Replies to This Discussion

StudentPermalink Reply by MissCephalopod on June 7, 2011 at 12:19am

I'm a vegan and it can be quite cheap to eat this way. I mean, sure, if I load up with processed foods, faux-meats and the most exotic ingredients, then it's not cheap. But there's no cheaper protein source than the vegetarian ones, meaning beans, legumes, whole grains, minimally processed soy products (such as tofu). Meat costs a lot and shrink when you cook it; beans cost little and triple their volume as you cook them. Legumes, grains and beans can also be bought in bulk at ethnic stores, which also saves money!

Fresh vegetables can be pricey at times, but buying them seasonally and maybe relying on frozen ones is a great way to save money. If you're vegan, soy milk and other kinds of milk (almond milk, yummmm!) can be made at home with little cost and it's both healthy and delicious.

Obviously I don't have much to say about eating meat on the cheap, haven't touched any for over two years now, but these tips are what I find helps save money :)

StudentPermalink Reply by Rachel on June 7, 2011 at 8:14pm

I can't follow a full vegetarian or vegan deit=( I use to be a vegtarian, but year or two ago I was told by the doctor to eat lean meat. So I eat that a few times a week. Beans are good but take for ever to cook! I went into the store the other day to buy tomatos and they where like 4 bucks. Maybe I just need to plan a little better when I am out shopping and try some differant stores. time are just hard. thank you for your reply.

StudentPermalink Reply by MissCephalopod on June 8, 2011 at 1:01am

Oh, that sucks. What was the problem? Iron? Protein? (Although it's really hard not to get enough protein if you're not starving yourself.)

The trick to making beans is soaking them overnight. And it's also very practical make a big batch of bean soup when you've got the time and then freeze up some of it so you always have it available when you need a quick lunch. Legumes that don't take very long are red lentils - they're done pretty quick and very versatile, I love making a tomato-based red lentil sauce that I puree and season afterwards. It has a nice creamy texture and tastes delicious! Freezes well too.

Planning ahead is very useful! I know that if I buy a zucchini, I'll be eating zucchini at least twice that week because I never cook up a whole zucchini at a time. Thankfully I love pasta, grains, rice and potatoes with some sauce, so I can always turn the left-over vegetables into sauces and not waste them :)

StudentPermalink Reply by Rachel on June 8, 2011 at 9:22am

 Yup it's kind of a bummer but thats life I guess. I was just super tired alot, which blood test came back pretty normal. I hate to say this but it has help with not being tried so much...ugh yes starving dosn't help either=( I have learnd my lessons on that end. zucchini is good uselly I like to steam zucchini. I think I am going to set a goal to try to plan a better menue. Can all veggies be turn into a sauces?

Permalink Reply by Robin on June 7, 2011 at 9:12pm

I live in the midwest and usually the only stores around are either walmart or dollar general. Thank goodness there is an aldi store twenty minutes away. Aldi is sooooo cheap! Also, when the season permits, gardening yourself is a great way to eat healthy for next to nothing. It's a lot of work, but my boyfriend and I usually end up giving away veggies to the neighbors because we have way too much. Herb gardens indoors are a great idea too. Fresh herbs always taste better, but also knowing that they are salt and additive-free is nice too.  Food dehydrators are a great investment as well. I dehydrate fruits when they are in season and at their cheapest, making tastey snacks when I am broke later on. I also like to dehydrate chopped vegetables to later add to my ramen noodles, the cheapest of cheap foods.I think a 12 pack of chicken ramen noodles will cost less than $2.00

Specialty butcher shops may seem expensive, but if you talk to the owner in advance they are usually very eager to make you a deal when they can. Since most of them are independently owned, the bulk of their business is by word of mouth. If they can keep you happy, that means you tell a friend and they tell a friend and so on... bringing them more money. I hope this was somewhat helpful.

StudentPermalink Reply by Rachel on June 8, 2011 at 9:25am

Ramen noodles is like a college staple lol.  I think walmart has up their prices personally.

Permalink Reply by Lindsey Borg on June 10, 2011 at 9:43pm

I, too, am on a college budget... money and time-wise. Some cheap, healthy favorites of mine are bean salads and curry rice/veggie dishes. I buy a lot of canned and frozen veggies (not as healthy as fresh, but cheaper and time saving). These are very easy to variate so that you don't feel like you're eating the same thing all the time. (bean salads: change the beans/other vegetables you add-- I often add a can of corn or whatever else I have on hand, or dressing... again, whatever's in the fridge or make your own, there are many simple tasty dressings that can be made from pantry ingredients).

Permalink Reply by meladonna on November 14, 2011 at 12:44pm

You can eat really well on a budget, but it does need a bit more planning.  For me, I like to have plenty of quick things on-hand, so it helps to cook extra when I can.  Brown rice is one of those things that "takes too long" if I'm hungry NOW, so I've started cooking a bunch of it at a time so I have it in the fridge.  Dry beans are great, but I do like to have a lot of canned beans on-hand too.  Try hitting a farmers market for produce.  Buying directly from the farmer can save you quite a bit, but it can also be more pricey.  It's a little hit and miss.  I usually get some stuff from the farmers market and fill in where I can with frozen veggies and fruits (frozen fruit is great and far less expensive for making smoothies). As for meats (I am not vegetarian), I like to buy a whole chicken or a lean roast or something.  You can shred leftovers and freeze them for things like pulled pork sandwiches, chicken quesadillas.  If you can, invest in a crock pot.  They aren't terribly expensive, and you could almost definitely find one at Goodwill or at yard sales.  They're a lifesaver if you're not home a lot and don't have much time to cook.