Cooking On A Budget

So obviously, I love to cook. And the more complicated/extensive a recipe is, the more I want to try it - 'cuz I love the challenge of doing it and it turning out right and great, but it usually means that the meal costs a bit more to make, in spite of however many servings I wind up with.

Typically speaking, Mexican is kind of my go-to when it comes to cooking cheap, unless I get into making tamales or buying more expensive cuts of meat like cesina or costillas de res (short ribs), al pastor (specially marinated pork) or abogado (chicken marinated the same way as pork). A can of black beans, a large bag of jalepenos, stuff to make salsa, chorizo, corn tortillas are all pretty cheap, but I get tired of making it 'cuz it's like my "specialty" (authentic Mexican) and what I'm best at cooking, but I get tired of it quickly.

SO, I need to go to the store to get groceries for the week and feeding my boyfriend is like feeding 3 people.

Any ideas for what would be good this week that isn't expensive to make and has enough servings for 4 - 6 people would be much appreciated. lol

Mexican is a good choice. Chicken is usually pretty cheap and you can do a million things with it. I'd go with chicken and a few sides of vegetables or rice (which I am opposed to, but people seem to love).

Grilled cheese is super cheap to make! Also, soup, dude. Make a big ole batch of clam chowder or vegetable or potato cheese soup or something and get some bread or rolls. Freeze what you don't immediately eat.

I've always stocked up on ground beef. You can make it go pretty far and its very versatile. Also, potatoes, ramen noodles, mac and cheese. Grilled cheese is good too, like shorty said. Cans of soup.

Oh, you have to have tomato soup with your grilled cheese, otherwise it's just a sad cheese sandwich.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shorty

rice (which I am opposed to, but people seem to love).

---

DIE IN A smurfING FIRE YOU HARLOT! :mad2:

No. Rice is the worst.

We have like a 50 lb bag of rice. o.o;;; Mexican rice is yummy and delish. Especially the way I make it. mwahahaha.

I -always- cook Mexican simply because it -is- so cheap, but I get sick of it after awhile.

I've also thought about soup. Yesterday would've been a good day for soup since it rained and was ugly outside. I made white chicken chili and sopes though. Today? smurf if I know. I just randomly bought a bunch of crap cuz I had absolutely no clue as to what to do this week.

meat n potatoes

when i was on a budget, i'd get the flyers every week but only keep the outside pages of each store - that way you get only the deals they use to get people into the store (the best ones)

chicken thighs are almost always cheap and if you cook them properly don't have to be too unhealthy. but really any meat on those pages is usually a good deal. summertime can mess up the flyer theory because of trout like crab and shrimp but just avoid them. seasonal, local vegetables can usually save you a lot.

for snacks it was always non-microwave popcorn and apples. local apples are cheap as hell.

I don't use coupons because I don't buy any of that crap. Seriously, only use coupons for items you ACTUALLY USE. Otherwise you're getting some really nice paperweights for 55 cents off.

I only buy the generic brands of cereal, oatmeal and other dry goods. They are usually produced in the same place as the name brand and can be $2-$3 cheaper.

This might sound a little gross to you, but I always try to buy red tagged meats: meat that is reduced in price to move it out of the store faster. I have a sizable freezer so I divide my meats as soon as I get them home into what they'll be used for and freeze immediately.

Also seasonal plant life!

lol I do the meat thing. Piggly Wiggly (god I hate that place with a passion. If Food City = Official Mexican Store of Phoenix, then Piggly Wiggly = Official Store of Rednecks in Tennessee Who Have No WalMart Nearby/Are Too Lazy To Go To Wal Mart) always has 5 packs of meat for $20 sales.

Speaking of cheap. I wonder if there's a Save-A-Lot around here.. They actually have decent stuff. It's like 1/2 a step above Aldi, along with United Grocery Outlet, but it's still better.

Meh. It doesn't matter anyway anymore. The $50 I spent is already almost completely eaten. We'z gon' be eatin' biscuits & gravy & sugah watah until Friday! WOO!