Hmm... meal ideas?

[Just_wondering]

I am broke-broke-broke this month! I’ve got 27 days till payday, and about $50, and I need to buy cat litter, so I really don’t have much money for food. Any ideas for cheap and healthy meals with what I have on hand, plus just a couple of extra ingredients?

I have:

• flour (rye, whole wheat, multigrain - ran out of all-purpose white)
• cereal (cheerios and multigrain porridge)
• rice (white and brown)
• pasta (rotini)
• canned kidney beans (lots)
• canned corn (lots)
• canned tomatoes (lots)
• canned fruit (some)
• olive oil (plenty)
• ground pork (about 2 lbs)
• stewing pork (a tiny bag)
• large frozen scallops (a large bag)
• bone-in chicken pieces (about 2 chickens-worth)
• lots of grated cheddar cheese
• a small stick of butter
• one lonely red bell pepper
• half a jar of olives
• a small bag of raisins
• a small bag of walnuts
• yeast and baking powder
• spices:
• oregano, basil, thyme, salt, pepper, cinnamon, curry paste, and seasoning salt.

I have no fresh veggies or fruit (besides the lonely red bell pepper), no milk, no eggs, no sugar, no chili powder, no ketchup, no mustard, no mayo… the list goes on.

If you had $10 a week for groceries, what would you spend it on?

 

[faithfulone]

You can have beans and rice with what you have. You can also make a pseudo-chili that can be eaten with rice or pasta.
You can also kick the cat out and spend the money not on cat litter but on food for yourself
Buy some eggs and you can make an omelet, quiche and bread with the items you have.

 

[Dirk_Skene]

I see sooooo many ideas here I think you can make it. 1st off … but that cat litter. Otherwise there could be trouble. AND does kitty have food? I hope so.

Now let me print your list & take a look-see. I will try to post back in a few hours.

 

[SeekerJen]

You could make kind of a stew/sauce by sauteing the canned tomatoes, beans, and corn with the bell pepper, chopped olives and some oregano, basil, and thyme, and serve this over pasta or rice. You could also cook up some of the meat and add it in for variety, or top it with the cheese. It’s probably not a bad idea to spend a few bucks on some onions and garlic since those add a lot of flavor for cheap. If you also purchase some eggs you can do a lot with those, too.

 

[puzzleannie]

with this list I would get some powdered milk, oil, eggs, bulk cheese, PB & J, a large onion or 2, 1 lb.of brown sugar, box of oats (the kind that cook in 5 minutes) and produce that should be cheaper right now: bag of utility potatoes, small oranges and apples less than top quality (if a bag has some bruised ones, cut them up for baking), squash, lettuce, carrots, other root veggies. buy what will last now, save some of your money for bread & perishables at the end of the month. also buy carefully non-grocery items you can’t live w/o like TP, dish soap.
bulk shelled nuts are cheapest now, but still $3-4 a lb. but if yousee a sale on less than perfect shelled nuts, get some, they add protein and other good things to a starch-based dish.
boullion cubes or canned broth which is also cheap just now
canned tuna is also on sale in our stores, get 2 big cans

should have quoted your list, lets see
breakfasts:
pancakes w/chopped fruit
pancakes or fritters w/corn
biscuits or muffins ditto

oats, also w/chopped fruit, nuts if you have them

O you have nuts and raisins, great, add them to anything you can.

when I am short on cash I don’t buy a jar of spice or herb, I buy the chili mix or gravy mix which are usually 2 or 3 for a dollar, gravy mix should be cheap now.

cranberry sauce is also cheap now, check out other seasonal specials, great way to perk up about anything, add antioxidants. Instant mashed potatoes may be cheaper than whole ones, if so get some. they make a base to stretch whatever else you make

turkey is less than $1 a lb, but that is about $20 cuz those are the big ones, but you get 100 servings if you carve it right. this is the cheapest they are all year, and you have enough turkey in the freezer to eat it once a week for months to come.

with what you have
mac and–sausage, ground or chopped meat of any type you have, tomatoes and whatever other canned veggies you have
plus chili seasoning, the oregano, a gravy mix, or canned soup.
these can be made stove-top stew style, or baked casserole style, topped w/cereal crumbs

you can make the same types of meat/veggie mix and serve over rice or instant mashed potatoes, or biscuits.

pot pie–any chicken or even tuna or other meat in a pinch, with canned veggies, in a gravy, topped with biscuits or instant mashed potatoes and baked

 

[Nepenthe]

Sounds like you’re doing nicely for breakfasty food, with the cereals, walnuts, raisins and stuff. Definitely get a carton of eggs, I’d say, since those come in handy for all manner of things for any meal, and they’re dirt cheap. Heck, you could make beautiful meringues with them, and save the yolks for enriching sauces. I’d get a bottle of lemon juice too, since that comes in useful for so very many things.

The ground pork, or even the chicken could be made into a chili-like stew with the beans corn, and tomatoes (do you have any tomato paste? Very cheap and makes a good thickener too!)

If you want a special meal for a treat, perhaps those scallops with some thinly-sliced red bell pepper, a little butter, and if you can manage it, a split of inexpensive white wine for deglazing (and maybe a glass with the meal), perhaps just a touch of basil along with that, served with rice or pasta.

Omelets are always nice, certainly. The chicken could be stewed with some curry paste, perhaps some raisins since you don’t have dates, and if it’s going to be a sweeter, richer curry like a korma, some walnuts would be great in there as well as whatever vegetables you can snag on the cheap, especially potatoes to fill it out.

Let’s see…if you can make a simple baguette and mince up those olives, bruschetta is delicious, or just toast it up with a bit of cheese.

Yeah, with what you’ve got, and just a few cheap additions here and there, you can eat like royalty without too much effort I would think! If you have the money, perhaps try to get some fresh greens like spinach (or the flashfrozen stuff is pretty good and cheap, but you’d have to use it a little differently, again in omelets, stirred into a curry, or mixed in with a cheese and rotini dish, preferably browned on top, possibly).

I could think of more, but these were just off the top of my head, and I was trying to think of simple, easy-to-prepare dishes as well.

Oh right, and if you can get your mitts on a few more red bellpeppers, you can roast them in the oven in no time, then puree them with the tomatoes, seasoning to taste, and have fantastic cold-weather soup.

 

[Cristiano]

I am broke-broke-broke this month! I’ve got 27 days till payday, and about $50, and I need to buy cat litter, so I really don’t have much money for food. Any ideas for cheap and healthy meals with what I have on hand, plus just a couple of extra ingredients?

I have:

• flour (rye, whole wheat, multigrain - ran out of all-purpose white)
• cereal (cheerios and multigrain porridge)
• rice (white and brown)
• pasta (rotini)
• canned kidney beans (lots)
• canned corn (lots)
• canned tomatoes (lots)
• canned fruit (some)
• olive oil (plenty)
• ground pork (about 2 lbs)
• stewing pork (a tiny bag)
• large frozen scallops (a large bag)
• bone-in chicken pieces (about 2 chickens-worth)
• lots of grated cheddar cheese
• a small stick of butter
• one lonely red bell pepper
• half a jar of olives
• a small bag of raisins
• a small bag of walnuts
• yeast and baking powder
• spices:
• oregano, basil, thyme, salt, pepper, cinnamon, curry paste, and seasoning salt.

I have no fresh veggies or fruit (besides the lonely red bell pepper), no milk, no eggs, no sugar, no chili powder, no ketchup, no mustard, no mayo… the list goes on.

If you had $10 a week for groceries, what would you spend it on?

I think that you have enough stuff to survive, it will just take time to cook something nice. You cannot go for 3 weeks without fruits or vegetables. I would invest that money on vegetables and then on protein food like dry beans and eggs.

 

[Dirk_Skene]

Here are my ideas:
Save the cereal for a snack (handful at a time to stave off a bad late night hunger) Likewise the porridge. I assume the porridge can be made with water.

Take the ground pork & stew pork. Break it up well. Coat this mixture with the curry paste (If this it to your taste. Otherwise sprinkle w the seasoning salt & mix well.) Sometimes I will to my pork in a West African style & sprinkle with cinnamon instead. Coat the bottom of a skillet with some of the olive oil & cook till done. Cook either rice & let cool. Save the other rice for the chicken. Cut up the red bell pepper.

I take it you do not have any peanut oil, so we will not try a stir-fry. Put all back in the skillet with some more olive oil & heat it up. Sprinkle with salt & pepper if you like. Keep stirring to make sure it does not burn on you. When it is warm it is ready. Eat sensibly. Small portions.

Now the chicken. Roast it. Take the rice you did not use, mix in some of the oregano, thyme & basil. Cut up some of the olives & mix in to the rice as well IF & only IF this appeals to you. Some folks do not like olives w chicken. Cook the rice. Now toss this into that skillet with olive oil & cook it up just like the pork.

Now lets do some pasta with scallops.
Scallops do not take long to cook as you may now. Over cooked scallops are like rubber. You can eat them but the texture is yuckkie.

1st cook up the pasta & heat up some tomatoes. In with the tomatoes add some more of the Italian spice trinity (oregano, basil, thyme) to the pot. When the pasta & tomatoes are ready cook up the scallops w a little olive oil. Medium heat on one side for about 2-3 min. Flip & about 1-2 minutes on the other. Toss all together & sprinkle with some cheese.

Keep the fruit for dessert.

The beans could be heated up with some rice with cinnamon added to the rice when it is cooking. Other spices or herbs could be used to taste.

That did not use all ingredients but I truly hope this helps.

Between all who have posted you should be able to make it strech. One cooking might lead to several meals. Just eat small portions. Once hunger is gone, save the rest till the next day.

 

[Just_wondering]

Mmm… These are some great ideas! It sounds like most of my meals are going to be slow to cook, so I think I’m going to be doing a lot of cooking on the weekend and portioning it out for the week.

I hadn’t thought of putting curry with the pork and frying it with rice… I like that idea. And the scallops with peppers and wine sauce over pasta sounds divine. (I do have a five-dollar bottle of drinkable white wine in the fridge. Forgot to list it.) Never heard of making chili with chicken before - I was thinking of using the ground pork for that. Got no chili powder though - got to buy that. The omelette and soup sound good too!

So it sounds like my shopping list includes eggs, chili powder, sugar, spinach, mushrooms (everything tastes better with mushrooms), potatoes, onion, carrots, more bell peppers, apples, oranges, and milk. And cat litter. Hmm - looks like I’ll be spending about $30 on the first shopping trip! With all that in in the fridge, though, I shouldn’t need much except milk and top-ups for the veggies.

 

[puzzleannie]

you have 9 or 10 servings of pork
at least the same amount of chicken
scallops I have no idea, but at least 4-6 I would think
you will be stretching your proteins with beans and veggies, and some added starch, so plan 2-3 oz of the meat for each serving.

you have plenty of protein

pork crumbles also work well in the pancakes

when you buy items like powdered milk, PB, mustard etc., buy the smallest size that will last till the end of the month, unless the larger size is only a bit more expensive.

canned beans, or a bag of beans if you know how to cook them, mixed with rice and varied based on the seasonings (a bit of pork goes a long way here, too) will give a nutritious side to many meals.

spend your money on produce
cabbage and broccoli should also start getting lower in price, I see they are starting to pick it in our fields, so that means the frozen should also be cheaper, but buy just for the month, not in bulk.

an envelope of chili seasoning mix will be cheaper than a jar of chili powder, just buy what you need for one or two batches.

I too want to put in a good word for kitty, she does not need gourment, tho.

 

[Just_wondering]

you have 9 or 10 servings of pork
at least the same amount of chicken
scallops I have no idea, but at least 4-6 I would think
you will be stretching your proteins with beans and veggies, and some added starch, so plan 2-3 oz of the meat for each serving.

you have plenty of protein

pork crumbles also work well in the pancakes

when you buy items like powdered milk, PB, mustard etc., buy the smallest size that will last till the end of the month, unless the larger size is only a bit more expensive.

canned beans, or a bag of beans if you know how to cook them, mixed with rice and varied based on the seasonings (a bit of pork goes a long way here, too) will give a nutritious side to many meals.

spend your money on produce
cabbage and broccoli should also start getting lower in price, I see they are starting to pick it in our fields, so that means the frozen should also be cheaper, but buy just for the month, not in bulk.

an envelope of chili seasoning mix will be cheaper than a jar of chili powder, just buy what you need for one or two batches.

I too want to put in a good word for kitty, she does not need gourmet, tho.

Thank you for the tips, puzzleannie! I have half a bag of cat food - it will last my kitty most of the month, but we may both be dieting the week before payday. A new bag is only $8… I suppose I’d better get her a new one. Cats don’t appreciate being put on diets!

Sadly, things that are easy to come by in North America are hard to find here - an envelope of chili seasoning mix would only be available at an import store, and it would be pricey, too. I’ll see what I can find at the local market - they have a decent selection of imported goods for the foreign community. I may have to use chili paste instead, which is the Korean equivalent.
PBJ would also be expensive. Broccoli’s not common in Korea, so it’s pricey too. That’s a real shame, because I love it! I guess cabbage will have to do - I know a nice chicken and cabbage soup recipe.

Oooh! I just found a jar of blueberry pie filling in the cupboard in with the fruit cans, and two cans of coconut milk too! I wonder if blueberry pie filling could be made into muffins? My teensy-weensy toaster oven is too small for a pie.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

Most kitties will eat rice flavored with broth or meat flavoring if hungry enough. If you save the chicken wings until the end of the month, and simmer those with some water, then cool; peel the meat off the bones and add to cooked rice .

You’ve really got a lot there. You definitely need a small bottle of oil.

 

[baltobetsy]

Wow, you have some great ideas already - everything I would have told you, for sure. You might want to check out one of the great recipe websites like www.allrecipes.com or www.recipezaar.com where you can enter your ingredients and search for recipes that use what you have. Good luck. I think you’ll be just fine, if a little thinner by the end of the month!

Betsy

 

[kage_ar]

Wow, you have some great ideas already - everything I would have told you, for sure. You might want to check out one of the great recipe websites like www.allrecipes.com or www.recipezaar.com where you can enter your ingredients and search for recipes that use what you have. Good luck. I think you’ll be just fine, if a little thinner by the end of the month!

Betsy

I LOVE the search by ingredient feature on allrecipes.com.

 

[Dirk_Skene]

…and wine sauce over pasta sounds divine. (I do have a five-dollar bottle of drinkable white wine in the fridge. Forgot to list it.) …

If you only have a little wine DRINK it. Cooking with wine should be done when you have an excess

 

[Nepenthe]

Yeah, you got it! Though Dirk has a point, but wine is wonderful both for cooking and for a nip or two, which is why I was hoping there’d be a bit left to go with the meal, natch.

I’d also advise making those shopping runs shorter and more frequent, so you don’t have to blow 30$ at once, and potentially have anything go funky on you. You’ve got a very decent larder, so just pick up a veg or whatever here and there to give yourself some extra
variety.

 

[stringbeanduck]

If you only have a little wine DRINK it. Cooking with wine should be done when you have an excess

But don’t drink it if it’s specifically made for cooking. I tried a cap full of it and it was

 

[Brenda_V]

Thank you for the tips, puzzleannie! I have half a bag of cat food - it will last my kitty most of the month, but we may both be dieting the week before payday. A new bag is only $8… I suppose I’d better get her a new one. Cats don’t appreciate being put on diets!

Sadly, things that are easy to come by in North America are hard to find here - an envelope of chili seasoning mix would only be available at an import store, and it would be pricey, too. I’ll see what I can find at the local market - they have a decent selection of imported goods for the foreign community. I may have to use chili paste instead, which is the Korean equivalent.
PBJ would also be expensive. Broccoli’s not common in Korea, so it’s pricey too. That’s a real shame, because I love it! I guess cabbage will have to do - I know a nice chicken and cabbage soup recipe.

Oooh! I just found a jar of blueberry pie filling in the cupboard in with the fruit cans, and two cans of coconut milk too! I wonder if blueberry pie filling could be made into muffins? My teensy-weensy toaster oven is too small for a pie.

Yes, you can use the blueberry pie filling in muffins but you could also make tarts - use you muffin tin for the base.

I do agree with the get some powdered milk but you can use that coconut milk just like milk - it will be really rich but you can do it.

If you can get some old newspapers from neighbors you can tear it up and use as kitty litter if you run out before payday and the box needs a change.

For chili, you can mix together several cans of your kidney beans, add the can of tomatoes and spice with a tad of cinnamon, if you want, add a small amount of the ground pork.

I don’t know what kind of refrigerator you have (small?) How much room do you have to keep leftovers in?

You can also make rice and mix the beans in with it for a meal! Just salt for spices if you don’t have any chili powder.

 

[John_Walsh]

That is a stock I could work with for a month. You’ve got 2 weeks or more of chicken and chicken soup, beans & rice w/tomatoes & the rest.

In the last 2 months, I’ve stretched chicken leg quarters using 2 for enough soup for 5-7 servings.

Pick up your cat litter & food, maybe an onion and some more wine or beer. Feast & give thanks.

 

[Just_wondering]

If you only have a little wine DRINK it. Cooking with wine should be done when you have an excess

Pick up your cat litter & food, maybe an onion and some more wine or beer. Feast & give thanks.

Hehehe… I like your attitudes! :tiphat: I’ll consider topping up the wine and beer supply mid-month, but I do need ***some ***vegetables to go with it!

Yes, you can use the blueberry pie filling in muffins but you could also make tarts - use you muffin tin for the base.

I don’t know what kind of refrigerator you have (small?) How much room do you have to keep leftovers in?

Doh! Now I remember why I haven’t made muffins - the muffin tin doesn’t fit in the toaster oven. :doh2: I suppose I could make something in the miniature loaf pans.

The fridge is about 2/3 standard size. The freezer is currently full of the frozen meat and cheese (I couldn’t possibly have eaten the cheese before it went bad), but I can keep leftovers in the fridge until I’ve eaten my way through the freezer.