What are foods that you like, that are nutritious, and are cheap.

Monte RCMS · #1 Jun 10, '11, 7:41 pm

Was driving and saw a sign in front of a Walgreen's Drug Store:

Eggs: $1.29 dozen

Well, I like eggs.

So I was wondering if there are foods that you like, that are nutritious, and are cheap.

Corki · #2 Jun 10, '11, 8:15 pm

Oatmeal is cheap and good for you.

Tuna is another thing you often find on sale that's nutritious.

Waiting · #3 Jun 10, '11, 8:29 pm

Can't believe how much good a little yogurt can do for you on a daily basis. It keeps the digestive system humming. AND I feel like I'm eating a dessert everytime. Add a little fruit and enjoy!

PennyinCanada · #4 Jun 10, '11, 10:23 pm

I believe kidney beans and brown rice together are a meat substitute.
Black beans are very good for you. I usually don't need the entire can so I bag them up in smaller amounts to put into soups or rice.

kevinsgirl · #5 Jun 11, '11, 12:41 pm

We eat a lot of beans and rice. And eggs.

Frozen veggies are cheap and good for you. Fresh veggies are good for you too--and very cheap if you buy in season!

Chicken is also pretty good for you...and cheap. We buy chicken breasts in bulk. I season them, bake them, and slice or shred them and pop them in the freezer for quick healthy meals later.

RosarioD · #6 Jun 11, '11, 12:55 pm

Cottage cheese is very good for you -- only 130 cal/half cup and 8 grams of protein. I like to eat it with a fruit spread (strawberry preserves in particular).

pollycarp · #7 Jun 11, '11, 1:28 pm

Oatmeal with brown sugar, cinnamon, apples, raisins.
Swiss oatmeal: Add oatmeal to a container of yogurt, with some chopped apple, pear, walnuts before you go to bed. Then in the morning it's all ready to eat. Cool in the summer.

Also, cheap, good and easy - cook some lentils in water and when done, drain water and add some grated cheddar cheese.

Apples, raw or cooked in microwave, or in skillet with some butter, cinnamon and sugar. Put vanilla ice cream on top while warm.

Ramen - add cooked mixed vegetables.

kevinsgirl · #8 Jun 11, '11, 1:44 pm

Water is very cheap and very healthy.

I need to drink water more.

KG

**puzzleannie** · #9 Jun 11, '11, 2:31 pm

whatever is in season, buy, wash, dry and freeze
like strawberries and asparagus right now

frozen veggies in the big bags, lots of volume, lots of nutrients for very few calories

any meat based dish like a stew, soup or casserole extended with any vegetable

yogurt, I get Greek style for half the price by simply draining the cheaper full fat version of regular yogurt in a fine mesh strainer in the refrigerator over night. I save the whey to add to soups. it replaces sour cream, yogurt and is an excellent lower carb sauce or gravy base

countertop water filter pitcher rather than bying bottle water (or filling our own jugs from an RO machine)

buy the cheapest cuts of meat, cut up and marinate, freeze in the size bags you will use for one meal, thaw in the bag in cold water, dump the marinade or reserve it for the sauce, and cook. from a chuck roast you can get 4 meals for 20 people of you cut it up right, including 2 small steaks, and the bone and trimmings go in stock for soup.

make stock so that nothing gets thrown away or wasted, freeze for a rich base for so many meals, no fat, no sodium unless you add it.

best investment-freezer bags or containers in smaller sizes so if something is past its best fresh date, freeze it, in cooking it won't matter.

we waste as much fresh produce as we eat sometimes.

we have not bought or made actual desserts for years

we freeze fruit when it is plentiful, put frozen fruit in a wine glass of sparking water, club soda or diet sprite for a pretty fashionable dessert, or make quick smoothies and serve in wine glasses (from the dollar store)

make my own sausage with ground turkey and grass fed ground beef or bison--you can use pork or whatever your family likes--with sausage type seasonings, make patties, bake and freeze, mike for 30-45 seconds for quick breakfast, no added salt, nitrates, fillers or other chemicals.

SamH · #10 Jun 13, '11, 11:28 am

I don't know how "good" they are for you but I grew up on fried macaroni and I still love it. It was great because it had lots of carbs and was very filling. Just what extremely active boys needed.

mh2007 · #11 Jun 17, '11, 9:51 pm

Bread. Daily bread.

And ground beef. There are countless meals which can be made using ground beef. From spaghetti and meat sauce, to burgers, meatballs, chili, stew, soup - you name it.

When it comes to inexpensive meals, we are only limited by our lack of imagination. There are so many ways to work with bread and ground beef.

And finally - rice. Rice is fantastic and cheap.

happymommy · #12 Jun 18, '11, 2:09 pm

blueberries were on sale this week and they were buy one pint, get one free. So I came home with lots of berries! Going to freeze most of them, eat the rest in vanilla yogurt! Yummy!

I'm trying to save more at the store, not always an easy thing, so I've been watching this thread.
We go through a lot of eggs, not all of the kids will eat those.

We often have breakfast for dinner! Pancakes or waffles, make them myself and at least triple the recipe so we can either have them the next day for breakfast or freeze them.

Oatmeal, as someone else said. My girls like it with raisins. We even take it with us camping. I measure out single servings into baggies, heat the water over the fire and add the oatmeal.

My husbands family, that live across the street, have a huge garden, so we get to freeze a good amount of veggies. My MIL does a lot of canning and is kind enough to share with us!

My husband hunts so that is also a big help in filling the freezer!