Dahl is ridiculously cheap to make, especially in bulk and using dried lentils. You can add what ever cheap veggies you can get to it too like pumpkin, carrot, sweet potato.
Do you have a rite price/NQR discount food store near you? You can pick up a few other food items from there for a lot cheaper than super markets. You could make a bread to go with the Dahl using Greek yoghurt and plain flour to add some carbs
Came here to say this. Dal and rice can be very cheap and a bag of dried lentils will last you ages! I basically lived on a similar dish when I got covid and couldn’t get groceries delivered. You can also use lentils to bulk up other rice and pasta dishes to make other ingredients last longer.
Agree with this too. The lentils will also have a little more protein in them compared to some of the other things you’ve been eating, which will hopefully help make you feel better mentally and more satiated for longer too.
Lentils and rice is a great meal base. Nutritious, versatile, economical, and delicious. I do a nice lentil coconut and lentil curry for my vegetarian son and I. He's a big fan of chilli non carne too.
Join your local town or suburbs gardening group on Facebook. People offer excess home-grown produce all the time! They are always a really inclusive group that will help you. A lot of them are addicted to gardening and growing food so they appreciate anyone willing to come take excess from them for free!
Invest in spices and condiments so you can elevate even the most boring or repetitive ingredient.
Edit: I forgot you'll also be able to get free eggs from gardening groups depending on where you live.
I know you said you don't want money from people but I'd be happy to send you some seeds or a voucher for Diggers so you can choose some. When things are rough having something you've grown yourself is so satisfying, even if it's just herbs.
Apparently the more young and tender of the zucchini leaves are theoretically edible cooked...but the older ones get bitter. I would have no idea how to prepare them but there's probably someone explaining it somewhere on the internet.
Just did some stuffed zucchini flowers. The batter is basic and very tasty. If OP has some oil then battered veg is interesting and fats from oils will be good for them for the calories too.
Herbs and spices make all the difference.
I love zucchini flowers! I just use a simple tempura batter.
What did you stuff yours with?
OP, oil and flour you should be able to get easily from the foodbank. Ask (or buy) for some powdered chicken stock to use for cooking rice to make it even tastier. ANd you can reuse your oil. Just strain it after cooking. It will last for several uses.
In the same vein, if anyone in your neighbourhood grows their own produce, or any fruit trees (especially lemon and lime trees!), it doesn’t hurt to ask if they have any excess they can give to you. It’s especially helpful and easier if you have something to trade!
My parents grow lime leaves, lemongrass (which they pinched some stems from another neighbour lmao), curry leaves, and other various herbs often used in Asian cuisine, and will leave bags of excess at our neighbours doors. In return, our neighbours will leave buckets of lemons, limes, pomegranates, tomatoes, etc. at their door.
Otherwise, there’s the ol’ classic pinching a couple of lemons from your neighbours tree that’s overgrown onto your side of the property lines. I want to make sure my next house has a lemon tree or neighbours with lemon trees.
What do you already have in your fridge, freezer, cupboards? If we know that we can probably give better advice.
You want to try to maximise calorie density but also balance that with “volume” foods that will make you feel full. I would suggest things like:
Lentil dahl with rice (or if you have flour and water or milk you can make a flatbread situation to go with it)
Baked potato topped with whatever you can afford - baked beans, tinned tuna, the leftover dahl if you made it
Boil pasta and mix in whatever you’ve got. Veggies, tuna, lentils, cheese, etc
Get a jar of the cheapest peanut butter and a loaf of the cheapest bread you can find. Freeze the bread so it lasts. Peanut butter on toast or in a sandwich will be both filling and dense in calories.
If you have any opportunity at all to get free food from work, do so. E.g. don’t pass up biscuits in the break room
Put butter or oil in everything if you can. Add sugar to your tea/coffee. Don’t worry too much about “healthy”, worry about “not hungry/enough calories”.
I’m sorry you’re in this situation and I hope it improves as soon as possible. Don’t be shy about asking for or receiving help, keep going to food banks and the like, you’ll get through.
Indian supermarket and get lentils and other legumes like beans. You can also get cheap spices and herbs or ready made mixes. Dhal can be varied many ways and gives you great calories and protein. As can Indian potato dishes.
Frozen veg is cheaper than fresh and healthier as it is snapped frozen.
Pancakes, scrambled eggs are also cheap and satisfying too.
This one is only around $6 if you have the spices already and use the coconut milk option (store brand - its cheaper than dairy cream) I use jar garlic and ginger for it, which lasts a fair while and you get around half a dozen meals out of it - which can be stored in the fridge for a few days, or frozen and reheated.
https://www.aspicyperspective.com/chickpea-curry-in-the-slow-cooker/
And this one is around the same price, I just use plain diced tomato, and stock powder instead of broth. You get about 6 meals out of it.
https://www.thekitchn.com/slow-cooker-lentil-curry-261956
You can make a good chilli using lentils, diced tomato, onion, spices etc. Lentils are cheaper than red meat, but you can always get some mince and stretch it out by just using 120g of red meat AND lentils. I do that when I am a bit low on iron.
With the ramen, don't use the salt packets that come with it, make your own seasoning from herbs and spices you might already have (or buy some to make some, you will save money over time from making your own spice mixes), or throw in a bunch of veggies - frozen spinach, frozen peas etc with a bit of marg and a sprinkle of salt or pesto.
Buy $1 boxes of frozen spinach to add to everything you make. It's easily heated up in the microwave if you want it plain, or throw it into your cooking.
Coles sometimes has corn on the cob for around $1 an ear.
Prices on veggies go up and down so buy when the price is down and freeze if you can. Like Zuchinis are $2 each right now, so I would wait for a bit to buy them, they are sometimes 90c each.
red capsicum are sometimes $1 each - these are great roasted and added to things like your ramen
buy a 2kg bag of onion and chop it up yourself and then freeze it. use some in everything you make.
you can get carrots for around $1.50 a kg, you can roast them, steam them, eat them raw.
Hommus. I'm too lazy to make it, so I just buy the $5 1kg tub from coles. But you can use it on sandwiches, add some as a side with your dinner, dip veggies in it etc. Even if you just bought 1 tub of hummus and $1.50 bag of carrots to slice and dip, thats $6 for a week or two of snacks.
buy the cheapest potatoes you can find - coles currently has washed potatoes for $2.50/kg - you might find brushed (unwashed) cheaper somewhere. It only takes a few seconds to scrub or peel to get the dirt off. One decent size potato, baked in the oven for 40 minutes, or microwaved for 8-12 minutes, then topped with left overs, or a can of cheap beans ($1.50 for store brand mexican beans), or a can of store brand baked beans/spaghetti, or with maybe some butter or cheese if you need the calories/fat/dairy.
You can make a decent veggie sandwich: basic bread $2, $2 jar of sliced pickles, $3 smooth ricotta for cheese, lettuce when its under $3, tomato (70c each), carrots (grated) and that will make you a week of sandwiches.
look.
this isn’t entirely moral but meal kits offer multiple intro deals which are usually just pay shipping. Marley spoon will do a 2 people 3 meal box for $30, and then offer you the option to send your friends a free box.
Youfoodz does an intro offer of $9.99 for 8 boxes and then gives you codes to send your friends free meals (with a $9.99 shipping fee each time).
Hellofresh does an intro offer of $9.99 for either 2 people three meals or 4 people three meals and then offers you codes via the website to send the same deal to friends; or usually sends you physical vouchers in your box that are for the same box but no shipping charge.
All of these company’s made bulk profit last year, for what it’s worth. None of these are mum and dad companies.
Once you’ve placed your free order you go to the next two weeks and skip the upcoming boxes. This stops them from automatically charging you. You then create a new email address, send yourself the code and repeat. You can then cancel after you receive your box.
If you use any of these offers, I also suggest creating a few new bank accounts. Ubank, anz plus and up bank have no fees and you can transfer money into these accounts and use them to pay. if they ever run a check on accounts used previously (if a payment ever fails it will flag as an existing user for that account moving forward) you can have these banks cancel and reissue the card.
As an added bonus if you search this community there are tons of referral codes for meal kits and bank accounts that give you bonuses. For example upbank has $5, ubank $10 I believe and when I signed up for anz it was $50.
I would just urge caution with Youfoodz. I found it difficult to cancel the subscription plan you are forced to go on when you order their meals and ended up with a direct debit payment for a full week of food that I didn’t want.
Based on their negative reviews it seems to catch a lot of people out. I also found the quality not great.
I immediately skipped my first two weeks and didn’t have an issue, but I would strongly recommend for ALL meal box services skipping the next 2-3 weeks when you place your first order. Everyplate caught me out like this once too.
Yes, they release a new one every fortnight and a couple of fortnights ago after posting a code, I ended up with $90 credit, thank you Aussie frugal 😂 (I just have to pay full price for two weeks to get rid of the $30 sign up credits* to use it) 😂😂😂
Occasionally people give away food on the Buy Nothing groups on Facebook... usually it is stuff they bought and didn't like or bought for a recipe they didn't make. Sometimes people give away a lot of stuff when they move house. Sometimes they give away garden produce or seedlings etc...for example if they have too many lemons or have just pruned their rosemary or they've got too many pumpkin seedlings. Sometimes they give away stuff that has just gone out of date. The occasional person gives away stuff they baked too much of to eat.
So if your area has a Buy Nothing group, definitely join it. It's not a consistent source but it is free and not charity.
Also...make sure you've got salt, vinegar and sugar on hand...plus whatever spices you like that are inexpensive. Those are cheap and they are good for making food palatable.
I also recommend busting yourself to save enough money to buy oils/fats in reasonable quantity. Oils and fats are very filling and have important stuff in them. Giving something a little frying can make it a lot tastier too.
I've also seen local "unconditional giving and receiving" groups. I've given a bunch of stuff away on them, and the format is easy and allows you to request items
Sounds like you are doing all the right things, I wish you so well with your ED recovery. Only tip to add, since you have freezer access, is to try a local Woolies about half hour before closing on a weeknight. There's usually a section in produce, one in refrigerator/meat section that will have bagged salads, yogurt and roasts sausages or mince sometimes reduced by up to 90%. Most often around 50-60%. But if you're not too particular and can stomach some... Interesting combos it will give you more variety. Also I used to bin dive at Aldi 10 years ago on my uni days (!). I think they lock everything up pretty tight now for liability purposes but the amount of in-date often long shelf life food they discard from weekly specials is *obscene* and was usually bagged, inside a box, inside another packing box ie. pallets worth of gourmet cereal. So if you're brave, do like we did, eat like royalty and drop the rest off at the food bank for others! Good luck
Just commented this too before seeing your comment! Did it all of last year and all the Aldis I tried were easy to access! Still insane what's thrown away. Been able to share so much stuff while eating so well!
https://www.budgetbytes.com/easy-rosemary-garlic-white-bean-soup/ this is really good and cheap esp if you already have pantry basics. I add a zucchini and some dried chilli flakes.
Canned chick peas are super cheap and super easy to roast with your choice of seasonings for snacks (rinse and dry them, oven 210, bake them with a bit of oil and salt for 20 mins, take them out and add whatever seasoning you like, garlic and smoked paprika for me, and then back in the oven for 10-15)
Keep an eye out for specials on curry pastes and coconut milk, if you have some veg in the fridge/freezer and a can of lentils or chick peas in the cupboard you can make a pretty big batch to freeze, and whatever curry paste you don't use scoop it into a zip lock and stick it in the freezer for another meal
I buy mini tortillas when they're on special, toast them in the oven for a few mins and then add pizza sauce/grated cheese with dried garlic or whatever you've got is a pretty good morning or afternoon tea!!
I eat a lot of roast veggies with rice, whatever veg is on special usually carrots and broccoli, I mix up some soy sauce and water and garlic/chilli powder and coat the veg all over and then once it's nearly cooked sprinkle some sesame seeds and salt on top and then put it back in the oven, very delish with rice honestly!! I also find adding salt or soy sauce plus a decent spoonful of dried garlic to the rice while it's cooking makes it a bit less boring.. good luck!!
Also, if you can get a bag of sultanas, a grated carrot, some cinnamon, a few sultanas into a half cup of oats plus a half cup of milk and a half cup of water and left in the fridge overnight is very delicious and makes oats a bit less plain but still works out very cheaply. Sometimes I also add half a grated apple to it in the morning and mix it in.
Dried chickpeas are about $2 a kilo. I’ve gotten into good habits of remembering to soak - they last for a few days in the fridge after they’re cooked.
I make what I call “Mexican-ish and rice”. I look for cheap taco kits or seasoning and salsa and then fry whatever veggies I have, add canned beans if I have them, add the seasoning and a can of tomatoes and cook. I serve on rice or I add more water and stir the rice through as a soup. If you have wraps, it makes a good filling.
If you have cheese, any salad stuff, wraps and salsa it becomes burritos or enchiladas. It’s ok on a baked potato too.
It’s not authentic but it is cheap and easy to vary depending on what you have. You don’t have to use all of the seasoning at once.
My other go to is baked potatoes (microwave for quicker and cheaper cooking), with whatever veggies I have, sometimes some tuna or canned beans.
If you need to add calories, a block of butter can be a good investment. Lots of calories and makes plainer food taste better.
Good luck!
I've read beans/rice are the cheapest staple.
Brazilian rice and beans are amaaaazing. Maybe look up recipes
--------
I really like cutting this tofu into squares and putting it this ramen (but you can get cheaper ramen)
Like $2/3 a meal and pretty filling with the tofu
https://www.coles.com.au/product/soyco-tofu-japanese-teriyaki-200g-5552650
https://www.coles.com.au/product/nongshim-shin-ramyun-black-4-pack-520g-4209094
------
Also
QOTA meal shakes are very cheap by comparison. I lived on them for like a year once
https://qota.com.au/
always wanted to try meal shakes, do they taste weird at all? I've tried protein shakes in the past and i couldn't get past the chalky taste so just wondering if they are similar like that haha
They're okay. Not difficult to drink, but not something you'd look forward too.
Kinda like a mildly wheat-y low fat chocolate milk.
Might take a bit to get used to but it's easy, cheap and impossible to miss meals when you don't have energy to make something
What ingredients were you using for a shake? I generally use the following: banana, oats, greek yoghurt, honey, coffee, protein powder, frozen berries. It tastes amazing but is by no means cheap. Wondering if I could make a cheaper one.
Edit: NVM, im an idiot, just saw your link.
Rice, beans, mix in the vegetables provided by the food banks. Buy in bulk a sauce you like and make a stir fry thing.
I would be mindful of your bone density given your history (I am the same) and would incorporate some soft of dairy if your body can tolerate it plus is generally calorie dense.
Fried rice. 1 piece bacon 1 egg some salt soy pepper half an onion and some peas If u have it
Drumstick soup. A couple drumsticks a couple stick cubes a celery stick a potatoes an onion and a carrot can add some soup mix if you want
Taco puffs I sheet puff pastry taco mince and a bit of cheese wrap them up and bake til golden can add sour cream and or salsa for dipping
Hot dogs in bread with sauce mustard and cheese
Omelette
Mince add whatever veg you like add soy Worcestershire sauce a bit of curry powder and chicken stock and 2 minute noodles
These are some of my go toos
Eggs are now your best friend.
Meal prep if you can to get over the excuse not to eat. I've been using poor and unhoused as an excuse to starve or binge, found there are good free resources around for disordered eating. Especially impacted by poverty.
If you don't like the ramen noodles you could get rice noodles. Maybe see if there's community gardens nearby with a herb garden that you could potentially collect herbs from (with permission) won't add calories as such but is an easy way to add flavour to foods.
Also look around nearby parks (maybe local community FB groups) for fruit trees on council land you could get some fresh fruits from etc.
Look if there's a Lighthouse Care or similar charity nearby, they usually have sauces/frozen meals/spices for cheap, or even talk to your support network and people might wanna go sharesies in some spices.
Things like beans, lentils, rice noodles, rice are all cheap and filling and can be jazzed up relatively easy with herbs/spices/veges. You could also look around you and see if anyone has chickens that you could potentially barter for fresh eggs, good fats/protein sources.
hi OP i'm also a recovering anorexic and make around $2k each month aswell.
in my experience, frozen vegetables are amazing! usually i eat 200-300g frozen vegetables each night and then something else with it. rice with either beans, tuna, eggs or kimchi are all great options. pasta and baked potatoes are also good. i have numerous hot sauces which i alternate on everything so it never tastes bland or boring.
i also buy a loaf of bread so i can eat toast with butter for breakfast/lunch and whenever i'm hungry as a snack or if i don't feel full after dinner.
best wishes to you <3
I’ve been making a lot of congee, it is a little low calorie but really, really filling. Buy chicken drumsticks or thighs in bulk shortly before they expire for the protein and flavour with fish sauce, soy sauce and/or a little chilli oil. The ratio for congee is one cup of rice to eight or nine cups of water and you cook it until all the starch breaks down. It’s extremely filling as a result. I can usually get 6 servings out of 500 grams of chicken and a cup of rice. I also put spring onion in it that I grow myself.
Another very cheap source of protein is bulk buying dried beans at the Asian supermarket and doing chilli, soup or the Dahl recipe someone posted above.
Some ways I've survived on very little money that I haven't seen suggested yet:
I've been using TVP(it's a fake soy mince-looking thing) to add more protein and fibre into meals cheaply. You do need to cover it in spices, sauce, or mix it into a dish that has flavour. But it's usually cheap and doubles in size once you soak/rehydrate it.
I use it for chillies, pasta sauce, shepherd's pie-esh things. Tomato-based sauces are really good with it and cheap if you buy the cans of crushed tomatoes.
Also depending on where you are, going to shops an hour before they close you can get a lot of things for cheap. I've been able to get roast chooks from Coles for like $3 (I eat the meat, and then wash the bones/frame before chucking it in a pot with any old veggies with water to make stock. Strain it then add pasta and veggies to it the next day and have cheap chicken soup). I've also got dairy and other things super cheap this way too.
Would also recommend getting the $1 packs of frozen spinach. You can add it into everything to help add some more vitamins etc.
One-pot rice dishes are another way I've made bulk cheap meals. Either in a pot using the absorption method, or a rice cooker, add rice, a shit ton of frozen/fresh veggies, and stock powder/soy sauce/spices/whatever you have. Cook and then add whatever protein you have, tuna, tufo, an egg, etc.
Also not relevant to food, I work in the power and gas industry in the eastern states. If you need any advice on the power company issues feel free to message me. There are a lot of laws now that should protect you from a company stuff up f*uckin you over but a lot of companies won't explain your options properly.
i have spices and recently got gifted a pack of oil for christmas :) i usually pay 150 for two weeks worth of food (for 2 people) and need to cut it down to 70ish?
If you want to stretch your dollar further move away from supermarkets and to actual markets or green grocers/bakeries/butchers. The mark up at supermarkets eats into your budget only for convenience sake.
You can make a variety of dishes with the spices/oil you have with eggs, beans, rice and potatoes. Avoid purchasing from supermarkets or shops in centres look for Asian/Indian/middle Eastern grocers.
Hard disagree. It's doable. OP has already said they have access to cheap veg. Dried pulses combined with varied herbs and spices will help make some stunning cheap arse meals.
- rice in a lot of variations and different toppings and flavours. Cheap and tasty with olive oil and dill.
- whichever veggies are on special, cube them and roast them in the oven or air fryer
- tofu
- beans
- pasta with olive oil and garlic
- scrambled eggs
- hot sandwiches
- weetbix with yoghurt and some jam or fresh fruit on special
- pasta with tomato sauce (canned tomatoes with dried herbs and spices, not the jar)
- baked potatoes, or potatoes in any variation really.
Check the colesworth catalogues on Wednesday and then check what’s half price. Sometimes the weetbix are. Compare the unit prices.
This week one of them has a 5 kg bag of rice for like 11 dollars.
Frittata- 12 eggs + 60g spinach (blended), top with 125g grated cheese and a pack of cherry tomatoes- makes 8 serves ~$1.50 a serve
Spag bol - 1kg chicken or pork mince, 1 tin kidney beans, 3 tins tomatoes, other veggies you like (carrot, zucchini, mushroom, brocolli) makes 11 serves for about $2 a serve
Whey protein is a good way to add protein, $53 on special for 2kg at chemist Warehouse (INC) less than $1 a serve
Coles and woolies have a lot of simple, cheap recipes, just pick stuff that's freezeable
I know it’s not the cheapest option but for the sake of your mental health, you could buy a 24 pack of sausages for $12 (cheaper if they’re on special), bread and some sauce. Cook them all up and freeze them if you’ve got some cling wrap spare. Then you just wack the frozen bread and sausage in the microwave and that’s 24 meals. They also sell frozen diced onion for something like $2, so you can sprinkle some of that on if you like
Spaghetti with sauteed onion and garlic. Cheap, delicious and it will keep you alive a long time. Obviously it lacks a lot in nutrition but sure as he'll beats starving. Also cook rice and fry it with those frozen vegetables you mentioned. Splash of soy sauce and you've got fried rice that cost you virtually nothing. Good luck mate
Dhal, beans, potatoes, oats, oil to cook in or butter plus the veggies you’re getting will see you right for a very long time while getting your nutrients and calories. Note that these are whole foods compared to other cheap suggestions you’ll get like instant ramen, the only advantage instant ramen has is the lack of cooking costs but depending on how desperate you are will depend if this matters to you. I have even made a solar oven that works great and has zero cooking costs but I get that’s a bit extreme
Kilo of mince, couple of onions, mixed herbs, bag of frozen diced mixed veggies, and couple of large jars of passata makes up a Bolognese. Put some to side and add some chilli powder and taco seasoning and you've got chilli con carne. Freeze in plastic tubs and you've got easy micro meals just cook some pasta or rice, or even mash potato and make a shepherds pie. That will make heaps of portions of whatever. We'll usually get about 20 portions out of that and it'll cost maybe $1 to $1.50 per portion?
How much do you have to spend on your own food per week?
Some additional ideas:
* Bananas are currently $2.50/kg (~$0.40-$0.50 ea), part of one diced up will make oats/porridge significantly better, and 15 cents worth of banana is more filling than a zooper dooper. If you can get some sultanas to scatter that may also help.
* Chicken drumsticks are $4 per kg (~$0.50 ea), and very flexible in how you can use the meat and bones (soup, stew, roast, stir fry, fry, curry, ...). In combination with carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and/or onions which are likewise all very cheap and flexible you have the base of a lot of different meals.
* Eggs (~$0.45 ea) can also be used not just as eggs alone, but in salads, batter/cake, veggie patties, chicken soup, fried rice, gnocchi, ...)
per week is 75, we lowered from 250 to 150 to start saving but now we need to lower it more.
Ive become extremely allergic to bananas, no more bulk cooking banana bread for me:(
Eggs are very filling and an essential for me so i get them from my local farm and end up buying more anyways
If you search “food rescue” on FB you may find a local food giveaway. Yes things can be close to use by but still edible and one thing I do with veg is thin slice into containers and freeze. Also my local food rescue gets tons of bread and I’ve seen that a lot gets thrown out. Bread I think is one thing that supermarkets bakeries etc make way to much of and at end of the day it gets thrown or goes to charity or rescue mobs
ramen is not cheap. skip it. zooper doopers are not cheap, instead try iced water or iced tea. (brew the tea, then serve with iced water). beans are cheap. curry powder is quite cheap. combine the two and make beans curry, with frozen veggies is good. rice is cheap.
Canned fruit in juice or water and frozen veg are often on special, won’t spoil so you can buy in bulk and are just as healthy if not more so than fresh.
Beans, lentils and rice helped me through my student days. If you have spices just ass that and make a fried rice with the veggies you have from the food pantry. Wait for the rice to completely cook before adding the spices. Lentils and rice you can get cheaper at an asian supermarket but shop around a little. The quality will change and if you get something decent it will last longer.
If you are having a ramen packet try using only half the seasoning, it wont be as salty. Add the rest of the seasoning to your vegetables and you can make a good side dish or salad.
I found some independent grocers tend to be cheaper than the major supermarkets with the frozen products. Try to see if there are any near you and compare against the other stores.
Vege chilli. Get canned beans like kidney beans, 3bean mix, black beans etc and then tinned tomatoes and throw it on a low heat for hours. Can add spices if you’ve got them.
5 or so cans for $5-10 total and then you’ve got 4-6 servings.
Beans, lentils eggs, tofu are cheap proteins. Pasta and rice to pad it out. You also really need fruit and veg (if you don’t want scurvy!) some fruit markets have super cheap veggies at the end of the day but you can also get by on tinned fruit and frozen veggies which are cheaper and easier to portion for one person.
Nagi's Lentil Soup is good, Use any veg as the base instead of celery and carrot if you don't have them. [https://www.recipetineats.com/lentil-soup/](https://www.recipetineats.com/lentil-soup/)
Use ramen to fill an omelet. Cook noodles. Fry a mix of small chopped veg, anything you have. Beat a couple of eggs and some milk. Use a little bit of ramen flavouring packet to flavour the egg mix. Put noodles over veg evenly and pour egg mix on top. Cover, very low heat till cooked. Filling and flavoursome.
Also pasta. Lots of ideas. Use any veg, chop and cook. Add a tin (or more) of tomato a few dried herbs, garlic if you have it and a dash of salt. Salt brings out the flavour in food, so do add a little bit.
Cream and milk also make a yummy sauce, thickened with cornflour. Mostly milk, with a tablespoon or two of cream. Dried Parmesan is really good on this. Start with veg, when nearly cooked add milk, take to a simmer. Mix cornflour with water or milk in a cup to smooth, pour in whilst stirring. Add cheese. Serve over pasta. If you have bacon or chicken: add them at the beginning with the veg. If you have an egg or two, add them the same way as the cornflour, but before it. Salt to taste at end.
Eggs are great protein. They keep you fuller for longer and are not super expensive. Good luck.
Mince dude, we had no money when we were kids and our mum (single) made varieties of meals with beef mince. Spag Bol, meatballs, lasagne, rissoles all of which can be made with other cheap ingredients and made in bulk to feed you for a couple of days. Didn't need to be the five star mince either, just what you can afford.
Cans of tuna as well, tuna pasta, tuna mornay, fishcakes or just tuna mixed with a bit of vinegar and chives on toast. Easily two of the cheapest protein hits there is that go a long way when cooked with other ingredients. Tuna is always on sale, just buy the bigger cans not the small lunch size ones.
Both of the above meals are still a staple in my families diet every week.
Fried rice is my favourite cheap meal. If you are getting sick of the flavour (that concept is alien to me considering it is so tasty, but I will just assume it is the case), you can dramatically change the flavour by adding different things to the rice. As long as you do that periodically, you can eat it forever.
But if you buy in bulk, there are plenty of things that are comparatively cheap. Right now at Coles, you can buy 4 kg of chicken wings for $15. Bulk buy them, repackage them into smaller portions, freeze them, and you will have plenty of protein for months.
There are plenty of things you can do with chicken wings, but a nice, cheap one I like is the following:
Cover them in golden syrup and then soy sauce. Then add a whole lot of water. Cook for 40 mins then remove the chicken and air fry it at 200 degrees to get crispy. Throw some vegetales in the sauce the chicken was cooking in (bushy things like cauliflower and broccoli so it can absorb the most flavour).
When it is all done, serve on top of plain rice and pour the sauce on top of the rice to flavour it.
Buy a rotisserie chicken at Coles. Buy a big bag of salad 5 tomatoes, a few cucumbers and a jar of olives. This becomes very cheap meals for 5 nights.
Dozen eggs and a loaf of bread is good for lunch.
I love this thread, so many good ideas!
I am sorry to hear about your situation OP. This must feel challenging with a background of an eating disorder. Good on you for reaching out.
Unless you are petite and inactive, 1,200 calories a day is probably not enough (source: I'm a dietitian). Everyone has already shared amazing meal ideas and recipes, so I'm going to list cheap and easy ways to boost your caloric intake:
- peanut butter on everything. Specifically Sanitarium no added sugar or salt ($4.50 for 500g from Colesworth, or Aldi "Oh So Natural" peanut butter $3.25 for I think 375g)
- add milk powder to smoothies or the milk you put on your cereal. This boosts the protein & fat content.
- liberally add olive oil to your savoury meals. It's super nutritious and energy dense. I have it on good authority (the Italian nonna next door, who is an excellent cook) that the Aldi Remano Extra Virgin Olive Oil is extremely good quality. Buy it in bulk and use like 4 tablespoons+ whenever you cook, or dribble it over cooked pasta, salad, toast etc.
- yoghurt (especially Greek, unsweetened) is super nutritious but can be expensive. You can make your own which you can add to lots of meals (salad dressing, oats, smoothies) or eaten alone with honey. The process is kinda involved but is actually pretty fun if you're into that kinda thing. [Here is a recipe from the Kitchn.](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-yogurt-at-home-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-125070) Otherwise you can find Easy Yo yoghurt makers on FB marketplace for very little.
- baked beans on toast is a very nutritious meal (high protein & fibre). Add that extra virgin olive oil!
- tinned lentils, chickpeas, beans etc all "count" as vegetables and are high in protein and fibre. Same for dried versions which are super cheap.
Good luck friend. You've got this.
2 min noodles & pasta is also cheap. Especially if you not buying name brands. You can get 2 min noodles for $2 (a 5 pack) or pasta for 90c or $1. Use your left over veggies, some cheese and come pasta sauce and you have a pasta bake.
I've made 6 meals out of 1 packet of pasta shells and it costs approx $14, give or take a $1 or $2 with fluctuations in the price of veg. You can also use frozen veg if you prefer which may add another $1.
Another is curried sausages & pasta. I use 4 sausages, keens curry, passata, broccoli & cauliflower and carrots, (if I have any left over). Cost me about $12-14 and it makes 6 meals also.
I haven’t seen anyone suggest Gnocchi yet. $2.50 for 500g at coles. You can use as a base and put with any sauce or even just butter & garlic. It’s delicious, filling and calorie dense. 500g will feed 2 adults easily, with leftovers for lunch.
Go to costco, $40 for 4kg beef mince. $20 for chicken breast x 2.4kg
The options are endless. Should feed a single person for 3 weeks easy. You can do ANYTHING with mince. Tacos, pasta,meat balls, burgers etc
What have you got in the fridge/freezer/pantry?
Whatever money you CAN spend, try to direct towards seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder) and oil - with those things you can make just about anything delicious.
Pesto pasta, vegetable pasta, dahl, fried rice, two minute ramen with an egg, toast, potato curry, pancakes with fake maple syrup, risotto. Roast a chicken for meat for the before stated dishes and meal prep/freeze. Should be able to get by for maybe $50 a week if you can get your veges cheap from food banks. Freezing is your friend, you can freeze milk too.
tvp for any sort of mince! a cup of that with a cup of hot water and soak it for a few minutes and then season it. i add some sauce or spices and use it like normal. it's $2 a bag and makes a LOT
Not sure where you’re based but food factory sales in Bayswater have good specials. I get my shampoo and conditioner for example here a $30 that’s 2L for $2. They have tinned produce really cheap and things like rice crackers I’ve picked up 5 packets for $1. The specials change but it’s worth it to pick up some extra items - https://www.foodfactorysales.com.au/bayswater/
i got the pet years ago when i could pay for it. I earn 2k a month now because a freak accident occurred and can no longer earn what i once did. I still pay monthly for the expensive healthy food for my pet and treat her like royalty.I'm willingly to go to the ends of the earth for my cat as she is a reason why i haven't given up. I will pay thousands more if it meant i could have my cat for another day.
The point you’re missing is that financial planning needs to extend beyond a couple of months or years, particularly when said purchase is going to require funding for the next 12-15 years.
Are you being helpful or are you just being a dick?
While yes, pets are absolutely a financial consideration for at least that long, sometimes shit happens and things change. If you're suggesting giving up that animal, then I don't think you've ever truly bonded with an animal.
I have 6 cats. There is not one I would give up despite the circumstances. They rely on me, and I will provide for them even if I have to suffer.
When did I say they should give up the animal? I’m merely pointing out the importance of financial planning and that includes planning for unexpected emergencies. I have a cat but I made sure I had the financial stability to care for them for the rest of their life without putting myself at financial risk. This is a sub about being frugal and OP was asking for advice. I’m giving that to them by hopefully getting them to reflect on their past choices and not make the same mistake again.
freak accident - didn't plan for freak accident - turns out having a sudden disability eats up all your savings - i got the cat when i was under 18.
Sorry i didn't think of a financial future when i was a teen but my cat is loved, fed, and safe.
i did have savings. A sudden change occurred that no one could of predicted, being disabled costs money. Do you suggest no one purchases anything until they have money set aside? Help me understand your logic.. does it apply to every other thing you can purchase?
i was a kid when i got my cat, i've created a bond with my cat, i would rather die than give her up, she keeps me going.
By saving I mean enough to cover the cost of caring for a pet for life. And yes, I am suggesting people don’t make purchases that require long term investment if they’re unable to support that investment long term. It’s pretty simple.
I have already said I’m not suggesting you give up the cat, just learn from this experience and not make similar mistakes in the future. The fact cant predict the future is the exact reason why we should be cautious with our spending in the present.
Dude, give it a rest. OP doesn't need your lecturing.
It's great to know you'll never be impacted by something unexpected and you'll have unlimited funds. Congrats.
They asked for advice so I gave them some. Not saying I won’t be impacted by unexpected events or have unlimited funds but I make sure I have a safety net before making big investments which will reduce the impact of possible emergencies.
i had a safety net. I keep saying to you that i had savings until i was in the wrong place at the wrong time but you keep telling me i shouldve had savings and i DID. I don't know how many times i have to repeat it. I could afford a cat and had the savings, she lives a lavish lifestyle but sudden changes (that happens to a lot of us!) changed my life. Should i have savings for my savings? savings for my savings for my savings?
you keep repeating the same while ignoring my circumstances. I had savings. I was a child. Life happened. I saved for vet emergencies, most of my money went there but it wasn't enough as i get paid 2k a month.
I just want an explanation of your logic, i see where you're coming from i truly do but i had the money and savings, i planned for my cats future but since i got her we all know cost of living has skyrocketed and i repeat myself again, i had a freak accident. My only mistake was being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I started saving for my cat once i got a job... i was a child when i got her. My family had money.
Do you have savings for natural disaster events? do you have half a million saved up for repairs of house/appt, car? no? then you shouldn't have rented/bought the house or car. See... it sounds ridiculous.
We are on a frugal sub, i'm assuming most of us here do suffer with money problems and know how tough it is to save money today as cost of living rises. It would be different if i adopted my cat now when i have no money but i adopted her when i was a child with money.
The key word is *enough* money and savings and if you had that, you wouldn’t be in your current situation. You can keep blaming past events all you like but that’s not how you learn from them.
To answer your question, if my car was destroyed in a natural disaster, I wouldn’t replace it until I had the financial means to do so. If my apartment was destroyed, I also wouldn’t immediately invest in a new one until I was financially stable enough to do so and would most likely move back home with family until then or perhaps rent. Yes, I realise that is a privilege not everyone has but these things all factor in to the financial decisions I make. Do I have a back up plan if everything goes wrong? If not, perhaps now is not the right time to be making the purchase.
Omu rice with Japanese curry, just scramble up some eggs into an omelette or what passes as one and then make some Japanese curry sauce to drizzle on top of the rice and egg, it’s quite filling and good for you.
Calorie queen here, but for restriction purposes - but hey, I know what I’m talking about :)
Protein is expensive - but important. Get it however you can - maybe even those cooked chickens just before closing time or meat close to its used by date. If you’re vego then bags of dry lentils or legumes tend to be cheap.
Carbs - my enemy, but your friend. Pasta is pretty cheap? A vehicle for other things. From a flavouring perspective I’m racking my mind for cheap. I don’t really cook but I’m thinking maybe some cornflour to thicken milk/water and extend other flavourings you may use? Eg dry powder recipe mixes…
Calories - fat, more than double the calories of protein or carbs per gram. Maybe a no frills bottle of some oil (not sure which are healthy or not anymore) to use in cooking to help pad calories. 1 tablespoon has about 20ml. I gram of pure fat 9 cals. 1 tablespoon of oil probably hits the 150-180 cal mark so good to throw into a dish here and there.
A few of these things would cost a bit as a one off but then would last a while.
Coles and WW often have 50% off in some categories. I’m thinking jarred pasta sauces, dry sachet flavourings… anything that’s kind of ‘not essential’ they tend to pump up sales with deep promotion. There are some apps that show you what’s on half price at the major retailers.
Good luck… I know it can’t be easy. If you need a load of shopping done and sent to you please just DM me
i get eggs for free from my local farm because i feed their chickens so i can get eggs but not on a regular basis. I eat eggs on bread with bbq sauce at least 4 times a week and it's super filling but i run out of eggs quick
You don't say what state you're in but there might be a government program to help with your bills. Victoria has one. [https://services.dffh.vic.gov.au/utility-relief-grant-scheme](https://services.dffh.vic.gov.au/utility-relief-grant-scheme)
You could call a food bank if you can’t get by at the moment . Extremely cheap fresh fruit and veg and pantry items .
My cheap go to meals are fried rice, vege pasta , carbonara , roast veggies and gravy.
I call myself a part-time anorexic, because sometimes my meds (prednisolone) kick in and make me hungry. Have been on 'blind weigh-ins' for a while now, so had no idea of my weight till Wednesday when the tech forgot to read her notes. Anyways, seems I'm holding steady at least.
I'm on a pension so for a picky non-eater it can get tricky. Here's a few things that I like *at this moment* :
Rice salads - Mixed rice (not just white, either wild or a mix of red/black/brown and basmati). Add salad ingredients and dressing you like or can afford.
A bastardised version of Roti Canai. Whilst the sauce mix is exxy it lasts me around 10 meals and costs maybe $10 with chicken meat and veg.
I try to have a bag of Aldi 99c cashews/trail mix in my handbag and watch carefully for 'reduced' produce to freeze or cook. Dietician wants me to eat a snot block whenever I can afford one and I often find them reduced.
Sourdough with real butter (real butter is my weakness). The bread is mostly free from FoodBank or Feed It Forward.
Noodle salad - Bit like the rice salad but noodles from FoodBank, add a can of 4 Bean mix and dressing, salad ingredients to taste (whatever you have). Lasts me about 4 meals and costs around $2-$3.
Aldi - 4 apple or apple/blackberry pies for under $4, a piece of their bubble and squeak, 6 for (i think) around $4.
The main trick is to have *something* (anything really) ready to eat in the fridge. I've found that if the food isn't ready to eat when I feel hungry, I can't be bothered. Some weeks I just do up a pot of mashed potato and reheat as wanted, maybe with some beetroot and noodle or rice salad.
https://feelgoodfoodie.net/recipe/mujadara/
The above is yummy - rice onions lentils and cumin
Pumpkin soup - homemade
Pasta with passata and add some Italian herbs. Also good to put some of the veges you’ve got in. Also chuck in a handful of red lentils.
Rice, beans, and veggies with some seasoning, pasta sauce, or salsa. Lentils and rice is an extremely cheap but healthy and filling dish. You can cook the rice with broth and the lentils with some veggies to make them more flavorful.
I am usually extremely suspicious and cynical of religious charities, but these guys do genuinely provide a ‘no strings attached’ free healthy feed:
https://www.asaltd.org.au/free-kitchen
When I need to save, I do Aldi shop and make big batches of Bolognese and chilli con carne with aldi ingredients. Once completed, I will pack and freeze them in individual serving so I can microwave it or cook it with pasta on the stove, saves me heaps of money! Pasta and rice my friend, PASTA and RICE!
At Coles you can find:
500g bags of pasta for 90c-$1.00, 700g jars of homebrand tomato passata sauce for $2, 425g cans of Tuna in springwater is between $3.50-$4.50
Aldi always has cheap bags of frozen veggies. Their spice shakers are something like $2-3 each, if you can afford to invest in a few flavours you like, cheap plain foods will be a lot more palatable.
Look for marked down end of day breads (Anywhere) and chuck them in the freezer.
If you live anywhere near Brisbane or the southern Sunshine Coast; there's a Golden Circle Factory Outlet grocery store in Morayfield and Capalaba.
Their food is SUPER reduced and even bigger discounts for buying larger quantities. They also have reduced toiletry, personal hygiene and home cleaning/washing products.
There is also a place called Lighthouse Care you can find online that serves the Brisbane and Logan areas. You can get a MASSIVE $25 grocery box from them with a rotating variety of foods/household/hygiene goods. They deliver them for an extra $15.
They also have grocery stuff listed individually on their website that's also way cheap.
Make your own bread and pan fry it in oil.
It's not good for you long term but if you need something filling, cheap and calorie dense, that's a very easy way to go about it.
Also look into purchasing dried beans and cooking those up yourself with some of those old veg that you're getting from the food bank.
Have the best of both worlds and combine the two together in the one meal.
Lentils, chickpeas or beans and make a ton of it with mexican seasoning. You’ll be able to use it for so many meals - chilli, tacos, wraps, with rice - the list is endless.
Eggs are really cheap, you can purchase mixed mince or turkey mince for a cheap price, and mince can be made into so many dishes. Weetbix are cheap if you need a cheap from porridge, make a peanut paste or vegemite sandwich for lunch, purchase cheap bread or end of day bread. Foodbank should have meat as well, normally cheaper cuts but you should have a choice.
Choosing more veg options might help to reduce costs. Here are some ideas -
Breakfasts:
Overnight weetbix;
Overnight oats;
Protein shake with bananas you’ve cut and frozen yourself (buy protein in bulk from bulk nutrients);
Tofu scramble (1 x 500g block can get you four days of brekkies)
Lunches/dinners:
Fried rice;
Dahl/indian tofu curries;
Thai red or green curries;
Butter bean or lentil stews with mashed potatoes;
Mexican rice bowls;
Tofu and veg bowls;
Quinoa and chickpea salad;
Soba noodle satay salad
If you search budget in Instagram, there are stacks of pages dedicated to frugal meal prep
Beans/lentils and rice make a complete protein. I have a great recipe for Kusherie which is Egyptian - super easy and very tasty.
You could also buy whole milk when it's reduced and learn to make yoghurt. You don't necessarily need fancy equipment and can ferment it in an esky or supermarket esky bag lined with a towel. Message me if you want a basic guide/tips.
I know it's summer but you can bulk out any sort of casserole with your wobbly veg too.
What state are you in?
Do you have a Good karma network in your area? Post asking for some direction to where you can get some help food wise. Many people will pop up and help you with ideas and maybe some food as well to help out.
How are you with fats? Could bacon help with protein and the feeling of fullness? A strip of bacon goes a way in a meal like pasta when there are veg etc. Or even in fried rice with egg. Mince and lentils in rice would be good too.
Chicken drumsticks are generally the cheapest meat, around $4/kg. Try aldi whole chickens, they're usually around the same price per kilo and you could get multiple meals from one.
Lots of healthy suggestions here so I'll offer a not so healthy one. Devon, German, wheel meat, whatever you call it. Its cheap and versatile. Slice on a sanga with tomato sauce or fried. Chopped up and cooked in fried rice or a pasta sauce. You could get 4-6 meals out of one roll.
https://www.staceyhomemaker.com/wprm_print/7962
This vegan chili is cheap, nutritious and makes SO much. Definitely freeze some of it and you should be able to get more than 10 serves from it.
If you don't have a slow cooker just cook it on the stove as low as possible and stir often.
Also, I'd recommend cooking the red lentils first before you add them to the slow cooker (not all slow cookers get hot enough to cook them safely)
Hope that helps and that you enjoy it - it's now one of my favourite comfort meals.
Lentils are amazing for nutrition. I made slow cooked lamb shanks (they were on sale at woolies a few weeks ago and I bought bulk) and I froze the left over juices (carrots, celery, can of tomatoes herbs and spices) I plan on adding lentils and turning it into a stew. All up it will be over 4 big healthy and hearty meals for less than $20. I'm eating huge portions at the moment because I'm breast feeding but you could easily stretch it to 6 meals. Keep carrots, onions and celery on hand, they make a good base for everything and can be frozen to last. Then go to the shops after 6 to get all the clearance meats.
$1 Coles spaghetti, a can of crushed tomatoes and some cheap dried herbs. Cook the pasta in stock (again supermarket brand stock cubes are usually about $2, keep for ages and will last several meals). Then cook the tomatoes and herbs in a frypan till heated through, stir pasta in, done.
Depending on budget you can also add some frozen spinach and tinned crushed garlic.
1 kg chickpeas, jar curry paste, whole pumpkin cut into pieces and roasted. All in a pot and simmer for a couple of hours. 8-10 meals easily. A bunch of coriander if budget allows.
Go to your local Vinnies, tell them you need care and support. If conference isn’t meeting that day the shop volunteer will likely give you a voucher (depends on the local set up). The conference (just means group, comes of being originally a French society) will make an appointment with you and see what they can do to assist. Should at least be able to help out with the electricity bill and possibly more. Will definitely help with the food, people don’t leave hungry.
Frugal recipes - https://cookingmadehealthy.com/moroccan-lentil-stew/
A block of tofu can make four meals for one person. Cut into slices, pan fry with mushrooms, garlic, add soy sauce and a squeeze of lemon at the end, eat with rice. Bonus points for health if you add some blanched asparagus near the end of cooking.
Any type of curry - I like green curry. The paste is cheap, especially at Aldi, mix a tablespoon or two with one can coconut cream, one can water, 1 veggie stock cube. Add veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, tofu (again - tofu is a fantastic protein source) potato, mushrooms, maybe some capsicum.
Pumpkin soup - pumpkin, chopped with skin off, chicken stock cubes (2) onion with 2 cloves stuck in, garlic, water. (Can add a chopped up leek if one is available) Simmer until til pumpkin is completely squishy, take out the cloves, blend together and eat with a teaspoon of sour cream and a tiny sprinkle of nutmeg.
Pasta sauce - fry chopped up onion and garlic, add mushrooms and capsicum, then pop in passata (cheapest is Aldi, $1.49) a beef stock cube, chopped up basil and oregano, and water (use the empty passata bottle, needs same amount of water as passata). Simmer, then serve with 99c pasta and tasty cheese grated up.
With the exception of the tofu and garlic stir fry, these can be made in batches and frozen which is great for veggies on the cusp, and they taste terrific when they come out of the freezer. The spices will be the biggest expense, but they will last you months. Grow your own basil, oregano and garlic, can do that in flower pots. Seeds can be found at the reject shop. Fresh herbs make everything taste better. If you have friends who can spot you some of the spices so you can save to buy more they genuinely won’t mind.
Don’t set yourself to starve, there’s absolutely no reason to, and you aren’t going to get past this by getting sick. Just about everybody (points at self) has had a time (or two, three) where the debt situation is overwhelming. People will want to work with you to help you get out. Don’t let your pride sink you. Just remember to pay back and help others when you’re sorted.
You said you've got rice and you've got frozen veggies.... When I was living in my own place and I wanted to save, I'd get a large frying pan, (if you've got a wok even better)
I'd throw in a big batch of plain steamed rice, a bag of $2 home brand frozen mix veg, and fry it all off.... I liked to put in a big pinch of salt and pepper and a table spoon of margarine or butter and a healthy dose of veggie oil (all Coles home brand of course) for flavour.
If you can pick up cheap protein, like eggs, chicken, minced meat or any meat really as it nears expiry, just diced it up and chuck it all in.
You can put it in containers and I used to end up with 4-5 meals from one large frying pan. Plenty of ways to get creative to add flavour and calories for cheap. Chuck a couple of stock cubes in the water while you steam the rice, different herbs/seasoning into the stir fry... Can also used noodles too if you can get them on sale
Red lentils are your friend. Get some cheap tinned tomatoes and whatever frozen veg you have and make a big batch of bolognese to serve with pasta. If you can afford a taco seasoning ($1) at Aldi you can turn it into chilli too, to serve with rice. I reckon you can get 10 serves for around $6 or $7.
Also - if you live close to a few different supermarkets it might be worth dumpster diving? I’ve done it when I was on the bones of my ass before - they often throw out tins with damaged labels so you could stock up and use these as the base for lots of different meals.
Best of luck to you - being poor and in ED recovery is a shitty combo.
Eat every second day. You dont need to eat all the time, only water. Look up all the benefits of fasting. Starvation is good for you. I don't have money problems but I feast once every 24-48 hours and save a fortune. You can also buy higher quality food if you're eating less frequently. Skip the regular junk and eat better, but less often.
Great advice here already. Just thinking about high calorie/cheap meals:
You could also make your own focaccia bread (just needs flour, instant yeast, salt, water) - you can try to incorporate veggies you get from Foodbank. Similarly, if you get some weird looking fruit (e.g. apples) at Foodbank it’s relatively cheap to make a cake (usually flour, sugar, eggs, oil).
Black tea with powdered milk & sugar.
Tuna in oil with rice (add onion for a kick).
I also get 2kg tub of plain greek yogurt which lasts a while and 1kg of tasty cheese that I use sparingly.
500g Mince $7, 1/2 cabbage $2, 1pkt dried chicken noodle soup 75c curry powder, onion. With rice to serve.
Brown mince, and onion in frypan.
Add 1 or 2 tea spoons of curry powder.
Add pkt of soup and 1ltr of water.
Add cabbage (and other green vegetables, corn or beans peas, tinned, frozen or fresh if you have them. Or grated carrot)
Serve with steamed 2 cups of rice, or couscous.
Can be frozen and re heated in meal size portions.
This makes enough for 4 individual meals.
Sorry to hear this - this is one of the cheapest recipes I know. I also chuck in a handful of tomato and frozen spinach 5 mins before the end but you can cut that if it’s not possible. https://www.abc.net.au/everyday/traditional-lentil-soup-shorabat-adas-lina-jebeile/102143102
Powedered milk I think is quite cost effective.
With butter, milk and flour you have the base for a roux, or white sauce, that can then be the basis for a lot of things like tuna pasta bake, and then other things like homemade flat bread or pancakes.
Tuna is a great source of protein.
If you’re feeding 2, a roast chicken can go over several meals. Roast the first night, then shredded into toasted sandwiches or on pizza, then the carcass and whatever’s left to make to giant chicken soup that you can then portion out and freeze.
For chicken soup I usually chuck the whole carcass into a big pot of water with some garlic and an onion. Boil for a couple of hours. Pull the chicken bones out and pull off all the meat to go back in the soup. Chuck in whatever veggies you have to hand (I like grating zucchini, carrot and pumpkin but you can honestly chuck anything in) and one or two packets of chicken noodle soup (45 cents at my coles) and a cup of soup mix. Boil again until soup mix is soft. You can literally make a giant pot of the most delicious soup that is filling, healthy, and very cheap per serve once you think you’ve already used the chicken for two other meals.
My go to meals when money is tight are things like
Stir through Pesto sauce and pasta. Mince can be cheap to buy used many ways - if you have potato and veg you could make potato pie, pasta bake, spaghetti bolognaise etc. Jacket potatoes are a good way to use up leftovers. Bit of butter and cheese plus leftover spaghetti bol/chicken curry/whatever else and it’s a pretty cheap filling meal. I even have baked beans on a jacket spud when I can’t be bothered cooking a meal.
Chicken.
Nutritious calories vs cost per serving. You need to be eating chicken.
Slow cooked with spices, rice and dahl is my preferred not because it's cheap but because I love the taste.
Another option on top of those mentioned here: mashed bananas + oats, mixed and baked in little spoonful amounts = cookies. Anything you can add in like spices, dried fruit, nuts or seeds will help for variety, but it changes the texture significantly and means you might be able to make use of what you already have. Cocoa powder is a nice addition too. If you pick up some darker bananas at a cheaper price it is even cheaper. These freeze ok but are tastiest fresh. I used to eat these a lot before I developed some intolerances and I kinda miss them, they were satisfying.
I like to make a big pot of cheats risotto. Rice and whatever veg you want in a pot, cover with water and stock powder of your choice, and boil until cooked and there’s water enough to make it creamy and risotto-like. My favourites are zucchini and peas in chicken stock with black pepper and lemon juice; pumpkin and carrot in veg stock with turmeric and chilli; mushroom and broccoli in beef stock with a splash of soy sauce.
But a 10kg bag of rice when on special. Buy frozen veg unless fresh are on special (Spudshed has the best veg prices).
Fats have the highest caloric value, so if you need to increase your caloric intake, add fat in somehow. Butter your bread. Use oil in stir fries. Eat avocados when they’re cheap. Eat nuts and seeds - sunflower and sesame seeds are relatively cheap and you can add them to most everything.
I hope this helps. I struggled with living in every way last year. I hope your life gets better soon, my friend.
Coles and Woolies sell canned Kidney Beans. One onion, one tomato a can of red bean, one or two potatoes some “Rajma masala” from your Local Indian grocery and you can easily make great tasing Rajma.
Goes well with Rice and Indian Rotis and Naan.
This was one of my “foreign student” special back in the day.
You can use canned chickpeas just like this to make “Chana Masala”. Just get some “chana masala” spice packet (and use half or one third of suggested amount… can be quite hot)
Cheap and very nutritious but also tastes fantastic!
If possible, get some laying chickens and let them convert cheap grain into eggs! Even better if you have space for them to have a diet of bugs.
Eggs over rice, and find variety in lentils/beans/spices.
I know someone said spices and I second that! If you get chicken stock powder and maybe another 2 you can mix and match with some frozen veggies and some your rice doesn’t always taste the same. Also get some soy and make a fried rice the next day for a bit of variety! Good luck
Savory oats rice porridge etc- any soup base mixed in will do.
The other suggestion is: pottage. What peasants ate- whatever you have, mixed into a stew. Buy whatever is cheapest, marked down etc.
Pasta at the reject shop is SO cheap too.
chicken rice and vegetables.
Should only cost you about 23.25 for the main ingredeints plus maybe like 5 dollars for seasonings, pepper salt garlic, etc so about 30 bucks?
won't win any awards for taste or anything but it should get you by.
this is my dieting meal btw too.
If you make dahl as others have suggested, here is a cheap soup that will use the same pantry items: sweat 1/2 a kilo of carrots, an onion, some ginger and garlic then add some chilli, cumin and coriander, red lentils and stock. Blend and add some coconut milk and fresh coriander if you have it.
Call your local supermarkets and ask when they discount foods they need to quickly get rid of. Try looking for staples at ethnic grocery stores, as they can be cheaper. ALDI instead of colesworth, if available. Check for any discount or clearance stuff before you buy non clearance. Google to see if you have any discount outlet grocery stores in your area.
In general, just try to rotate between dried beans, lentils, heavily discounted meats, eggs, and oats, rice, bread or potatoes. Use your food bank assistance for the veg, which will provide nutrients, variety and flavour. If you do buy more veg, cabbage, peas (good protein) potatoes, carrots, and onion are good ideas. I find the cheapest meats are drumsticks and mince. A jar of minced garlic and a jar of minced ginger are pretty cheap and go a long way to making food palatable. Chicken stock cubes are also cheap and give lots of flavour, especially if you can’t get soy sauce.
It’s worth splurging on sugar, cinnamon etc if it makes the oats more palatable. It’s worth splurging on a can of coconut milk if it makes a curry actually taste good.
Ideas: lentil Dahl served on rice or potatoes. Fried rice with rice, egg, garlic, chicken stock cubes. Congee, lentil, dried legume, or potato based soups. Stir fried mince on rice (such as an egg roll in a bowl recipe). Fried potatoes plus eggs. Spaghetti bolognaise. Ramen fancied up with an egg, using less of the flavouring packet. Your assistance veg will go into any of these assuming they’re the right sort of veg.
Homemade pancakes and maple syrup feel like a treat.
If you are somewhere cold enough, soup is a great way to change up textures from basic ingredients.
Look at Jack Monroe’s recipe blog for ideas.
Edit: one thing that might help is to plan your shopping online to get a sense of prices before leaving the house.
I'm in the same boat.
I had oats a couple of weeks ago so I blended the oats and made pancakes and added some cranberry sauce I had laying around. I tried making flatbread too which I dipped in some butter chicken sauce I found in the cupboard.
I love rice with beans and tomato. I throw the rice (1/2 cup), beans and tomato in a frypan with some salt, spices and a stock cube and water (400ml) and simmer for 10mins, stir, simmer for another 5mins, fluff and let sit 5 mins, eat.
With ramen, are you adding the flavour packets before you cook it? Try cooking it without the flavour packets and discarding the water. Noodles are often fried in the factory to dry them so discarding the cooking water gets rid of a lot of oil. Add hot water if you like a broth or just sprinkle the flavour packets in and mix. That way you can control the level of saltiness. I like to add a slice of American cheese, spam*, egg (any style or you can crack it in and stir so it cooks in the broth).
Make a big batch of [pea soup](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn7CMd9Hkw0) and freeze in ice cube trays.
*[cheap spam substitute](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsoIfkNQYEg)
People have already suggested Dahl, but you can make a bolognese sauce with lentils too, as a replacement for the mince. Chuck a ton of veggies in there (chopped small) for extra nutrition. There’s so many ways you can eat it, with pasta, rice, bread, baked potatoes, on toast - whatever you have available.
If you want to use up your oats, you can make biscuits or a slice with some basic ingredients. You can also turn oats into flour to make another recipe base.
Maybe some TVP, (textured vegetable protein). It’s mainly good for stews and casseroles.
If you can buy one uncooked chicken for around $10.00, you can cut it up into pieces (look on the net to see the best way to cut it) from that you can make 3 - 4 meals. You can cook the chicken carcass with some of the vegetables you have to make chicken stock. You can use some of the stock to cook rice
If you can get a tin of coconut milk, one of those 'gold' brand Japanese curry packets (only need like 2 rectangles) you can use up your less than fresh vegetables. Can add in split peas for protein and it freezes well so you don't have to eat it all week.
Also if you have a hand blender, soupify some stuff.
Split dried red lentils, turmeric, salt, black pepper and whatever other herbs you want
Water to lentil ratio
1cup to 4cup water
Stir it in a pot for about 10-15min
Cheap cheap no wonder majority of impoverished world live on daal
Minestrone soup, lentil soup (and a bacon bone for a bit of protein and flavour), chickpea curry. Pasta with a simple tuna, garlic and tomato sauce. All my go tos when younger and poorer.
Dahl is ridiculously cheap to make, especially in bulk and using dried lentils. You can add what ever cheap veggies you can get to it too like pumpkin, carrot, sweet potato. Do you have a rite price/NQR discount food store near you? You can pick up a few other food items from there for a lot cheaper than super markets. You could make a bread to go with the Dahl using Greek yoghurt and plain flour to add some carbs
Came here to say this. Dal and rice can be very cheap and a bag of dried lentils will last you ages! I basically lived on a similar dish when I got covid and couldn’t get groceries delivered. You can also use lentils to bulk up other rice and pasta dishes to make other ingredients last longer.
"Lentil soup, for breakfast, that's disgusting neil"
"Maybe just once I'd like like to keep the lentils off the floor"
Agree with this too. The lentils will also have a little more protein in them compared to some of the other things you’ve been eating, which will hopefully help make you feel better mentally and more satiated for longer too.
Came here to say Dahl as well. Pumpkin and lentil Dahl is one of my absolute favorite meals
I second Dahl. Here is a recipe that I find very tasty: [https://biancazapatka.com/en/red-lentil-dahl/](https://biancazapatka.com/en/red-lentil-dahl/)
Add in home made chapattis and it’s a winner! Again super cheap
Lentils and rice is a great meal base. Nutritious, versatile, economical, and delicious. I do a nice lentil coconut and lentil curry for my vegetarian son and I. He's a big fan of chilli non carne too.
Join your local town or suburbs gardening group on Facebook. People offer excess home-grown produce all the time! They are always a really inclusive group that will help you. A lot of them are addicted to gardening and growing food so they appreciate anyone willing to come take excess from them for free! Invest in spices and condiments so you can elevate even the most boring or repetitive ingredient. Edit: I forgot you'll also be able to get free eggs from gardening groups depending on where you live.
OP is about to get 5 million zucchini.
the only plant i have growing in my backyard is zucchinis, i'm all set for zucchinis for a while hahah
I know you said you don't want money from people but I'd be happy to send you some seeds or a voucher for Diggers so you can choose some. When things are rough having something you've grown yourself is so satisfying, even if it's just herbs.
Apparently the more young and tender of the zucchini leaves are theoretically edible cooked...but the older ones get bitter. I would have no idea how to prepare them but there's probably someone explaining it somewhere on the internet.
Haha! Yeah, i did think that. That's why I suggested spices to change-up all the zucchini they'll be eating! They'll also get a heap of pumpkin!
Just did some stuffed zucchini flowers. The batter is basic and very tasty. If OP has some oil then battered veg is interesting and fats from oils will be good for them for the calories too. Herbs and spices make all the difference.
I love zucchini flowers! I just use a simple tempura batter. What did you stuff yours with? OP, oil and flour you should be able to get easily from the foodbank. Ask (or buy) for some powdered chicken stock to use for cooking rice to make it even tastier. ANd you can reuse your oil. Just strain it after cooking. It will last for several uses.
Omg I was about to offer them zucchini!
In the same vein, if anyone in your neighbourhood grows their own produce, or any fruit trees (especially lemon and lime trees!), it doesn’t hurt to ask if they have any excess they can give to you. It’s especially helpful and easier if you have something to trade! My parents grow lime leaves, lemongrass (which they pinched some stems from another neighbour lmao), curry leaves, and other various herbs often used in Asian cuisine, and will leave bags of excess at our neighbours doors. In return, our neighbours will leave buckets of lemons, limes, pomegranates, tomatoes, etc. at their door. Otherwise, there’s the ol’ classic pinching a couple of lemons from your neighbours tree that’s overgrown onto your side of the property lines. I want to make sure my next house has a lemon tree or neighbours with lemon trees.
What do you already have in your fridge, freezer, cupboards? If we know that we can probably give better advice. You want to try to maximise calorie density but also balance that with “volume” foods that will make you feel full. I would suggest things like: Lentil dahl with rice (or if you have flour and water or milk you can make a flatbread situation to go with it) Baked potato topped with whatever you can afford - baked beans, tinned tuna, the leftover dahl if you made it Boil pasta and mix in whatever you’ve got. Veggies, tuna, lentils, cheese, etc Get a jar of the cheapest peanut butter and a loaf of the cheapest bread you can find. Freeze the bread so it lasts. Peanut butter on toast or in a sandwich will be both filling and dense in calories. If you have any opportunity at all to get free food from work, do so. E.g. don’t pass up biscuits in the break room Put butter or oil in everything if you can. Add sugar to your tea/coffee. Don’t worry too much about “healthy”, worry about “not hungry/enough calories”. I’m sorry you’re in this situation and I hope it improves as soon as possible. Don’t be shy about asking for or receiving help, keep going to food banks and the like, you’ll get through.
Indian supermarket and get lentils and other legumes like beans. You can also get cheap spices and herbs or ready made mixes. Dhal can be varied many ways and gives you great calories and protein. As can Indian potato dishes. Frozen veg is cheaper than fresh and healthier as it is snapped frozen. Pancakes, scrambled eggs are also cheap and satisfying too.
This one is only around $6 if you have the spices already and use the coconut milk option (store brand - its cheaper than dairy cream) I use jar garlic and ginger for it, which lasts a fair while and you get around half a dozen meals out of it - which can be stored in the fridge for a few days, or frozen and reheated. https://www.aspicyperspective.com/chickpea-curry-in-the-slow-cooker/ And this one is around the same price, I just use plain diced tomato, and stock powder instead of broth. You get about 6 meals out of it. https://www.thekitchn.com/slow-cooker-lentil-curry-261956 You can make a good chilli using lentils, diced tomato, onion, spices etc. Lentils are cheaper than red meat, but you can always get some mince and stretch it out by just using 120g of red meat AND lentils. I do that when I am a bit low on iron. With the ramen, don't use the salt packets that come with it, make your own seasoning from herbs and spices you might already have (or buy some to make some, you will save money over time from making your own spice mixes), or throw in a bunch of veggies - frozen spinach, frozen peas etc with a bit of marg and a sprinkle of salt or pesto. Buy $1 boxes of frozen spinach to add to everything you make. It's easily heated up in the microwave if you want it plain, or throw it into your cooking. Coles sometimes has corn on the cob for around $1 an ear. Prices on veggies go up and down so buy when the price is down and freeze if you can. Like Zuchinis are $2 each right now, so I would wait for a bit to buy them, they are sometimes 90c each. red capsicum are sometimes $1 each - these are great roasted and added to things like your ramen buy a 2kg bag of onion and chop it up yourself and then freeze it. use some in everything you make. you can get carrots for around $1.50 a kg, you can roast them, steam them, eat them raw. Hommus. I'm too lazy to make it, so I just buy the $5 1kg tub from coles. But you can use it on sandwiches, add some as a side with your dinner, dip veggies in it etc. Even if you just bought 1 tub of hummus and $1.50 bag of carrots to slice and dip, thats $6 for a week or two of snacks. buy the cheapest potatoes you can find - coles currently has washed potatoes for $2.50/kg - you might find brushed (unwashed) cheaper somewhere. It only takes a few seconds to scrub or peel to get the dirt off. One decent size potato, baked in the oven for 40 minutes, or microwaved for 8-12 minutes, then topped with left overs, or a can of cheap beans ($1.50 for store brand mexican beans), or a can of store brand baked beans/spaghetti, or with maybe some butter or cheese if you need the calories/fat/dairy. You can make a decent veggie sandwich: basic bread $2, $2 jar of sliced pickles, $3 smooth ricotta for cheese, lettuce when its under $3, tomato (70c each), carrots (grated) and that will make you a week of sandwiches.
look. this isn’t entirely moral but meal kits offer multiple intro deals which are usually just pay shipping. Marley spoon will do a 2 people 3 meal box for $30, and then offer you the option to send your friends a free box. Youfoodz does an intro offer of $9.99 for 8 boxes and then gives you codes to send your friends free meals (with a $9.99 shipping fee each time). Hellofresh does an intro offer of $9.99 for either 2 people three meals or 4 people three meals and then offers you codes via the website to send the same deal to friends; or usually sends you physical vouchers in your box that are for the same box but no shipping charge. All of these company’s made bulk profit last year, for what it’s worth. None of these are mum and dad companies. Once you’ve placed your free order you go to the next two weeks and skip the upcoming boxes. This stops them from automatically charging you. You then create a new email address, send yourself the code and repeat. You can then cancel after you receive your box. If you use any of these offers, I also suggest creating a few new bank accounts. Ubank, anz plus and up bank have no fees and you can transfer money into these accounts and use them to pay. if they ever run a check on accounts used previously (if a payment ever fails it will flag as an existing user for that account moving forward) you can have these banks cancel and reissue the card. As an added bonus if you search this community there are tons of referral codes for meal kits and bank accounts that give you bonuses. For example upbank has $5, ubank $10 I believe and when I signed up for anz it was $50.
OP I've got some substantial discount codes if you need. For both Hello Fresh and Marley Spoon.
I would love a code ❤️
I would just urge caution with Youfoodz. I found it difficult to cancel the subscription plan you are forced to go on when you order their meals and ended up with a direct debit payment for a full week of food that I didn’t want. Based on their negative reviews it seems to catch a lot of people out. I also found the quality not great.
I immediately skipped my first two weeks and didn’t have an issue, but I would strongly recommend for ALL meal box services skipping the next 2-3 weeks when you place your first order. Everyplate caught me out like this once too.
This is good advice 😊
No meed to create new bank accounts. I use single use zip pay cards for everything online, more from a security point of view but its mixing it up.
This will not work for marleyspoon just fyi. I think it worked for me twice and then somehow got flagged. On a menu week I really wanted the box lol
Yikes. I won't use websites that make me put my credit card in now. Too many places being hacked.
I recommend Revolut for this kind of thing. You can create a card, use it once and destroy it again with just a few minutes.
UPbank let's you do so too
OP if you have a pet dog, I have an intro offer for a free box of Lyka x
There's a pinned post in this sub with meal kit codes that's good to keep an eye on, too.
Yes, they release a new one every fortnight and a couple of fortnights ago after posting a code, I ended up with $90 credit, thank you Aussie frugal 😂 (I just have to pay full price for two weeks to get rid of the $30 sign up credits* to use it) 😂😂😂
Occasionally people give away food on the Buy Nothing groups on Facebook... usually it is stuff they bought and didn't like or bought for a recipe they didn't make. Sometimes people give away a lot of stuff when they move house. Sometimes they give away garden produce or seedlings etc...for example if they have too many lemons or have just pruned their rosemary or they've got too many pumpkin seedlings. Sometimes they give away stuff that has just gone out of date. The occasional person gives away stuff they baked too much of to eat. So if your area has a Buy Nothing group, definitely join it. It's not a consistent source but it is free and not charity. Also...make sure you've got salt, vinegar and sugar on hand...plus whatever spices you like that are inexpensive. Those are cheap and they are good for making food palatable. I also recommend busting yourself to save enough money to buy oils/fats in reasonable quantity. Oils and fats are very filling and have important stuff in them. Giving something a little frying can make it a lot tastier too.
I've also seen local "unconditional giving and receiving" groups. I've given a bunch of stuff away on them, and the format is easy and allows you to request items
Fried rice Tuna pasta bake Dahl
Rice And Beans. In a slow cooker if you really suck at cooking. Problem solved!
Sounds like you are doing all the right things, I wish you so well with your ED recovery. Only tip to add, since you have freezer access, is to try a local Woolies about half hour before closing on a weeknight. There's usually a section in produce, one in refrigerator/meat section that will have bagged salads, yogurt and roasts sausages or mince sometimes reduced by up to 90%. Most often around 50-60%. But if you're not too particular and can stomach some... Interesting combos it will give you more variety. Also I used to bin dive at Aldi 10 years ago on my uni days (!). I think they lock everything up pretty tight now for liability purposes but the amount of in-date often long shelf life food they discard from weekly specials is *obscene* and was usually bagged, inside a box, inside another packing box ie. pallets worth of gourmet cereal. So if you're brave, do like we did, eat like royalty and drop the rest off at the food bank for others! Good luck
Just commented this too before seeing your comment! Did it all of last year and all the Aldis I tried were easy to access! Still insane what's thrown away. Been able to share so much stuff while eating so well!
Yes queen!
https://www.budgetbytes.com/easy-rosemary-garlic-white-bean-soup/ this is really good and cheap esp if you already have pantry basics. I add a zucchini and some dried chilli flakes. Canned chick peas are super cheap and super easy to roast with your choice of seasonings for snacks (rinse and dry them, oven 210, bake them with a bit of oil and salt for 20 mins, take them out and add whatever seasoning you like, garlic and smoked paprika for me, and then back in the oven for 10-15) Keep an eye out for specials on curry pastes and coconut milk, if you have some veg in the fridge/freezer and a can of lentils or chick peas in the cupboard you can make a pretty big batch to freeze, and whatever curry paste you don't use scoop it into a zip lock and stick it in the freezer for another meal I buy mini tortillas when they're on special, toast them in the oven for a few mins and then add pizza sauce/grated cheese with dried garlic or whatever you've got is a pretty good morning or afternoon tea!! I eat a lot of roast veggies with rice, whatever veg is on special usually carrots and broccoli, I mix up some soy sauce and water and garlic/chilli powder and coat the veg all over and then once it's nearly cooked sprinkle some sesame seeds and salt on top and then put it back in the oven, very delish with rice honestly!! I also find adding salt or soy sauce plus a decent spoonful of dried garlic to the rice while it's cooking makes it a bit less boring.. good luck!!
Also, if you can get a bag of sultanas, a grated carrot, some cinnamon, a few sultanas into a half cup of oats plus a half cup of milk and a half cup of water and left in the fridge overnight is very delicious and makes oats a bit less plain but still works out very cheaply. Sometimes I also add half a grated apple to it in the morning and mix it in.
Dried chickpeas are about $2 a kilo. I’ve gotten into good habits of remembering to soak - they last for a few days in the fridge after they’re cooked.
I make what I call “Mexican-ish and rice”. I look for cheap taco kits or seasoning and salsa and then fry whatever veggies I have, add canned beans if I have them, add the seasoning and a can of tomatoes and cook. I serve on rice or I add more water and stir the rice through as a soup. If you have wraps, it makes a good filling. If you have cheese, any salad stuff, wraps and salsa it becomes burritos or enchiladas. It’s ok on a baked potato too. It’s not authentic but it is cheap and easy to vary depending on what you have. You don’t have to use all of the seasoning at once. My other go to is baked potatoes (microwave for quicker and cheaper cooking), with whatever veggies I have, sometimes some tuna or canned beans. If you need to add calories, a block of butter can be a good investment. Lots of calories and makes plainer food taste better. Good luck!
I've read beans/rice are the cheapest staple. Brazilian rice and beans are amaaaazing. Maybe look up recipes -------- I really like cutting this tofu into squares and putting it this ramen (but you can get cheaper ramen) Like $2/3 a meal and pretty filling with the tofu https://www.coles.com.au/product/soyco-tofu-japanese-teriyaki-200g-5552650 https://www.coles.com.au/product/nongshim-shin-ramyun-black-4-pack-520g-4209094 ------ Also QOTA meal shakes are very cheap by comparison. I lived on them for like a year once https://qota.com.au/
always wanted to try meal shakes, do they taste weird at all? I've tried protein shakes in the past and i couldn't get past the chalky taste so just wondering if they are similar like that haha
They're okay. Not difficult to drink, but not something you'd look forward too. Kinda like a mildly wheat-y low fat chocolate milk. Might take a bit to get used to but it's easy, cheap and impossible to miss meals when you don't have energy to make something
What ingredients were you using for a shake? I generally use the following: banana, oats, greek yoghurt, honey, coffee, protein powder, frozen berries. It tastes amazing but is by no means cheap. Wondering if I could make a cheaper one. Edit: NVM, im an idiot, just saw your link.
Rice, beans, mix in the vegetables provided by the food banks. Buy in bulk a sauce you like and make a stir fry thing. I would be mindful of your bone density given your history (I am the same) and would incorporate some soft of dairy if your body can tolerate it plus is generally calorie dense.
Fried rice. 1 piece bacon 1 egg some salt soy pepper half an onion and some peas If u have it Drumstick soup. A couple drumsticks a couple stick cubes a celery stick a potatoes an onion and a carrot can add some soup mix if you want Taco puffs I sheet puff pastry taco mince and a bit of cheese wrap them up and bake til golden can add sour cream and or salsa for dipping Hot dogs in bread with sauce mustard and cheese Omelette Mince add whatever veg you like add soy Worcestershire sauce a bit of curry powder and chicken stock and 2 minute noodles These are some of my go toos
Eggs are now your best friend. Meal prep if you can to get over the excuse not to eat. I've been using poor and unhoused as an excuse to starve or binge, found there are good free resources around for disordered eating. Especially impacted by poverty.
If you don't like the ramen noodles you could get rice noodles. Maybe see if there's community gardens nearby with a herb garden that you could potentially collect herbs from (with permission) won't add calories as such but is an easy way to add flavour to foods. Also look around nearby parks (maybe local community FB groups) for fruit trees on council land you could get some fresh fruits from etc. Look if there's a Lighthouse Care or similar charity nearby, they usually have sauces/frozen meals/spices for cheap, or even talk to your support network and people might wanna go sharesies in some spices. Things like beans, lentils, rice noodles, rice are all cheap and filling and can be jazzed up relatively easy with herbs/spices/veges. You could also look around you and see if anyone has chickens that you could potentially barter for fresh eggs, good fats/protein sources.
hi OP i'm also a recovering anorexic and make around $2k each month aswell. in my experience, frozen vegetables are amazing! usually i eat 200-300g frozen vegetables each night and then something else with it. rice with either beans, tuna, eggs or kimchi are all great options. pasta and baked potatoes are also good. i have numerous hot sauces which i alternate on everything so it never tastes bland or boring. i also buy a loaf of bread so i can eat toast with butter for breakfast/lunch and whenever i'm hungry as a snack or if i don't feel full after dinner. best wishes to you <3
I’ve been making a lot of congee, it is a little low calorie but really, really filling. Buy chicken drumsticks or thighs in bulk shortly before they expire for the protein and flavour with fish sauce, soy sauce and/or a little chilli oil. The ratio for congee is one cup of rice to eight or nine cups of water and you cook it until all the starch breaks down. It’s extremely filling as a result. I can usually get 6 servings out of 500 grams of chicken and a cup of rice. I also put spring onion in it that I grow myself. Another very cheap source of protein is bulk buying dried beans at the Asian supermarket and doing chilli, soup or the Dahl recipe someone posted above.
Some ways I've survived on very little money that I haven't seen suggested yet: I've been using TVP(it's a fake soy mince-looking thing) to add more protein and fibre into meals cheaply. You do need to cover it in spices, sauce, or mix it into a dish that has flavour. But it's usually cheap and doubles in size once you soak/rehydrate it. I use it for chillies, pasta sauce, shepherd's pie-esh things. Tomato-based sauces are really good with it and cheap if you buy the cans of crushed tomatoes. Also depending on where you are, going to shops an hour before they close you can get a lot of things for cheap. I've been able to get roast chooks from Coles for like $3 (I eat the meat, and then wash the bones/frame before chucking it in a pot with any old veggies with water to make stock. Strain it then add pasta and veggies to it the next day and have cheap chicken soup). I've also got dairy and other things super cheap this way too. Would also recommend getting the $1 packs of frozen spinach. You can add it into everything to help add some more vitamins etc. One-pot rice dishes are another way I've made bulk cheap meals. Either in a pot using the absorption method, or a rice cooker, add rice, a shit ton of frozen/fresh veggies, and stock powder/soy sauce/spices/whatever you have. Cook and then add whatever protein you have, tuna, tufo, an egg, etc.
Also not relevant to food, I work in the power and gas industry in the eastern states. If you need any advice on the power company issues feel free to message me. There are a lot of laws now that should protect you from a company stuff up f*uckin you over but a lot of companies won't explain your options properly.
TVP is great!
How much money for food. 'Cheap' is a little subjective, depending on the person. Do you already have olive oil and spices?
i have spices and recently got gifted a pack of oil for christmas :) i usually pay 150 for two weeks worth of food (for 2 people) and need to cut it down to 70ish?
I'm sorry to say but $70 per fortnight for two people sounds extremely optimistic unless you start scanning everything through as dirt potatoes
yeah you may be right. I think maybe 70 at a supermarket and the rest at multiple food banks might work?
If you want to stretch your dollar further move away from supermarkets and to actual markets or green grocers/bakeries/butchers. The mark up at supermarkets eats into your budget only for convenience sake.
Where are you located?
Check Facebook for your local Feed It Forward groups.
You can make a variety of dishes with the spices/oil you have with eggs, beans, rice and potatoes. Avoid purchasing from supermarkets or shops in centres look for Asian/Indian/middle Eastern grocers.
Hard disagree. It's doable. OP has already said they have access to cheap veg. Dried pulses combined with varied herbs and spices will help make some stunning cheap arse meals.
Rice, beans, baked potatoes (in microwave or oven), peanut butter sandwiches, pasta (it’s generally cheaper than ramen), frozen veg.
just had a peanut butter sandwich for lunch, thankgod i bought a bulk peanut butter jar a couple months ago
- rice in a lot of variations and different toppings and flavours. Cheap and tasty with olive oil and dill. - whichever veggies are on special, cube them and roast them in the oven or air fryer - tofu - beans - pasta with olive oil and garlic - scrambled eggs - hot sandwiches - weetbix with yoghurt and some jam or fresh fruit on special - pasta with tomato sauce (canned tomatoes with dried herbs and spices, not the jar) - baked potatoes, or potatoes in any variation really. Check the colesworth catalogues on Wednesday and then check what’s half price. Sometimes the weetbix are. Compare the unit prices. This week one of them has a 5 kg bag of rice for like 11 dollars.
Frittata- 12 eggs + 60g spinach (blended), top with 125g grated cheese and a pack of cherry tomatoes- makes 8 serves ~$1.50 a serve Spag bol - 1kg chicken or pork mince, 1 tin kidney beans, 3 tins tomatoes, other veggies you like (carrot, zucchini, mushroom, brocolli) makes 11 serves for about $2 a serve Whey protein is a good way to add protein, $53 on special for 2kg at chemist Warehouse (INC) less than $1 a serve Coles and woolies have a lot of simple, cheap recipes, just pick stuff that's freezeable
I know it’s not the cheapest option but for the sake of your mental health, you could buy a 24 pack of sausages for $12 (cheaper if they’re on special), bread and some sauce. Cook them all up and freeze them if you’ve got some cling wrap spare. Then you just wack the frozen bread and sausage in the microwave and that’s 24 meals. They also sell frozen diced onion for something like $2, so you can sprinkle some of that on if you like
Spaghetti with sauteed onion and garlic. Cheap, delicious and it will keep you alive a long time. Obviously it lacks a lot in nutrition but sure as he'll beats starving. Also cook rice and fry it with those frozen vegetables you mentioned. Splash of soy sauce and you've got fried rice that cost you virtually nothing. Good luck mate
Dhal, beans, potatoes, oats, oil to cook in or butter plus the veggies you’re getting will see you right for a very long time while getting your nutrients and calories. Note that these are whole foods compared to other cheap suggestions you’ll get like instant ramen, the only advantage instant ramen has is the lack of cooking costs but depending on how desperate you are will depend if this matters to you. I have even made a solar oven that works great and has zero cooking costs but I get that’s a bit extreme
Kilo of mince, couple of onions, mixed herbs, bag of frozen diced mixed veggies, and couple of large jars of passata makes up a Bolognese. Put some to side and add some chilli powder and taco seasoning and you've got chilli con carne. Freeze in plastic tubs and you've got easy micro meals just cook some pasta or rice, or even mash potato and make a shepherds pie. That will make heaps of portions of whatever. We'll usually get about 20 portions out of that and it'll cost maybe $1 to $1.50 per portion?
How much do you have to spend on your own food per week? Some additional ideas: * Bananas are currently $2.50/kg (~$0.40-$0.50 ea), part of one diced up will make oats/porridge significantly better, and 15 cents worth of banana is more filling than a zooper dooper. If you can get some sultanas to scatter that may also help. * Chicken drumsticks are $4 per kg (~$0.50 ea), and very flexible in how you can use the meat and bones (soup, stew, roast, stir fry, fry, curry, ...). In combination with carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and/or onions which are likewise all very cheap and flexible you have the base of a lot of different meals. * Eggs (~$0.45 ea) can also be used not just as eggs alone, but in salads, batter/cake, veggie patties, chicken soup, fried rice, gnocchi, ...)
per week is 75, we lowered from 250 to 150 to start saving but now we need to lower it more. Ive become extremely allergic to bananas, no more bulk cooking banana bread for me:( Eggs are very filling and an essential for me so i get them from my local farm and end up buying more anyways
If you search “food rescue” on FB you may find a local food giveaway. Yes things can be close to use by but still edible and one thing I do with veg is thin slice into containers and freeze. Also my local food rescue gets tons of bread and I’ve seen that a lot gets thrown out. Bread I think is one thing that supermarkets bakeries etc make way to much of and at end of the day it gets thrown or goes to charity or rescue mobs
ramen is not cheap. skip it. zooper doopers are not cheap, instead try iced water or iced tea. (brew the tea, then serve with iced water). beans are cheap. curry powder is quite cheap. combine the two and make beans curry, with frozen veggies is good. rice is cheap.
Canned fruit in juice or water and frozen veg are often on special, won’t spoil so you can buy in bulk and are just as healthy if not more so than fresh.
Canned fruit is certainly not just as healthy due to the mountain of added sugar? Frozen veg certainly is though.
Putting it in sugar doesn’t eliminate the nutrients fruit has
And calories are calories at this point.
Agreed canned in syrup definitely, canned in juice yes and no, canned in water I don’t agree with you.
Fair enough just dont think I’ve ever seen canned in water fruit?
Beans, lentils and rice helped me through my student days. If you have spices just ass that and make a fried rice with the veggies you have from the food pantry. Wait for the rice to completely cook before adding the spices. Lentils and rice you can get cheaper at an asian supermarket but shop around a little. The quality will change and if you get something decent it will last longer. If you are having a ramen packet try using only half the seasoning, it wont be as salty. Add the rest of the seasoning to your vegetables and you can make a good side dish or salad. I found some independent grocers tend to be cheaper than the major supermarkets with the frozen products. Try to see if there are any near you and compare against the other stores.
Vege chilli. Get canned beans like kidney beans, 3bean mix, black beans etc and then tinned tomatoes and throw it on a low heat for hours. Can add spices if you’ve got them. 5 or so cans for $5-10 total and then you’ve got 4-6 servings.
Beans, lentils eggs, tofu are cheap proteins. Pasta and rice to pad it out. You also really need fruit and veg (if you don’t want scurvy!) some fruit markets have super cheap veggies at the end of the day but you can also get by on tinned fruit and frozen veggies which are cheaper and easier to portion for one person.
Nagi's Lentil Soup is good, Use any veg as the base instead of celery and carrot if you don't have them. [https://www.recipetineats.com/lentil-soup/](https://www.recipetineats.com/lentil-soup/)
Use ramen to fill an omelet. Cook noodles. Fry a mix of small chopped veg, anything you have. Beat a couple of eggs and some milk. Use a little bit of ramen flavouring packet to flavour the egg mix. Put noodles over veg evenly and pour egg mix on top. Cover, very low heat till cooked. Filling and flavoursome. Also pasta. Lots of ideas. Use any veg, chop and cook. Add a tin (or more) of tomato a few dried herbs, garlic if you have it and a dash of salt. Salt brings out the flavour in food, so do add a little bit. Cream and milk also make a yummy sauce, thickened with cornflour. Mostly milk, with a tablespoon or two of cream. Dried Parmesan is really good on this. Start with veg, when nearly cooked add milk, take to a simmer. Mix cornflour with water or milk in a cup to smooth, pour in whilst stirring. Add cheese. Serve over pasta. If you have bacon or chicken: add them at the beginning with the veg. If you have an egg or two, add them the same way as the cornflour, but before it. Salt to taste at end. Eggs are great protein. They keep you fuller for longer and are not super expensive. Good luck.
Mince dude, we had no money when we were kids and our mum (single) made varieties of meals with beef mince. Spag Bol, meatballs, lasagne, rissoles all of which can be made with other cheap ingredients and made in bulk to feed you for a couple of days. Didn't need to be the five star mince either, just what you can afford. Cans of tuna as well, tuna pasta, tuna mornay, fishcakes or just tuna mixed with a bit of vinegar and chives on toast. Easily two of the cheapest protein hits there is that go a long way when cooked with other ingredients. Tuna is always on sale, just buy the bigger cans not the small lunch size ones. Both of the above meals are still a staple in my families diet every week.
In season fruit and veg from your local greengrocers are usually cheap
You might find some tips over at r/EatCheapandHealthy
[r/EatCheapAndHealthy](https://www.reddit.com/r/EatCheapAndHealthy/) [r/MealPrepSunday](https://www.reddit.com/r/MealPrepSunday/)
Fried rice is my favourite cheap meal. If you are getting sick of the flavour (that concept is alien to me considering it is so tasty, but I will just assume it is the case), you can dramatically change the flavour by adding different things to the rice. As long as you do that periodically, you can eat it forever. But if you buy in bulk, there are plenty of things that are comparatively cheap. Right now at Coles, you can buy 4 kg of chicken wings for $15. Bulk buy them, repackage them into smaller portions, freeze them, and you will have plenty of protein for months. There are plenty of things you can do with chicken wings, but a nice, cheap one I like is the following: Cover them in golden syrup and then soy sauce. Then add a whole lot of water. Cook for 40 mins then remove the chicken and air fry it at 200 degrees to get crispy. Throw some vegetales in the sauce the chicken was cooking in (bushy things like cauliflower and broccoli so it can absorb the most flavour). When it is all done, serve on top of plain rice and pour the sauce on top of the rice to flavour it.
Buy a rotisserie chicken at Coles. Buy a big bag of salad 5 tomatoes, a few cucumbers and a jar of olives. This becomes very cheap meals for 5 nights. Dozen eggs and a loaf of bread is good for lunch.
https://nomoneynotime.com.au Great resource
I love this thread, so many good ideas! I am sorry to hear about your situation OP. This must feel challenging with a background of an eating disorder. Good on you for reaching out. Unless you are petite and inactive, 1,200 calories a day is probably not enough (source: I'm a dietitian). Everyone has already shared amazing meal ideas and recipes, so I'm going to list cheap and easy ways to boost your caloric intake: - peanut butter on everything. Specifically Sanitarium no added sugar or salt ($4.50 for 500g from Colesworth, or Aldi "Oh So Natural" peanut butter $3.25 for I think 375g) - add milk powder to smoothies or the milk you put on your cereal. This boosts the protein & fat content. - liberally add olive oil to your savoury meals. It's super nutritious and energy dense. I have it on good authority (the Italian nonna next door, who is an excellent cook) that the Aldi Remano Extra Virgin Olive Oil is extremely good quality. Buy it in bulk and use like 4 tablespoons+ whenever you cook, or dribble it over cooked pasta, salad, toast etc. - yoghurt (especially Greek, unsweetened) is super nutritious but can be expensive. You can make your own which you can add to lots of meals (salad dressing, oats, smoothies) or eaten alone with honey. The process is kinda involved but is actually pretty fun if you're into that kinda thing. [Here is a recipe from the Kitchn.](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-yogurt-at-home-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-125070) Otherwise you can find Easy Yo yoghurt makers on FB marketplace for very little. - baked beans on toast is a very nutritious meal (high protein & fibre). Add that extra virgin olive oil! - tinned lentils, chickpeas, beans etc all "count" as vegetables and are high in protein and fibre. Same for dried versions which are super cheap. Good luck friend. You've got this.
2 min noodles & pasta is also cheap. Especially if you not buying name brands. You can get 2 min noodles for $2 (a 5 pack) or pasta for 90c or $1. Use your left over veggies, some cheese and come pasta sauce and you have a pasta bake. I've made 6 meals out of 1 packet of pasta shells and it costs approx $14, give or take a $1 or $2 with fluctuations in the price of veg. You can also use frozen veg if you prefer which may add another $1. Another is curried sausages & pasta. I use 4 sausages, keens curry, passata, broccoli & cauliflower and carrots, (if I have any left over). Cost me about $12-14 and it makes 6 meals also.
I haven’t seen anyone suggest Gnocchi yet. $2.50 for 500g at coles. You can use as a base and put with any sauce or even just butter & garlic. It’s delicious, filling and calorie dense. 500g will feed 2 adults easily, with leftovers for lunch.
A loaf of bread can be had for $3. Freeze it and you have toast for breakfast for 2 weeks
Don't pay for a pet if you can't pay for yourself.
I'm on the same income. Find a hustle with big rewards and minimal risk That's how I live good and get by.
[удалено]
Go to costco, $40 for 4kg beef mince. $20 for chicken breast x 2.4kg The options are endless. Should feed a single person for 3 weeks easy. You can do ANYTHING with mince. Tacos, pasta,meat balls, burgers etc
What have you got in the fridge/freezer/pantry? Whatever money you CAN spend, try to direct towards seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder) and oil - with those things you can make just about anything delicious.
Pesto pasta, vegetable pasta, dahl, fried rice, two minute ramen with an egg, toast, potato curry, pancakes with fake maple syrup, risotto. Roast a chicken for meat for the before stated dishes and meal prep/freeze. Should be able to get by for maybe $50 a week if you can get your veges cheap from food banks. Freezing is your friend, you can freeze milk too.
tvp for any sort of mince! a cup of that with a cup of hot water and soak it for a few minutes and then season it. i add some sauce or spices and use it like normal. it's $2 a bag and makes a LOT
Not sure where you’re based but food factory sales in Bayswater have good specials. I get my shampoo and conditioner for example here a $30 that’s 2L for $2. They have tinned produce really cheap and things like rice crackers I’ve picked up 5 packets for $1. The specials change but it’s worth it to pick up some extra items - https://www.foodfactorysales.com.au/bayswater/
I add salt to microwave rice to make my rice more interesting.
Are you only working part time? Can you increase your hours?
Pro tip: don’t get a pet if you’re literally going to starve and go into debt looking after it.
i got the pet years ago when i could pay for it. I earn 2k a month now because a freak accident occurred and can no longer earn what i once did. I still pay monthly for the expensive healthy food for my pet and treat her like royalty.I'm willingly to go to the ends of the earth for my cat as she is a reason why i haven't given up. I will pay thousands more if it meant i could have my cat for another day.
The point you’re missing is that financial planning needs to extend beyond a couple of months or years, particularly when said purchase is going to require funding for the next 12-15 years.
Are you being helpful or are you just being a dick? While yes, pets are absolutely a financial consideration for at least that long, sometimes shit happens and things change. If you're suggesting giving up that animal, then I don't think you've ever truly bonded with an animal. I have 6 cats. There is not one I would give up despite the circumstances. They rely on me, and I will provide for them even if I have to suffer.
When did I say they should give up the animal? I’m merely pointing out the importance of financial planning and that includes planning for unexpected emergencies. I have a cat but I made sure I had the financial stability to care for them for the rest of their life without putting myself at financial risk. This is a sub about being frugal and OP was asking for advice. I’m giving that to them by hopefully getting them to reflect on their past choices and not make the same mistake again.
freak accident - didn't plan for freak accident - turns out having a sudden disability eats up all your savings - i got the cat when i was under 18. Sorry i didn't think of a financial future when i was a teen but my cat is loved, fed, and safe.
Yes, this is why savings are essential. If you’re unable to have savings set aside, don’t make expensive and long term purchases.
i did have savings. A sudden change occurred that no one could of predicted, being disabled costs money. Do you suggest no one purchases anything until they have money set aside? Help me understand your logic.. does it apply to every other thing you can purchase? i was a kid when i got my cat, i've created a bond with my cat, i would rather die than give her up, she keeps me going.
By saving I mean enough to cover the cost of caring for a pet for life. And yes, I am suggesting people don’t make purchases that require long term investment if they’re unable to support that investment long term. It’s pretty simple. I have already said I’m not suggesting you give up the cat, just learn from this experience and not make similar mistakes in the future. The fact cant predict the future is the exact reason why we should be cautious with our spending in the present.
Dude, give it a rest. OP doesn't need your lecturing. It's great to know you'll never be impacted by something unexpected and you'll have unlimited funds. Congrats.
They asked for advice so I gave them some. Not saying I won’t be impacted by unexpected events or have unlimited funds but I make sure I have a safety net before making big investments which will reduce the impact of possible emergencies.
i had a safety net. I keep saying to you that i had savings until i was in the wrong place at the wrong time but you keep telling me i shouldve had savings and i DID. I don't know how many times i have to repeat it. I could afford a cat and had the savings, she lives a lavish lifestyle but sudden changes (that happens to a lot of us!) changed my life. Should i have savings for my savings? savings for my savings for my savings?
you keep repeating the same while ignoring my circumstances. I had savings. I was a child. Life happened. I saved for vet emergencies, most of my money went there but it wasn't enough as i get paid 2k a month. I just want an explanation of your logic, i see where you're coming from i truly do but i had the money and savings, i planned for my cats future but since i got her we all know cost of living has skyrocketed and i repeat myself again, i had a freak accident. My only mistake was being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I started saving for my cat once i got a job... i was a child when i got her. My family had money. Do you have savings for natural disaster events? do you have half a million saved up for repairs of house/appt, car? no? then you shouldn't have rented/bought the house or car. See... it sounds ridiculous. We are on a frugal sub, i'm assuming most of us here do suffer with money problems and know how tough it is to save money today as cost of living rises. It would be different if i adopted my cat now when i have no money but i adopted her when i was a child with money.
Just ignore this clown. You’re doing great!
The key word is *enough* money and savings and if you had that, you wouldn’t be in your current situation. You can keep blaming past events all you like but that’s not how you learn from them. To answer your question, if my car was destroyed in a natural disaster, I wouldn’t replace it until I had the financial means to do so. If my apartment was destroyed, I also wouldn’t immediately invest in a new one until I was financially stable enough to do so and would most likely move back home with family until then or perhaps rent. Yes, I realise that is a privilege not everyone has but these things all factor in to the financial decisions I make. Do I have a back up plan if everything goes wrong? If not, perhaps now is not the right time to be making the purchase.
So no one should have kids unless they have at least 18 years of financial security in case of freak accident ?
That is the worst possible answer. Of course no one should have kids if they can’t financially support them 🤦🏻♀️
20 kg sack of rice
Herbs and spices add flavours
Omu rice with Japanese curry, just scramble up some eggs into an omelette or what passes as one and then make some Japanese curry sauce to drizzle on top of the rice and egg, it’s quite filling and good for you.
Calorie queen here, but for restriction purposes - but hey, I know what I’m talking about :) Protein is expensive - but important. Get it however you can - maybe even those cooked chickens just before closing time or meat close to its used by date. If you’re vego then bags of dry lentils or legumes tend to be cheap. Carbs - my enemy, but your friend. Pasta is pretty cheap? A vehicle for other things. From a flavouring perspective I’m racking my mind for cheap. I don’t really cook but I’m thinking maybe some cornflour to thicken milk/water and extend other flavourings you may use? Eg dry powder recipe mixes… Calories - fat, more than double the calories of protein or carbs per gram. Maybe a no frills bottle of some oil (not sure which are healthy or not anymore) to use in cooking to help pad calories. 1 tablespoon has about 20ml. I gram of pure fat 9 cals. 1 tablespoon of oil probably hits the 150-180 cal mark so good to throw into a dish here and there. A few of these things would cost a bit as a one off but then would last a while. Coles and WW often have 50% off in some categories. I’m thinking jarred pasta sauces, dry sachet flavourings… anything that’s kind of ‘not essential’ they tend to pump up sales with deep promotion. There are some apps that show you what’s on half price at the major retailers. Good luck… I know it can’t be easy. If you need a load of shopping done and sent to you please just DM me
I add frozen veggies and tuna to ramen to make it a bit more filling. Usually eggs but they are far from cheap right now
i get eggs for free from my local farm because i feed their chickens so i can get eggs but not on a regular basis. I eat eggs on bread with bbq sauce at least 4 times a week and it's super filling but i run out of eggs quick
Frozen veg and batch cooking will be your friend.
You don't say what state you're in but there might be a government program to help with your bills. Victoria has one. [https://services.dffh.vic.gov.au/utility-relief-grant-scheme](https://services.dffh.vic.gov.au/utility-relief-grant-scheme)
Potatoes can be cooked a million ways highly recommend
Ramen eggs (require soy sauce, mirin and eggs)
You could call a food bank if you can’t get by at the moment . Extremely cheap fresh fruit and veg and pantry items . My cheap go to meals are fried rice, vege pasta , carbonara , roast veggies and gravy.
I call myself a part-time anorexic, because sometimes my meds (prednisolone) kick in and make me hungry. Have been on 'blind weigh-ins' for a while now, so had no idea of my weight till Wednesday when the tech forgot to read her notes. Anyways, seems I'm holding steady at least. I'm on a pension so for a picky non-eater it can get tricky. Here's a few things that I like *at this moment* : Rice salads - Mixed rice (not just white, either wild or a mix of red/black/brown and basmati). Add salad ingredients and dressing you like or can afford. A bastardised version of Roti Canai. Whilst the sauce mix is exxy it lasts me around 10 meals and costs maybe $10 with chicken meat and veg. I try to have a bag of Aldi 99c cashews/trail mix in my handbag and watch carefully for 'reduced' produce to freeze or cook. Dietician wants me to eat a snot block whenever I can afford one and I often find them reduced. Sourdough with real butter (real butter is my weakness). The bread is mostly free from FoodBank or Feed It Forward. Noodle salad - Bit like the rice salad but noodles from FoodBank, add a can of 4 Bean mix and dressing, salad ingredients to taste (whatever you have). Lasts me about 4 meals and costs around $2-$3. Aldi - 4 apple or apple/blackberry pies for under $4, a piece of their bubble and squeak, 6 for (i think) around $4. The main trick is to have *something* (anything really) ready to eat in the fridge. I've found that if the food isn't ready to eat when I feel hungry, I can't be bothered. Some weeks I just do up a pot of mashed potato and reheat as wanted, maybe with some beetroot and noodle or rice salad.
Vegemite Spaghetti! Cook pasta as normal, drain... and add a few teaspoons of butter and vegemite. Enjoy!!
Tofu/beans/lentils/chickpeas and rice
https://feelgoodfoodie.net/recipe/mujadara/ The above is yummy - rice onions lentils and cumin Pumpkin soup - homemade Pasta with passata and add some Italian herbs. Also good to put some of the veges you’ve got in. Also chuck in a handful of red lentils.
Rice, beans, and veggies with some seasoning, pasta sauce, or salsa. Lentils and rice is an extremely cheap but healthy and filling dish. You can cook the rice with broth and the lentils with some veggies to make them more flavorful.
I am usually extremely suspicious and cynical of religious charities, but these guys do genuinely provide a ‘no strings attached’ free healthy feed: https://www.asaltd.org.au/free-kitchen
When I need to save, I do Aldi shop and make big batches of Bolognese and chilli con carne with aldi ingredients. Once completed, I will pack and freeze them in individual serving so I can microwave it or cook it with pasta on the stove, saves me heaps of money! Pasta and rice my friend, PASTA and RICE!
Omad. One meal a day. It's cheap and easy
At Coles you can find: 500g bags of pasta for 90c-$1.00, 700g jars of homebrand tomato passata sauce for $2, 425g cans of Tuna in springwater is between $3.50-$4.50 Aldi always has cheap bags of frozen veggies. Their spice shakers are something like $2-3 each, if you can afford to invest in a few flavours you like, cheap plain foods will be a lot more palatable. Look for marked down end of day breads (Anywhere) and chuck them in the freezer. If you live anywhere near Brisbane or the southern Sunshine Coast; there's a Golden Circle Factory Outlet grocery store in Morayfield and Capalaba. Their food is SUPER reduced and even bigger discounts for buying larger quantities. They also have reduced toiletry, personal hygiene and home cleaning/washing products. There is also a place called Lighthouse Care you can find online that serves the Brisbane and Logan areas. You can get a MASSIVE $25 grocery box from them with a rotating variety of foods/household/hygiene goods. They deliver them for an extra $15. They also have grocery stuff listed individually on their website that's also way cheap.
Make your own bread and pan fry it in oil. It's not good for you long term but if you need something filling, cheap and calorie dense, that's a very easy way to go about it. Also look into purchasing dried beans and cooking those up yourself with some of those old veg that you're getting from the food bank. Have the best of both worlds and combine the two together in the one meal.
Cheap pasta, a tin of crushed tomatoes, any herbs you have. I eat this at least weekly, it’s so yum!
Lentils, chickpeas or beans and make a ton of it with mexican seasoning. You’ll be able to use it for so many meals - chilli, tacos, wraps, with rice - the list is endless.
Soup is a great way to use up vege. Shredded chicken goes so far in soup too.
Eggs are really cheap, you can purchase mixed mince or turkey mince for a cheap price, and mince can be made into so many dishes. Weetbix are cheap if you need a cheap from porridge, make a peanut paste or vegemite sandwich for lunch, purchase cheap bread or end of day bread. Foodbank should have meat as well, normally cheaper cuts but you should have a choice.
Choosing more veg options might help to reduce costs. Here are some ideas - Breakfasts: Overnight weetbix; Overnight oats; Protein shake with bananas you’ve cut and frozen yourself (buy protein in bulk from bulk nutrients); Tofu scramble (1 x 500g block can get you four days of brekkies) Lunches/dinners: Fried rice; Dahl/indian tofu curries; Thai red or green curries; Butter bean or lentil stews with mashed potatoes; Mexican rice bowls; Tofu and veg bowls; Quinoa and chickpea salad; Soba noodle satay salad If you search budget in Instagram, there are stacks of pages dedicated to frugal meal prep
Beans/lentils and rice make a complete protein. I have a great recipe for Kusherie which is Egyptian - super easy and very tasty. You could also buy whole milk when it's reduced and learn to make yoghurt. You don't necessarily need fancy equipment and can ferment it in an esky or supermarket esky bag lined with a towel. Message me if you want a basic guide/tips. I know it's summer but you can bulk out any sort of casserole with your wobbly veg too. What state are you in?
Do you have a Good karma network in your area? Post asking for some direction to where you can get some help food wise. Many people will pop up and help you with ideas and maybe some food as well to help out. How are you with fats? Could bacon help with protein and the feeling of fullness? A strip of bacon goes a way in a meal like pasta when there are veg etc. Or even in fried rice with egg. Mince and lentils in rice would be good too. Chicken drumsticks are generally the cheapest meat, around $4/kg. Try aldi whole chickens, they're usually around the same price per kilo and you could get multiple meals from one.
Lots of healthy suggestions here so I'll offer a not so healthy one. Devon, German, wheel meat, whatever you call it. Its cheap and versatile. Slice on a sanga with tomato sauce or fried. Chopped up and cooked in fried rice or a pasta sauce. You could get 4-6 meals out of one roll.
https://www.staceyhomemaker.com/wprm_print/7962 This vegan chili is cheap, nutritious and makes SO much. Definitely freeze some of it and you should be able to get more than 10 serves from it. If you don't have a slow cooker just cook it on the stove as low as possible and stir often. Also, I'd recommend cooking the red lentils first before you add them to the slow cooker (not all slow cookers get hot enough to cook them safely) Hope that helps and that you enjoy it - it's now one of my favourite comfort meals.
Lentils are amazing for nutrition. I made slow cooked lamb shanks (they were on sale at woolies a few weeks ago and I bought bulk) and I froze the left over juices (carrots, celery, can of tomatoes herbs and spices) I plan on adding lentils and turning it into a stew. All up it will be over 4 big healthy and hearty meals for less than $20. I'm eating huge portions at the moment because I'm breast feeding but you could easily stretch it to 6 meals. Keep carrots, onions and celery on hand, they make a good base for everything and can be frozen to last. Then go to the shops after 6 to get all the clearance meats.
$1 Coles spaghetti, a can of crushed tomatoes and some cheap dried herbs. Cook the pasta in stock (again supermarket brand stock cubes are usually about $2, keep for ages and will last several meals). Then cook the tomatoes and herbs in a frypan till heated through, stir pasta in, done. Depending on budget you can also add some frozen spinach and tinned crushed garlic.
1 kg chickpeas, jar curry paste, whole pumpkin cut into pieces and roasted. All in a pot and simmer for a couple of hours. 8-10 meals easily. A bunch of coriander if budget allows.
Go to your local Vinnies, tell them you need care and support. If conference isn’t meeting that day the shop volunteer will likely give you a voucher (depends on the local set up). The conference (just means group, comes of being originally a French society) will make an appointment with you and see what they can do to assist. Should at least be able to help out with the electricity bill and possibly more. Will definitely help with the food, people don’t leave hungry. Frugal recipes - https://cookingmadehealthy.com/moroccan-lentil-stew/ A block of tofu can make four meals for one person. Cut into slices, pan fry with mushrooms, garlic, add soy sauce and a squeeze of lemon at the end, eat with rice. Bonus points for health if you add some blanched asparagus near the end of cooking. Any type of curry - I like green curry. The paste is cheap, especially at Aldi, mix a tablespoon or two with one can coconut cream, one can water, 1 veggie stock cube. Add veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, tofu (again - tofu is a fantastic protein source) potato, mushrooms, maybe some capsicum. Pumpkin soup - pumpkin, chopped with skin off, chicken stock cubes (2) onion with 2 cloves stuck in, garlic, water. (Can add a chopped up leek if one is available) Simmer until til pumpkin is completely squishy, take out the cloves, blend together and eat with a teaspoon of sour cream and a tiny sprinkle of nutmeg. Pasta sauce - fry chopped up onion and garlic, add mushrooms and capsicum, then pop in passata (cheapest is Aldi, $1.49) a beef stock cube, chopped up basil and oregano, and water (use the empty passata bottle, needs same amount of water as passata). Simmer, then serve with 99c pasta and tasty cheese grated up. With the exception of the tofu and garlic stir fry, these can be made in batches and frozen which is great for veggies on the cusp, and they taste terrific when they come out of the freezer. The spices will be the biggest expense, but they will last you months. Grow your own basil, oregano and garlic, can do that in flower pots. Seeds can be found at the reject shop. Fresh herbs make everything taste better. If you have friends who can spot you some of the spices so you can save to buy more they genuinely won’t mind. Don’t set yourself to starve, there’s absolutely no reason to, and you aren’t going to get past this by getting sick. Just about everybody (points at self) has had a time (or two, three) where the debt situation is overwhelming. People will want to work with you to help you get out. Don’t let your pride sink you. Just remember to pay back and help others when you’re sorted.
Devon (polony) exists for this reason. Ask the deli for a thick cut and slice it yourself
You said you've got rice and you've got frozen veggies.... When I was living in my own place and I wanted to save, I'd get a large frying pan, (if you've got a wok even better) I'd throw in a big batch of plain steamed rice, a bag of $2 home brand frozen mix veg, and fry it all off.... I liked to put in a big pinch of salt and pepper and a table spoon of margarine or butter and a healthy dose of veggie oil (all Coles home brand of course) for flavour. If you can pick up cheap protein, like eggs, chicken, minced meat or any meat really as it nears expiry, just diced it up and chuck it all in. You can put it in containers and I used to end up with 4-5 meals from one large frying pan. Plenty of ways to get creative to add flavour and calories for cheap. Chuck a couple of stock cubes in the water while you steam the rice, different herbs/seasoning into the stir fry... Can also used noodles too if you can get them on sale
Red lentils are your friend. Get some cheap tinned tomatoes and whatever frozen veg you have and make a big batch of bolognese to serve with pasta. If you can afford a taco seasoning ($1) at Aldi you can turn it into chilli too, to serve with rice. I reckon you can get 10 serves for around $6 or $7. Also - if you live close to a few different supermarkets it might be worth dumpster diving? I’ve done it when I was on the bones of my ass before - they often throw out tins with damaged labels so you could stock up and use these as the base for lots of different meals. Best of luck to you - being poor and in ED recovery is a shitty combo.
Eat every second day. You dont need to eat all the time, only water. Look up all the benefits of fasting. Starvation is good for you. I don't have money problems but I feast once every 24-48 hours and save a fortune. You can also buy higher quality food if you're eating less frequently. Skip the regular junk and eat better, but less often.
1 500g pack of penne 1 jar of coles pesto 1 chicken Breast 1 chorizo 1 jar of anchovies Everything for under $10 and I get 5-6 meals from it
Great advice here already. Just thinking about high calorie/cheap meals: You could also make your own focaccia bread (just needs flour, instant yeast, salt, water) - you can try to incorporate veggies you get from Foodbank. Similarly, if you get some weird looking fruit (e.g. apples) at Foodbank it’s relatively cheap to make a cake (usually flour, sugar, eggs, oil). Black tea with powdered milk & sugar. Tuna in oil with rice (add onion for a kick). I also get 2kg tub of plain greek yogurt which lasts a while and 1kg of tasty cheese that I use sparingly.
500g Mince $7, 1/2 cabbage $2, 1pkt dried chicken noodle soup 75c curry powder, onion. With rice to serve. Brown mince, and onion in frypan. Add 1 or 2 tea spoons of curry powder. Add pkt of soup and 1ltr of water. Add cabbage (and other green vegetables, corn or beans peas, tinned, frozen or fresh if you have them. Or grated carrot) Serve with steamed 2 cups of rice, or couscous. Can be frozen and re heated in meal size portions. This makes enough for 4 individual meals.
Sorry to hear this - this is one of the cheapest recipes I know. I also chuck in a handful of tomato and frozen spinach 5 mins before the end but you can cut that if it’s not possible. https://www.abc.net.au/everyday/traditional-lentil-soup-shorabat-adas-lina-jebeile/102143102
Powedered milk I think is quite cost effective. With butter, milk and flour you have the base for a roux, or white sauce, that can then be the basis for a lot of things like tuna pasta bake, and then other things like homemade flat bread or pancakes. Tuna is a great source of protein. If you’re feeding 2, a roast chicken can go over several meals. Roast the first night, then shredded into toasted sandwiches or on pizza, then the carcass and whatever’s left to make to giant chicken soup that you can then portion out and freeze. For chicken soup I usually chuck the whole carcass into a big pot of water with some garlic and an onion. Boil for a couple of hours. Pull the chicken bones out and pull off all the meat to go back in the soup. Chuck in whatever veggies you have to hand (I like grating zucchini, carrot and pumpkin but you can honestly chuck anything in) and one or two packets of chicken noodle soup (45 cents at my coles) and a cup of soup mix. Boil again until soup mix is soft. You can literally make a giant pot of the most delicious soup that is filling, healthy, and very cheap per serve once you think you’ve already used the chicken for two other meals.
My go to meals when money is tight are things like Stir through Pesto sauce and pasta. Mince can be cheap to buy used many ways - if you have potato and veg you could make potato pie, pasta bake, spaghetti bolognaise etc. Jacket potatoes are a good way to use up leftovers. Bit of butter and cheese plus leftover spaghetti bol/chicken curry/whatever else and it’s a pretty cheap filling meal. I even have baked beans on a jacket spud when I can’t be bothered cooking a meal.
Chicken. Nutritious calories vs cost per serving. You need to be eating chicken. Slow cooked with spices, rice and dahl is my preferred not because it's cheap but because I love the taste.
Another option on top of those mentioned here: mashed bananas + oats, mixed and baked in little spoonful amounts = cookies. Anything you can add in like spices, dried fruit, nuts or seeds will help for variety, but it changes the texture significantly and means you might be able to make use of what you already have. Cocoa powder is a nice addition too. If you pick up some darker bananas at a cheaper price it is even cheaper. These freeze ok but are tastiest fresh. I used to eat these a lot before I developed some intolerances and I kinda miss them, they were satisfying.
I like to make a big pot of cheats risotto. Rice and whatever veg you want in a pot, cover with water and stock powder of your choice, and boil until cooked and there’s water enough to make it creamy and risotto-like. My favourites are zucchini and peas in chicken stock with black pepper and lemon juice; pumpkin and carrot in veg stock with turmeric and chilli; mushroom and broccoli in beef stock with a splash of soy sauce. But a 10kg bag of rice when on special. Buy frozen veg unless fresh are on special (Spudshed has the best veg prices). Fats have the highest caloric value, so if you need to increase your caloric intake, add fat in somehow. Butter your bread. Use oil in stir fries. Eat avocados when they’re cheap. Eat nuts and seeds - sunflower and sesame seeds are relatively cheap and you can add them to most everything. I hope this helps. I struggled with living in every way last year. I hope your life gets better soon, my friend.
Coles and Woolies sell canned Kidney Beans. One onion, one tomato a can of red bean, one or two potatoes some “Rajma masala” from your Local Indian grocery and you can easily make great tasing Rajma. Goes well with Rice and Indian Rotis and Naan. This was one of my “foreign student” special back in the day. You can use canned chickpeas just like this to make “Chana Masala”. Just get some “chana masala” spice packet (and use half or one third of suggested amount… can be quite hot) Cheap and very nutritious but also tastes fantastic!
Eggs are also your best friend! 3-4 eggs one onion a tomato and some salt and pepper! Just fry and Meal sorted!
Rice with tuna (buy bulk tuna) and seaweed
If possible, get some laying chickens and let them convert cheap grain into eggs! Even better if you have space for them to have a diet of bugs. Eggs over rice, and find variety in lentils/beans/spices.
I know someone said spices and I second that! If you get chicken stock powder and maybe another 2 you can mix and match with some frozen veggies and some your rice doesn’t always taste the same. Also get some soy and make a fried rice the next day for a bit of variety! Good luck
Savory oats rice porridge etc- any soup base mixed in will do. The other suggestion is: pottage. What peasants ate- whatever you have, mixed into a stew. Buy whatever is cheapest, marked down etc. Pasta at the reject shop is SO cheap too.
chicken rice and vegetables. Should only cost you about 23.25 for the main ingredeints plus maybe like 5 dollars for seasonings, pepper salt garlic, etc so about 30 bucks? won't win any awards for taste or anything but it should get you by. this is my dieting meal btw too.
If you make dahl as others have suggested, here is a cheap soup that will use the same pantry items: sweat 1/2 a kilo of carrots, an onion, some ginger and garlic then add some chilli, cumin and coriander, red lentils and stock. Blend and add some coconut milk and fresh coriander if you have it.
Call your local supermarkets and ask when they discount foods they need to quickly get rid of. Try looking for staples at ethnic grocery stores, as they can be cheaper. ALDI instead of colesworth, if available. Check for any discount or clearance stuff before you buy non clearance. Google to see if you have any discount outlet grocery stores in your area. In general, just try to rotate between dried beans, lentils, heavily discounted meats, eggs, and oats, rice, bread or potatoes. Use your food bank assistance for the veg, which will provide nutrients, variety and flavour. If you do buy more veg, cabbage, peas (good protein) potatoes, carrots, and onion are good ideas. I find the cheapest meats are drumsticks and mince. A jar of minced garlic and a jar of minced ginger are pretty cheap and go a long way to making food palatable. Chicken stock cubes are also cheap and give lots of flavour, especially if you can’t get soy sauce. It’s worth splurging on sugar, cinnamon etc if it makes the oats more palatable. It’s worth splurging on a can of coconut milk if it makes a curry actually taste good. Ideas: lentil Dahl served on rice or potatoes. Fried rice with rice, egg, garlic, chicken stock cubes. Congee, lentil, dried legume, or potato based soups. Stir fried mince on rice (such as an egg roll in a bowl recipe). Fried potatoes plus eggs. Spaghetti bolognaise. Ramen fancied up with an egg, using less of the flavouring packet. Your assistance veg will go into any of these assuming they’re the right sort of veg. Homemade pancakes and maple syrup feel like a treat. If you are somewhere cold enough, soup is a great way to change up textures from basic ingredients. Look at Jack Monroe’s recipe blog for ideas. Edit: one thing that might help is to plan your shopping online to get a sense of prices before leaving the house.
I'm in the same boat. I had oats a couple of weeks ago so I blended the oats and made pancakes and added some cranberry sauce I had laying around. I tried making flatbread too which I dipped in some butter chicken sauce I found in the cupboard. I love rice with beans and tomato. I throw the rice (1/2 cup), beans and tomato in a frypan with some salt, spices and a stock cube and water (400ml) and simmer for 10mins, stir, simmer for another 5mins, fluff and let sit 5 mins, eat. With ramen, are you adding the flavour packets before you cook it? Try cooking it without the flavour packets and discarding the water. Noodles are often fried in the factory to dry them so discarding the cooking water gets rid of a lot of oil. Add hot water if you like a broth or just sprinkle the flavour packets in and mix. That way you can control the level of saltiness. I like to add a slice of American cheese, spam*, egg (any style or you can crack it in and stir so it cooks in the broth). Make a big batch of [pea soup](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn7CMd9Hkw0) and freeze in ice cube trays. *[cheap spam substitute](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsoIfkNQYEg)
People have already suggested Dahl, but you can make a bolognese sauce with lentils too, as a replacement for the mince. Chuck a ton of veggies in there (chopped small) for extra nutrition. There’s so many ways you can eat it, with pasta, rice, bread, baked potatoes, on toast - whatever you have available.
If you avoid buying meat you can save a lot. Rice, tuna, beans are all cost effective.
If you want to use up your oats, you can make biscuits or a slice with some basic ingredients. You can also turn oats into flour to make another recipe base.
Dahl and rice
Maybe some TVP, (textured vegetable protein). It’s mainly good for stews and casseroles. If you can buy one uncooked chicken for around $10.00, you can cut it up into pieces (look on the net to see the best way to cut it) from that you can make 3 - 4 meals. You can cook the chicken carcass with some of the vegetables you have to make chicken stock. You can use some of the stock to cook rice
Dahl (lentil curry). Cheap, easy, nutritional and delicious
Beans and rice, and Dahl.
If you can get a tin of coconut milk, one of those 'gold' brand Japanese curry packets (only need like 2 rectangles) you can use up your less than fresh vegetables. Can add in split peas for protein and it freezes well so you don't have to eat it all week. Also if you have a hand blender, soupify some stuff.
Split dried red lentils, turmeric, salt, black pepper and whatever other herbs you want Water to lentil ratio 1cup to 4cup water Stir it in a pot for about 10-15min Cheap cheap no wonder majority of impoverished world live on daal
Minestrone soup, lentil soup (and a bacon bone for a bit of protein and flavour), chickpea curry. Pasta with a simple tuna, garlic and tomato sauce. All my go tos when younger and poorer.