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If you’ve been facepalming whenever you see the prices at your local grocery shop, then you’re not alone. This ‘totally-not-a-recession’ we’re in has wreaked havoc on food costs in many parts of the world. In the UK alone, food price inflation reached 12.4% in November. Meanwhile, grocery prices in the US were up 12%, compared to the year before. So you’re definitely not alone if you’ve been feeling your wallet getting thinner.
Shoppers have been forced to react to this in different ways. Some are working overtime or have picked up a new side hustle. Others are cutting back on their favorite foods, eating out, and the size of their meals. However, food budgets, creative cooking solutions, and buying things at discounts are new to some people.
Luckily, the internet is chock full of friendly folks who love to lend a helping hand. Some budget-savvy shoppers from the r/Cooking online community shared their best tips on what underrated cheap foods you definitely shouldn’t ignore. You’ll find their awesome advice below. Upvote the posts that you found the most useful, and share some cost-saving food tips of your own in the comments. Us? We’re not big on cabbage, but lentils are great!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Baked potatoes. Cheap to buy. Easy to prepare. So many options to gussy it up with cheap but tasty fillings.
Sarcastic Fringehead 1 year ago (edited)
I freaking love potatoes lol. Such a weird obsession, but you can do them in so many different ways. I’ve yet to eat a bad potato. Yum
#2
Cabbage!
Bestihlmyhart added:
Keeps forever too. Looking at you spinach..
chantillylace9 added:
Try taking some shredded cabbage, it can have the carrots or not, and roasting it in a pan with a tiny bit of oil and maybe some chicken stock or a little bit of bullion or umami or mushroom powder until it’s nice and wilted and toss it in with Asian pasta dishes!!!
It bulks it up so nicely (which also helps cut calories) and makes thai and other cuisines even better because it soaks up the sauces way more than the rice noodles do.
#3
Lentils! Lentil soup is the best! And dhal is awesome. And you can make burgers with them.
Healthy, filling, versatile and delicious.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 1 year ago
Lentil soup is so good! I know I would have turned my nose up at it as a kid, but as an adult, it is legit!
Food prices have grown by leaps and bounds over the past year. USA Today recently reported on the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ findings about just how much more expensive it is to buy some iconic holiday stables in 2022.
The price of flour rose by a quarter between November 2021 and November 2022. The cost of bread went up by 16%, cookies were 19% more expensive, and if you’re a fan of crackers, they’re now worth a fifth more.
God forbid you eat a lot of eggs or use them for baking! They’re 49% more expensive in the US, year-over-year. Sugar and sweets are up 13%, butter costs 27% more, and milk is 15% more expensive than last year. In short, baking tasty treats for Christmas and the New Year was bound to drill a hole in your wallet.
#4
Oats! Not only for porridge, but just grind it and add it into your baking - it is so tasty! Also, if you are on a really tight budget (or sick) it is really nice to add some oats into soup indead of noodles to make it more filling.
#5
Rotisserie chickens. One chicken will feed me and my husband for 2 meals each plus some snacking and the carcass can be turned into amazing bone broth. That's a lot of bang for $5
#6
Popcorn is underrated when it comes to the variety of flavors it plays well with.
David A Paterson 1 year ago
Pop it in a covered casserole dish in the microwave. Cook on high 2 minutes 20 seconds, remove popped kernels. Repeat. Repeat.
Recently, Bored Panda looked at the ways that you can save money on food. Cooperating with your family, friends, and neighbors can really help you squeeze the most out of every dollar, pound, and cent you have. You can buy produce in bulk, at a major discount, and then freeze most of it for later use.
So long as you package the food properly, it shouldn’t get freezer burn, and it’ll keep its nutrition value. Double-bag your fruits, veggies, fish, or meat, or use a vacuum sealer.
Another great way to put meals together cheaply is to embrace the power of stir-fries! You can use rice or pasta as the base, and throw in some cheap, seasonal veggies from your local market or mom-and-pop grocery store. Bonus points if you tend your own veggie and herb garden.
#7
Dried beans and rice. Infinitely customizable. A perfect protein. Great source of fiber. You can eat great tasting food for a week for $5 USD. $20 gives you options
#8
Sweet potatoes. Sweet or savory, chunky or smooth, extremely versatile food you can do a lot of delicious meals and snacks with.
Pascalica added:
I use them in burritos. Cut into chunks, season with cumin, garlic, chili powder, salt, and toss with some oil. Bake until tender in the middle with some charring on the outside. So damn good with black beans, Mexican style rice, the sweetness of them goes very well with all the savory.
Benita Valdez 1 year ago
This is one of the very few vegetables that I just don't like really. Just not a fan of it cooked; I do enjoy the occasional raw piece though
#9
Canned garbanzo beans.
Add salt , pepper , sugar and a spice of your liking. Lightly oil. Put in the oven for 20-25 mins 400F. Great crunchy low calorie snack.
OrangeCoffee87 added:
I make "not egg" salad with them. Great with crackers or in a pita.
Antz Online 1 year ago
Chickpeas! Rather prepare the raw chickpeas than the canned products, massive difference in the taste. And way cheaper.
#10
Eggs are the cheapest healthiest food you can eat.
Frank Brewster 1 year ago
Our supermarket brand eggs are going for $6/$7 lately. Organic eggs are almost $10 in Arizona.
#11
God i was wondering if anyone was going to mention instant ramen or not.
So cheap, so versatile. I do two packs, a chicken thigh (marinated, grilled, sliced, and frozen individually), and a couple table spoons of dried, mixed veg. I have an electronic kettle in my work office. 3 cups of hot water and 10min of waiting...BAM, lunch. Costs me maybe $2.
#12
I'd say omelets. They are cheap nutritious and not hard to make if you practice and have a big flat spatula. There's also a thousand ways to make an omelet. I like mine with sautéed mushrooms and some goat cheese and herbs.
#13
Tofu is legit 1 dollar a lb now and can be used in so many dishes
Couldnt_find_a_decent_name 1 year ago (edited)
But I hate the texture. Edit: thank you so much for all these suggestions, I’ll definitely try them out!
#15
Gnocchi. I just learned how to make it, i have always loved it, and it is CHEAP. Last batch made about 6 servings for the two of us. Took six potatoes, three spoonfuls of ricotta, 2 eggs (which my backyard dinosaurs provided) and a cup and half or so of 00 flour. Maybe $8 real world. Eat them with everything. Mushroom gravy, tinned fish, puttanesca…whatever. Always good and ready in under 3 minutes ;)
#16
Pb&J, add berries and it really feels decadent.
#17
Dried beans. The US is weirdly against dried beans becoming mainstream.
NoZombie7064 added:
With inflation, canned beans are much more expensive than they used to be. Store brand canned black beans are a minimum of $2/can around me, more for other types of beans or any kind of premium brand or organic. Back of the hand calculations suggest that dried are still cheaper even with the cost of energy.
#18
Canned tuna! Cook it in some soy sauce and add some garlic powder, ginger powder etc with a bowl of rice and it’s warm, filling and tasty on a budget. I make it all the time and add avocado, green onion and cucumber when I have some extra cash, really takes it to the next level.
#19
So many possibilities with onions but I love French onion soup. Doesn’t need gruyere although that’s delicious. Fine with any Swiss or even mozzarella.
I also love bologna sandwiches. Cheap and easy. Too bad it’s not healthy too.
Also chicken thighs. Goes with any seasoning and aside from a few dishes, tastes better than chicken breast to me.
#20
Celery root. Baked in oven with olive oil, salt and pepper.
#21
Cottage cheese — cheap protein/calcium and you can use it savory or sweet.
bluejayghosts added:
Cottage cheese is the best—Costco sells large quantities for like $4!!
traditora added:
In a bowl with some cinnamon and sugar or honey is a nice snack. Add some granola and it's breakfast.
Or my favorite breakfast: a hardboiled egg, cottage cheese, cherry tomatoes, lots of olive oil, salt and pepper, and good crusty bread to soak up the oil.
#22
A nice baguette. Wish I could get my hands on one, but US grocery stores tend to not give a s**t about quality baked goods, and quality independent bakeries are few and far in between (and usually only focus on sweets).
Lauren S 1 year ago
I think it depends on where you live in the US. I cannot tell you why (I’ve heard it’s the water but idk) but bagels from NYC or northern Jersey are amazingly better than anywhere else I’ve had them in the country. I’m not talking clever delicious flavors, just plain regular bagels are amazing! I imagine the same would be true where some places in the US must make great baguettes. Although, I have a feeling some European countries probably have us beat with these (ahem… France). I wonder what bagels are like in France?
#23
I find a lot of canned meats and seafood are looked down upon but I really enjoy them. Spam, smoked oysters, sardines etc
#24
You can do a lot with a few veggies and fruit. Individually it sounds boring and not fulfilling. But I like to make a salsa with cilantro, a red onion, a tomato, a mini pineapple OR a mango, and a lime. I’ve purchased one of each of these ingredients for under $5 and made a huge salsa out of it after chopping and stirring them all up (and squeezing the lime over). Along with tortilla chips it’s great or you can use it in fish tacos too.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 1 year ago (edited)
Love salsa fresca! Such a handy go to for a party. Not sure about the pineapple though. If god wanted us to eat pineapple, why did he cover them in spikes? *sarcasm ;)
#25
Peanut butter ftw
Lauren S 1 year ago
I do love my reduced fat JIF. Not sure why it’s better than other brands but it sure is. I remember the PB shortage of the pandemic. Those were dark days. I’m also very grateful no one in my house is allergic. That’s so common now.
lauralett50 1 year ago
Give me the crunchy / chunky peanut butter ,and no one gets hurt . One on the table, two in the cupboard I am good..
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Lauren S 1 year ago
Or bananas!! Mmm. But if it’s apples, gala is the way to go!
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kitten levels tokyo 1 year ago
PB is just BP spelled backwards. WHY HAVE WE NOT REALIZED THIS BEFORE NOW?
Joshua Moore 1 year ago
My go to has always been regular Jif. Well during one grocery trip they were out, so I went with Simply Jif. I truly can't taste any difference and it's supposed to be healthier for you. On a tight budget, pb&j or pb & honey is a regular during the week. 👍😁
Krystle Deschene 1 year ago
I think ftw may mean for the win. But when I grew up it did not stand for that. 🤣 either way it kinda works
Annette V 1 year ago
Once I had natural peanut butter (ingredients peanuts and <1% salt) I could no longer have regular processed peanut butter. The taste doesn't compare.
Auntriarch 1 year ago
If it's made with roasted peanuts, you don't miss the salt and sugar
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Brian Droste 1 year ago
Ibysed to eat Jiff crunchy pb, but then Jiff had a recall on there extra crunchy on. Had to go to a?store brand. Had a different taste but still tasted good. Seen the store I shopped at had extra crunchy pb but looked at their price then the store price. The store price was a lot more cheaper. Going to stick to The store brand from now on.
#26
Spinach! I made this really nice spinach and artichoke dip last night, and it's so much better homemade. The stuff you find it stores is like 50% mayo and i think that's gross lol
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 1 year ago
Another food i didn't learn to appreciate until I was an adult.
#27
Carrots.
Lauren S 1 year ago
I loved carrots for many years. When I was pregnant I was absolutely disgusted by them. They made me nauseous to smell them even. It’s taken me years since then to eat them. My kid is 6 and I can barely tolerate them. I didn’t know that pregnancy aversion could extend beyond actual pregnancy. (Side note: my kid HATES carrots)
#28
I really love a cheap grilled cheese with American cheese (the processed kinda plastic stuff in individual sheets) just cheap white bread, cheese, and margarine. The American cheese almost tastes fluffy, like a cheese cloud.
Sarcastic Fringehead 1 year ago (edited)
But see here’s the thing, it’s better with actual cheese. Not “cheese product” or whatever c**p they say. Put real cheese then consider your opinion again my dude. EDIT: I am just stating my opinion here, I am well aware there are plenty of people who happily would disagree. I just prefer higher quality foods. Doesn’t make me “snobby”
#29
Dried jarred herbs and spices. Yes, they don't compare to fresh, and yes they lose some oomph the longer they sit.
But modern cooking trends have resulted in people feeling like jarred seasonings are automatically inferior. But the truth is they are comparable to fresh (you may need to use more) and while I wouldn't suggest making dinner for the King of England with them or for your Michelin Star restaurant, for Saturday spaghetti, you absolutely can throw in jarred dried oregano instead of spending a ton on fresh. In my area buying Badia brand seasonings is typically the cheapest way to go, plus they carry large sizes.
And while we're at things in the spice cabinet, get yourself some MSG, buying it from the Asian grocery store (or online even from Amazon in the asian brands) is cheaper than buying a jar of Accent from the grocery store, because its that secret ingredient you are missing from your meals!
#30
Bananas
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 1 year ago
Where's the banana for size comparison. Oh I guess that joke doesn't work here... Damn it.
#31
Baked beans for me. If you buy them just in tomato sauce you can doctor the sauce and make just about any breakfast and add them to different meats with a little thought using seasonings and sauces. No its not gourmet but it is an imitation food I suppose that can make you quite a few BS versions of meals. Im not advocating making a hummus by straining them, just things like left over duck with baked beans and a salad is sort of cassoulet like, or adding the mornings bacon is pork and beans, or tossing tobacco and smoky sauce puts you into a tex mex breakfast territory with some eggs... lots of reasons to buy a 12 pack when they are on special because when you dont have power you can have a small fire and go different places with a relatively cheap canned food.
#33
Really any “salad” involving mayo. And I don’t even like mayo on it’s own. But a good tuna salad SLAPS and it’s cheap as hell
#34
Spam
Bruh, i dont give a damn what time of day or night it is you put spam masubi near me and ill be scarfing that b***h down before i can say thanks.
#35
I just made an imitation crab salad sandwich and it was quite good. It definitely doesn't taste like crab, but it's good nonetheless. I consider it its own food product and not a substitute. It has a really nice flavorful sweet taste.
No-Dirt-8737 added
Oh yeah imitation crab and lobster is often made from pollock and are really good.
#36
Frozen veggies
Instant mashed potatoes
Canned tomatoes
Okatango 1 year ago (edited)
Frozen veggies are ok if prepared correctly, often even higher vitamins because frozen at peak. Greek Style Stew: Saute onions, add some garlic, thyme, can of tomatoes, quartered potatoes, bay leaf, salt & pepper. Cook until potatoes almost done, then add frozen green beans on top, cook until everything is done: add some crumbled feta to melt and voila, a superb meal.
#38
Pork Carnitas are really easy too. Drop a big chunk of butt in with 1% salt by weight and put water up to its shoulders. Black pepper, Lime, garlic, cumin, bay leaf, anything you want adds to it but just salt is fine. Simmer it til the water is basically gone, 2 hours or so. It falls apart and is incredible pan fried for putting in tacos all week.
#39
I have loved liverwurst since I was a kid, and it's very cheap. I can get a pound of it at my usual grocery store for $2.49, whereas any sliced lunchmeat will cost me at least double that.
#40
Cuban black beans.
All day every day.
#41
Bolognese, classic dish, everybody likes if. Cheap.
#42
Canned tuna, pasta with butter and garlic, chicken, beef or veggie broth (can be used for so many things), dried/canned beans or any other canned items that will be used.
These are all things that we always had on hand when we had very little money. Never went without, but we didn't each steak, much meat or went out for food.
#43
Tin cornbeef with some cabbage and onion over rice what a treat.
#44
Canned salmon for salmon patties and canned chicken for casseroles and chicken salad.
#45
Nothing makes me happier than a tuna sandwich and an orange. My favorite lunch.
#46
SAR-F*****G-DINES.
Healthy, delicious, eco-friendly and CHEAP!
bagelmaster3000 added:
I get the mustard sauce ones and eat them over hot multigrain bowl (one of those 90 second pouches from Aldi). Or just over crackers: I like the mustard sauce ones.
I've heard people sauté them in their own oil and toss them with pasta, you could break them up in pasta sauce for a fishy kick.
Miss Frankfurter 1 year ago
I love sardines, but I found out the hard way they don’t like me. Highly allergic. Not fun finding that out.
#47
Hamburger Helper. Use to make it in college cause it was all I could afford. Now decades later I still enjoy it.
#48
Boiled peanuts, i get a large cup of cajun peanuts and they’re only $3
Kraneia The Dancing Dryad 1 year ago
OMG thank you!!! I moved to the Midwest US a few years ago and was sad because no one ate these. Oddly, Walmart has them canned in the canned veggie aisle and I was happy to find them. Some folks don't like the texture; ex hubs called them "alien eye balls" lol more for me 😋
#49
Canned pumpkin is great for pumpkin pie and other pumpkin desserts. Why bother carving out a fresh pumpkin when canned pumpkin can be just as good, if not better.
Canned pork liver pate. I especially love using it for banh mis.
Canned corned beef hash is great when pan-fried until it gets ultra-crispy. I haven't had homemade corned beef hash that was better than the canned variety.
#50
Not sure if it counts as "cheap", I've never seen anyone else even own (let alone prepare) a can of Vienna Sausages. So many great recipes with those things.
My favorite is rolling them up in a Pillsbury croissant dough to make pigs in a blanket. But my "cheapest" preparation is slicing in half lengthwise and frying them and having them with eggs and toast.
What do you think ?
ZeroCapacity 1 year ago
Half these things you can't buy where I am at or are three times the price of anything else. The things I enjoyed as a kid and were cheap for my parents people have ruined by buying it all up so stores around me raised prices.
Duh 1 year ago
You think the people buying it up ruined it, not the corporations that raised the prices? The corporations that can buy things in bulk cheaper, so now that they're selling more they have a fatter margin? You're not mad at them?
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Mabelbabel 1 year ago
Look at portion sizes-we've lost touch with what a "normal" portion size is. A standard chicken thigh, without bone or skin, yields about 3oz of meat. For nutritional purposes, that's a standard adult serving. One large chicken breast yields enough for two adults. We don't need to be eating huge steaks or other large helpings of protein, 2-3oz is sufficient.
Kendra Miller 1 year ago
I make my own frozen microwave meals. In the last year I found my 2 cup size made me too full, so I switched to one cup. It's been perfect and everything I make goes twice as far. At Christmas I made the big mistake of trying to eat like my teenage self... It was awful, I felt gross for a week! My coworkers comment that it doesn't look like a lot of food and frown in concern. But I've come to this conclusion based on what my body wants. Now when I look at other people's plates, it just looks like so much food, it can be sickening.
Load More Replies... Weasel Wise 1 year ago
Not a one of these are "tricks" nor "tips", this is a list of foods that people think are cheap and it's solely applicable to where someone lives. Boo.
Rachel Ainsworth 1 year ago
Soup is a great budget meal as you can put in almost any veges or meat that are cheap or old. Dried beans or lentils or rice or pasta can be added (beans increase the cooking time though). Also good to use up old dry bread to dunk in soup.
Wombat1985 1 year ago
So the key is buying ingredients and actually cooking stuff yourself. I feel enlightened.
Celeste Grant 1 year ago
Having serious food allergies makes food so expensive. Having to be gluten free, wheat free, milk and lactose free plus low residue makes for limited options that come at a cost. I have no option to buy food that isn't going to make me ill, especially as I can go into full anaphylaxis if I eat something I'm allergic to. But it means I have to cook from scratch and if I want bread or biscuits it's often £3 for a tiny amount. Rice is my saviour! Also learning to make corn tortillas from scratch is easy, quick and cheap when compared to paying £3.50 for six tiny ones. I wish I could eat "normal" food. I'd like to grab a take away or order food to be delivered occasionally but it's too risky. Going out to eat is stressful and takes so much research. I'm a good cook now because I have to be!
Rachel Ainsworth 1 year ago
Consider trying Thai food for takeaways, it is often free of wheat and dairy as they are not typically used in thai cuisine.
Load More Replies...
Okatango 1 year ago (edited)
Polenta (corn grits) made with a little sharp cheese and nutmeg, served with sauteed mushrooms sauce made with garlic, parsley and onions, couple of tablespoons of red wine. Cheap and delish!
Helena 1 year ago
Polenta with parsley, oregano, basil, chunks of mozzerella, formed into a brick and sliced with a good marinara over it. Grew up on it. Love polenta
Load More Replies...
Naomi Williams 1 year ago
Ok hear me out... frozen berries. I'd get them fresh but where I live they go bad quick
Hyrule26 1 year ago
Bro chicken and potatoe stew easy af to make and u can make so.much of it. You just need a s**t ton of potatoes and a packet (or a few packets if u wanna splurge) of chicken thighs as well as an onion or two. Chop it up, throw it all in a big pot, put a ton of fresh ground pepper into it, about a cup of soy sauce and enough water to cover it. Boil until the potatoes r soft. Eat a little bit of the stew with a lot of rice otherwise its too salty. It freezes and it will last for long time.
LillieMean 1 year ago
I have to mention chickpea flour. Classics include farinata and socca. You can also make a kind of tofu from the flour. Sweet crepes can also be made from the flour. Affordable and filling. If you don't use eggs with black salt, you get a bit like an omelet. It also works well as an egg substitute, e.g. in baking. It is also gluten free. If you have an efficient mixer and hearing protection, you can make flour yourself at home.
DeoManus Argentem 1 year ago
My cheap and delicious goto is spaghetti and meatballs! Can still buy a 4lb bag of frozen meatballs for $12 (obviously lots of meals worth), box of pasta is $1.50, jar of store brand marinara sauce is also <$1.50. Boom! Simple, quick, cheap, and delicious! I prefer adding lots of diced white or green onions on top, but unnecessary if you either don't like, or want to save even more!
Hey! 1 year ago
I do a bake with all of these and it serves 4 peoples or 2 meals for 2: Meatballs (12 lamb sausages cut in 4), 2x 385g Konjac spaghetti, 600ml marinara sauce, 2 cups Italiano shredded cheese.
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tara 1 year ago
OhhhHhhhhI got one. Head of boston lettuce. The kind that comes with all it's roots attached. That way, when I forget about it in the fridge, and find it a month later, it is still there, green as ever....cause it is ALIVE! Much better then buying the 5 dollar bag of lettuce over and over just to throw in the compost.
sturmwesen 1 year ago
The best and cheapest produce is whatever is seasonal. cabbage and pumpkin in winter and fall, tomatos in late summer etc. I can pay 8€ for tomatos or 2 depending of the season
Sleepflower 1 year ago
At this time of year, there aren't many things better than pumpkin soup with a dollop of crème fraiche or sour cream and herb dumplings. Yummy!
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Shawnna Clement 1 year ago
Here are some of my personal hacks to save money. Visiting the grocery daily/ every other day allows you to buy the reduced- for- sale meat and produce that may be half price. I cook things that can be transformed into a second supper. With a few exceptions, we'd rather have variety vs. the same meal twice. Sloppy joes turn into spaghetti meat sauce, grilled chicken and veggies become a pot pie, meatloaf ground into shepherds pie, smoked sausage w/ peppers and onions into a potato au gratin casserole. Plus, you have to have a leftover day where you toss it together and make soup, casserole or just buffet style. I try to eliminate food waste and eat the best tasting food every day. Some foods get dry or the texture changes. Dry white rice becomes fried rice with pan sauteed veggies. Tough meats become tender stewed in sauce or fat as with butter chicken. I watched my neighbors clean out their refrigerator and was disgusted at the amount of food they threw away, more than was in mine...
Christopher Bowers 1 year ago
Something I do is get a few thin slices of roast beef or london broil from a deli, like 5 to slices usually only costs $4 to $5 and I get some everything bagels that is in a bakery for just a little over $4 (they are 4 bagels in the pack). I usually keep laura lynn bouillon powder as well as soy sauce and garlic powder. I make a quick au jus sauce and use a knife and fork to cut the bagel sandwich I make with the deli meat in it and dip it in the sauce. Another thing I like doing that is even cheaper is making southern fried tuna patties (from canned tuna) and putting them on hamburger buns with hot sauce.
ZeroCapacity 1 year ago
Half these things you can't buy where I am at or are three times the price of anything else. The things I enjoyed as a kid and were cheap for my parents people have ruined by buying it all up so stores around me raised prices.
Duh 1 year ago
You think the people buying it up ruined it, not the corporations that raised the prices? The corporations that can buy things in bulk cheaper, so now that they're selling more they have a fatter margin? You're not mad at them?
Load More Replies... Mabelbabel 1 year ago
Look at portion sizes-we've lost touch with what a "normal" portion size is. A standard chicken thigh, without bone or skin, yields about 3oz of meat. For nutritional purposes, that's a standard adult serving. One large chicken breast yields enough for two adults. We don't need to be eating huge steaks or other large helpings of protein, 2-3oz is sufficient.
Kendra Miller 1 year ago
I make my own frozen microwave meals. In the last year I found my 2 cup size made me too full, so I switched to one cup. It's been perfect and everything I make goes twice as far. At Christmas I made the big mistake of trying to eat like my teenage self... It was awful, I felt gross for a week! My coworkers comment that it doesn't look like a lot of food and frown in concern. But I've come to this conclusion based on what my body wants. Now when I look at other people's plates, it just looks like so much food, it can be sickening.
Load More Replies... Weasel Wise 1 year ago
Not a one of these are "tricks" nor "tips", this is a list of foods that people think are cheap and it's solely applicable to where someone lives. Boo.
Rachel Ainsworth 1 year ago
Soup is a great budget meal as you can put in almost any veges or meat that are cheap or old. Dried beans or lentils or rice or pasta can be added (beans increase the cooking time though). Also good to use up old dry bread to dunk in soup.
Wombat1985 1 year ago
So the key is buying ingredients and actually cooking stuff yourself. I feel enlightened.
Celeste Grant 1 year ago
Having serious food allergies makes food so expensive. Having to be gluten free, wheat free, milk and lactose free plus low residue makes for limited options that come at a cost. I have no option to buy food that isn't going to make me ill, especially as I can go into full anaphylaxis if I eat something I'm allergic to. But it means I have to cook from scratch and if I want bread or biscuits it's often £3 for a tiny amount. Rice is my saviour! Also learning to make corn tortillas from scratch is easy, quick and cheap when compared to paying £3.50 for six tiny ones. I wish I could eat "normal" food. I'd like to grab a take away or order food to be delivered occasionally but it's too risky. Going out to eat is stressful and takes so much research. I'm a good cook now because I have to be!
Rachel Ainsworth 1 year ago
Consider trying Thai food for takeaways, it is often free of wheat and dairy as they are not typically used in thai cuisine.
Load More Replies... Okatango 1 year ago (edited)
Polenta (corn grits) made with a little sharp cheese and nutmeg, served with sauteed mushrooms sauce made with garlic, parsley and onions, couple of tablespoons of red wine. Cheap and delish!
Helena 1 year ago
Polenta with parsley, oregano, basil, chunks of mozzerella, formed into a brick and sliced with a good marinara over it. Grew up on it. Love polenta
Load More Replies... Naomi Williams 1 year ago
Ok hear me out... frozen berries. I'd get them fresh but where I live they go bad quick
Hyrule26 1 year ago
Bro chicken and potatoe stew easy af to make and u can make so.much of it. You just need a s**t ton of potatoes and a packet (or a few packets if u wanna splurge) of chicken thighs as well as an onion or two. Chop it up, throw it all in a big pot, put a ton of fresh ground pepper into it, about a cup of soy sauce and enough water to cover it. Boil until the potatoes r soft. Eat a little bit of the stew with a lot of rice otherwise its too salty. It freezes and it will last for long time.
LillieMean 1 year ago
I have to mention chickpea flour. Classics include farinata and socca. You can also make a kind of tofu from the flour. Sweet crepes can also be made from the flour. Affordable and filling. If you don't use eggs with black salt, you get a bit like an omelet. It also works well as an egg substitute, e.g. in baking. It is also gluten free. If you have an efficient mixer and hearing protection, you can make flour yourself at home.
DeoManus Argentem 1 year ago
My cheap and delicious goto is spaghetti and meatballs! Can still buy a 4lb bag of frozen meatballs for $12 (obviously lots of meals worth), box of pasta is $1.50, jar of store brand marinara sauce is also <$1.50. Boom! Simple, quick, cheap, and delicious! I prefer adding lots of diced white or green onions on top, but unnecessary if you either don't like, or want to save even more!
Hey! 1 year ago
I do a bake with all of these and it serves 4 peoples or 2 meals for 2: Meatballs (12 lamb sausages cut in 4), 2x 385g Konjac spaghetti, 600ml marinara sauce, 2 cups Italiano shredded cheese.
Load More Replies... tara 1 year ago
OhhhHhhhhI got one. Head of boston lettuce. The kind that comes with all it's roots attached. That way, when I forget about it in the fridge, and find it a month later, it is still there, green as ever....cause it is ALIVE! Much better then buying the 5 dollar bag of lettuce over and over just to throw in the compost.
sturmwesen 1 year ago
The best and cheapest produce is whatever is seasonal. cabbage and pumpkin in winter and fall, tomatos in late summer etc. I can pay 8€ for tomatos or 2 depending of the season
Sleepflower 1 year ago
At this time of year, there aren't many things better than pumpkin soup with a dollop of crème fraiche or sour cream and herb dumplings. Yummy!
Load More Replies... Shawnna Clement 1 year ago
Here are some of my personal hacks to save money. Visiting the grocery daily/ every other day allows you to buy the reduced- for- sale meat and produce that may be half price. I cook things that can be transformed into a second supper. With a few exceptions, we'd rather have variety vs. the same meal twice. Sloppy joes turn into spaghetti meat sauce, grilled chicken and veggies become a pot pie, meatloaf ground into shepherds pie, smoked sausage w/ peppers and onions into a potato au gratin casserole. Plus, you have to have a leftover day where you toss it together and make soup, casserole or just buffet style. I try to eliminate food waste and eat the best tasting food every day. Some foods get dry or the texture changes. Dry white rice becomes fried rice with pan sauteed veggies. Tough meats become tender stewed in sauce or fat as with butter chicken. I watched my neighbors clean out their refrigerator and was disgusted at the amount of food they threw away, more than was in mine...
Christopher Bowers 1 year ago
Something I do is get a few thin slices of roast beef or london broil from a deli, like 5 to slices usually only costs $4 to $5 and I get some everything bagels that is in a bakery for just a little over $4 (they are 4 bagels in the pack). I usually keep laura lynn bouillon powder as well as soy sauce and garlic powder. I make a quick au jus sauce and use a knife and fork to cut the bagel sandwich I make with the deli meat in it and dip it in the sauce. Another thing I like doing that is even cheaper is making southern fried tuna patties (from canned tuna) and putting them on hamburger buns with hot sauce.
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