30 dollars to spend on food

**ladykemma2** · 07-21-2011, 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by angela1435

This helps out so much! I do have staples such as eggs and flour. I also found 3 cans of tuna. I have other things too, I guess I was just thinking about the main part of dinner. I have frozen veggies and I also have some leftover shepherds pie that can maybe be enough for another dinner.

I have lentils, great northern, Lima, black beans. I also have some beans for 15 bean soup, but I guess I need ham for that? I've had all these since I was on wic. Never knew what to do with them.

I really like the idea for the hamburger patties. I couldn't think of anything that would feed 5 so thanks! Thanks to everyone!

in the bean section of this forum, i have posted recipes for lentils and black beans. the enchibean recipe is good. basically any kind of bean can be cooked in the crock pot with 1/4 pound of bacon and some lawry's garlic salt. yum. serve with rice or corn muffins or polenta or leftover cream of wheat. if you are vegetarian, substitue soy sauce or tamari for the bacon, makes a good rich broth.

**sinopa27** · 07-21-2011, 11:01 AM

buying frozen bread is cheaper than a loaf of bread. You get 3 loaves.
I like everyone else's ideas for meals.
spaghetti with bread is a filling meal and may have leftovers for lunch

**zakity** · 07-21-2011, 03:45 PM

I would do an inventory of what you have in the house and then post it here. Some of us are masters of finding stuff from "nothing".

**xtena** · 07-21-2011, 03:56 PM

with eggs and flour (and hopefully a bit of baking powder and margarine or butter) you could do breakfast for dinner one night - eggs any style and either pancakes or baking powder biscuits (or muffins...whatever your favorite breakfast bread is) You do NOT need bacon or sausage with this, LOL...although my daughter would beg to differ

**xtena** · 07-21-2011, 03:57 PM

How long since you were on wic? sniff the lentils; they might have gone bad. Or the beans...the older they are the longer you need to cook them and if they are several years old they may never get soft. Found that out the hard way.

QM · 07-21-2011, 04:02 PM

Thanks for starting this thread, angela1435. I've been really good this week at only spending about $20 on food by using my stockpile. I'm going to attempt at getting to Wednesday or Thursday of next week and spend nothing on food. The one thing I "need" to pick up is vegetable oil; yesterday DH pointed out that we're out of it, and it's on sale as of tomorrow. Therefore, my goal is to spend less than $5 on food until next Wednesday or Thursday.

I've been going thru my house inventoring meals I could make with what is on hand. They won't be amazing lunches/suppers, but we'll be absolutely fine.

QM · 07-21-2011, 04:18 PM

I should also add some cheap/easy meals...(mostly lunches although it could be supper)
- hamburger helper
- zoodles (definately lunch for the kids) ...I bought them for 50cents each a while ago
- soup
- grilled cheese
- Kraft Dinner ...again another thing I stockpiled
- pasta with sauce
- a salad

**Sophia** · 07-21-2011, 04:40 PM

something I buy to season beans with Is Goya Ham flavored ConcentrateIt is a little over a dollar at wal-mart for the box there is either 8 or 10 pkgs to the box it might be 12. Use 1 pkg in beans it is yummy. You can season other things with it as well. You can do a lot with rice. You could also buy a lg bag of pinto's and do Pinto's and cornbread for supper. If you have can tomatoes or tomato sauce you can make chili from the beans the next night with some chili powder, cumin and garlic salt or powder. I do this a lot of times and you could use one of the hamburger patties for the meat in it.Rice is good for for a lot of things. If you have potatoes you can have chili fries if you make chili. Hope things work well for you. Take care

**mh3rdwheel** · 07-21-2011, 05:53 PM

If you have mac and cheese you could add seasoned meat to it and that makes a meal in itself, ( say you made tacos one night and had leftover meat) heat up the meat and add to the mac and cheese makes a great meal.

Go to Aldi's instead of spaghetti sauce buy the tomato sause and just add seasoning to it till it taste good, this is what I do. I love Ramen Noodles I always keep these on hand. you can add veggies to ramen noodles.

**angela1435** · 07-22-2011, 03:33 PM

I'm definitely gonna keep this thread in mind even after my husband getsnpaid. These are some great ideas

Thanks for the tip about the lentils and beans. I think I have had them about a year or maybe a little longer. Hopefully. Lol

**YankeeMom** · 07-22-2011, 03:54 PM

I would cook up the cornish hens in the crockpot and remove all the meat and use it in a casserole like chicken & dumplings (chicken, gravy, dumplings homemade or with bisquick, and veggies).

The hamburger patties can be thawed and chopped up and used in hamburger stroganoff (hamburger, cream of mushroom soup, & sour cream over egg noodles or rice).

Scrambled eggs and toast make a good inexpensive and filling meal. We also like eggs scrambled w. a couple of chopped up leftover baked potatoes and served on a tortilla w/ some taco sauce.