Hellobee Boards Topic: Cheapest meals you can think of

Hellobee Boards Topic: Cheapest meals you can think of https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 03 Jun 2026 05:52:53 +0000 akcoffeebean on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of/page/2#post-2477331 Sun, 28 Feb 2016 00:22:21 +0000 akcoffeebean 2477331@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Lentil soup. It's great for using up leftover vegetable odds and ends and if I have a little bit of leftover meat that can go in too. Baked potatoes. Some nights we have just a baked potato with some cheese and bacon. Just a slice of bacon each is enough for some flavor. An egg on top for protein. Husband eats his with broccoli, I finish off whatever veggies are in the fridge. Usually carrot sticks. Polenta with greens and a fried egg. Home made falafel patties from chickpeas topped with diced tomato, garlic and plain yogurt. You could eat with rice or pita if you have it. I am not a big starch/bread eater so I just eat the falafel and yogurt. Cottage cheese pancakes and fruit. Nachos with beans Pizza dough with leftovers as toppings. I make the pizza dough from my cuisinart instruction book at least once a week. It's easy, my toddler likes to help and it's versatile. Use it as pizza dough or as a flatbread base. My husband loves when I roll it out, brush it with olive oil and then sprinkle seasonings on it. From there you can add cheese or slice it into strips after cooking and dip it in sauce or stews. It's also good for turning leftovers Into empanadas or calzones. A lot of times I type the name of whatever I have on hand into google and see what recipe pops up. I try to pick recipes where I can sub or leave out ingredients if they're not on hand instead of picking something up. That alone has made a big difference in our grocery budget. Long term I've used the meal planning service the Fresh 20 in the past and it was awesome for helping us get our grocery budget under control and for simplifying our shopping/cooking/dinner process. They send you a list of 20 grocery items that are seasonal and healthy, recipes for five meals and instructions for what can be prepped ahead. One day a week you shop and chop, par boil and prep. The rest of the week the meals take 10-40 minutes to finish cooking and get on the table. The geoceries for dinner are supposed to average about $50 a week for 2 adults with enough leftover for lunch. I live in an area where food is expensive, and our dinners would work out to about $65 to $70 a week. They have an option for lunch menus, gluten free, vegetarian, etc so it's diet friendly. The biggest benefit for us is it dramatically reduced our food waste. The next benefit was I didn't have to meal plan or figure out what went on the grocery list. The meals are healthy, but to be honest I added cheese, avocados or nuts to a lot of meals to increase the amount of fat and flavor. I can live without a lot of carbs but I need fat to feel satisfied. Mark Bittmans cookbook How to Cook Everything also helped me learn to save money in the kitchen since he offers all kinds of variations on basic dishes. This helped me learn to use what was already on hand and how to substitute for flavors. Ajsmommy on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of/page/2#post-2477151 Sat, 27 Feb 2016 18:38:58 +0000 Ajsmommy 2477151@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Grilled cheese and tomato soup Hot dogs and pork n beans (and chips) deerylou on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of/page/2#post-2477107 Sat, 27 Feb 2016 17:23:26 +0000 deerylou 2477107@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @Crystal: No problem. It's quite tasty, with or without meat. Enjoy! Crystal on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of/page/2#post-2477078 Sat, 27 Feb 2016 16:29:52 +0000 Crystal 2477078@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @deerylou: thanks! Looks delicious! deerylou on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of/page/2#post-2476903 Sat, 27 Feb 2016 10:19:24 +0000 deerylou 2476903@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @Crystal: <a href="http://fakeginger.com/taco-pasta/" rel="nofollow">http://fakeginger.com/taco-pasta/</a> - we adapt this recipe, and sub two different types of beans for the ground meat. Crystal on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of/page/2#post-2476820 Sat, 27 Feb 2016 02:42:54 +0000 Crystal 2476820@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @deerylou: what is vegetarian taco pasta? PawPrints on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of/page/2#post-2476768 Fri, 26 Feb 2016 22:42:26 +0000 PawPrints 2476768@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Dal is our cheapest meal. Normally all we have to buy is a tomato, and we have everything else in the pantry. (Lentils, rice, onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, etc) ineebee on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of/page/2#post-2476647 Fri, 26 Feb 2016 20:02:22 +0000 ineebee 2476647@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Beans! Chickpea curry, chili with beans, black beans with rice. deerylou on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of/page/2#post-2476644 Fri, 26 Feb 2016 20:01:23 +0000 deerylou 2476644@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Some of our cheapest favorites: Korean Chick Pea Tacos (or lettuce wraps) Udon noodles (could use ramen) with scallions, egg, and tofu Spaghetti Carbonara Tuna melts and tomato soup Breakfast for Dinner Vegetarian Taco Pasta If you have a stocked pantry and spice rack, your options are endless. Bao on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of/page/2#post-2476609 Fri, 26 Feb 2016 19:18:21 +0000 Bao 2476609@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Awesome ideas you guys! Taking notes... travellingbee on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of#post-2476599 Fri, 26 Feb 2016 19:06:14 +0000 travellingbee 2476599@https://boards.hellobee.com/ We just had Frito "pie" (Corn chips with chili and shredded cheese on top, like Nachos) with a can of turkey chili from trader joes. It was very cheap and easy! sera_87 on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of#post-2476583 Fri, 26 Feb 2016 18:37:59 +0000 sera_87 2476583@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Roast chicken, carrots & potatoes. And then I use the bones to make stock and make soup the next day. Literally the cheapest meal I can think of. Mrs D on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of#post-2476512 Fri, 26 Feb 2016 16:52:56 +0000 Mrs D 2476512@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @bluestriped bee: I scored some for $0.89 the other day and did a happy dance...I may have bought 10 boxes...crazy rice-a-roni lady... Anagram on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of#post-2476233 Fri, 26 Feb 2016 13:25:33 +0000 Anagram 2476233@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Beans and rice for sure....but dried beans, because they are super cheap. Lentils are cheap and they don't have to be soaked like beans. Eggs and toast in the morning. BSB on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of#post-2476225 Fri, 26 Feb 2016 13:17:53 +0000 BSB 2476225@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @Mrs D: Oh, yeah, I love rice-a-roni or pasta-a-roni. You can usually get a box on sale for $1 each. I like to add broccoli or spinach and chicken to it and make a meal out of it. BSB on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of#post-2476223 Fri, 26 Feb 2016 13:16:17 +0000 BSB 2476223@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Get a chicken, throw some onion, celery and carrots and roast it. Make some sort of chicken dish out of it, then use the chicken carcass to make broth and make chicken noodle soup. We don't mind eating leftovers so it can last us a few days. Mrs. Lemon-Lime on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of#post-2476200 Fri, 26 Feb 2016 12:59:15 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2476200@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pasta with butter & olive oil, parm cheese (from the delivery section) and seasonings. If we have it I'll toss in cherry tomatoes and spinach. mrsrain on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of#post-2476198 Fri, 26 Feb 2016 12:57:47 +0000 mrsrain 2476198@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Grilled cheese sandwiches, baked potatoes, pasta, pancakes, stir-fried rice NovBaby1112 on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of#post-2476188 Fri, 26 Feb 2016 12:54:37 +0000 NovBaby1112 2476188@https://boards.hellobee.com/ my favorite cheap meal lately is crockpot pulled pork with corn. So good. You just buy a big pork butt (I've gotten really large ones for like $5-$7!) and sweet baby rays BBQ sauce. Put both in crockpot and leave for 8 hours and then shred. I like to make frozen corn to mix in it when its done. Plus you get like, 2-3 days worth of leftovers with it! brownepiano on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of#post-2476167 Fri, 26 Feb 2016 12:37:10 +0000 brownepiano 2476167@https://boards.hellobee.com/ This isn't a meal but I use extra cereal (like Cheerios) to make snack mixes. Add in popcorn, some oil and seasoning, bake it for a little while and you have a cheap snack. Mrs D on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of#post-2476106 Fri, 26 Feb 2016 11:59:06 +0000 Mrs D 2476106@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Beans/Rice (Zatarans) with Turkey sausage. DH eats the left over sausage the next day on sandwiches. Its about $4-6 for the meal depending on sales! Rice Roni & Chicken Breasts - I stock up on chicken breasts when they are on sale for $1.79/lb. So I can get dinner and two leftovers for about $4.50. Omlets and Toast - 6 eggs for the fam, half a bag of cheese, 2 slices of toast each...about $5. I try to add veggies to these - canned would add about $1 to each! Mommy Finger on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of#post-2476102 Fri, 26 Feb 2016 11:58:37 +0000 Mommy Finger 2476102@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @Ms maths: Thanks for that pasta recipe! I've been trying to figure out how to get more beans in our diet. DH is one of those that doesn't think it's a meal unless there's a bunch of meat so I'm trying to change that mind set. And I really want to start using more beans in our cooking as the protein and using meat as a flavoring. I'm finding that it's super easy to cook a big pot of beans in the slow cooker or crockpot and then freeze in portions. For instance, I just bought a 2 lb bag of dried pinto beans at Aldi for less than $2. I made them in the pressure cooker and then mashed them to make refried beans. I like to eat these for lunch with a little big of cheese and some pita chips. I got 12 servings out of that bag so it'll be less than $0.25 a meal for me., once I factor in the extras. So much cheaper than buying lunch. Another trick is that when I make a pasta or some other dish, I just cut the meat the recipe calls for in half and make sure that it's cut up in smaller pieces. This way, you think you're eating more than you are. So if the recipe calls for 2 chicken breasts, I only use 1. petitenoisette on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of#post-2476096 Fri, 26 Feb 2016 11:56:51 +0000 petitenoisette 2476096@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Chili made with beans, no meat. This is my go-to crockpot meal lately. 2-3 cans of various beans (or even cheaper I buy a bag of dried beans, I've been getting the 14 bean mix, cook them first in the slow cooker for a few hours and then add the rest of the chili stuff. I divide one $2 bag into two batches of chili), + 2-3 cans of diced tomatoes (I like the fire-roasted ones for chili), onions + whatever random veg I have around (carrots, zucchini, corn, etc.) + chili spices. I like to add a few chipotle peppers too for smokey spice! Chillybear on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of#post-2476092 Fri, 26 Feb 2016 11:55:40 +0000 Chillybear 2476092@https://boards.hellobee.com/ We make a pasta alfredo dish - diced ham, frozen peas, diced onion (saute together in a bit of oil with garlic & red pepper flakes) add a jar of alfredo sauce and put over any pasta T.H.O.U. on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of#post-2476091 Fri, 26 Feb 2016 11:55:11 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2476091@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I just did a chicken and rice with broccoli bake: <a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/campbells-15-minute-chicken-rice-dinner" rel="nofollow">http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/campbells-15-minute-chicken-rice-dinner</a> We only used 2 chicken breasts and had leftovers, just added extra broccoli and rice. youboots on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of#post-2476087 Fri, 26 Feb 2016 11:52:04 +0000 youboots 2476087@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Loco moco! Spaghetti with red sauce Tacos Blts Ms maths on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of#post-2476083 Fri, 26 Feb 2016 11:50:34 +0000 Ms maths 2476083@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I don't know if this is helpful advice, but we try to use meat as a "flavoring" as much as possible. For example, using a little bacon for pasta and then adding beans for protein. Here is the recipe I use as a basis for this: <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2014/10/pasta-pancetta-shiitake-mushrooms-parmesan-recipe.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2014/10/pasta-pancetta-shiitake-mushrooms-parmesan-recipe.html</a> (but using bacon rather than pancetta, subbing button mushrooms for shitaki, and adding white beans). Another example: <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/315328/slow-cooked-tex-mex-chicken-and-beans" rel="nofollow">http://www.marthastewart.com/315328/slow-cooked-tex-mex-chicken-and-beans</a> but we up the beans and cut back on the chicken. Kimberlybee on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of#post-2476079 Fri, 26 Feb 2016 11:48:35 +0000 Kimberlybee 2476079@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Aldi always has eggs on sale, it's not organic but still good quality. Kimberlybee on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of#post-2476078 Fri, 26 Feb 2016 11:48:00 +0000 Kimberlybee 2476078@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Omelettes, quiche, eggs & spam... I like to use eggs for a cheaper option protein. gingerbebe on "Cheapest meals you can think of" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cheapest-meals-you-can-think-of#post-2476071 Fri, 26 Feb 2016 11:42:49 +0000 gingerbebe 2476071@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Mac n cheese with cubed ham, frozen veg, or even hot dogs or tuna fish is good. You can make your own white sauce by making a quick oil and flour or butter and flour roux and add milk and/or broth with herbs and salt and pepper and some Parmesan if you want or have it. I will add some Better than Bouillion chicken base for a cream of chicken substitute. You can make a nice noodle dish of that sauce with pasta, ham, and peas, or a chicken tetrazzini type dish. Or add some pesto for a creamy pesto sauce. DH also likes it when I cook pork chops or chicken in this white sauce in the crockpot and serve it over mashed potatoes. I just add a veg to the side. Leftover pasta like spaghetti especially can be thrown into beaten eggs and veg and turned into a pasta frittata. You can stretch the chicken to make chicken and rice or noodle soup with just some carrots and celery and onions. French toast for dinner is good because of the eggs for protein with a bit of fruit on the side. Ham fried rice. Chicken fried rice. In college I used to love to simmer black beans and corn with salsa and top it with raw slaw mix as a cheap low carb meal, but the same can be put over rice. I also used to like to simmer Goya red beans (they are already well seasoned in a yummy sauce) with a bag of frozen stir fry veggies over brown rice. All of this can be thrown in a tortilla for burritos too. Adding elbow macaroni and some corn to a can or two of beans and chili makes a lot of chili mac that stretches and tastes good. Top with cheese if you have it. Retried bean or canned bean enchiladas are good - just roll some retried beans and cheese into tortillas, line them up, and top with sauce. Homemade enchilada sauce is easy - just mix up a can of tomato sauce (or 2 cups warm water + tomato paste) with a teaspoon of cumin, a tablespoon of chili powder, some hot sauce, pepper, garlic powder, some chicken Better than Bouillion or a bouillon cube. Top with cheese and bake. My husband loves stuffed pepper skillet - just brown a little ground meat and onion, add a jar of tomato sauce, and then add a bunch of cooked rice (great way to use leftover rice) and chopped green bell peppers. You can use frozen bell pepper strips. You can obviously add more veggies like chopped mushrooms or crumbled tofu instead of meat to make it vegetarian. Other than eating cereal you can make bars out of almost all of them like you would Rice Krispies. Or Chex Mix or muddy buddies. Plain cereal can be crushed and used to coat meat like breadcrumbs. Lots of homemade granola bar recipes also call for a few cups of crushed cereal, as do some cookie recipes. Make a big batch of pizza dough and use up all your odds and ends at the end of the week for pizza night. If you're out of tomato sauce, try BBQ sauce or white sauce. Vegan sloppy joes can be made with cooked brown lentils simmered in a sweet sauce made of tomato sauce, onions, and some brown sugar, or if you're in a pinch, ketchup and a little extra sugar or pancake syrup works fine too. You can also add some BBQ sauce for a twist and serve open face over buns or toast. You can bake up pancake mix or cornbread mix in mini muffin pans and stuff them with breakfast sausage or hot dogs or cubes of ham for breakfast or dinner with ketchup or syrup to dip. You can also just have them plain with some scrambled eggs on the side. Or you can throw some frozen corn or canned green chilies into the cornbread batter to have a side to some other meal. Risotto stretches rice and can use just about anything, including canned pumpkin leftover from the holidays or peas or corn or grated carrots or random greens.