Your Cheapest, Reasonably Nutritious, Family-Friendly Recipes?

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pensmama87

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So, I’m going to be done with my babysitting jobs entirely at the end of May, and so we’re going to have to tighten our belts a little bit while my DH looks for a higher paying job and we welcome another baby in late summer.

One of the most flexible areas of our budget is food. Right now, our food and household goods (toiletries, cleaning products, etc) budget is $100/week for our family of four. I do the bulk of our grocery shopping at Aldi and Costco. Occasionally I buy food items at other grocery stores when I can use coupons to get things cheaper than I can get them at our normal stores, and I have gotten to a point where I basically refuse to buy toiletries unless I can get them free or “better-than-free” (e.g. at places like CVS that offer deals including store credit on a future purchase). I mostly cook from scratch and we are growing a garden this year which will hopefully get us some good produce for much less than even the best sales at the store. We eat vegetarian twice a week.

What I am looking for are recipes that have a low cost per serving. I feel like I’m good at the shopping part, but that if I can adjust a little bit what we’re actually eating, especially for dinner, I could reduce our food budget a bit more. I do know how to bake bread and once I am not working, that will be an easier task (the way I make it is about 50 cents a loaf, which is half what I pay at the store for wheat bread). I use websites like budgetbytes.com for recipes, but even there sometimes I feel like it’s just too much money (and she has really small serving portions - that works for the kids but not for my husband or pregnant/nursing me).

Ideas? Some of our staples right now include:
  • Pasta with vegetable sauce (and I will make our own sauce once we start harvesting our tomatoes)
  • Red beans and rice
  • Oven chicken fajitas (heavy on the peppers, onions, and sometimes mushrooms)
  • Quesadillas with black beans
  • Turkey chili
  • Sloppy joes with a lentil/ground turkey mix
  • Baked egg dishes/quiches with whatever leftover vegetables we have at the moment
 
pensmama87 said:
So, I’m going to be done with my babysitting jobs entirely at the end of May, and so we’re going to have to tighten our belts a little bit while my DH looks for a higher paying job and we welcome another baby in late summer.

Yay!

One of the most flexible areas of our budget is food. Right now, our food and household goods (toiletries, cleaning products, etc) budget is $100/week for our family of four. I do the bulk of our grocery shopping at Aldi and Costco. Occasionally I buy food items at other grocery stores when I can use coupons to get things cheaper than I can get them at our normal stores, and I have gotten to a point where I basically refuse to buy toiletries unless I can get them free or “better-than-free” (e.g. at places like CVS that offer deals including store credit on a future purchase). I mostly cook from scratch and we are growing a garden this year which will hopefully get us some good produce for much less than even the best sales at the store. We eat vegetarian twice a week.

**I have some bad news–$100 a week is already a very small food and household good budget.

In fact, I was just looking this up, and the maximum food stamp allowance for a family of 4 is $649 a month for 2015. And that’s just for food, not anything else.

So your budget is already considerably tighter than a family getting the maximum food stamp allowance. **

What I am looking for are recipes that have a low cost per serving. I feel like I’m good at the shopping part, but that if I can adjust a little bit what we’re actually eating, especially for dinner, I could reduce our food budget a bit more. I do know how to bake bread and once I am not working, that will be an easier task (the way I make it is about 50 cents a loaf, which is half what I pay at the store for wheat bread). I use websites like budgetbytes.com for recipes, but even there sometimes I feel like it’s just too much money (and she has really small serving portions - that works for the kids but not for my husband or pregnant/nursing me).

Ideas? Some of our staples right now include:
  • Pasta with vegetable sauce (and I will make our own sauce once we start harvesting our tomatoes)
  • Red beans and rice
  • Oven chicken fajitas (heavy on the peppers, onions, and sometimes mushrooms)
  • Quesadillas with black beans
  • Turkey chili
  • Sloppy joes with a lentil/ground turkey mix
  • Baked egg dishes/quiches with whatever leftover vegetables we have at the moment
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I think you’re doing great.

I’d add French toast to the list and suggest that you add some form of protein to the pasta with vegetable sauce. Cheese, maybe?

Maybe have a look at the library at some vegetarian cook books?
 
Those are good ideas!

A cabbage and potato soup (with condiment amounts of sausage or ham, if you are so inclined) is a nutritious and cheap meal. In general, cabbage is a cheap cruciferous vegetable and very versatile, and carrots are a cheap source of Vitamin A. Potatoes are not only cheap and versatile, but a very nutritious starch–the basis for soups, hashes, casseroles, and all sorts of “stretched” meals. Keep in mind, too, that fresh chilies are dirt cheap–a whole jalepeno is around 7 cents. You can’t get that much flavor for 7 cents very often! As for gardening–put in the expensive stuff, not the stuff that is cheap in the stores. IOW, you grow potatoes and onions at home for the superior flavor, not to save money. Tomatoes, herbs, and bell peppers, OTOH, give you something like a return on your investment in addition to that untouchable home-grown flavor. Stroll your produce aisle before you plant, and look for which of your favorites cost the most.

Consider using your poultry to make a secondary stock–that is, make a stock but remove the pieces before the meat has lost its flavor or save the bones (even chewed ones) if you roast a chicken or turkey or bone the bird and use the boneless meat for these meals and the bones with meat clinging for something else. The idea is “near vegetarian” dishes, which used to be the norm. Bones cooked for flavor also release calcium. If I were really on a bare-bones budget, I would never serve chicken as “pieces.” It would always be a small serving stretched with other nutritious and less-expensive foods. I would look up the difference in meat purchased for various cuts vs. the whole bird.

Be careful of older “frugal” recipes. Once-cheap favorites like peanut butter and oxtails have seen a skyrocket in price in my lifetime. Hamburger is NOT cheap any more!! You also have to be careful of frills that get added over the years to recipes invented to be cheap. My mother used to pack her meatloaf with cheese and ham–very tasty, but not really cheap any more. She used packaged crackers instead of leftover bread to make it, because she liked the results better and she could afford it. Pencil out the actual cost of the dishes being touted as cheap before you jump in.

Besides home-baked bread, you can make your own flat breads such as pita and tortillas, for the variety. They are so wonderful, you may rue the day when you have less time and more money, and have to go back to pre-made versions.

In cooking as in other things, consider what it costs to run your appliances, and choose how to use your time to save electricity (because there is a limit on your time).
seattle.gov/light/printdocs/ac5_hiBill_appchrt.pdf
Know how long it takes your oven to come up to the correct heat for baking, for instance, and don’t preheat longer than you need to. If you use an outdoor grill, you might plan to get the maximum amount of cooking done on it, while you have it hot. Pencil it out, though, because it is possible to go a bit nutty with this stuff.
 
Xantippe said:
I think you’re doing great.

I’d add French toast to the list and suggest that you add some form of protein to the pasta with vegetable sauce. Cheese, maybe?

Maybe have a look at the library at some vegetarian cook books?
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On the topic of French toast: When you are short on money, it can be cheaper to make a syrup of brown sugar and maple flavoring than to use real maple syrup or the maple-syrup-like products out there. Pencil it out. You may also find your kids actually like a fancy sprinkle of powdered sugar just as well as more-expensive syrups that they dump on with abandon and leave mostly on their plates.
 
EasterJoy said:
On the topic of French toast: When you are short on money, it can be cheaper to make a syrup of brown sugar and maple flavoring than to use real maple syrup or the maple-syrup-like products out there. Pencil it out. You may also find your kids actually like a fancy sprinkle of powdered sugar just as well as more-expensive syrups that they dump on with abandon and leave mostly on their plates.
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Oh, yes.

There’s also something to be said for small amounts of cured meat (for instance bacon in quiches) rather than large quantities of less flavorful meat, even though the less flavorful meat may be on a per unit basis less expensive. A little bacon or sausage really transforms dishes.

I know that cured meat is viewed in some quarters as a no-no, but I feel like the quantities are so small that it really can’t be that bad for you.

In our family, we also enjoy crepes with ricotta cheese filling for dinner (which is inexpensive except for the maple syrup Easter Joy mentioned), but you probably don’t want to mess with crepes.
 
EasterJoy said:
Be careful of older “frugal” recipes. Once-cheap favorites like peanut butter and oxtails have seen a skyrocket in price in my lifetime. Hamburger is NOT cheap any more!! You also have to be careful of frills that get added over the years to recipes invented to be cheap. My mother used to pack her meatloaf with cheese and ham–very tasty, but not really cheap any more. She used packaged crackers instead of leftover bread to make it, because she liked the results better and she could afford it. Pencil out the actual cost of the dishes being touted as cheap before you jump in.

Yes.
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Shepherd’s pie, heavy on the vegetables, light on the ground beef, with lots of gravy and mashed potatoes on top.

Homemade pizza with veggies from your garden.

Red-bean and red potato casserole with oregano and olive oil.

Chicken stirfry; very adaptable to whatever you have in the house.

Falafel with homemade pita, lettuce and tomatoes.

Lentil soup with leftover bits of meat and whatever herbs you’re growing. Herbs are expensive to buy, but cheap to grow.

Chicken soup with dumplings made from a whole chicken; very cheap per serving, because you can make massive amounts of the soup. Boil the chicken until the edible meat is done, then set aside the meat; simmer the rest of the chicken for several hours. (Crockpot is cheap to run this way, if you let it go long enough.) Cool overnight; discard skin and bones, and skim off fat. Heat, add chicken and whatever veggies, boil dumplings the last 15 minutes. Dumplings are just flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, and shortening, maybe dried parsley.

Cheap pork, bean, rice, and canned tomato soup, tarted up with whatever spices you guys
like.
 
Hot breakfast cereals are another good supplement. Grits, oatmeal, cream of wheat are all very cheap and filling. Pair with an egg and some fruit and you’ve got a pretty good meal.
Xantippe said:
Oh, yes.

There’s also something to be said for small amounts of cured meat (for instance bacon in quiches) rather than large quantities of less flavorful meat, even though the less flavorful meat may be on a per unit basis less expensive. A little bacon or sausage really transforms dishes.

I know that cured meat is viewed in some quarters as a no-no, but I feel like the quantities are so small that it really can’t be that bad for you.

In our family, we also enjoy crepes with ricotta cheese filling for dinner (which is inexpensive except for the maple syrup Easter Joy mentioned), but you probably don’t want to mess with crepes.
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Don’t forget to save the grease and make some red-eye gravy!
 
I combine leftover chicken, Mexican rice, black beans, a frozen corn/pepper/onion combo, and jalapenos and put it in tortillas to bake. They’re really filling and the price per serving is cheap.

We also like breakfast-for-dinner options…pancakes, French toast, eggs with pepperjack cheese and hash browns.

I also like getting whole chickens because it can be stretched into four meals…roast chicken, two dishes featuring chicken leftovers (like soup or the recipe above), and then I take the bones and turn them into broth.

We also like taking Minute Rice and cooking it with chicken broth instead of water (sometimes I have to throw in an extra bullion cube for flavor). Then mix with cheese and a bit of chicken if you have it, and any extras you want (peppers, pimentos, etc). The rice absorbs the chicken flavor and you get a very meaty-tasting dish without the price, and it pairs well with salad or other veggies.
 
Good condiments aren’t expensive per serving and can make plain things more interesting and fancy.

Here are some I like:

La Costena’s ranchera salsa

chipotle Tabasco sauce

Vietnamese sweet chili sauce (you can get a huge bottle of it fairly cheaply)
 
syrup: One part brown sugar, one part granulated sugar, and one part water. Mix togather and bring to simmer and stir while simmering until clear, cool and use.
You can change the teast of the syrup by using eighter light or dark brown sugar or adding maple syrup or an extrect. 😃 I like the home make syrup as much or more then the store bourght! 😃
 
I make lasagna using cheaper ingredients: I cook a small amount of hamburger with onion and green pepper if I have it (don’t have to have them, though) and mix it in a can of spaghetti sauce (you can usually find the sauce on sale for a dollar). Layer it on the cooked lasagna noodles, and add a layer of cottage cheese instead of more expensive ricotta. Add a little shredded mozzarella on top and bake. Leftovers can be frozen. This is good if you are feeding a lot of people or want the leftovers for later. You could also leave out the hamburger totally and make it a vegetarian dish with shredded carrots & spinach.

I usually make this the week the ingredients are on sale…the cottage cheese, noodles, etc.

Another tip I use…I get all my cleaning supplies at the Dollar Store…comet cleanser, shower spray, dish soap, etc. I make my own laundry detergent on the cheap–it’s about 25 cents a gallon!!!
 
“Good and Cheap” was written by a Canadian author for people to eat well on a tight budget-- $4/day/person. The pdf is free.

I won a yogurt-maker at a Christmas gift exchange. I’ve become rather fond of making my own yogurt. You heat about 5 cups of milk (about a third of a gallon) to a certain temperature, let it cool to a certain temperature, and mix some plain, unflavored yogurt in it as starter. You pour it into the machine, set the timer, and come back to it after x hours have passed. Then you strain it for an additional period of time, depending on what kind of consistency you prefer. I stash away a small jar in the freezer for my next batch of starter, when I can remember to do so. 🙂 My kids enjoy it with jelly mixed in for sugar/flavor. Random trivia: Greek yogurt is made of sheep’s milk; it’s not a reference to the thickness.

I got tired of paying $1-$1.50 for a can of beans. I’ve started canning my own beans. I had a Presto pressure cooker, but never knew how to can with it. The company said “Don’t.” I picked up a vintage Mirro pressure canner off eBay. Now I use it to can my homemade chicken stock (I like to save odds and ends of veggies in the freezer) and my beans. (I’m terrible at starting off with dry beans and ending with something edible, but my canned beans taste great.) If you go into canning, you’ll want a canner that has a rocker weight valve on the top (5/10/15 lbs), because you can hear it no matter where you go, and dial-gauge canners require a yearly inspection to make sure they’re still accurate.
 
Pax2u said:
…Another tip I use…I get all my cleaning supplies at the Dollar Store…comet cleanser, shower spray, dish soap, etc. I make my own laundry detergent on the cheap–it’s about 25 cents a gallon!!!
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Cleaning supplies can be a great hidden cost. The biggest way to save on them is to learn how little you can get by with. It saves you money and it is better for the environment, too.

I’ve also found that one has to be careful about Costco. Sometimes it is cheaper, but sometimes it isn’t. There is hardly a store out there that doesn’t have both its loss leaders and its stealthily higher-priced items. You have to look at how much shopping around saves you, since it is a function of both what you’re buying and how much of it you buy. Your time and energy have to be treated as precious, too, especially as the arrival of the baby approaches. The other thing, of course, is that food that goes stale or goes bad before you eat it is a financial loss, as are bits that you threw out but could have used to enhance your meals. For instance, if you get parmesan in a block–yes, it is expensive, but it can be part of frugal cooking because a little goes a long way–save the rinds and add them to soup. Some of that parmesan goodness will cook out into the soup, and* then* you can throw the rind out.

Along those lines, see if your library has books such as “Once a Month Cooking” by Mary Beth Lagerborg and Mimi Wilson. You may want to some friends over for a cooking day about three weeks before your due date, or your husband may want to do this with you. Stock your freezer with meals that only need to have the garden vegetables added, and you will thank yourself after the baby arrives.
 
I don’t can. I’ve thought about learning, but we do have a big chest freezer we got for free so that’s my go-to preservation method (thankfully we don’t live in an area prone to power outages). I make freezer jam and freeze homemade spaghetti sauce. I have a much higher amount of freezer space to shelf space in my house, although I have repurposed my linen closet for stock ups when I can get really, really good deals on shelf-stable foods.

I only buy canned kidney beans (60 cents at Aldi). The rest I cook in the slow cooker and then freeze in 2 cup containers, which is basically the same size as a can. I can do that for about half the cost of canned.

I need to get braver with soups and meat with bones - both of which were unheard of in my home growing up. I buy boneless chicken breast at about $1.70/lb (stock up on sale or buy in bulk with Zaycon). I don’t even know where I would buy a whole chicken (besides the pre-cooked rotisserie chickens I see sometimes) - maybe at the regular grocery store? What would you consider a good price for a whole chicken?
 
I do have a unit price spreadsheet I’ve compiled and update every now and then. I make sure that I am buying everything at the cheapest place (when convenient - Costco is a once a month trip because it’s out of the way, and if I forgot to put something on the list and need it I buy it somewhere else). There’s also things that are only cheaper when they go on their monthly sale.
 
One large zucchini chopped up and sauted with two or three left-over bratwurst. Add a can of diced tomatos and a couple of handfuls of cooked egg noodles. My family loves this and it can feed four people easily. Sprinkle on parm for extra flavor. We call it pucky-muck.
 
Also, the cheapest way I’ve found to make pizza is to buy a long French bread for around a buck, slice it down the middle and cut it into chunks, add pizza sauce and slices of mozzarella (we actually use provel, but most places don’t have that) and bake on a piece of tin foil. (so the cheese doesn’t melt and dirty up your pan) We can have delicious homemade pizza for four for less than $5. If you want to add a variety of toppings, consider going to the salad bar. There is always pepperoni, mushrooms, black olives, green peppers, and sometimes even ham and pineapple on the salad bar for much cheaper than buying each ingredient separately and having a ton left over that you might not need. If you’ve got picky people to cook for, you can let each kid pick out their own toppings for their own slice. I usually get out of the toppings for less than $3, and I like a lot of toppings.
 
pensmama87 said:
I don’t even know where I would buy a whole chicken (besides the pre-cooked rotisserie chickens I see sometimes) - maybe at the regular grocery store? What would you consider a good price for a whole chicken?
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Yep, regular grocery store. On special, you can get fryers and roasters for 99 cents a pound.
 
pensmama87 said:
I don’t can. I’ve thought about learning, but we do have a big chest freezer we got for free so that’s my go-to preservation method (thankfully we don’t live in an area prone to power outages). I make freezer jam and freeze homemade spaghetti sauce. I have a much higher amount of freezer space to shelf space in my house, although I have repurposed my linen closet for stock ups when I can get really, really good deals on shelf-stable foods.

I only buy canned kidney beans (60 cents at Aldi). The rest I cook in the slow cooker and then freeze in 2 cup containers, which is basically the same size as a can. I can do that for about half the cost of canned.

I need to get braver with soups and meat with bones - both of which were unheard of in my home growing up. I buy boneless chicken breast at about $1.70/lb (stock up on sale or buy in bulk with Zaycon). I don’t even know where I would buy a whole chicken (besides the pre-cooked rotisserie chickens I see sometimes) - maybe at the regular grocery store? What would you consider a good price for a whole chicken?
Click to expand...
You can freeze whole unpeeled garden tomatoes and use them in soups and sauces etc. After taking them out of the freezer, run a little warm water on them and the skins slide right off. Drop them right into the soup. They get very juicy when thawed out. I freeze corn, green beans, carrots. peas and strawberries. I keep the potatoes in the basement, coolest place. We are still using potatoes from last years garden. For my cleaning supplies I usual shop ata Dollar store or Sams. Prices depend on where you live and also sales. I stock up too on sale items. Every little bit helps. God Bless, Prayers for you and baby and family, Memaw
 
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