c/budget-friendly-meals

Warning: my $12 'budget' meal plan for the week in Phoenix left me starving by Thursday

I tried to stretch one pack of chicken and a bag of rice across five dinners, but after skipping lunch three days to make it work, I realized that cheap food isn't actually cheap if it leaves you hungry and buying extra snacks, so has anyone else had a plan backfire and what's a better way to actually feel full on a tight budget?

I finally figured out my weekly bean routine

For years, I'd just grab a can of beans for chili or soup, which added up to maybe $1.50 a can. About six months ago, I started buying a 2-pound bag of dry pinto beans for $2.50 at my local market. I soak a big batch overnight, cook them in my slow cooker the next day, and freeze portions. That one bag makes the same amount as about 8 cans, cutting my cost per serving way down. It took a little planning, but now I always have cooked beans ready to go for tacos, rice bowls, or just with some spices. Anyone else have a favorite 'batch and freeze' staple that saves a bunch?

My slow cooker gave up on me right before a big batch of chili

It happened on Sunday night. I was making my usual big pot of bean and veggie chili, the kind that costs maybe $12 total and feeds me for a week. I had everything in the pot, set it on low, and went to watch a movie. About an hour later, I smelled something hot and plastic. The whole thing had just stopped heating. The display was dead. I had to quickly move everything to my biggest pot on the stove and babysit it for two hours instead. It was a hand-me-down Crock-Pot from my mom, so it had a good run, but the timing was awful. Now I'm looking for a new one, but I don't want to spend a lot. Has anyone had a slow cooker die like that, and what's a good cheap brand that will last?

Why does nobody talk about using a $1 bag of frozen mixed veggies versus fresh for a stir fry?

After trying both for a week, the frozen version from the generic store brand gave me way more meals for the price and nothing went bad in the crisper drawer, so what's your go-to cheap veggie hack?

I know everyone says dried beans are the ultimate budget food, but my bag of pintos from the discount store went bad after sitting for maybe 6 months.

I opened them up to soak overnight and found these tiny bugs, so now I'm out $3 and a planned meal, and I'm wondering if anyone else has a good spot to buy them that stays fresh longer.

My cousin told me to buy a whole chicken instead of parts and I thought he was nuts

He said it in my kitchen last month, and I finally tried it at the store near my place. I got a whole bird for $8 and got three meals out of it, which is way cheaper than buying the same amount in pieces. What's your best tip for stretching a whole chicken?

PSA: My weekly food bill went from $120 to $75 by switching one thing

For the past two months, I tracked every grocery dollar. I was spending about $120 a week for two people, mostly on fresh meat and veggies. The change came when I started buying whole chickens instead of just breasts or thighs. One $8 chicken gives us two dinners of roast chicken, then I use the bones for soup stock that makes another meal. Has anyone else found a single switch that cut their costs this much?

Hit 100 consecutive days of eating beans...

My 'pantry challenge' to cut costs got weirdly specific and I just realized I've had beans in some form for 100 days straight. It started with a giant bag of black beans I bought for $1.50 and just... never stopped. Anyone else get stuck in a weirdly cheap food loop?

My roommate tried to make 'fancy' ramen and set off the fire alarm at 2am

Last Thursday, my roommate Jake decided to upgrade our cheap ramen by frying the dry noodles in oil before adding water, something he saw online. He used way too much oil in our tiny apartment kitchen in Phoenix, and the whole place filled with smoke in like 30 seconds. The alarm went off, waking our whole building, and we had to wave a towel at it for five minutes. Has anyone else had a budget meal attempt go totally wrong like that? lmao

I thought dried beans were a waste of time, but a $3 bag changed my mind

PSA: I found a $3 bag of lentils in my pantry from 2020 and they cooked up perfectly last night

I was sure they'd be trash, but a 30 minute soak and a boil with some garlic saved me a grocery trip. Anyone else have a 'pantry miracle' that saved your budget recently?

My pantry was basically empty on Tuesday, so I just threw a can of black beans, some frozen corn, and a jar of salsa into a pot.

It made this weirdly good, thick soup that fed me for three meals and cost maybe $3 total. What's your go-to 'kitchen sink' meal when you're down to the bare bones?

Just read a USDA report that says the average household throws out over $1,500 of food every year.

My dried beans turned into a two day kitchen project

Tried to make a cheap pot of black beans from a bag I got for a dollar. Soaked them overnight like you're supposed to, but they were still hard as rocks after four hours of simmering. I spent the next day just trying to get them soft enough to eat, checking the pot every thirty minutes. Anyone know a trick to make old dried beans actually cook right?

A random cookbook at the library in Spokane changed my dinner game

I was just killing time and grabbed this old 'Depression Era Cooking' book off the shelf. The recipe for 'everything soup' used just a potato, an onion, and a can of beans to make a huge pot. I've made it three times this winter for about $2 a meal. Anyone have other old-school cheap recipes like that?

Why does everyone skip the freezer aisle for cheap meals?

I keep seeing posts about dried beans and rice, which are great, but I think people sleep on frozen veggies and meat. In my shop, I grab a bag of frozen mixed veggies for $1.50 and a pack of frozen chicken thighs. They cost way less than fresh, last months, and cut down on waste. I made a stir fry last week that fed three people for under $5 total. The argument against is that frozen isn't as good, but I find if you cook it right, the taste is fine and the nutrition is still there. How do you all feel about building meals from the freezer section versus only using pantry staples?

I bought a $30 rice cooker and it was a total waste for me

Everyone says a rice cooker is a must for cheap meals, so I got one last month. I live alone and cook small batches, but it always makes the bottom layer gummy and sticks badly. I spent more time cleaning it than my old pot, and now it just takes up space. Has anyone else found a simple pot works better for one or two people?

Hot take: my grocery bill dropped by almost $40 a week when I stopped buying pre-cut veggies

For about three months, I was grabbing those bags of chopped onions and peppers because they saved time. I switched to buying whole produce and doing the knife work myself on Sunday, and the difference in cost was huge. Has anyone else found one simple switch that made a big dent in their food spending?

Unpopular opinion: I think spending $100 a week on food for one person is actually too low

Tbh, I hit $75 last week for my total grocery bill and it really made me stop and think. Everyone in these groups seems to aim for that $50 or $60 mark, but I feel like that forces you into a corner of just rice, beans, and frozen veggies. My $75 week let me buy a whole chicken to roast, fresh herbs, and even some cheese. That chicken gave me three dinners and stock for soup. Ngl, I think pushing the budget down too far makes cooking feel like a chore and you miss out on learning how to use better ingredients smartly. Has anyone else found that a slightly higher number, like $70-$80, actually leads to less waste and more enjoyable meals?

My cheap bag of lentils turned into a kitchen disaster

I grabbed a 2 pound bag of brown lentils from the dollar store to make a big pot of soup, but they never got soft no matter how long I boiled them. Turns out they were super old and probably sat in a warehouse for years. Has anyone else had this happen with dried beans from a discount store?

Was at the grocery store in Springfield and saw they're charging $4.99 for a single bell pepper now...

I bought a huge bag of quinoa on sale and it just sits in my pantry

I thought I'd use it for everything, but I lost about $12 and a bunch of cabinet space because I don't actually like cooking it. Anyone have good recipes to make this stuff taste better?

I bought a $15 immersion blender for soups and it's the best kitchen money I've spent this year.

I used to think my regular blender was fine, but this thing turns cheap veggies and broth into a smooth meal in seconds, which means I actually eat the lentil soup I make instead of letting it go bad. What other cheap kitchen tools have actually paid off for you guys?

My slow cooker died halfway through a big batch of black bean chili last night.

I finished it in a regular pot on the stove, but now I'm looking for a reliable replacement under $40.

My grocery bill dropped from $120 to $70 a week after I stopped buying pre-chopped veggies.

I saw a huge difference in just one month, but my friend argues the time saved is worth the extra cost, so what's your take on the fresh vs. pre-cut debate for saving money?