Cheap dinners

[Vicky]

The next two weeks are going to be tough grocery money wise. Any cheap, yet healthy, meals that are gluten free or which could be made gluten free?

[elizabeth]

The next two weeks are going to be tough grocery money wise. Any cheap, yet healthy, meals that are gluten free or which could be made gluten free?

Here's some links that might help ...

http://www.yaaps.com/forums/showthread.php?10912-55-for-one-week-of-groceries-need-ideas-)&highlight=groceries $55 for one week of groceries

http://www.yaaps.com/forums/showthread.php?2215-Speaking-of-menus-I-d-love-a-big-comprehensive-list-of-ideas&highlight=groceries (there are some buget stuff in this one)

Hmm, I know there was another "I only have xx$ to last 2 weeks" thread but I can't find it.

What do you have on hand to use up?

[Tangwystl]

The next two weeks are going to be tough grocery money wise. Any cheap, yet healthy, meals that are gluten free or which could be made gluten free?

One I like is kinda like stroganoff. Ground beef, onions, mushrooms, sauteed add lots of garlic and I like basil, Then add light sour cream, noodles/pasta(cooked first) of some kind and frozen peas and corn. You can add the noodles directly or serve the rest on top. Or use potatoes I suppose. If you'd like more direction let me know. You can made a giant batch of this and have lots of leftovers.

[Hawthorne]

One I like is kinda like stroganoff. Ground beef, onions, mushrooms, sauteed add lots of garlic and I like basil, Then add light sour cream, noodles/pasta(cooked first) of some kind and frozen peas and corn. You can add the noodles directly or serve the rest on top. Or use potatoes I suppose. If you'd like more direction let me know. You can made a giant batch of this and have lots of leftovers.

I make this pretty often and it's one of Tony's favorites. There are always tons of leftovers.
Vicky, can you buy GF noodles?

[Tangwystl]

I make this pretty often and it's one of Tony's favorites. There are always tons of leftovers.
Vicky, can you buy GF noodles?

I assumed rice noodles are gluten free??

It's one of Justin's favorites too and it kinda cracks me up because I consider it the easy, lazy, cheap meal. :)

[Vicky]

I am going to make chili as I have a big can of kidney beans and some canned tomatoes on hand. I have rice, potatoes, some frozen chicken pieces, chicken broth, a can of chickpeas, a can of evaporated skim milk, a can of baked beans (guess we'll have hotdogs this week! They're cheap and on sale). a can of olives, green split peas, a very small amount of dried black beans , a packet of taco seasoning, a small amount of red lentils (Oh! I could make Red Lentil Soup! yum!), salad veggies, onions,bananas, pears, grapefruit, eggs...um, I have just cleaned out the freezer and fridge so I have less food than it first appeared. I have some cheese, too - cheddar and mozzarella.

[Amanda]

The next two weeks are going to be tough grocery money wise. Any cheap, yet healthy, meals that are gluten free or which could be made gluten free?

Rice and stuff. Basically rice (brown or rice) with a vegetable (frozen or whatever is cheapest) and a protein (meat, beans, eggs, tofu, whatever.) I cook the rice separately, then fry up onions, throw in frozen veggies or cabbage or chopped kale or whatever until they cook, then add cooked meat. Or if the meat is raw, I cook that first, then fry the onions in the fat, etc. Usually I add tamari and sometimes garlic or ginger. Mix thoroughly with rice, more tamari if needed, and it's done. We especially like bacon rice (good with broccoli or kale) or turkey rice (good with peas or green beans) but it's totally flexible.

Or you can make a spanish-ish version with canned tomatoes, ground beef or red beans, corn, cumin, and chili powder.

If you have lots of eggs, frittata is pretty cheap - put in thinly sliced potatoes and/or onions in a cast iron pot with some fat, cook until cooked, put some more veggies on top (doesn't need much), pour eggs over, cook a bit on the stove, pop into the oven to finish cooking, serve in wedges.

Mashed potatoes and frozen peas and scrambled eggs.

Potato latkes.

Homemade veg soup - onion, frozen veggies, canned tomatoes or tomato sauce, beans, meat bits if you have some, all-purpose seasoning (I like Herbamare, but whatever).

Our meals revolve around a starch base - rice or potatoes, usually. I'm a fan of one-pot meals, so soup and stew and fried rice and hash and frittatas all fit that bill and are infinitely variable.

Shepherds pie can also be varied quite a bit.

The key to keeping it cheap is to use the spendy ingredients sparingly. Also, save and recycle your leftovers! I figure even if they were on someone's plate, if I'm going to boil them in soup or heat thoroughly in the oven the next day, I'm not worried about germs or whatever. Leftovers often get turned into soup here. Or breakfast or lunch, if there is more than a few bites left.

Good luck.

[Vicky]

That sounds really good!

[Vicky]

r. Also, save and recycle your leftovers! I figure even if they were on someone's plate, if I'm going to boil them in soup or heat thoroughly in the oven the next day, I'm not worried about germs or whatever. Leftovers often get turned into soup here. Or breakfast or lunch, if there is more than a few bites left.

Good luck.

Our leftovers are generally lunch for the next day, or days. I have used them for another meal, but they usually get eaten up first.

[jerzymama]

Tacos with corn tortillas (you can crisp them up yourself in a fry pan with a little oil, brown and then quickly shape)

Stews served on top of polenta - chicken cacciatore works really well for this and is best made with the cheapest chicken parts anyways - drumstick thigh combo. You can make polenta using regular cornmeal - it's really the technique more than the quality of the cornmeal (IMO anyways).

Spanish tortilla/frittata with lentil soup

Meatloaf using oatmeal, small can of tomato, sauce, chopped onion & an egg. Serve with mashed potatoes. It's the Quaker Oats traditional meatloaf recipe (I thin k it calls for tomato juice but the small can of sauce works fine.)

Can you afford a couple of bags of gluten free small pasta? Because then you can also make a minestrone w/white beans, veggies & one thick slick of ham from the deli diced up (what is on sale). And Italian wedding soup...again use oatmeal for the filler to make small meatballs to drop into a chicken broth.

I would make stir fries as well - all you really need for the veggies are carrots, onions, celery, a bag of frozen pepper slices, frozen peas, corn. To make it heartier - use the cheapest beef (round steak is perfect). Get a piece of round steak - cut into strips, pound thin and marinate in a little soy sauce, a teas or two of sugar, garlic powde, a squeeze of lime or a little bit of vinegar - really that's all the seasoning you need to make meats taste good. Then add to stir fry. Same thing with pork - just get the least expensive pieces, slice and pound thin to tenderize and add to the rice & veggies.

What do you have on hand?















The next two weeks are going to be tough grocery money wise. Any cheap, yet healthy, meals that are gluten free or which could be made gluten free?

[Bonny]

rice with black beans - do you have any salsa? Or maybe some of those canned tomatoes if not maybe you could stir the taco mix into it? with cheese? I eat beans & rice kind of like this a LOT.

[elizabeth]

I am going to make chili as I have a big can of kidney beans and some canned tomatoes on hand. I have rice, potatoes, some frozen chicken pieces, chicken broth, a can of chickpeas, a can of evaporated skim milk, a can of baked beans (guess we'll have hotdogs this week! They're cheap and on sale). a can of olives, green split peas, a very small amount of dried black beans , a packet of taco seasoning, a small amount of red lentils (Oh! I could make Red Lentil Soup! yum!), salad veggies, onions,bananas, pears, grapefruit, eggs...um, I have just cleaned out the freezer and fridge so I have less food than it first appeared. I have some cheese, too - cheddar and mozzarella.

Potato soup with some of the onions, the stock, the potatoes and the can of evaporated milk.

[webbeccjo]

I'm making lentil soup with curry today.
caramelize some onions and carrots, saute in some chopped kale, add lentils and broth along with some s&p, thyme and curry powder and a can of diced tomatoes yummy!

[tumblewieds]

Fritatta is cheap and easy.

Preheat oven to 350.
Scramble six eggs in a bowl, and add seasonings to taste- salt and pepper, oregano, thyme, etc.
Heat a 10 inch skillet over med heat.
Saute 1/4 c. chopped onions and some garlic in butter for a few minutes
Stir in 3/4 c. of whatever chopped veggies or meat you have on hand and cook until desired doneness or until heated through
Pour eggs on top, then place in oven

Bake about 15 minutes or until set. Sprinkle cheese on top the last minute or two of baking if desired.

This morning I used drained diced tomatoes, italian seasoning, lots of chopped basil, and some chopped broccoli in mine. It was delicious and the kids went back for seconds. John just reheated the leftovers for a few seconds in the microwave and then wrapped them in a tortilla for a burrito.

[tumblewieds]

Rice and stuff. Basically rice (brown or rice) with a vegetable (frozen or whatever is cheapest) and a protein (meat, beans, eggs, tofu, whatever.) I cook the rice separately, then fry up onions, throw in frozen veggies or cabbage or chopped kale or whatever until they cook, then add cooked meat. Or if the meat is raw, I cook that first, then fry the onions in the fat, etc. Usually I add tamari and sometimes garlic or ginger. Mix thoroughly with rice, more tamari if needed, and it's done. We especially like bacon rice (good with broccoli or kale) or turkey rice (good with peas or green beans) but it's totally flexible.

Or you can make a spanish-ish version with canned tomatoes, ground beef or red beans, corn, cumin, and chili powder.

If you have lots of eggs, frittata is pretty cheap - put in thinly sliced potatoes and/or onions in a cast iron pot with some fat, cook until cooked, put some more veggies on top (doesn't need much), pour eggs over, cook a bit on the stove, pop into the oven to finish cooking, serve in wedges.

Mashed potatoes and frozen peas and scrambled eggs.

Potato latkes.

Homemade veg soup - onion, frozen veggies, canned tomatoes or tomato sauce, beans, meat bits if you have some, all-purpose seasoning (I like Herbamare, but whatever).

Our meals revolve around a starch base - rice or potatoes, usually. I'm a fan of one-pot meals, so soup and stew and fried rice and hash and frittatas all fit that bill and are infinitely variable.

Shepherds pie can also be varied quite a bit.

The key to keeping it cheap is to use the spendy ingredients sparingly. Also, save and recycle your leftovers! I figure even if they were on someone's plate, if I'm going to boil them in soup or heat thoroughly in the oven the next day, I'm not worried about germs or whatever. Leftovers often get turned into soup here. Or breakfast or lunch, if there is more than a few bites left.

Good luck.

I should have read your post before I posted the fritatta idea. Great minds.......

[Spark]

I just saw this after I replied to your leek post. I was wondering if I should go back and post a recipe, but I guess you know how to make one, lol!

[Vicky]

We love black beans and rice - I would have to buy more beans and salsa, though, to do that. Yeah, we could use the taco seasoning, too. That sounds good!

[Vicky]

That sounds really good - I wish I could get George to like curry! Maybe I should try again - he used to hate spicy stuff and now he doesn't mind it.

[Kathy]

How about curried lentils and potatoe (http://www.yaaps.com/forums/showthread.php?10660-Curried-lentils-and-potatoes-fast-easy-and-really-yummy)s? It's pretty cheap and GF as well.

[bannanabette]

How about curried lentils and potatoe (http://www.yaaps.com/forums/showthread.php?10660-Curried-lentils-and-potatoes-fast-easy-and-really-yummy)s? It's pretty cheap and GF as well.

And if George doesn't like curry, I've made Kathy's recipe with chili spices instead, just some chili powder, paprika and cumin, with a dollop of sour cream and/or some cheese, and optionally a can of chopped tomatoes

[Cat]

Pesto and Rice pasta, with the pesto made with something other than basil - I like the bagged arugula from Trader Joe's, a small handful of pine nuts (spendy, but used sparingly), garlic, olive oiil.
We also eat a kind of stew made of canned chickpeas, frozen spinach, and crushed tomatoes, mildy flavored with curry (it doesn't taste like a curry - maybe because of the tomato?) served over rice.

[Vicky]

I actually HAVE some pesto and a small amount of pine nuts in the freezer. That chickpea stew sounds good - wonder if George will eat it!

[Tangwystl]

Pesto and Rice pasta, with the pesto made with something other than basil - I like the bagged arugula from Trader Joe's, a small handful of pine nuts (spendy, but used sparingly), garlic, olive oiil.
We also eat a kind of stew made of canned chickpeas, frozen spinach, and crushed tomatoes, mildy flavored with curry (it doesn't taste like a curry - maybe because of the tomato?) served over rice.

Spinack pesto is also really good! I put that with a chicken breast cut up over pasta and it's really good.

[muse2clio]

How about a chicken stew - the stew will stretch the chicken pieces well -- throw in the chicken broth, potatoes, whatever veggies you have on hand, etc. i just made an awesome (if I do say so myself, lol) chicken stew for dinner tonight - it was easy, too -- it just sort of cooks itself, which I love.



I am going to make chili as I have a big can of kidney beans and some canned tomatoes on hand. I have rice, potatoes, some frozen chicken pieces, chicken broth, a can of chickpeas, a can of evaporated skim milk, a can of baked beans (guess we'll have hotdogs this week! They're cheap and on sale). a can of olives, green split peas, a very small amount of dried black beans , a packet of taco seasoning, a small amount of red lentils (Oh! I could make Red Lentil Soup! yum!), salad veggies, onions,bananas, pears, grapefruit, eggs...um, I have just cleaned out the freezer and fridge so I have less food than it first appeared. I have some cheese, too - cheddar and mozzarella.

[mirage1]

That sounds really good - I wish I could get George to like curry! Maybe I should try again - he used to hate spicy stuff and now he doesn't mind it.Keep trying the curry. I remember having curry when I was 18 or so and thinking it was the most vile thing in the world, then all of a sudden one day at 25 I tried it and it was delicious!

[Kathy]

I'll second this. I thought curry was nasty, nasty stuff until I was about 25 and tried more authentic Indian food. Oh, my, so good! Also, if George isn't a fan of spicy food, curries don't have to be spicy in any way at all. If he likes the flavor, just keep the heat down.

[ecilA]

That sounds really good - I wish I could get George to like curry! Maybe I should try again - he used to hate spicy stuff and now he doesn't mind it.

If you've never tried this, try making it with coconut milk. I often use raisins, coconut milk and top with chopped peanuts and we call it candy curry. DH doesn't like it that way but the rest of the family prefers it. Me, I have always loved curry but since using coconut milk in it I'd rather not have it without.

[Tangwystl]

Hey, found this thread while looking for something else

http://www.yaaps.com/forums/showthread.php?7265-Super-inexpensive-meal-thread&highlight=minute+bread

[Hobbes]

The next two weeks are going to be tough grocery money wise. Any cheap, yet healthy, meals that are gluten free or which could be made gluten free?

Tuna toss? You'd have to used either gluten-free pasta (which I've not done) or rice, but.. this is really cheap and really easy.

1 lb of cooked pasta (or 3-4 cups of cooked brown rice)
2-3 cans of stewed italian-herbed tomatoes
2 cans of water-packed tuna
1-2 tsp of dried basil (or tablespoon of fresh)
salt and pepper to taste.

Drain tuna, add it to pasta (or rice) along with tomatoes (undrained), basil, salt and pepper. Toss!

Eat. Feeds 6 (depending on how hungry)

DD likes this, we like it. Total cost here (buying costco tomatoes and tuna): less than 4 dollars.

[candeo]

This reminds me of something my FIL used to make, although the only similarity is really the tuna and the pasta, but it was yummy and it must have been cheap...

Canned cream of mushroom soup, straight from the can, mixed with tuna, frozen peas, and lots of dill. Served over egg noodles. I think it was the dill that really made it great. He was very big on dill.

Oh, there may have been some lemon juice tossed in there, too.


Tuna toss? You'd have to used either gluten-free pasta (which I've not done) or rice, but.. this is really cheap and really easy.

1 lb of cooked pasta (or 3-4 cups of cooked brown rice)
2-3 cans of stewed italian-herbed tomatoes
2 cans of water-packed tuna
1-2 tsp of dried basil (or tablespoon of fresh)
salt and pepper to taste.

Drain tuna, add it to pasta (or rice) along with tomatoes (undrained), basil, salt and pepper. Toss!

Eat. Feeds 6 (depending on how hungry)

DD likes this, we like it. Total cost here (buying costco tomatoes and tuna): less than 4 dollars.