Your preferred cheap meals

Pasta is good for you if ate after exercise and helps your muscles. Everything in moderation though!

Yes, beans are good and cheap. I don't like them though so I would struggle. I think I just struggle on a budget meal plan because I don't see the point in eating if it doesn't taste good. I'm terrible I know.
 
I'll have to try red beans and rice. I only use red beans now when making chili con carne but I guess they would fit in nicely with some rice and tomato sauce. Add in a bit of chili flakes and I'd be done! Actually now that sounds like a chili con carne without the meat! :D
 
Another favorite is omelettes. I am a big breakfast person, but I have no problem eating breakfast for dinner either. Omelettes are super cheap, and very rich and filing as well. They're also another great way to use up leftover or scrap vegetables and other odds and ends. If you've got a single slice of bacon in the box, a couple of mushrooms left, some leftover pico de gallo, a little bit of shredded cheese left in the bag, etc...

You can also add some flour and milk to the eggs and make crepes or manicotti instead. The ricotta filling can be stretched out with cheap frozen spinach.

If you're concerned about the cholesterol, just use a mixture of whole eggs and egg whites (discard some of the yolks). You can easily cut the cholesterol and fat in half without having to waste money on egg substitutes.
 
I think eggs are really good cheap products too. Especially if you have chickens like I do :P I have boiled egg on toast or dippy egg for breakfast, hard boiled eggs and scrambled eggs for snacks and omelettes for lunch. This is only when I'm trying to get lots of protein though. But thank you for bringing up the eggs :)
 
Fried rice is also easy, plus you can load up on the proteins and veggies to make it even more substantial. And it's a great way to use up scraps and leftovers from previous meals. If I only have a little bit of steak or chicken leftover, I can make it into a big bowl of fried rice quickly. Or dress it up even further by throwing in some fresh shrimp. This is kind of my go do recipe to use up those green onions that are starting to go bad, or some fresh cilantro that is past its prime, etc...

Even if I am not using leftover meats, cheap meats go well in it too. Boneless pork chops are always super cheap at my local grocery store. I've even been finding bags of frozen uncooked unpeeled shrimp for only $3.
 
Yeah, fried rice is a good one for leftovers since you can toss almost anything in and call it a meal, and it usually ends up a bit more believable than similarly treated pasta. A bit of soy sauce and some tea and you've got yourself a decent dinner.

Which reminds me, I'm out of soy sauce :(

Potatoes are also good this way when there's a sale on the bigger bags; mashed, boiled, breakfast, roasted, etc. I get tired of them more quickly and they don't keep quite as long, though.
 
My favorite cheap meal is Top Ramen and some type of vegetable (usually broccoli). Both can be purchased for under $5.00 (together). It's an easy, quick inexpensive meal.

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My favorite cheap meal if we are running out of food in our kitchen is egg omelette with onion and tomatoes and fried garlic rice and its delicious and we are always full after eating this simple kind of meal considering that it is less expensive, easy to prepare and healthy too.
 
I also eat vegetable fried rice, on a regular basis. Although it's not exactly cheap, sometimes I'll add a bit of tofu to my fried rice to bulk it up. However, I normally find that the main ingredients e.g rice, soya sauce, onions, curry powder and fresh vegetables like broccoli and carrots are inexpensive.

I also enjoy eating pumpkin, mushroom or potato and leek soup with a bit of brown bread or toast, when I'm on a budget.
 
crimsonghost747 said:
Like most of you can understand sometimes in life we find ourselves in a tight financial situation. This is especially true for most students when they have to figure out how to pay rent, bills and food with extremely low income.

So what are your favourite recipes for cheap yet delicious meals?

I often find myself using something very cheap to create the base of the dish. Either pasta, boiled potatoes, baked beans or a simple salad are a huge part of my diet simply because they are cheap, fill you up and can be mixed with so many different things.

One of my favourites is pasta with tomato sauce. So simple, fast and easy. Takes about 10 minutes to make. tastes good and it won't certainly hurt your budget. You can include both minced meat and cheese depending on your taste and budget.
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I think any type of pasta is cheap: spaghetti, lasagna, pesto, shrimp/chicken pasta. Pizza is always cheap, even if you make homemade pizza. Tacos! Tacos are cheap and easy. Those are only a few of my favorite cheapo meals.
 
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