Cheap Recipes

Here are some quick, cheap, and mostly healthy meal ideas. I have collected these from the backs of cans, my favorite food magazine (Everyday food) and websites (like hillbillyhousewife.com).

Enchiladas (From back of enchilada sauce can)

• 4 tortillas
• 1 can of green or red enchilada sauce
• 1 pound of beef or 1 can of refried beans
• 1 and ½ cup of shredded cheese
• ½ cup of salsa

Heat oven to 350. Heat up beans or cook beef, add 1/3 can of enchilada sauce and ½ cup of salsa to meat or beans. Put equal amounts of beans or meat in the middle of each tortilla and roll up, place tortillas seam side down in pan. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce on tortillas and sprinkle on the cheese. Cook for 20 min and serve with Spanish rice.

Spanish rice (From Everyday Food magazine)

• 1 cup of rice (I use regular white rice)
• ½ cup of chipped onion
• 1 T. of olive oil
• 1 can of chopped tomatoes or stewed tomatoes
• ½ t. of Thyme
• 2 cups of water
• Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil on med-high until hot, add onions and let brown. Add rice and cook until light brown. Add water, thyme, salt and pepper, and can of tomatoes, get it boiling and then turn down to med-low, cover and let cook for about 10 min. Time will vary so check often.

Garlic chili shrimp, peanut noodles and broccoli (From Everyday Food magazine)

Garlic chili oil

• 6 chopped garlic gloves
• ½ t. red pepper flakes
• 4 T. vegetable oil

• 8 ounces spaghetti
• 2 T. peanut butter
• 2 T. soy sauce
• 1 T. rice vinegar
• 1 T. brown sugar
• ½ pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 ½ pounds of broccoli

Mix up the stuff for the garlic chili oil and set aside. Cook noodles and rinse with cold water. Mix together the peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar until smooth. Add to spaghetti and season with salt. Simmer broccoli in a pan with 1 T. of the garlic chili oil with the lid on until done. While this is cooking, mix shrimp with remaining oil. Put the shrimp on a pan and in the oven on broil for 5 min.

Healthier tuna casserole (My own)

• 1 can of Campbell’s Healthy Request cream of mushroom soup
• 1 ½ t. basil
• 1 ½ t. oregano
• 2 cans of tuna (I love Chicken of the Sea, it is chunky)
• 2/3 cup frozen veggies (I use FMV veggie mix because it is cheap and has no lima beans)
• 1 t. pepper
• ½ bag egg noodles
• Sliced or shredded cheddar cheese (enough to cover the top of the bowl)

Heat oven to 400. Cook noodles, while they are cooking mix together tuna, seasonings, veggies, and soup in a med size oven safe bowl. When noodles are done, drain and mix them in the oven safe bowl. Slice or shred cheese and place on top of mixture. Cook in oven until cheese is melted and a little crispy. Should be about 25 min.

Lentil chili (From hillbillyhousewife.com)

• 1-1/4 cups dry lentils (half a pound)
• 4 cups tap water
• 2 tablespoons oil or bacon grease
• 1 to 2 tablespoons dry onions
• 3 beef bouillon cubes
• 15 oz can tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• Dash hot pepper flakes or Tabasco sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Place the lentils and the water in a large pot. Put the pot on the stove and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat so that the lentils are simmering gently. Cook for 30 minutes. Do not add the other ingredients until after the lentils have cooked. If the lentils begin to get dry, or if their water boils away then add more water. You want the lentils to remain juicy while they cook. When your 30 minutes are up, add all of the remaining ingredients. Simmer the chili for 15 to 20 minutes and serve with crackers or cornbread or over rice. Makes 4 servings.

Hoe Cakes (From hillbillyhousewife.com)

• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 cups corn meal
• Any seasoning you like
• 1 tablespoon oil or butter

Boil the water and mix with the corn meal and the seasoning. Heat pan with oil or butter to med-high. Drop ¼ cups of the mix on to the hot pan. Let cook until golden on both sides. Serve with chili or soups of any sort.

Cheap Cooking tips

Last week I wrote about how it is possible to buy healthy food and stay in a budget. My biggest tip was to make your own food. This way you are in control of what goes in to your food. Well, I know that many people are thinking, “That will take forever!” As a person that has been making dinners for myself and my husband for the last five years, four of those years I was a full time college student and three of those years I was also working full time, I know what it is to be dead tried and not have much time.

There is a way to make healthy food for your family that does not take a lot of time. I have some basic rules that I go by to help me when I am planning my meals. First I keep it simple, only three items of food per meal. So for example I would have fish, baked potato, and salad. Second I try to do one protein, one starch, and one veggie. This way you know that your family is at least getting a semi healthy meal. The last tip, (the most important in my opinion) is to never ask what anyone wants for dinner. In my house the cook gets to decide what is for dinner unless it is someone’s birthday. I am not evil about this, I don’t make something that I know the people I am feeding hate, but on the other hand I am not a short order chief. You don’t need to be making separate meals for everyone. It is a waste of time and money. You may also find that just because your spouse or children turn up their nose at something, does not mean they don’t like it. Just yesterday I made cheese ravioli, butternut squash, and salad for dinner. My husband comes in, sees the squash and says “Ewww, what is that”. But I paid no mind to him and served it anyways. He was very surprised to find that he likes butternut squash. This scene plays out often in our home.

I also want to clarify about making food from scratch. I do not mean everything. There are plenty of things that I buy in cans or frozen but it is not the whole meal. Beware of anything that claims to have a whole meal in a bag or box. Side dishes in a box are also something to be wary of but some things are fine. Like canned beans, frozen veggies, frozen ravioli, and canned tomato sauce. You probably don’t have time to make everything from scratch but getting as close as you can is always a good idea. I make my own corn muffins from scratch because it takes the same amount of time as from a mix, tastes better, and is cheaper but I buy canned tomato sauce because it is cheaper and a more efficient use of my time. Once again it just comes down to doing a little research on your part and finding what works for you. Next week I will share some of my quick and mostly healthy recipes.

Healthy Food Options

I have read many articles in the news paper that have people quoted saying that they have a hard time buying healthy food because it is so expensive. When I started buying food for myself and my husband I believed this to be true. It took a few years and some thought before I realized that being cheap and being healthy can go hand in hand. When I started buying food for my family, I went shopping with my mom to get the scoop on the good brands and what to avoid. She spends more money on food then I do but she makes a lot more money then I do, so this is understandable. I realized early on that my mom’s budget would not work for us so I had to rework things and substitute until I got to a reasonable amount. She buys things like whole wheat pasta, organic milk, and flavored water, healthy food that costs a little bit more. I was sure that by reworking things, I would have to settle for food that was not healthy, highly processed, and high in sodium. It does not have to be that way! You can have healthy food for your family and keep your budget in line.

I have learned that food gets expensive and bad for you when it is prepackaged, and made to be “convenience food”. The cheap prepackaged food is the worst for you. The best way to avoid all the junk they put in to this kind of food is simple: make it from scratch! You would be shocked at what they put in that shrimp scampi you are heating up or in that Hamburger Helper but if you just make it yourself, you have complete control over what goes in to the meal. Just to clarify, I am not talking about things like caned beans or frozen veggies. You don’t have to do everything from scratch to be healthy. Let’s take Hamburger Helper; the meal requires that you buy some hamburger, milk, butter and have some water on hand right? Well how about buying some egg noodles, hamburger, milk and butter and just adding some garlic powder, salt and pepper, and cheese? Chances are, you will have enough egg noodles to make another meal with them and you have spent the same or less money on a meal that is healthier for you. Another item that people often complain about is the price of juice. If you get the sugar water juice, it is cheaper then the 100% juice. Well that is an easy fix, don’t buy it! In Washington, water (yes from the tap) cost .001 cents a gallon. It is clean, tastes good, and is good for you. I realize that not everyone lives in a state with clean, good tasting tap water but if you do, take advantage of it. So, the lesson that I have learned is to make the food yourself and remember that there is often a simple, cheap, and healthy alternative to many food problems. Tune in next week when I answer the question “How do I find the time to make all of this cheap, healthy food?”

Warehouse shopping

Shopping at warehouse stores can be a great way to save money. It can also be a great way to spend a lot of money without really realizing it. You go in to one of those warehouse stores without a list or a clear plan and you will spend at least $50 more then you meant too. There are some great deals to be had and there are some not so great deals, just like any other store but it is easy to become overwhelmed. When I first went in to one of these stores to just “see what they have” and came out having spent about $100 for this little tiny pile of stuff I was shocked. The next time in went in, I vowed to do better. This time I got caught up in the frozen foods. You can really spend a bundle on frozen foods at those places. I said to myself “Wow that will keep in my freezer, my husband will love that in his lunch and so on.” So I came out and once again I have spent $100 on this tiny pile of food. Now keep in mind that I am just trying to feed two adults here, not an army. If you need to feed a large family, expect to spend some money at one of these places. It will save you money in the long run but, if like me at the time, you are feeding two adults and have to store all of this in a 500 sq. foot apartment, you should not need to spend more then $50 a month.

It took a long time to get a good system for warehouse shopping. First of all, not all of the food in those places is a deal. Compare with the normal grocery stores; don’t just assume that because you are getting 20 of the item, you are getting a deal. The warehouse stores don’t have the best sales either. The grocery stores beat them in that category. A good rule of thumb is that really basic items are almost always a good deal. Items like flour, sugar, peanut butter and such are cheaper in bulk. Look at what you use all the time that will not go bad before you can use it all. For me that is flour, sugar, granola bars, peanut butter, canned tomatoes, toilet paper and vitamins. Another good rule is to make a list and stick to it. It is way too easy to get side tracked. If you make a list then you can plan for how much you are going to spend. If you don’t, you will regret it. Don’t take your spouse along if (like mine) he or she will try to talk you in to buying things that are not on your list. Buying a 20 pack of ice cream bars was sooo not on my list. I go to Costco because I get a free membership through my mom. When you pay for a membership, you get a second one free to go to any family member over 18. If you can’t get this kind of deal, then try to find a Cash n Carry or other warehouse store that does not require a paid membership.

A Store Near You

When I moved in with my future husband, I took over all of the grocery shopping. His idea of shopping was to get some Top Roman, Tuna Helper, pancake mix and some plastic wrapped cheese and call it good (although I have to say the man has a gift with pancakes). I love to cook and any cook knows that these few items are just not enough to make a decent meal with, so to the store I went. At the time we lived near a Safeway so that is where I started. It took me awhile to figure out how to buy all of the food I needed without spending a small fortune. At first I fell in to the trap of buying too many frozen items, and then I would not get enough food to last for two weeks or I would get to many “treats”. After awhile I got the hang of it but along the way I discovered that where you shop has a great deal to do with your ability to keep everything within the budget.

First, if possible shop at a store near you, and pick one store to do most of your shopping at. There are some cheap food stores that send me fliers every week but it is just not worth the gas to go so far out of my way. My favorite place to shop is Fred Meyers (no, I do not work for them and they are not paying me, I just really like the store). I love that they send me really good coupons every three months when I use my card. I realize that other stores have a card too but come on; everyone knows that they are just making you use the card so you don’t get ripped off. Those “deals” are not deals at all. I also hate when I forget my card and don’t know what number I gave them, and they charge me a load of money. Fred Meyer will give you the sale price with or with out the card. Then every three months I get a $5, $3, $1 coupon and random ones like $2 off any dairy items over three dollars. I have done my monthly shopping at many stores but I just can’t seem to find everything I need at the prices I need anywhere else. Of course this depends on what you are buying. I have some friends that swear that Safeway is cheaper but I have not found this to be true for myself.

Fred’s has everything. If you need to get groceries, motor oil, a pie plate and a tomato plant they’ve got it. The prices on non-food items are not as great as the food but they are not bad either. With the price of gas these days it’s worth not getting the few dollar difference to drive across town. I believe that Super Walmart or whatever it is called also it like this. We do not have a Walmart in my city so I don’t go there very often. Bottom line is to shop around the stores near you and find out which store meets your needs best. Just because you have always shopped there does not mean it has the best deals.

The Price of Food

The soaring price of food itself has been all over in the news lately. I have not personally seen my bill go up but many people have and I believe that it has a great deal to do with what you buy. When I plan out my meals, I always pick things that are fast and easy to make. The easy part means picking meals that don’t require a lot of ingredients in them. This keeps cost down as well as my sanity when I am cooking. I also do not include any meat in my meals. This is because I happen to be a vegetarian but it also has the effect of saving us money. Meat is expensive! I do splurge on some fresh wild salmon when it is on sale but most of our protein comes from cheese, beans, shrimp and tuna. Beans are a wonderful source of protein and they are cheap. That is why they are one of the staples of the people of Costa Rica (named one of the healthiest places to live because their people have the longest life expectancy). There are many wonderful meals you can make with beans being in the main dish or side dish that are very yummy. Like Mexican pizza, Costa Rican beans and rice, and bean enchiladas. You can find more ideas for meatless cheap food at one of my favorite web sites hillbillyhousewife.com. I would challenge any family trying to cut costs with just serving two meatless meals a week. See if it cuts your food bill just a bit. If you just can’t put down the steak, shop the sales and warehouse clubs, and make friends with a hunter. Maybe they will share some of that deer or moose they get with you. Unless they are feeding five children chances are they will have plenty left over after winter.

I am a big believer in store brand food. Look down people! All the way to the bottom shelf, that is where you find the deals. At Fred Meyers (a Kroger store), they even have the cheaper then the store brand. It is called FMV (For Max Value). Now I am not saying that you can go generic with everything but some things are the same no matter what brand they are and some things are better when they are store brand (like the FMV frozen veggies, the only mix with out lima beans all for $0.89). For instance, some store brand items I buy are mayo, mustard, ketchup, eggs, yogurt, canned fruit, rice, sugar, and hot dog buns, but I will buy brand name tortillas, tea, refried beans, fish sticks and bread. It is all about your tastes and the quality of the item. It just requires a little bit of experimentation on your part.

Cheap Date

One of my favorite ways to save money is to play with my food budget. We spend for a family of two (the baby is still getting all of his food from me via boob) $250 a month. That is $200 at the grocery store and $50 at Costco. My husband does not go out to eat for lunch so this figure includes the lunches I pack for him. For some families, $250 is a lot of money for food, but many people struggle to keep there food budget in line. One of the ways that I keep my food budget reasonable is by making a menu of dishes for two weeks and just buying what I need for those meals. I do not schedule what we are going to have on a particular day, I just look at my menu and pick from there. This way I only have to go shopping every other week. This saves on time and gas. It may sound like a no brainer, but I see people running to the store for this or that all the time. It is such a waste! A little planning will prevent this. I also believe that having meals on hand has prevented us from going out to eat many times. We have all been there; you get home from work and look at your mate and say “what’s for dinner?” “I don’t know, let’s go get something.” Trust me, it’s a lot easier to resist that impulse when you have a few meals to pick from and know that you have what you need to make them. Now I am not saying that I follow my menu exactly but I find that having the ingredients to make 14 breakfasts, lunches, and dinners makes it easy to change things up. For instance, I might buy shrimp, veggies, and rice for shrimp scampi, veggies, and seasoned rice, but I can just as easily make garlic chili shrimp, lemon garlic veggies, and plain rice (assuming of course that you have the right spices on hand). Tune in next week when I go over the tips I have learned to make sure you get cheap quality ingredients for your meals.