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my breakfast is 1 cup rolled oats, 1 splenda, cinnemon, splash of milk (using coconut now, but usually skim). i microwave it for about 2 min 45 seconds. from start to finish it takes me about 5 minutes to be eating. its about 320 calories and i love it (maybe costs me around 20 cents).
i usually cook the dinner ill eat through the week on sunday. this week it has been grilled chicken breast with a side of voila garlic chicken and cheddar bay biscuit (wife had brought back a handful of them from red lobster). i can be eating within 5 minutes of stepping in the kitchen in the evening. (maybe costs me about $1.20 a meal)
eating healthy is cheaper (if price matters to you more than marketing and bs other people tell you about healthy eating) and plenty fast.
Last edited by CaptainNJ; 05-24-2012 at 12:22 PM..
Quote:
Originally Posted by jambo101 For $2 i can get 4 packets of Ramin noodles and 3 boxes of Kraft Macaroni Dinner, Healthier food is cheaper?
Quote:
Originally Posted by 3~Shepherds
When it comes to your health it would be, this stuff you listed will cause all kinds of health issues from the salt content alone. Not to mention packing on the pounds from eating this fake pasta stuff.
I dont disagree with you about the quality of the stuff i listed but if you are poor and you gotta feed a family of 4 i dont see much in the way of healthy options if you only have $2 a day for food.
One thing that really can keep someone on a limited income from eating well is lack of access to a real grocery store. If you don't have a car and there's not a good store within walking distance it is hard to keep fresh food in the house. If you're taking the bus to work and have kids to take care of at home, another bus ride to the grocery store might seem exhausting. But even if you're buying your food at the local convenience store there's no reason to consume more calories than you need.
I dont disagree with you about the quality of the stuff i listed but if you are poor and you gotta feed a family of 4 i dont see much in the way of healthy options if you only have $2 a day for food.
id do rice, beans and then as much chicken as your budget allows.
Ingredients
1. Half-stock Celery (leaves and all)
--a. Cut into bite size pieces.
2. Four whole carrots
--a. Cut up into slices
3. 1 Yellow Onion
--a. Diced (semi-large chunks)
4. Potatoes
--a. 4 medium size
--b. Peel and dice semi-large 10-15 pieces per potato.
5. Cabbage half-head
--a. Cut like potato (squares)
6. Canned Tomatoes
--a. Any type (stewed, diced, with other) (3 cans reg size, less if bigger can)
--b. Possibly 4 as need.
7. Beef Base
--a. Superior Touch: Better than bullion.
----i. 3 heaping spoonfuls
8. Black pepper
--a. Season to taste (add at start, season later)
9. Salt (use Zesty in place of)
--a. Season to taste
10. Fresh Minced Garlic
--a. 2-3 tablespoons (more to taste if need)
11. Pappy’s Seasoning Blend
--a. For soup, meat, fish, poultry.
--b. Season as garlic and pepper
12. Kitchen Bouquet
--a. Browning and seasoning sauce.
--b. About a tablespoon.
Prep
1. Cut all vegetables and put them in the pot.
2. Cut cabbage and set it aside.
3. Put in canned tomatoes (juice and all)
4. At this point can add kidney beans, pinto beans, etc…
5. Fill with water two inches above vegetables
6. Add Beef base
7. Add Pepper
8. Garlic
9. Seasoning salt
10. Pappy’s Seasoning blend
11. Kitchen Bouquet
Cooking
1. Turn on and bring to a boil.
2. Turn down to simmer and put a lid on.
a. Very light simmer (not a boil)
b. Stir occasionally
3. Cook for 30 mins
--a. Look if needs more water
--b. Taste if needs more beef flavor and add base if need.
--c. Taste for more seasoning
4. Continue to cook until vegetables are soft.
--(test carrot for indication)
--a. Roughly 30-40 more minutes (roughly 1 hour total start-finish)
5. When near, turn up heat a bit bringing it near to a boil.
6. Add Cabbage and stir in.
7. Take off heat, cover it and let it sit for 15 mins.
That is extremely cheap and if you buy your spices and the like in bulk, it is even cheaper. You can mix up the type of vegetables put in as well.
Heck, you can even cut corners as well. For instance, you don't need the browning sauce, it is merely to make it look dark in color (to look like beef soup). It won't change the taste (though I prefer using it myself).
Also, you can mix it up and use chicken broth instead using only celery, carrots, maybe some corn. Then pick up a bit of chicken and make chicken vegetable soup, or chicken and rice, etc...
mmmm... I'm going to have to try this one! My teenagers, who have been doing quite a lot of the cooking lately as we get busier at work, would have no problem making this! Thanks!!
For $2 i can get 4 packets of Ramin noodles and 3 boxes of Kraft Macaroni Dinner, Healthier food is cheaper?
$2 per day, right? So $14 per week? You could buy a large box of old fashioned oats (14 servings), a 2 pound package of rice (20 servings), a 2 pound package of beans (20 servings) an 18 oz. jar of peanut butter, a package of whole grain crackers or loaf of whole grain bread, and have some money left over. With the extra money I would look for whatever fresh fruit or vegetables are on sale or reduced price and buy a few pounds.
That should be enough healthy food to last a week, all for $14. Plenty of protein, and not nearly as much sodium as the Ramen noodles.
Ingredients
1. Half-stock Celery (leaves and all)
--a. Cut into bite size pieces.
2. Four whole carrots
--a. Cut up into slices
3. 1 Yellow Onion
--a. Diced (semi-large chunks)
4. Potatoes
--a. 4 medium size
--b. Peel and dice semi-large 10-15 pieces per potato.
5. Cabbage half-head
--a. Cut like potato (squares)
6. Canned Tomatoes
--a. Any type (stewed, diced, with other) (3 cans reg size, less if bigger can)
--b. Possibly 4 as need.
7. Beef Base
--a. Superior Touch: Better than bullion.
----i. 3 heaping spoonfuls
8. Black pepper
--a. Season to taste (add at start, season later)
9. Salt (use Zesty in place of)
--a. Season to taste
10. Fresh Minced Garlic
--a. 2-3 tablespoons (more to taste if need)
11. Pappy’s Seasoning Blend
--a. For soup, meat, fish, poultry.
--b. Season as garlic and pepper
12. Kitchen Bouquet
--a. Browning and seasoning sauce.
--b. About a tablespoon.
Prep
1. Cut all vegetables and put them in the pot.
2. Cut cabbage and set it aside.
3. Put in canned tomatoes (juice and all)
4. At this point can add kidney beans, pinto beans, etc…
5. Fill with water two inches above vegetables
6. Add Beef base
7. Add Pepper
8. Garlic
9. Seasoning salt
10. Pappy’s Seasoning blend
11. Kitchen Bouquet
Cooking
1. Turn on and bring to a boil.
2. Turn down to simmer and put a lid on.
a. Very light simmer (not a boil)
b. Stir occasionally
3. Cook for 30 mins
--a. Look if needs more water
--b. Taste if needs more beef flavor and add base if need.
--c. Taste for more seasoning
4. Continue to cook until vegetables are soft.
--(test carrot for indication)
--a. Roughly 30-40 more minutes (roughly 1 hour total start-finish)
5. When near, turn up heat a bit bringing it near to a boil.
6. Add Cabbage and stir in.
7. Take off heat, cover it and let it sit for 15 mins.
That is extremely cheap and if you buy your spices and the like in bulk, it is even cheaper. You can mix up the type of vegetables put in as well.
Heck, you can even cut corners as well. For instance, you don't need the browning sauce, it is merely to make it look dark in color (to look like beef soup). It won't change the taste (though I prefer using it myself).
Also, you can mix it up and use chicken broth instead using only celery, carrots, maybe some corn. Then pick up a bit of chicken and make chicken vegetable soup, or chicken and rice, etc...
This is a really good idea. Maybe I could print it off and hand it to her. Probably though, she is simply too lazy to cook. Seriously, what parent would spend money on cigarettes before buying food for her toddlers?
$2 per day, right? So $14 per week? You could buy a large box of old fashioned oats (14 servings), a 2 pound package of rice (20 servings), a 2 pound package of beans (20 servings) an 18 oz. jar of peanut butter, a package of whole grain crackers or loaf of whole grain bread, and have some money left over. With the extra money I would look for whatever fresh fruit or vegetables are on sale or reduced price and buy a few pounds.
That should be enough healthy food to last a week, all for $14. Plenty of protein, and not nearly as much sodium as the Ramen noodles.
No offense, but starchy carb-laden foods like oats, rice, crackers & bread aren't that much healthier than packaged ramen or Mac-n-Cheese. You neglect to consider how even "healthy" items are typically eaten: sprinkled with brown sugar, smeared with cream cheese or nutella, cooked with bacon or butter. Many foods can be nutritious if you prepare them simply & eat them plain without sauce or flavorings, but most Americans would find them unpalatable. My friends & I can do Meatless Mondays, but trying to extend that to 3, 4 or 7 days a week becomes a battle to overcome cravings & flavors.
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