30 dollars to spend on food

**angela1435** · 07-20-2011, 05:14 PM

What are the cheapest meals you know of? Or if you can point me to a place that has that info. I have a few things, pork chops, a few bags of beans and 2 frozen hamburgers. LOL. I also have 2 cornish hens in the freezer but have no idea what to do with them. All of this has to last until next Friday, plus what I buy with the 30 dollars. Thanks!

**MissSeetonFan** · 07-20-2011, 05:43 PM

I know it sounds extremely cheap, but a healthy meal can be made out of tuna, ramen and some frozen vegetables. Or egg drop soup out of ramen and frozen vegetables - make it up in a pot with lots of water and crack eggs into it. They get cooked up in the water and it tastes good.

A $5 bag of potatoes - slice or dice potatoes, add some meat, onions and fry it up together. Or do scalloped potatoes. Or get some carrots and do a crock pot or oven roast meal with them.

Those are some ideas for meals. I'm not sure what to buy to help things stretch out - except for potatoes, ramen, onions, frozen vegs, and tuna.

Try to price things out a bit and use one of those websites others have recommended where you type in ingredients to see what recipe comes out.

**Maine Girl** · 07-20-2011, 05:57 PM

Do you have any baking ingredients like flour, eggs

if so you can make pancakes and muffins
do you have a box of mac n cheese?
a can of tuna?
a loaf of bread?

**ladykemma2** · 07-20-2011, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by angela1435

What are the cheapest meals you know of? Or if you can point me to a place that has that info. I have a few things, pork chops, a few bags of beans and 2 frozen hamburgers. LOL. I also have 2 cornish hens in the freezer but have no idea what to do with them. All of this has to last until next Friday, plus what I buy with the 30 dollars. Thanks!

2 cornish hens in the freezer - simmer the hens in 5 quarts of water until they fall apart. pick out the good meat and refrigerate. strain well. cool the clean broth over night in fridge and remove the fat. retrive the meat and dump it in. . dump in some egg noodles or macaroni. cook until the noodles are soft. any leftover veg, throw it in too. voila - noodle soup. variation add a can of crushed tomatoes and some dill weed.

2 frozen hamburgers - 3 cans del monte 'in the can" spaghetti sauce (88cents walmart), or your way of making spaghetti sauce. throw in the patties. stick blender -- spagehtti ragu

what kind of beans?

surely you have other stuff in the pantry?

**walker24** · 07-20-2011, 06:03 PM

My answer would depend on what else you have on hand. Flour, butter, spices etc? I know for sure I'd get some rice and eggs.
Here's a recipe for game hens:
Herbed Cornish Hens Recipe - Allrecipes.com

**ladykemma2** · 07-20-2011, 06:20 PM

yeah, rice, eggs, noodles, spaghetti, oatmeal, milk, butter, bacon, soy sauce, pace picante sauce, WIC cheese, oil...

here are some of my super frugal meals
scrambled egg burritos
"can of chicken" in rice a roni or done by scratch.
steamed potatoes and cheese
cheese, rice, and salsa or hot sauce
chick peas and oregano (recipe in the beans section of this website) and rice

chana masala (ditto) and rice
hummus made with olive oil
taco bell style refried beans (ditto) made into burritoes, tacos, with cheese.
cheese toast and tomato soup
egg salad sandwich
spam sandwich (fry it like bacon)
split peas or any kind of bean with 1/4 pound of bacon in the crock pot. lawrys garlic salt too.

fried rice to use up that pork chop meat

**NikoSan999** · 07-20-2011, 06:29 PM

Is that this coming Friday or Friday after this the 29th?
Ladykemma has come up with some great ideas. But like she asked, what else do you have?

**Contrary Housewife** · 07-20-2011, 08:41 PM

Cornish hens are just small chickens. Chicken salad, chicken soup, chicken pot pie, chicken tacos....

Pork chops can be cut up and used for stir fry. I buy the cheap pork steaks to cut up for sweet and sour pork.

Fruit seems to be cheap around here, a nice cool fruit salad with yogurt would be a good breakfast or lunch option. Likewise, lettuce, tomato and cucumber salad with oil and vinegar.

Eggs are cheap protein. Egg salad, egg drop soup, add to stir fried rice....

Here's one woman's one week plan for a family of four, with her shopping list. Check her links for other ideas. http://www.spam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typed.com/40dollarmenu.htm

**Paws** · 07-20-2011, 10:36 PM

Originally Posted by angela1435

What are the cheapest meals you know of? Or if you can point me to a place that has that info. I have a few things, pork chops, a few bags of beans and 2 frozen hamburgers. LOL. I also have 2 cornish hens in the freezer but have no idea what to do with them. All of this has to last until next Friday, plus what I buy with the 30 dollars. Thanks!

I agree with ladykemma2 on the cornish hens...only my plan would be a large pot of chicken stew...enough for several meals.
Thaw, scramble, and cook the hamburger patties with onions and garlic.
Strain, and cool then split cooked meat into 2 separate containers or bags. Use one for a burger helper meal or soup. Use the remaining one for spaghetti or something else that makes a large amount.
With the $30, buy basic staple foods...Flour, cornmeal, eggs, milk, rice, pasta, veggies...if possible a bit more cheap priced meat.

**miss_cas** · 07-21-2011, 12:22 AM

Me:
This would be a super Aldi's stop moment.

I would get:
Milk - $3
Eggs - $1.25
Bread - $1.50
3 bags veggies - $3
bag bananas - $1.50
spaghetti - $1.00
spaghetti sauce - $1.50
bag rice - $1
5 lb bag potatoes - $2
Cereal - $2
Cheddar Cheese - $2.50
Tomato sauce + can tomatoes - $1
Freezer buscuits - $1.50
Bag carrots - $1
One onion - $1

(I note $5 left, buy more of whatever fruit is cheap and some splurges as you wish maybe a cake or brownie mix plus add chocolate bar pieces for a nice dessert.)

Meals:
Breakfast: Cereal / eggs + toast / omlette with banana and milk

Lunch: Soup / spaghetti + marinara / baked potato / grilled cheese sandwiches + tomato soup (tomato sauce + can chopped tomatoes, garlic + italian seasoning)

Dinner: pork chops + veggie + rice (bouillon cube/thyme/onion or garlic powder)
cornish game hen + veggies + potatoes
hamburgers served on bread plus homemade fries
soup + biscuits

Soups -- Broth: reserve chicken bones and pork chop bones separately, add potato peelings plus carrot peelings plus onion peelings/top/bottom equally to each pot add water to cover and boil for 30 minutes. Allow to cool and run thru a strainer or collander. Keep liquid and throw solids out.

Soup recipes:
Add veggies of your choice, cut up potatoes, carrots, leftover meat, rice or pasta. Season as you wish with spices/herbs + salt pepper. Cook until veggies are tender.

**Contrary Housewife** · 07-21-2011, 12:30 AM

Ah, the spam filter strikes again. Let's see if I can get that link to work...

$45 Emergency Menu for 4 to 6
http://tinyurl.com/qx66l

**angela1435** · 07-21-2011, 01:14 AM

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.

Now that I read this, I see it's not as dire as it seems. I am just not used to having no meat in the freezer.

I need to stretch it to the 29th, answering the person who asked.

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

**angela1435** · 07-21-2011, 01:15 AM

Oh and my husband just told me there is a meeting about deployment tomorrow and they are having pizza! SO happy!

**mauimagic** · 07-21-2011, 01:27 AM

No you don't need ham to use up the beans - check out some vegetarian recipes - the spice cumin works well. Love the ideas you've received - you should do just fine!!

**shoiji** · 07-21-2011, 08:06 AM

The beans you can cook up and make bean burritas or add to the chicken soup for more protein, make a salad with.

See what is on sale produce wise in the grocery store. Do not be afraid to buy produce that is on a managers special rack. Many times it is just a matter of cutting out the bad part from one or two pieces of produce and cooking the same day.

If you purchase milk you can make bread pudding. Something that will last a couple of days.

Tuna you can make sandwiches, tuna melt, tuna casserole, tuna salad, even tuna with pasta.

Soup and grilled cheese sandwich is also a great dinner. Easy to make and cheap. If you just have some broth you can add some frozen vegetables, beans, and some noodles.

Try to calm down about having $30. Sounds as if it is more than enough to hold you over since you already have many items. Great reason to have a stockpile.