Whole Grain Pasta with Steamed Snow Peas
- Start with some whole grain pasta, in a separate pan saute three diced tomatos and 1/4 cup of olive oil with 1 clove of garlic minced. Drain the pasta and fold in the olive tomato sauce. Steam the snow peas and serve on the side. It makes a delicious and colorful dinner. Enjoy!
- —Guest Emma C.
Learn to say no...
- I've found that learning to say no to myself when shopping is a real money saver. If I was thinking of making pork chops and the chicken is on sale, I go with the chicken. I have started going to the freezer and the pantry first and use what I have on hand. I could go to the local market for a can of pineapple and come home with $35.00 in groceries very easy when I use my debit card, now I take cash to purchase what I need. If you don't have the extra money on you, you can't spend it! Remember there is always something good on sale, but do you really need it? Thank you for all the great tips so far, I plan on using a number of them!
- —sawpainter
Turkey Tacos
- Brown 1lb ground turkey, add water & taco seasoning. Serve on tortillas with cheese & other condiments. Makes leftovers for another lunch & use tortillas and condiments for another fajita night later in the week.
- —Guest Erin
Sausage Soup
- I take a can of stewed tomatoes, a can of corn, and a can of chicken or beef broth and mix them together. I add ground sausage, turkey or chicken( meat should be browned in skillet before adding to soup) and that is a complete meal. You can also substitute meat substitute made from soy protein for a low fat version.
- —Guest Gail Dawson
Tuna Fish Potato Salad
- Make your favorite potato salad. I use just potatoes with a little vinegar and oil plus mayonnaise. Then add a can or two of tuna fish, depending on the size of your family. If you add hard boiled eggs that would give you more protein. I serve this with sliced fresh tomatoes on the side.
- —Guest Gail Dawson
Reduce Meat and Cook from Scratch
- I have found that most "main dish" recipes center around meat. I do eat meat, but only a few times a week. I have learned to plan my meals around beans & legumes, eggs, canned tuna, pasta, and potatoes. Start with these instead of meat and then find healthy recipes to make around them. Some examples: Tuna Florentine, Homemade Refried Beans (yes, from the dry beans), Scrambled Eggs and Pancakes, Pasta with homemade (meatless) tomato sauce.
- —Guest Angela
Hard with allergies
- Eating health is hard enough. My son's allergies to eggs and peanuts and sensitivity to most other legumes (beans, peas, tamarind, fenugreek,...) and food dyes largely precludes cheap. We stretch our budget by having pancake "Tuesdays" and our one-pot wonder "Glop": Brown some ground meat with long grain rice, onions and spices (usually some or all of chilli, onion, garlic, cumin and coriander powders, black pepper). Add diced or grated fridge veggies (zucchini, carrot, celery, bell pepper, mushrooms) 1-2 lrg cans un-drained diced tomatoes (depends on how much rice you added) cover tightly and let simmer until rice and veggies are done. Stir occasionally: if too dry add water, tomato juice or salsa. Add herbs in the last few minutes: basil, oregano, thyme, parsley, cilantro ... to make it pop. Vary the meat, spices, herbs and veggies for TexMex, Italian, Indian, etc. While I use an electric frying pan, use stove (stir often) or Crockpot as you prefer. By necessity I cook and bake.
- —AllergiesSuck
loishastings
- there's nothing as delicious, nutrisious, and filling as homemade soup, chili or stew
- —Guest lois hastings
Bulk (without bulking up)
- Buying in bulk is a great way of keeping costs down on a lot of everyday ingredients for great low-fat meals. I buy bulgur in bulk. It's nuttier, chewier, and higher in fiber than white rice, but cooks faster than brown. It's a great hearty whole-grain side dish. Lentils in bulk are amazing for a tasty and filling stew. Alton Brown's recipe for it is phenomenal. Also, use leftovers in box or bag lunches the next day! I bought a Japanese bento box for bringing lunch to work every day, and it's a great way to use even little bits of leftovers.
- —Guest Laura
Cheap meal
- I usually make eggplant parmesan in a pinch. I cut, sweat, and bake 1 inch slices of eggplant, then layer it with cheese of choice (ours is provolone) with eggplant and tomato sauce. Bake at 350 for 10-17 minutes or until the eggplant is at the desired texture. Enjoy with noodles, or by its self. Its great for sandwiches the next day too. Even my meat loving friends love this dish.
- —Guest tealek27
Don't Forget Fish
- Fish is healthy, it is nutritious and an essential part of a healthy diet. If you are lucky enough to live near the coast finding fresh fish is easy and usually cheaper. Not near the coast, there are still plenty of cheap and cheerful choices available to most. One good tip is to get to know what fish are in season (yes some are seasonal) and what fish is available where you live. A local fishmonger can be your best guide, so make friends with them. Don't forget added value fish products of canned or smoked fish. What could be easier or cheaper than a delicious Salade Nicoise made with canned Tuna.
- —ElaineLemm
Cook at Home
- I've saved money for years by cooking at home and taking lunch salads to work. You can control the fat that way, too. Homemade salad dressings save money as well, and many can be made with low fat mayo and sour cream or yogurt.
- —Guest Jen
Shop the Edges of the Grocery Store
- All the best food is found around the inside perimeter of the store. Basically, this is where you'll find the fresh foods like fruits, vegis, meats and so on. See how much your grocery bill will go down when you stop buying processed foods. Plus, you'll be a lot healhier too.
- —CarrollPellegrinelli
Vegetable Soups
- They're best, i agree, if one starts from scratch. However, I often buy bags of frozen "light" (no-legumes) minestrone for a couple of Euros. Simmer the mix in water salted to taste, blend it with an immersion blender, and add some pasta or rice if you want. We add pepper individually because Daughter C objects to pepper, but it's low fat (even if you add a drop of EV olive oil at table), cheap, and tasty. Kyle
- —nacheroo
Pantry Staples and Baking
- Dry pantry staples-- lentils, beans, and grains like rice, couscous, and quinoa--are all great inexpensive ways to eat healthy; multiple varieties of each always line my pantry shelves. If you love to bake, like me, yeast breads are another great option-- they require very little in the way of ingredients and money, but with just a little time and a little love, you can make something that's low-fat and multi-purpose. (And, you can freeze extra loaves.) Cutting back on dairy and meat ingredients can save a bundle, too. Of course, I'm partial (I'm dairy-free), but it's true: a semi-vegetarian or vegetarian diet that focuses on whole foods is definitely cheaper and often healthier. Cheeseless pizza is a great example: just make the dough and sauce yourself, add fresh seasonal veggies and root vegetables like onions (usually cheap), add some seasonings and herbs, and you've got a healthy, satisfying dinner for the whole family that is conveniently inexpensive.
- —dairyfreecooking
