Cheap Eats

[bethanyParticipant]

Oh- and for cheap food, you can’t beat Ramen Noodles! I’m not gonna lie- I LOVE them and could easily eat them for lunch every day. They’re really high in sodium though, so maybe only use half the seasoning packet?

[LiliParticipant]

Silver-be careful about relying too much on carbs. I know its what the BIG agra wants you to do, thus they subsidize it HEAVILY, but overall it has little nutrients to offer you, and you end up feeling lethargic instead of energized by your meals. I highly suggest lentils and beans as your main sources of protein, with a few carbs thrown in for energy of course. Meat, when made fresh is amazing too, but you’re right you don’t need a lot of it.

Also, I want to offer to send you a few cheap bulk spices if there is anything you can’t get where you live, I live and work RIGHT by this amazing spice market and have been meaning to go there this weekend. Honestly alot of the stuff i buy for $1 an oz and its NBD to send some out, Its good karma I’m serious, let me know if you want anything.

[silver_dragon_girlParticipant]

@Lili: Lol, my boyfriend’s a farmer…corn and wheat…but yeah, I know, avoid carbs, but you know what? I love carbs. Always have. I want to own my own bakery Totally jealous of your spice market though…when I got into cooking I spent a lot of money building up my spice selection, but it was never very high quality stuff, and over the years and several moves my options have really dwindled. It’s one of those things, like buying bulk, that pays off in the long run but can be really problematic and expensive to get started.

@bethany: I used to loooove ramen in college, but lately I just can’t enjoy it. I’m not sure why It’s sad though, because it is sooo cheap! Maybe I’ll try just cooking the noodles and then seasoning them myself? It’s a thought…

[LParticipant]

Ha, didn’t even think of the cost of meat when I threw my recipe in the mix. Though I usually buy the chicken breasts in bulk and just look for the big bags of them that are on sale. I once found bags of 8 for something like $4.

[jlyfshParticipant]

This is a different way to use the ramen. It says to use the entire packet of seasoning mix but when I’ve made it I’ve only used half. I’ve also heard of people who make up their own spice mix to add in instead of using the packet. I don’t know what they use, but I’m sure google could help with ideas if you wanted to make your own And one person at work who makes this adds in slivered carrots and almonds as well. And one time she added in shredded marinated chicken too and made it more of a main dish salad. All kinds of ways you can alter the base recipe and get creative

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Ramen-Cabbage-Salad

[LiliParticipant]

Haha, don’t we all. I’m not gonna lie, reducing my carb intake is always a work in progress for me. I even did a lot of scientific research to try to help myself along, but the only reoccurring and consistent thing that stuck out to me was that Carbs get turned into Sugars which turns into happy feelings inside and i’m like NO WONDER its so gratifying. Now how can I stop eating them nom nom nom.

Wow, I didn’t know your BF was a farmer-cool I’m So curious at how that industry operates. I feel like most of the exposes have been so sensationalized, but they have opened up my eyes and made me monitor what i consume better an to be aware of where it came from and why its made so cheap to me. Food is one of my favorite topics so sorry if I’m rambling! I’m also that obnoxious person who wants to dissuade people from buying the carton of Ramen when I see that at the store. I don’t-don’t worry-but I always want to!

[Will.i.amParticipant]

I’m the same with Ramen. I just lost my taste to it, because I ate it so much as a child. I will find a way to cut back on expenses before I will start to eat Ramen again.

What I usually do for lunch is I will eat a turkey sandwich, with a piece of bacon, and swiss cheese. Dinner I usually eat a hamburger, chicken, turkey, pork, and a combination. I’ve been slacking a little bit this week and I need to go to the store this weekend.

I have a sweet spot for mac and cheese too. I buy three or four boxes at a time and I can get four to five servings from a box. For me, the turkey sandwich is my best option for lunch.

[LiliParticipant]

Oh-and do you have latin markets close to you? I think a lot of bulk spices are cheaper at Mexican markets-meat too. Depending on the store though, you may have to do some research and translate the names of the items you want, but I think its worth it.

[jlyfshParticipant]

and SDG are there any farm stands where you are? i live in the middle of nowhere too but there are a ton of farmers who set up stands or sell stuff out of the back of their trucks all along the road. i’ve found that they are way cheaper than our walmart (which is also one of the only options here).

and i agree with the making things in the crock pot or casserole form too. and like someone else mentioned eggs and beans. i don’t have a great recipe but one of my friends makes huevos rancheros that are so good. and they are so filling for dinner and luckily pretty cheap other than that wonderful sauce that goes on top. i still haven’t figured out how to make a good version of it. mine just never tastes the same so i’ve given up on making it at home for now!

my husband’s a diabetic so when i met him i had to learn to let go of the carbs. one really good trick i found for when i’m craving pasta with marinara is putting the sauce over a giant bowl of either kale or spinach. it’s really filling and they both go well with sauce! and kale chips they are so good and cheaper to make than buying a bag of lay’s at walmart. especially when you can get kale on sale!

[silver_dragon_girlParticipant]

There isn’t even a farmer’s market in my town!! It’s ridiculous. There are a few in smaller outlying towns, which I hope to check out, but it’s kind of hit or miss. Plus you have to balance the cost of driving 20-30 miles with whatever you’re saving on food.

OH here’s a hint for anyone else: roast a whole chicken on a Saturday or Sunday, let it cool, and slice, shred, or chop it up. When I do this I can usually find a whole chicken for about $7-8, and it produces enough diced meat for salads, pasta, sandwiches, etc. for at least a week (but then I don’t eat much meat). I’ll do the same thing with a beef roast (whatever’s cheapest) in the crock pot, and if you save the drippings that cook out of that (a lot) you can use them to make really good stew or soup.

[rachelParticipant]

I’m with you all on the Ramen. I can’t eat Ramen anymore. There were a couple weeks in college when I was eating it for both lunch and dinner, and I finally couldn’t take it anymore.

[AllegroFoxParticipant]

Not gonna lie, just finished a package of ramen. Though technically I’ve still got a week of university to go, so I’m still in okay territory. Right. Right? Please don’t tell me I have to start cooking real food yet.

[savannahParticipant]

For anyone thats sick of ramen, you know they are just plain noodles right? cheap and easy to customize. There much be thousands of different recipes online here just one website to get anyone started:
http://www.rasmussen.edu/student-life/blogs/college-life/ramen-noodle-recipes/

[buttonedParticipant]

I have to say, I hate cup noodle ramen, but I lOOOVE the ramen in the bag, that you actually have to boil. My mom who is Korean, buys the Shin ramen, that’s pretty spicy, boils it in the pot, adds one egg, chopped green onion, and a little chopped onion. So delicious! It’s like quick and easy Korean ramen. The egg turns out nice and fluffy and cooked from the boiling.

This thread is old, but I’ll still give a little two cents. If you like meat, deff go with chicken. It’s usually the meat that is the most on sale. Store brand names (like Kroger or Great Value) when you’re buying rice, pasta, dried beans, whatever else, is great and cheaper, and they have the same ingredients and quality most of the time. Crock pots are your friend, and so is general items (i.e, chicken, rice, pasta, veggies) that you can make a plethora of recipes from and just add little things to make them pop or different.

[missmetrodcParticipant]

Dont give up on ramen just yet!!

1 pan, a packet or two of ramen noodles (throw away the spice thing that comes with it), 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 can coconut milk, some curry paste, and all the veggies that your pan will hold. The other day I used mushrooms, green beans, garlic, ginger, onions, green pepper, and broccoli.

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