost of energy, only buy fresh vegetables because it can not keep long. Good luck
References :

By: Sarah

Sarah — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:24:59 +0000

If you get some vegetables you like you have a versatile base already.
Things like herbs and sauces last a long while so are an excellent thing to have as a ‘store cupboard’ you probably already have some.

Grab a few jars of dried herbs: basil/oregano for pasta dishes, cumin/chili for curried and/or spicy food. Something cheap and simple like soy sauce which gives flavour to anything you want to make a little oriental, perhaps some dried ground ginger.
When money’s tight I get couscous, pasta, rice etc. It’s very cheap and filling and tastes great with just about anything.

Currys, stir frys, pasta sauces consisting of a tin of tomatoes and maybe a few mushrooms and some basil etc, all cheap to make. The varieties are endless with those few basic ingredients, just use your imagination and don’t be afraid to experiment!
References :
My own shopping/cooking with lack of money.

By: Hernandez

Hernandez — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 07:55:59 +0000

Healthy Pizza

1 package dry yeast
1 pinch sugar
1 cup lukewarm water
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup tomato sauce or your favorite purchased — brand
6 oz low fat mozzarella cheese — coarsley grated

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS sliced zucchini sliced red yellow or green peppers sliced mushrooms chopped fresh herbs
Preheat over to 500 F
In a small bowl, proof the yeast with the sugar in 1/4 cup of the water, tightl y covered, for 5 minutes or until the yeast is foamy. Transfer the yeast mixtu re to a bowl, stir in the additional water, the flours and salt and combine wel l. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it (adding add itional flour or water as necessary) for 10 minutes or until it is smooth and e lastic. Put it in a lightly oiled bowl, turn it to coat it with the oil and le t it rise tighly covered in a warm place for 1 hour or until it is double in bu lk.
Shape the dough the into 6 balls and roll out each into a 5 inch round for a th ick crust or 9 inch round for a thin crust. Transfer the rounds to ookie sheet s and spread 2 tablespoons of sauce on top of each one. Arrange any optional t opping over the sauce and sprinkle with 1/6th of the cheese.
Bake on the bottom of the preheated over for 10 to 12 minutes or until the crus t is golden on the bottom.

If is not exactly you ask for , try on this page and you may find something for your tasta and pocket
http://retete-culinare-diverse.ro/en/search.php?keyword=healthy&submit=Search
References :
http://retete-culinare-diverse.ro/en