Advice: Budget Friendly Recipes/Meals

Log in / Sign Up

List of Forums + New Post Recipe Box Usergroups Following My Posts Bookmarks

Private Messages Advanced Search Rules New User Guide FAQ Advertise Contact Us

Forum -> Household Management -> Budgeting & Bargains

View latest: 24h 48h 72h

mrs.morah

Sun, Jun 06 2010, 10:36 pm

I am in need of economical dinner ideas/recipes. I know many ppl have tips on how to stretch certain foods or certain dishes that go the "extra mile" for their family. Please share! I always spend too much money on food and patchka too much!!!! TIA

saw50st8

Mon, Jun 07 2010, 6:12 am

Yesterday we had tortillas for lunch. I didn't quite follow a recipe but here is what I did:

Sautee vegetables you have in the house (I used onions, eggplant, tomatoes corn) and then added black beans. Add spices (garlic, pepper, salt, anything really). When its ready (soft veggies), take a different non-stick pan and heat it. Toast a tortilla on one side for about 30 seconds (until slightly browned). Flip over. Add some filling, and put cheese on top (cheese is the glue). Flip half the tortilla over so it looks like a half moon. Toast until cheese is melted. Serve.

For little kids, take a pizza wheel and cut pizza shapes so its easier for them to hold.

newatthis

Mon, Jun 07 2010, 6:25 am

Vegetable soup and tuna patties

Raisin

Mon, Jun 07 2010, 6:51 am

frittata (egg omelette with veggies, google for recipes)

homemade falafel with pita and salad, chummous (bought or homemade) and grilled veggies.

Mrs.K

Mon, Jun 07 2010, 6:56 am

Chicken Wings instead of Chicken

Spaghetti and 'Meatballs' made with chicken.

Felafel, I buy the Felafel balls and Techina at the local pizza store, then buy my own pita, cucumbers, and tomatoes.

Mrs.K

Mon, Jun 07 2010, 7:03 am

And pancakes...very cheap.

elmos

Wed, Jun 09 2010, 11:11 am

I do not do milchig supprs as dh doesnot eat them and ds is not a fan of them so I sometimes need to b creative to save $ I take ground whatever I got on sale beef chicken turkey veal brown it add onion pepper mushroom zuchini canned tomato did carrots once rally whatever you cook till veggies soft add raw pasta and marinara or tomato sauc and cook until pasta done depending on how much you add thats how far it stretches. ( Iserve that with a salad or alone and its one pot clean up) A real favorite here is a soup I make I take whatever veggies are on hand and that my picky eaters eat use as many or as few as you want onion, garlic, carrot, celery, parsnip, turnip, sweet potato, zuchini, cauliflower, broccli cut it all up and cook with water and seasoning take ground meat of some form mix with egg breadcrumbs and spices and make little meatballs cook additional 20-30 min add small shaped pasta if you like can even make mini matzahballs in it . This soup also freezes amazingly well.

notme

Wed, Jun 09 2010, 2:47 pm

rice and beans/lentils
You can make veggie patties with beans, egg and bread crumbs for protein ( I can post a recipe if you're interested)
pasta, with garlic bread, vegetable soup
quiche
Hope this helps..

notme

Wed, Jun 09 2010, 2:49 pm

use veggies from soup to make a kugel

Wed, Jun 09 2010, 3:27 pm

notme wrote:

use veggies from soup to make a kugel

And use the chicken to make stir-fries...

Mrs Bissli

Wed, Jun 09 2010, 4:24 pm

rice served with lentil curry or lentil soup
learn how to cook with less expensive fish like mackerels (delish grilled) and sprats (delish fried)

for veggies, frozen vegetables are as good as fresh ones. Cabbages, bean sprouts and carrots are cheaper here, which you can use to bulk up for stir-fry and shred them into salads.

being budget-conscious isn't a reason not to serve delicious and healthy foods
(oops sorry for the double negatives).

lamplighter

Wed, Jun 09 2010, 4:55 pm

I know this is not a meal suggestion but just an idea to keep in mind.
Make suppers that your family likes. Experimenting, or making "strange" foods are often wasteful I.e. does not save you money.

shanie5

Wed, Jun 09 2010, 10:43 pm

notme wrote:

You can make veggie patties with beans, egg and bread crumbs for protein ( I can post a recipe if you're interested)

Please post the recipe

mltjm

Wed, Jun 09 2010, 11:27 pm

adding beans to a small package of ground meat is a great way to stretch most recipes that call for ground meat. chili, meat sauce, really anything...

eggs are cheap, protein and flexible: omelets, quiches, eggs and toast...

pasta plus something is a great way to stretch a meal.

really any protein over a starch is also cheaper: orzo, rice, quinoa, mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes...

fleisig lasagna- use one small package of ground chicken/turkey/meat and fry an onion and some veggies- layer with noodles and sauce and voila

tofu is cheap and you can make great stir fries over rice with it. (get extra firm and let the tofu sit out and drain for a few hours before you cook it)

suzyq

Thu, Jun 10 2010, 11:09 am

This site has some great cash-conscious recipes - http://pennypinchingepicure.com/

bubby

Thu, Jun 10 2010, 11:36 am

Spaghetti Aubergine/Eggplant (I think it's called) from the purple cookbook. DD makes it, it's delicious!!! I make it without grated cheese because I don't need the fat & I use brown rice instead of white pasta. Very filling, cheap for sure, & TASTY!

Scotty

Thu, Jun 10 2010, 10:49 pm

Slow-cooker stew.

Toss in any veggies you got from the reduced-produce rack (potatoes, zucchini, etc), beans, barley (think either stew or cholent), spices, onions, maybe a splash of soy sauce, and then whatever chicken/meat or bones you have in the house. Dump in the slow cooker, leave in a couple of hours, and enjoy!

Page 1 of 1