What are your favorite ideas for budget meals? I stock up on Ramen noodles (the ones that come in the block package) and have learned to dress them up and fix them a multitude of ways. Very inexpensive, lightening fast preparation and with a few additions you get a dish that can serve one hearty eater (me) or two sides. I break up and cook the noodles first and drain them. Saute my other ingredients in a little olive oil (peppers, onions, garlic) add the noodles and some salmon or tuna or other meat or veggies and season to taste. (I toss the seasoning packet because it has way too much salt). I also stock up on dried beans, especially kidney and pink beans. One bag in the crock pot yields enough to feed a family, so it lasts me for days and I can freeze some. The flat corn tortillas are very inexpensive, about $1.50 for a stack of 50 from my corner store. So I can enjoy the beans over rice, or mash them as a filling for the tortillas. They keep very well and my two dogs (since I'm single) prefer them over canned food when I make them . You're done ALREADY!
Buying meat in bulk can also be a money saver. Split it up into smaller portions and freeze it. Also look for two for one sales, other types of sales, and use coupons too.
I sometimes do the grocery, what I usually do it to choose a certain product on sale, brand doesn't matter for me as long as I already tested its quality, of course I prefer the cheaper ones.
I buy in bulk, for example at my local store peanut butter goes on sale about every two months. so a buy enough to last untill they go on sale again. This works for all food that doesn't expire quickly. If your not specific about brands you can almost always find coupons for things like paper towels and napkins.
I plan my meals off of whats on sale. Lately my family has been loving mac and cheese made with white chedder cheese, noodles, and mushroom soup, bake it in the oven at 400 for 30 minutes. Quick, easy, and tastes so good!
I buy most of my food from Aldi, then whatever they don't have I buy at Mejier, it saves me a lot of money! I have been making some great cheap meals lately that are absolutely delicious!: Chicken Quesadilla's: Rotissiere Chicken ($5) Salsa Cheese Sour Cream Tortilla shells Cook them up in a cast iron pan, cut and eat. Beef Pot Roast: Pre-cut beef for beef stew ($5-$6) Beef broth ($.55 at Aldi) French Onion soup packet Carrots Potatoes Onion Chop the vegetables up, put in crock pot with soup seasoning and beef broth. Brown the meat before putting into crock pot to seal it and keep in the moisture. Throw all in the pot, put on medium heat for about 6 hours or until beef begins to fall apart. Stir throughout the day. Beef broccoli stir fry: Soy Sauce Chopped Garlic Red onion Rice vinegar Soba noodles (buckwheat noodles) Petite Filets ($6-$7) Frozen broccoli Sautee garlic and red onion in pan with rice vinegar and soy sauce. once the onion and garlic are transparent in color through the filets in with the soy sauce and vinegar and cook to your liking (rare, medium rare, well done). Cook soba noodles according to the package instructions. steam broccoli. mix together and enjoy! I am very hungry now lol!
I like rice cereal. Cooked rice with cinnamon, sugar, and milk. It's good hot or cold so put the leftovers in the fridge.
My crock pot is my best friend! After a busy day there is nothing like coming home to a meal that is waiting for you. Pinterest has a TON of cheap crock pot recipes. I find that the staples that I use the most that are inexpensive are Chicken Broth, Canned Chicken, Cream of "Whatever" (Mushroom, Cheddar, Celery...), frozen and canned veggies, pasta, and beans. You will be surprised how far soups will go and they freeze well!
Really great budget meal ideas here. Since I love pasta, I stock up on it in various shapes but mostly linguine and penne or ziti. I can tweak to be either plain (olive oil and herbs or cheese) or fancy (with veggies or meat). Quick to cook as well. Although not as quick as ramen. I also do ramen at times.
