Cheapest meal you regularly prepare for yourself

[themidship22]

Originally Posted by nerdykarim

Can you elaborate a bit on your recipe for this one? I'm tired of pinto beans...trying to figure out how best (easiest) to use black beans.

Originally Posted by impolyt_one

I do the chili bean tomato soup thing too, my mom (vegetarian) made it as her meatless chili - which it is, essentially. Saute an onion and a green pepper or two of each, a clove of garlic, oregano, chipotle peppers if you have them (in adobo are even better), chile powder, cumin, rinse and add a couple different cans of beans, a big can of tomatoes, can of tomato sauce and a small can of paste, and soup is on for 4, serve with rice. I add meat usually and less tomato, but I like it either way. Without meat you could probably make it for $4 if you get your canned goods on the cheap and use ethnic store-bought spices and herbs.


Here ya go buddy Impolyt_one actually described pretty much what I do. The sauteing of onion and peppers and such is kind of optional to if you have it one hand. I usually have these on hand, but if you don't no big deal. I used a can of Black Bean Fiesta (from Bush brothers) with a can of Rotel Tomatoes+Habaneros the last time I made it. It made for a spicy and satisfying winter treat.

 

[v0rtex]

Originally Posted by impolyt_one

Learn to make basic breads, and you will be ballin, flour is like what, a buck a bag? Yeast is a quarter a pack and you yield tons.

I was given a breadmaker as a gift, worked out that a loaf of basic white bread (flour, water, sugar, butter/oil, yeast) costs about $.35c to make.

 

[Kyoung05]

Originally Posted by impolyt_one

I do the chili bean tomato soup thing too, my mom (vegetarian) made it as her meatless chili - which it is, essentially. Saute an onion and a green pepper or two of each, a clove of garlic, oregano, chipotle peppers if you have them (in adobo are even better), chile powder, cumin, rinse and add a couple different cans of beans, a big can of tomatoes, can of tomato sauce and a small can of paste, and soup is on for 4, serve with rice. I add meat usually and less tomato, but I like it either way. Without meat you could probably make it for $4 if you get your canned goods on the cheap and use ethnic store-bought spices and herbs.

Fried rice has never done nobody wrong either - make some extra rice for dinner (or order up extra rice when you get chinese) and when you put away your leftovers, just pat all the leftover rice into a mound and saran wrap that ****, freeze it til you need it - when you take it out and microwave it to defrost, the texture is perfect. Start some oil with ginger and garlic in it, saute an onion, beat an egg and mix the rice in and add to the pan - boomtime. Add some green onions or some other veggie if you're ballin.

I do something like this in the crock pot, i.e. crock pot chili. My normal recipe is something like 1lb ground beef, 1 can kidney beans, 1 can black beans, 1 can corn, 1 can green chiles, 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 can tomato paste, 8oz beer, and 1 packet of taco seasoning. Basically, I just brown the meat w/ taco seasoning, wash/drain the beans, and dump everything in the crock pot (give it a few stirs) the night before and refrigerate. In total, it takes like 10min to assemble everything. Then, the next morning, I just turn the crock pot on low, and go to work. When I get home that night, dinner's ready - sometimes I'll add more salt, to taste. You can just eat it in a bowl, over a piece of toasted bread w/ cheese (open faced sandwich style), over rice, etc. I'd say it's good for about 5 servings, maybe more if you serve it over rice or a baked potato.

Assuming the beef is like $3/lb, and the cans of stuff are about $.60-.70/ea, you're looking at under $10 for at least 5 servings - not bad for "real" food.

 

[celery]

Thread should be re-titled: So you want to buy some baller sneakers? Here's how to save the money!

 

[Kyoung05]

Originally Posted by celery

Thread should be re-titled: So you want to buy some baller sneakers? Here's how to save the money!

Right - Step 1: Steal quinoa.

 

[cptjeff]

Originally Posted by cchen

anyone have any suggestions for a cheap meal that has nutritional value?

the one i usually make at home is 3 or 4 eggs soft scrambled + multi grain muffin. low calories, high in fiber, decent in protein, cheap, and easy to make

Most of these do. Rice and beans, for example, is basically a fully balanced meal. Carbs from the rice, protein from the beans.

Originally Posted by iroh

Are you 5 feet tall?

1300 calories!? Seriously? What is your height and weight? I bet you there is no ******* way you are even up to average proportions.

btw here's breakfast, tell me how many calories is this?


Dude, an average diet is 2000 calories, not 3000. You're eating at least 1.5 times as much as you should, and that figure is calculated for someone with an average rate of activity. As in, somebody much more active then sitting in front of a desk.

I don't know exactly how many calories are in that meal, but I'm betting that you're not as in shape as you think you are. Average proportions in North America= fairly overweight. If you're not up to average, that's a good thing.

 

[lemmywinks]

If you have a blender, a banana and milk is a tasty drink. You can add other stuff like vanilla or honey or whatever but banana and milk does it for me.

 

[iroh]

Originally Posted by cptjeff

Most of these do. Rice and beans, for example, is basically a fully balanced meal. Carbs from the rice, protein from the beans. Dude, an average diet is 2000 calories, not 3000. You're eating at least 1.5 times as much as you should, and that figure is calculated for someone with an average rate of activity. As in, somebody much more active then sitting in front of a desk. I don't know exactly how many calories are in that meal, but I'm betting that you're not as in shape as you think you are. Average proportions in North America= fairly overweight. If you're not up to average, that's a good thing.
Dude, that is 2000 calories for girls and 3000 calories for boys. And even more if you are working out or doing some form of exercise, add in an extra meal to make it 4000. 2000 calories a day for a male will just be a starving boy.

 

[cptjeff]

For a 21 year old 180 lb, 6'0 male, exercising 3 times a week, only 2500 calories are required for maintenance. That's an above average height at a healthy weight and an above average exercise level, and at an age with a really fast metabolism. And that figure drops somewhat as you age.

Either you get a fair bit more exercise then the random guy, or you're fat. I'm betting on the latter.

 

[tesseract]

Originally Posted by cptjeff

For a 21 year old 180 lb, 6'0 male, exercising 3 times a week, only 2500 calories are required for maintenance. That's an above average height at a healthy weight and an above average exercise level, and at an age with a really fast metabolism. And that figure drops somewhat as you age.

Either you get a fair bit more exercise then the random guy, or you're fat. I'm betting on the latter.
well his breakfast included a quarter of a blueberry pie so im going to guess that hes fat.

 

[v0rtex]

Originally Posted by lemmywinks

If you have a blender, a banana and milk is a tasty drink. You can add other stuff like vanilla or honey or whatever but banana and milk does it for me.

My father used to enjoy a breakfast consisting of mashing a banana with a splash of milk, and a slice of bread and butter. Delicious baby food...

Also, when I was poor we lived off baked potatoes and off-label Heinz beans (9p/can) for days at a time. Surprisingly, I still like baked potatoes.

 

[Threak]

Interesting thing about cheap meals and dry beans. I have an aunt who owns a little grocery store in Mexico, where beans have long been a staple. She once pointed out how many poorer families had started eating ramen instead since the much quicker cooking time meant they paid a lot less for natural gas. Nutritionally, though, it's no substitute.

 

[patrickBOOTH]

I eat a $2.99 meal replacement bar just about every day for lunch. It keeps my weight in check. I lost over 100lbs. I'm genetically supposed to be fat, so it is important for me to keep it off. This is the easiest way for me to do it.

 

[jbharris88]

I can't get enough of grilled PB + Banana sandwiches.

1 banana = $.20
2 tbsp PB = $.05
2 pieces bread (prefer honeywheat)= $.20
glass of milk = $.30

Slap PB on both slices. Slice banana. Put on bread. Grill it like a grilled cheese with a little bit of butter if you want. Filling, gooey goodness.

Elvis liked his with bacon. Honey is a good addition too.

 

[pebblegrain]

yall MFers are still in your yummy phase. talkin about "take a lollipop, dip it in ice cream, toast a marshmallow around and rub butter on it - so good and only a buck" GTFO