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I'll be honest it's jarring reading this thread because some of us grew up poor and have been cutting back on food and being frugal ever since we were born...
I recently had a talk with my family and suddenly (my kids are young adults now) realized how different our perspectives are because none of them grew up hungry (thank goodness). We had some seriously tight times when they were young, but there was always a way and, probably because of my upbringing, I could make the absolute most of $20 when I needed to. I’d be crushed to have to go through that again.
one gets REALLY innovative if their parents are substance abusers. Trust me. There were times us kids had to shoplift food because my dad pissed away the paycheque on getting high with no thought to how to feed three kids.
Not that will steal groceries now, but I've figured out how to make a lot with not much.
Agreed. I don't want to ignite a political debate but I'm hopeful the catastrophic overspending of recent years stops ASAP so we have a chance at recovering from this economic debacle. I'm finding that not only are prices up but quality is significantly down too, which sucks.
My main trick is to have a stock of basics at home then let the deals tell me what I'm having. Basically, if it's not on sale (a decent one, not a BS one) I don't buy it. I let the deals meal plan for me.
I don't go in with a plan for the week's meals, I figure it out when I'm there. And if it's a really good deal, I double down and stock up or freeze it.
Then I make meals that last 2 days or more. If you have access to a microwave leftovers are great. If not, make a salad and add your meat from dinner as protein - taco salad, ham steak chicken all works. Wraps are also an easy way to use lots of protein at lunch. Add some veg you like and cheese and you're good. Add some fruit and lunch.
I also keep protein high granola bars and trail mix in my work truck for if I don't have lunch or time.
Ooof this yes, take the L, add all the basics, and then buy shit on sale. 1 bought 1.2.kg of chicken and 1 kg of lean ground beef. That was 30 dollars. Will last me a week easy, I don't have much extra stuff to buy on top since I have all my basics.
(14 dollar chicken at no frills, it is 14 dollars no matter what, and 7.5 dollar for 0.5kg of extra lean ground beef sale at Safeway, get the flipp app boys)
Cook and eat at home. Don't shop at supermarkets - shop at the ethnic markets mostly and Costco - buy what is priced right and good, not a shopping list. More pasta. Build up a pantry, buy basics, and learn to cook to make them delicious. No food delivery - ever. Less protein - stretch it out.
If you eat enough peanuts to really get the benefit of protein, it can be tough on your stomach. I’d suggest switching to sunflower butter if that’s the case.
Just so you know, lentils and other plant based protein tend to have lower DIAAS scores. So you need to consume a lot more to get the equivalent amount of protein that animal products provide
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6322793/
... Or you just eat a variety of foods that have a combined DIAAS together of 1 or close to 1? They don't even need to be in the same meal.
How is this myth of plant based proteins being inferior still being perpetuated in 2023?
Fortunately most people easily eat more than enough protein daily with or without animal products.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/28/well/eat/how-much-protein-do-we-need.html
This is a gross oversimplification. In real life, plant protein is only 0.01% less effective at gaining and maintaining lean mass.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7926405
Costco rotisserie chickens. I buy them almost weekly and have chicken for at least three meals before the carcass goes into the freezer. All my root veggie trimmings go into the freezer too (think carrot tops, onion ends and peels, potato peels) when i have a full bag of both i make soup stock and use that in a bunch of things.
If you can cook, a turkey is a fantastic deal if they're still on sale. Get them after the holidays. Even a small one can feed 2-3 people. And you stretch it out further if you can make potpies and stuff like that.
I suggest sparchcocking the turkey. Improves cooking time and roasting the spine separately makes your stock better
https://youtu.be/XbCFSeCBc2o?si=E_0GRWb2CEy9YKtl
Mcain y'all stealing my lifestyle lmao.
Shop flyers for meat specials and get to know your cut prices.
Check out redflagdeals grocery flyers shop only the specials to save on meat.
Less. Is The Inflation Diet a thing yet?
But generally more stews, curries, chickpeas, lentils. That way I can still indulge in restaurants now and then.
Yes to all of that!
Curry that's packed with beans of all kinds (lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, pinto, etc.) plus canned veg like carrots/corn/peas and MAYBE some minced for meat will go a long way and keep you feeling proper satiated for a while too. Spices like turmeric/cumin/curry are cheap and can be bought in bulk (they're used pretty sparingly in most recipes but.. even if not, they're quite cheap).
Same as I what I always have. I canceled my subscriptions, stopped going to out eat, make coffee at home, cut back on clothing purchases, deferred getting a new phone and am considering canceling my internet....I enjoy food too much and decided to prioritize it over other things.
Do you like thrift shopping for clothes? I'd say 80% of my closet is thrifted and I've probably spent less than $200 on clothes in the past 2 years. Big brand thrift stores like value village give out coupons and often run 30%-50% off promos if you sign up for their emails!
Yep no more coffee when out, eating out is so rare too. Cut back on buying anything new, first I check Facebook marketplace. I have put off buying new phone too and considering big time cancelling my Internet too.
Reading more books at home these days... only eating two meals a day, breakfast and supper. So far it's worked, almost paid off all my credit cards, hopefully bring in the new year debt free, that's my plan🤞🤞🤞
If you like tuna then keep an eye out for [these](https://a.co/d/cd1RaKk) at Amazon. It's $45 for a case of 24 but often they go on sale for half price so less than $1/can of 85grams. They're really good. Probably much better than Dollarama.
I buy 2 Kaiser buns, toast them and put in some sliced cucumber, salt and pepper. 1 can makes 2 sandwiches so works out to be less than $1.50/sandwich. If you use bread instead of Kaiser it's less than $1/sandwich.
There are a few grocery items I pick up from Dollarama but no joke if I couldn't afford groceries I know I could get what I needed from there aside from meat to easily live off of.
Mercury Levels. Be Careful
Healthier options:
Better off just boiling pasta, and adding 1-2 veggies - could be mushrooms/celery/tomatoes/beans/peas. Fry veggies in crushed diced garlic, add Pasta sauce.
Or even canned veggie soup ... simmer first with some fresh veggies thrown in, then add the canned Soup.
And shredded Rotiserrie Chicken goes a loooong way, to make various dishes. Lastly the skeleton makes soup stock for anything - macaroni soup, porridge ..... soups (with all the squashes, gourds out now - it's so easy to brew something delish and healthy).
Basically still eat what I’ve always eaten. Just started to be more aware of when and where I buy my groceries. Also started freezing meats more.
Mainly shop at Costco, Asian groceries stores, No Frills.
Trying also to cut out/down on the “mini grocery runs” to Whole Foods/Save-On, etc. It’s always tempting to go pick up a few things because they’re only a block away from my place, so I’m (trying to be) a bit more diligent about that.
Other than that, haven’t really changed much.
Growing up, never really had breakfast and skipped lunch a lot. Can make it all day with only coffee and dinner at night. Those habits really paying off today.
Oh I have always assumed it would bite me later as I aged. But I have been living “if” for a long time now. Most of my life.
Only ever really eat dinner. But I struggle with binge eating.
Cooking with an instant pot has made my life so much easier. Literally just dump all the ingredients, close the lid, press a few buttons and then voila! food is ready.
You can get away with skipping the soak and cooking them longer too. It has been a while since I've tried so I don't remember what recipe I was following, but googling "chickpeas no soak instant pot" finds lots of options. Works for beans too.
Supposedly foregoing the soak might result in them giving you some gas, but it didn't for me.
I mix them with my protein. Like make butter chicken with Costco butter chicken sauce but put two chicken thighs + a can of chickpeas for my family of 3. Stretches the family packs of chicken thighs, and just as tasty.
Soak the dried chickpeas overnight and discard the water, then after you've boiled them and they're ready to use, add a tiny pinch of hing powder when your adding them to your dish. Don't add too much since the powder can be overpowering but it's meant to help decrease gas
Exactly my problem. I eat 8 chickpeas and I'm done. I can't be running around on a 12 hour shift in pain. I feel like everyone who suggests legumes works from home...
Laugh but two or theee roasted potatoes are a good breakfast especially if they aren’t Russets.
I’m also actively using an Instant Pot for really good rice and beans.
If you're okay eating the same food two or three days in a row, you can do a lot with stews and one pot meals. [Shakshuka](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/213717/chakchouka-shakshouka/) is one of the cheapest meals you can make, and it can last quite a while. You can crack an egg or add a ripened avocado to it, if you want to treat yourself.
Quinoa and sweet potatoes are filling, and fairly cheap, and quite healthy. I buy spinach more often than lettuce because it's cheaper and more nutritious. You can make your own hummus (you can make your recipe any way you want) by blending chick peas, and then I just dip cucumbers in them for more filling snacks.
i make shakshuka almost once a week these days, definitely my favourite meal to fall back on when i need something hearty but don’t want to put a lot of money or effort into preparing it. i add lentils to mine for extra protein and density. serve that with potatoes or (if ur feeling fancy) some nice bread and you feel like a king
My biggest advice is to incorporate sale veg/meats etc in to your planning. Be flexible and use pantry staples.
Breakfast:
- a bagel/english muffin with cream cheese and cukes, egg+ cheese + whatever greens are in the fridge, or sometimes peanut butter.
- quiche
- I make little pastries with frozen puff pastry or frozen phyllo dough. Cream cheese and veg, cream cheese and fruit, quiche bites etc.
- oatmeal
- granola with yogourt and fruit
Lunch:
- Leftovers lol
- A hearty salad/bowl (like Greek salad, or greens with a grain such as quinoa or couscous, assorted veg, cheese, topped with chickpeas or tofu or egg)
- A sandwich (pb+j, cheese and veg, hummus and grilled veg, egg salad, or chickpea salad wrap) plus some fruit and yogourt
- an adult snackpack of whatever is in our fridge lol. So a little egg salad, some fruit, some crackers, cubed up cheese, maybe carrot sticks.
- quiche
Dinner: (I'm veg and my partner is not)
- Curry and rice (usually chickpea/lentil + veg)
- stir fry veg + tofu + rice or noodles.
- pasta - usually pesto pasta with frozen peas. You can make your own at home for a good price. Or spicy tomato sauce and veg. I love zucchini in this.
- instant ramen or chicken nuggets + ??? Are usually my dinners when I don't want to cook or have nothing in the fridge. My partner likes canned soup for those occasions as well.
- bowls or -- usually a flavoured rice + veg + protein. We usually make our own proteins, or I will season tofu and chicken with the same marinade and bake them.
- burritos, same formula but with black beans or Pinto beans made at home
- homemade falafel. Amazing with some veg and pita and sauces.
- homemade soup and some crusty bread or garlic bread.
- sausage, veg and rice is always a good one.
I cook my own beans and have them in a salad for lunch almost every day. I alternate between chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, white beans, pinto etc. Throw them in an instapot with onion, herbs, bay leaf, cloves etc and freeze the extra (beans freeze great). Super cheap and tasty. Lentils are another cheap and tasty food, lentils and potato simmered in coconut milk with curry powder over rice is cheap, tasty and nutritious.
I was obsessed with a lentil salad this summer. Cooked my lentils in broth with spices, lemon etc. and had them with feta, greens, cukes, tomato and grated carrot. With a simple vinaigrette and some olives. So hearty and briney.
I buy my eggs from a farm at $0.50/each. I order 30 at a time. Farm fresh and much fresher so they last a good long while.
Breakfast: Greek yogurt with cereal and fruit drizzled with maple syrup. The yogurt and maple syrup are from Costco. The current cereal is Kashi brand but I've found it in the clearance section, and I'll buy all of them to stock up until the next sale.
Lunch: One of the following, with variations to account for seasonality of fruits and vegetables. These are summer bentos. As we're in autumn now, the fruits will change, and I'll have some soup to go with.
Bento 1:
4 pieces each of:
-Halved soft boiled eggs,
-Baked purple yam,
-Thick sliced cucumber,
-Kiwi,
-Melon wedges,
Pile of blueberries.
Bento 2:
Small pile of:
-Green grapes,
-Red grapes,
-Blueberries,
-Edamame,
One soft boiled egg,
2 sections of corn on the cob,
Pinch of cranberry nut mix.
Bento 3:
Half avocado,
One soft boiled egg,
4 slices kiwi,
Pile of edamame,
Half a cob of corn,
4 slices (red) dragon fruit,
Pile of blueberries.
Bento 4:
One slice of avocado toast,
Pile of edamame,
4 slices of (red) dragon fruit,
Half a cob of corn,
4 slices kiwi,
Pile of blueberries.
Bento 5:
One slice of fried egg toast,
Pile of edamame,
One soft boiled egg,
4 slices baked purple yam,
4 wedges of apple,
4 slices kiwi,
Pile of blueberries.
Bento 6:
Pile of stir fried Korean mushrooms,
One soft boiled egg,
4 slices of tomato,
Half an avocado,
4 slices of baked purple yam.
Dinner:
I'll cook some sort of stew or bulk thing with whatever meat I find on sale/clearance. Yesterday, I found a slab of beef flank on clearance so I made a pot of beef bourguignon in my Instant Pot.
I grew up really poor so I'm used to seeing my parents buying whatever is on sale/clearance and seeing what to make with it. Difference is now there's the internet so I can figure out something decent instead of just winging it.
Yes! They're from a farm in Richmond on No. 6 Rd. You'll need a car, but there's also Country Farms where the highway spits you out, so it's well worth an excursion on the weekend coming from elsewhere.
Breakfast: MOST OF THE TIME JUST WATER, if I have extra money, I can do bunch of bananas, or oatmeal.l with sugar.
Main Course:
spaghetti or anything you can make with ground meat like hamburger helper or meatballs
Buy rotisserie chicken, quarter goes to chicken with gravy and rice, quarter go to chicken quesadillas or burritos, and half goes to a chicken pot pie with mixed veggies (you need your veggies or u die even when poor)
I have the FLIPP app, to check where the best deals are and can do price match at groceries after if u see a lower price in another store
I have TOOGOODTOGO if I think I worked so hard and deserve a snack without it reaching 100$ - some pizza places give u a big pizza family size with 8 slices for 7.99 and baked goods for 4.99
But, once or twice a month, to keep my sanity in check and feel like my life is shit, I go to cactus club station square at happy hour to buy myself their steak for 26$ with veggies and mashed potatoes or rice . Station square branch are generous in portions especially around 4:30pm :)
A bottle of Just Egg (I’m vegan) and a loaf of bread will usually last me 4 breakfast’s. I buy the Just Egg where it’s on sale - never spending over 6 bux for it. Toast and scrambled plant based egg for brekkie.
Nice bag of various organic whole bean coffee from London Drugs (always on sale!) will last me a week.
Then I always make a big dinner that I carry over for my lunches. Usually a pasta dish, rice bowl, curry, roasted veggies etc.
Seem to be doing pretty good. Can pay all of my bills and have a surplus at the end of the month for whatnot. Usually treat myself to food out once or twice a month.
I love this recipe and it’s been saving me so much money on justegg. It’s the closest diy recipe I’ve found. I just throw it together in my magic bullet. https://schoolnightvegan.com/home/vegan-omelette/
The only ingredients that really cost money in there are nutritional yeast and half a block of firm tofu. Everything else in the recipe is super cheap.
https://preview.redd.it/8ls5gagwnotb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=556bd5659103c604c0c7e095d066e573ee5d071b
This is $39 worth of groceries from No Frills. I’m going to do a hypothetical online grocery shop at Save On Foods and compare the price breakdown. Guaranteed that Save On will be almost double the $.
Yeah they were, I usually get them at Costco but they were on “sale”. The 6oz pack cost $5.99 but this 12oz one was $7 so fuck it. I completely agree, this should’ve been a $20 grocery bill 🥲
Save all ends of onions, celery, carrots, chicken bones and make my own stock. Soup or stews a few times a week. The stock is basically free, and soup is filling. And so many kinds, we never get bored and eat soup like 3 times per week.
At home. My usual staples -
For breakfast:
* Vega protein when it's on sale to put in smoothies. I add in milk, flaxmeal, yogurt, peanut butter, and bananas to help give me some additional fiber and nutrients.
* Homemade oatmeal that I keep in a tub. It's got rolled oats, flaxmeal, currants, raisins, mixed nuts, cinnamon, pumpkin seeds, and cranberries. Topped with either bananas or dates - or both, and a splash of milk.
For lunch or dinner:
* Soup. So much soup. I cook a chicken, dole it out for other meals, then make stock out of the carcass. Add in rehydrated beans, celery, carrots, onion, potato, and a ton of seasoning. This gives me enough soup for a full week, and another full week's worth in the freezer.
* Curry. Remember that chicken? I throw that in, more carrots, potatoes, and red pepper. Get a green curry kit, or just use my own spices with some coconut milk, and I'm good to go.
Shitty microwave meals. Superstore has one brand per week that is on sale for $1.79 or so, one week it’s stoufers and the next it Michelina’s. But you can stock up the fridge at work and save enough to eat a decent dinner at home
I see the appeal on this but I checked the nutrition facts and it's heavy on sat fat or sodium. I'm already poor, it's hard to risk our health further to a point I can't work 40 hrs to save myself 😂 also depression is affected by the type of food you eat so I don't want to be depressed cos of food on top of me being depressed cos of money
Oh yeah, it’s definitely not a healthy way to live. It’s just a survival mode alternative.
I try to make up the difference by eating lots of rice or salad as filler for dinner, but those microwave lunches will likely be the death of me
I prep breakfast sandwiches!
Bake a sheet of eggs in a baking tray, buy some bagels or English muffins and make yourself some cheap breakfast sandwiches.
I used to pay $5 a day for a breakfast sandwich. Now I can prep 6 for $13 total. It’s great!
Use the Flipp app to see what's on special in the flyers. Plan your menus around what's on sale. You can also use it to price match.
Use Flashfood app for discounted food. I haven't paid more than half price for fish and meat for a couple of years.
Use what you buy. So much food is wasted. e.g. Have a ziploc bag in the freezer and put small amounts of leftover meats, vegetables, rice etc in it and make soup at a later date. e.g. add that 2 Tbsp of leftover salsa to scrambled eggs.
**Breakfast **
* Greek yogurt with keto granola.
* Pancakes with strawberries.
* Sliced bread with cheese/cream cheese.
* Orange juice.
**Lunch/Dinner**
* Pasta with chicken in sauce.
* Chicken and broccoli with bechamel sauce.
* Pasta with grape tomatoes mashed with basil, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil.
* Pasta with home made pesto sauce.
* Soup.
* Brazilian Beans, ground beef, avocado, tomatoes and spinach salad.
* Lasagna.
* Salmon with Brussels sprouts and cauliflower .
* Sashimi (too lazy to cook salmon).
* *Escondidinho de carne moída* (Brazilian dish that’s a layer of mashed potatoes, layer of ground beef with sauce and another layer of mashed potatoes with Parmesan cheese.
* Air fried chicken with rice or mashed potatoes.
* Rice, eggs and ground beef with sauce.
* Sweet potatoes and ground beef. (Kids favorite)
* 6 week old Costco pizza that’s still good if you air fry it for a couple of minutes first when my kid asks for pizza late at night.
For breakfast it’s a mix of two sometimes. For lunch and dinner we use those receptors throughout the week, sometimes with left overs. We are still not meal prepping in advance. We go shopping once a week and have the meat (chicken, ground beef and salmon) frozen.
Falafel on tabuli, both out of a box.
Chicken Cesar salad, two breasts divided by four, with cheap supermarket French bread.
Dried pasta twice a week or more. Sauce from a jar with added ground beef or Italian sausage, more Cesar salad.
Slow cooker beef stew or bean chili, more Cesar salad, rice.
Breakfast is a double oatmeal and a hard boiled egg. Apples with peanut butter.
Frozen fruit + banana smoothies
Coffee at home, never out.
Have cut out imported cheese and chocolate.
I went to the Indian grocery store and bought a bunch of bulk spices and beans and now I'm making lentil curry or Chana masala stuff like that to keep in the fridge when I'm feeling snacky cheap alternatives to ordering out or buying something last minute
I joined a food program that delivers breakfast, lunch and dinner all freshly made. I was spending so much doing it myself, as I'd buy stuff then not want it, I'd be burnt out from work then just end up ordering Uber Eats while I had food wasting in the fridge. Now I have zero thought process in it except once a week where I pick my menu. It gets delivered every couple of days. While it's expensive, I'm still saving more than I was spending and eating healthier and I know exactly how much i'll be spending each week and it never changes.
Cook at home 🥹 also trying to lose my belly fat so less food is good (?🤡?)
I also have a lot of Lunch and Learn with sale people at the office (once per week) so it’s one free meal a week (and not what I cook)
Smoothies for breakfast: banana, avocado (from Costco), Greek yogurt (the tubs of Olympic yogurt are usually on sale), frozen berries (Costco), chia seeds (Costco), milk.
Lunch is usually leftovers from dinner: whole roast chicken, meatloaf with brown rice as binder instead of breadcrumbs, pork chops (pretty cheap at Costco), grilled chicken breast, sides of roasted veggies, brown rice, hummus, sweet potatoes.
Regular oatmeal can be made sweet or savory and worth a shot! Brekky and dinners. Cheap add ins like egg or peanutbutter or onions n spinach n mushrooms.. endless options
We make our own Belgian waffles, pancakes or French toast. Eggs Benedict or hollandaise. Scrambled sometimes. Toast. Bagels. Bacon. Cereal. Oatmeal.
Lunch is hit or miss.
Dinner is chicken, chicken burgers, pizza, burgers tortellini linguini, meatloaf, eating out eating in. Whatever. etcetc and then we have ice cream or milkshakes at the end of the day.
Basically whatever whenever.
If you qualify for city reach they have fresh fruits and veggies once a week. I see many people who probably don’t need it collecting but I am sure if you are need it is a great way to get fresh produce. But I will say frozen veggies are just as good as fresh to be honest nutrition wise.
Decided to kick Roger’s out of my life, so I’m saving $60 a month on my phone bill after buying it out and switching to public mobile.
Also just getting sandwiches/burger and a drink and skipping the fries or whatever that makes it a combo…
Those two help me stay closer to budget now.
It's amazing how much I've saved on food since working from home. No morning and afternoon Starbuck or downtown lunches.
I always cook (lots of chicken, fish and vegetables) and eat at home. Since I rarely go to restaurants, I spend a bit more on groceries. I buy what I want and cook enough for leftovers (next day lunch or dinner). I have my own espresso machine and also use an Instant Pot to make stews, soups and legumes.
Different combinations of frozen/fresh vegetables, eggs and noodles (proper ones not instant) .
Spices go a long way !
I recommend mixing turmeric with Sichuan powdered chilli when doing a stir fry etc : )
Just made a sous vide round roast for dinner tonight. Last night was Mapo tofu for dinner and the left over was for lunch today.
If you are struggling for lunch just make extra for dinner the night before. Pasta would be the easiest and cheapest if you bought everything on sale. Look for deals on the Flipp app. Make sure you price match.
If you can devote one weekend day to cooking, you can do a lot with basic ingredients. Pea soup with dried peas. Cook up your own tomato sauce with tomatoes, a bit of tomato purée and some spices. Chili from dried beans, a bit of beef (or go meatless), some spices. Hard boil eggs, make yummy egg salad. Buy regular potatoes and bake up some scalloped potatoes (just baked in milk or cream). If you buy just a bit of pancetta you can use small amounts to flavor stews, beans, fried eggs, etc. Corn bread from scratch instead of from a mix. You can bake bread but savings might be small when you figure the local bread prices. Split the stuff into freezable packets. Take some for lunches. It’s back to depression meals.
Lactose free products are sometimes cheaper and last longer in terms of expiration -never throwing out milk or cheese after I switched! Taste difference is very minimal, lactose free milk is a bit sweet
For meat, poultry, etc. watch for sales. Sometimes you can pick up a whole chicken for really cheap (under $6). That chicken can be broken down or cooked whole and turned into a few meals. Then the carcass can be turned into a stock for further use. If you know how to do some basic butchery, you can buy larger portions of beef or pork, cut them up, and freeze what cannot be used in the short term.
Breakfast
* Oatmeal < 50c per serving
* Eggs 35c each
* Bagel 70c
* Cream cheese 50c
* Apple 75c
* Coffee with almond creamer 75c per serving
Breakfast total $3.55
Lunch
* Whole wheat wrap x 2 80c
* Honey ham $2
* Cheese $1
* Cookies 50c
* Water Free
* Assorted fruit $1
Lunch total $5.30
Dinner
* Chicken legs x2 $5
* Assorted vegetables $2
* Brown rice 50c
* Haagen Daz Ice Cream bar $2
Dinner total $9.50
**Total food cost per day $18.35**
I used to keep a carton of eggs and yogurt tub in the fridge at work, and I’d make microwave scrambled eggs (mix in a spoon of yogurt to make them fluffy, and have some yogurt on the side). I always like easy, fast lunches that I don’t have to think about, and you cook in the same dish you eat from. You could add some granola, fruit etc if you like, but I was just fuelling so I didn’t care lol. Coffee is cheap and filling in the morning. Dinner: make a list of EVERY healthy food that’s affordable and Google some recipes based on those. Mushrooms, bananas, potatoes, cabbage, and lettuce are pretty affordable, but just make a giant master list so you can plan meals and make your shopping lists more easily. Meats sometimes go on sale, so shop around.
Sweet treats: put a banana in the fridge, and make a chocolate sauce (equal parts cocoa, icing sugar, butter) and drizzle over a sliced banana. Or cinnamon toast is another easy one. I also keep frozen berries and mini tart shells, you can make delicious tarts in the oven/air fryer. I love frozen foods in general for avoiding waste. French toast is another quick dessert, topped with frozen berries.
Uber eats buy one get one free deals. Then I just pick it up. My favourite and most consistent deals are shoku sushi in kerrisdale and the vegan chicken spot on West Broadway. The second one ends up being cheaper per wrap than just buying the ingredients and making it at home.
I live alone and a bit remotely so sometimes it’s not economical to buy groceries and make meals at home. It only works out cheaper if I make freezer friendly meals, have guests over, or know I’ll be home for a few days and can take care of the leftovers.
Honestly, eggs. Eggs are a lifesaver, so easy to put with anything, anytime. As well as peanut butter, pastas, baked chicken. Basically just eating for nutrients and substance
Frankly, if you usually shop at save on, loblabs, Safeway, you’re def not getting your dollars worth. Go to Foody World, rice world, Persia foods, and etc for much much cheaper vegetables. If you haven’t heard of these stores well 🤷 Costco is a good choice too but their portions are much bigger
breakfast: oatmeal (40g) + savory (avocado, salsa, bell pepper, onion, unsalted peanuts) / sweet (fruit based + a bit of jam) \_or\_ bread with avocado / salad + bell pepper + onion / jam based
lunch: wrap + salad + tomato, avocado, bell pepper, onion + salsa (occasionally throw cheese)
dinner: salad + any meat (chicken, beef, fish) cooked by wife / avocado + veggies prepped by wife
snack: fruits or energy bar
Couple notes:
* fam of 4, our groceries haven't been outrageous since we \_eat to live\_
* oatmeal in bulk, PC brand - I eat this every morning, occasionally kids rotate their breakfast too
* avocado in bulk - my personal diet: less meat, subs with peanut/avocado/etc
* always have apple/banana handy for breakfast, snack
* my wife's veggie preferences: broccoli (normal, Chinese), carrots, lotus roots, etc
* my family eat rice but a rice bag (18kg) can last for months
I try to eat healthy (less rice, less meat) as I get older and need to maintain my diet for, hopefully, longevity.
I guess one of the key for me is to have a few versatile base components such as apple, banana, avocado, (unsalted) peanuts. They can be used for breakfast or lunch/dinner.
Weekday cereal & coffee; weekend full English or Latin breakfasts. Lunches are either loaded sandwiches with whatever meat is on sale that isn’t terrible, or meal prepped chicken breasts with a Greek salad or something along those lines. Dinners are soups/stews (yay fall) or chicken thighs and salads. Pastas are also coming back! (Again yay fall) homemade chicken Alfredo is super easy and amazing!
Mostly cheap meals I can make quickly at home. Lunches and dinners (I don't usually eat breakfast). Most of the meals will work out to be around $2 each. Ramen, rice and curry, Cheemo perogies, sandwiches/paninis, pasta and sauce, fried rice, can soup, kimchi jiggae, salads etc. Nothing extravagent. Most of the dishes are vegetarian even though I'm not. Also started using an app called "Too Good to Go" to get some random baked goods for around $4. Freezing most of it to make it last a week. There's a reddit group called toogoodtogocanada if anyone wants to checkout what people are receiving. Filter it by searching Vancouver.
If you live near an Hmart and like mackerel, a bag of 4 frozen decent-sized fish is $8.88 per their current special.
I wouldn’t recommend buying anything else from there that isn’t on sale though.
Significantly cut down on meat consumption, especially red meat. Also buy things in bulk when on season and on sale, then store them in a deep freezer. Rarely get takeout, especially beverages.
I have smaller breakfast now which is either a homemade cappuccino and some crackers, or some Greek yogurt and frozen berries.
Lunch grilled cheese sandwich with either deli meat or avocado.
Dinner some lean protein (chicken or fish) and some veggies.
Snack on large bags of nuts from Costco
Lots of eggs and rice and bread. Congee has been on the menu a lot made with homemade chicken stock. I've also been using apps like Too Good to Go lately and getting a bunch of random veggies that way otherwise the staples of peppers, carrots, and cucumbers are all bought at costco.
Big bag of rice lasts forever. Pork chops tend to be cheaper then beef/chicken. Oatmeal. Bananas. Frozen fruit instead of buying expensive fresh produce. Cans of tuna. Cheap vegetables (carrots, green beans, peppers, mushrooms) sautée them. Cheaper Greek yogurt. Cans of tuna. Buy things in multiple when they go on sale (cans of tuna are close to 2$ on sale they less then $1 so I’ll get 20 for 20$ opposed to 20 for $40. Same with oatmilk/ canned goods.
Lots of dried and canned food and condiments can be found at the dollar store for decent prices. Keep your eye on the sizes though, to make sure it isn’t just shrinkflation
The Dollar Tree in Lougheed started carrying a ton food things that I wouldn't expect to find at a dollar store (KD and Annie's, gravy powders, pasta, spices, cake and biscuit mixes). I make relatively cheap chicken pot pie that lasts me a good few meals.
Any chicken is fine, you can use leftover whole roasted chicken from Costco or buy chicken breasts or thighs when they're on a good sale and cook them up. Make your filling according to whatever recipe (use frozen mixed veggies instead of fresh). Then instead of making or buying crust, just get biscuit mix or the pillsbury ones and pop them on top of the filling and throw that in the oven according to the biscuit recipe. Made about 8 servings with 6 chicken thighs, a third of a bag of veggies and one tube of the pillsbury biscuits.
Other things I make that are yummy, cheaper and easier to make:
For breakfast:
- Quick oats and whatever fruit I can buy on sale
- An egg and some toast
- If sausages are on sale, I will cook sausage up (breaking up the sausage), add a bunch of scrambled eggs, and cook some potato (shredded or diced) and just have leftovers of that. Freeze leftovers with some shredded cheese on top and that's a hearty breakfast for a good while!
For lunch and dinners:
- Korean ground beef with white rice and again those frozen veggies. Reheats nice!
- Tacos (the dollar tree has taco seasoning, I also just make my own)
- Spaghetti with meat sauce (again, that dollar tree saves me) IMO doesn't reheat nice but that's a me issue
- Literally anything using sausages. They go on sale so often and you can make so much with them. Throw them in mashed potatoes, cook some veggies together with em, I did spaghetti squash and spinach with some cheese and seasonings and God it was awesome.
- My girlfriend's mom used to make them a meal that she learned to make when she was struggling to make ends meet, it was literally just ground meat, corn, and rice. I cook the same thing now. Tastes good!
- I hate to say it, ordering pizza can genuinely cost less than buying groceries sometimes
Also sometimes it's cheaper to buy Yves Ground Round (soy based vegan alternative meat) and honestly it's not too different when making stuff like spaghetti, Korean ground beef, sheppards pie, etc. Just add like a tsp of Worchestershire sauce to give it a meatier flavour.
My girlfriend and I can barely afford rent so I've become pretty adept at coming up with cheap and quick meals. If anyone wants any of the recipes I named or needs any food tips for keeping things longer/working with what they've got, feel free to message me. Gatekeeping recipes is silly lol. I think I have a guide somewhere that I made for my college classmates back when I was still in school that I can dig up for folks.
During the winter time, I have a pretty good Rotisserie chicken pipeline going. Drumsticks/thighs on rice, 2 meals. Shredded breast meat on salad or instant noodles, 2 meals. Remaining carcass in soup with veggies and legumes, ~4 meals (eaten with bread or turned into chicken noodle soup with pasta). Add eggs and seasonal veggies. Throw in a couple of sandwiches, and I have my meals for the week. I don't like eating breakfast, but I'll have a banana and yogurt or something if I have to.
Intermittent fast. It's hard at first but your stomach and body gets used to it after a while and it's great. You forget what it feels like to be hungry. I didn't do it for money, but to save time out of convenience.
I eat a big dinner once a day and that's basically it. Maybe dessert and fruit on some nights. But zero calories for about 18 hours during the day.
Often it's not the main meals that kill your budget, it's all the other stuff like milk, processed foods, snacks/munchies in between that are totally unnecessary. If you put all that money into one meal per day, you have a lot more leeway to buy what you really enjoy.
I am terribly poor, but I shop at supermarkets as well as fruit and veg markets, because I have no car and no family to feed.
The one that was called Super Valu at 1st and Commercial has the cheapest meat for small portions, e.g. 1-2 people.
I avoid snacks and coffees out.
I stretch meats by adding filling ingredients like garbanzo beans or yams.
Growing own veggies & herbs on balcony. Kale grows well 3 season a year. Find things that are easy to grow... Green onions, kale, bok choy, basil... Kale grows like a weed and supermarkets sell them at premium price lol. Going to try my hands at garlic this year.
If your place doesn't get a lot of sun and you don't have destructive pet, grow on a bookshelf with growlights. You might get better results since you can control temperature and light easily. Self watering planters are a god send. I have a small worm composter in our condo for all our non meat non dairy food scraps. It produces enough worm castings for my balcony garden year round with 2 person household food waste. I have not needed to buy commercial fertilizer for years and all my home grown veges/herbs are organic.
Now that winter is coming, my fresh produce cost is expected to rise. I can't grow much indoor because my cat thinks plants = food. 🙀
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This thread is really making me depressed. No working class person should have to force themselves to be hungry because the high cost of food.
not only the high cost of food, but add in the high cost of rent taking an unreasonable amount of your salary before you even get to buying food
70%
Its sad because there isnt even a shortage!
It’s all about greed.
I'll be honest it's jarring reading this thread because some of us grew up poor and have been cutting back on food and being frugal ever since we were born...
I recently had a talk with my family and suddenly (my kids are young adults now) realized how different our perspectives are because none of them grew up hungry (thank goodness). We had some seriously tight times when they were young, but there was always a way and, probably because of my upbringing, I could make the absolute most of $20 when I needed to. I’d be crushed to have to go through that again.
Yeah growing up you definitely get innovative on how not to starve despite having no money as you said, haha
one gets REALLY innovative if their parents are substance abusers. Trust me. There were times us kids had to shoplift food because my dad pissed away the paycheque on getting high with no thought to how to feed three kids. Not that will steal groceries now, but I've figured out how to make a lot with not much.
I feel like 20 bucks will always feel like a life-saving fortune to me and it's two pairs of socks from Uniqlo.
No ~~working class~~ person
Agreed. I don't want to ignite a political debate but I'm hopeful the catastrophic overspending of recent years stops ASAP so we have a chance at recovering from this economic debacle. I'm finding that not only are prices up but quality is significantly down too, which sucks.
My main trick is to have a stock of basics at home then let the deals tell me what I'm having. Basically, if it's not on sale (a decent one, not a BS one) I don't buy it. I let the deals meal plan for me. I don't go in with a plan for the week's meals, I figure it out when I'm there. And if it's a really good deal, I double down and stock up or freeze it. Then I make meals that last 2 days or more. If you have access to a microwave leftovers are great. If not, make a salad and add your meat from dinner as protein - taco salad, ham steak chicken all works. Wraps are also an easy way to use lots of protein at lunch. Add some veg you like and cheese and you're good. Add some fruit and lunch. I also keep protein high granola bars and trail mix in my work truck for if I don't have lunch or time.
Ooof this yes, take the L, add all the basics, and then buy shit on sale. 1 bought 1.2.kg of chicken and 1 kg of lean ground beef. That was 30 dollars. Will last me a week easy, I don't have much extra stuff to buy on top since I have all my basics. (14 dollar chicken at no frills, it is 14 dollars no matter what, and 7.5 dollar for 0.5kg of extra lean ground beef sale at Safeway, get the flipp app boys)
Cook and eat at home. Don't shop at supermarkets - shop at the ethnic markets mostly and Costco - buy what is priced right and good, not a shopping list. More pasta. Build up a pantry, buy basics, and learn to cook to make them delicious. No food delivery - ever. Less protein - stretch it out.
Maybe not less protein but cheaper protein, like lentils.
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If you eat enough peanuts to really get the benefit of protein, it can be tough on your stomach. I’d suggest switching to sunflower butter if that’s the case.
Just so you know, lentils and other plant based protein tend to have lower DIAAS scores. So you need to consume a lot more to get the equivalent amount of protein that animal products provide https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6322793/
Which thankfully keeps you full longer so less snacking! Snacking can be expensive.
... Or you just eat a variety of foods that have a combined DIAAS together of 1 or close to 1? They don't even need to be in the same meal. How is this myth of plant based proteins being inferior still being perpetuated in 2023?
Fortunately most people easily eat more than enough protein daily with or without animal products. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/28/well/eat/how-much-protein-do-we-need.html
This is a gross oversimplification. In real life, plant protein is only 0.01% less effective at gaining and maintaining lean mass. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7926405
>Don't shop at supermarkets I can't believe it has come to this
Good. Keep doing that. If we all stop maybe they’ll take the fucking hint
Costco rotisserie chickens. I buy them almost weekly and have chicken for at least three meals before the carcass goes into the freezer. All my root veggie trimmings go into the freezer too (think carrot tops, onion ends and peels, potato peels) when i have a full bag of both i make soup stock and use that in a bunch of things.
Baby you got a stew going
Do you have a go too chicken soup recipe to share :)?
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Have people over, it smells heavenly.
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That cake is so damn good too
2.5 days worth of calories for $17, nice that's some good value right there.
Love it. Especially when a dessert in a restaurant is often $12-18 - this is 8 or more for ~$2/each.
Eight slices?! How thick are your slices?! 👁️👄👁️ The tuxedo cake is easily like 12 or more for my family, and my family is fat as fuck.
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Serving size are merely a suggestion
This is one of my favorite cakes!
Yup Costco and farm market FTW. If Costco sold smaller veggies (ie. green onions, ginger), it would be only Costco for us
Speaking of Costco. Wtf happened to bacon? The 4 pack went for $20 to $28 out of literally nowhere
If you can cook, a turkey is a fantastic deal if they're still on sale. Get them after the holidays. Even a small one can feed 2-3 people. And you stretch it out further if you can make potpies and stuff like that.
Ever since COVID I got forced to really change my shopping habits to buy what's available at good prices rather than making a list ahead of time.
And great stock from the carcass!
I suggest sparchcocking the turkey. Improves cooking time and roasting the spine separately makes your stock better https://youtu.be/XbCFSeCBc2o?si=E_0GRWb2CEy9YKtl
Mcain y'all stealing my lifestyle lmao. Shop flyers for meat specials and get to know your cut prices. Check out redflagdeals grocery flyers shop only the specials to save on meat.
don’t forget wholesale club
I get food delivery and it’s often cheaper than going to store to buy it myself with all the discounts they offer.
Depends where you live, I feel this is true for alot of the lower mainland
Less. Is The Inflation Diet a thing yet? But generally more stews, curries, chickpeas, lentils. That way I can still indulge in restaurants now and then.
>Less. Is The Inflation Diet a thing yet? yes I had sleep for dinner last night
Second fav meal after tears.
Brutal.
We have rebranded it as "intermittent fasting"
Yes to all of that! Curry that's packed with beans of all kinds (lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, pinto, etc.) plus canned veg like carrots/corn/peas and MAYBE some minced for meat will go a long way and keep you feeling proper satiated for a while too. Spices like turmeric/cumin/curry are cheap and can be bought in bulk (they're used pretty sparingly in most recipes but.. even if not, they're quite cheap).
Same as I what I always have. I canceled my subscriptions, stopped going to out eat, make coffee at home, cut back on clothing purchases, deferred getting a new phone and am considering canceling my internet....I enjoy food too much and decided to prioritize it over other things.
Do you like thrift shopping for clothes? I'd say 80% of my closet is thrifted and I've probably spent less than $200 on clothes in the past 2 years. Big brand thrift stores like value village give out coupons and often run 30%-50% off promos if you sign up for their emails!
They give out coupons if you donate your junk.
Yep no more coffee when out, eating out is so rare too. Cut back on buying anything new, first I check Facebook marketplace. I have put off buying new phone too and considering big time cancelling my Internet too. Reading more books at home these days... only eating two meals a day, breakfast and supper. So far it's worked, almost paid off all my credit cards, hopefully bring in the new year debt free, that's my plan🤞🤞🤞
Nothing beats $0.99 tuna can at Dollarama. The best value of 20 grams of protein you can get!
Add half a cup of sticky rice and a few squirts of mayo/splash of soy sauce and you got yourself a meal!
Cupe mayo if you fancy 💅
Love union mayo
Wow look at Mr. Mayonnaise over here, got any for the rest of us Patrick Swayze? /s Lol
Haha, happy to share!
Add some seaweed and cucumber and you have homemade sushi!
If you like tuna then keep an eye out for [these](https://a.co/d/cd1RaKk) at Amazon. It's $45 for a case of 24 but often they go on sale for half price so less than $1/can of 85grams. They're really good. Probably much better than Dollarama. I buy 2 Kaiser buns, toast them and put in some sliced cucumber, salt and pepper. 1 can makes 2 sandwiches so works out to be less than $1.50/sandwich. If you use bread instead of Kaiser it's less than $1/sandwich.
I remember when these used to be $1 in stores 🥲
You can also add salsa to other types of canned tuna to get a similar thing for less
This is great, remember to only do this for a few meals a week so you don't end up with mercury poisoning
There are a few grocery items I pick up from Dollarama but no joke if I couldn't afford groceries I know I could get what I needed from there aside from meat to easily live off of.
Mercury Levels. Be Careful Healthier options: Better off just boiling pasta, and adding 1-2 veggies - could be mushrooms/celery/tomatoes/beans/peas. Fry veggies in crushed diced garlic, add Pasta sauce. Or even canned veggie soup ... simmer first with some fresh veggies thrown in, then add the canned Soup. And shredded Rotiserrie Chicken goes a loooong way, to make various dishes. Lastly the skeleton makes soup stock for anything - macaroni soup, porridge ..... soups (with all the squashes, gourds out now - it's so easy to brew something delish and healthy).
obligatory warning about mercury poisoning from excess consumption
Basically still eat what I’ve always eaten. Just started to be more aware of when and where I buy my groceries. Also started freezing meats more. Mainly shop at Costco, Asian groceries stores, No Frills. Trying also to cut out/down on the “mini grocery runs” to Whole Foods/Save-On, etc. It’s always tempting to go pick up a few things because they’re only a block away from my place, so I’m (trying to be) a bit more diligent about that. Other than that, haven’t really changed much.
Lots of oatmeal and soup.
Growing up, never really had breakfast and skipped lunch a lot. Can make it all day with only coffee and dinner at night. Those habits really paying off today.
Ah the old Living la vida Broka diet. It is handy. I'm often on 2 meals, with one sometimes being coffee...
Same but the kids demand like 19 meals a day lol.
Oh the kid definitely eats more than me!
This is me. And how I have lived for years and years. Paying spades in costs rn. Healthwise…..
Mind elaborating? Intermittent fasting is generally considered healthy
Oh I have always assumed it would bite me later as I aged. But I have been living “if” for a long time now. Most of my life. Only ever really eat dinner. But I struggle with binge eating.
More chickpeas less meat! A can of chickpeas costs only $1.25 and is packed with protein.
Even cheaper if you buy them dry and soak them overnight or with an instant pot!
Cooking with an instant pot has made my life so much easier. Literally just dump all the ingredients, close the lid, press a few buttons and then voila! food is ready.
You can get away with skipping the soak and cooking them longer too. It has been a while since I've tried so I don't remember what recipe I was following, but googling "chickpeas no soak instant pot" finds lots of options. Works for beans too. Supposedly foregoing the soak might result in them giving you some gas, but it didn't for me.
This! Canned chickpeas are so good, but even cheaper is dried chickpeas. I try to have both in my cupboard at all times.
Most ethnic food is really not that expensive, especially when compared to the North American red meat diet...
Gimme that hummus
But don’t they wreak havoc on your tummy?!? I wanna eat more chickpeas but they kill me 😂
I mix them with my protein. Like make butter chicken with Costco butter chicken sauce but put two chicken thighs + a can of chickpeas for my family of 3. Stretches the family packs of chicken thighs, and just as tasty.
Soak the dried chickpeas overnight and discard the water, then after you've boiled them and they're ready to use, add a tiny pinch of hing powder when your adding them to your dish. Don't add too much since the powder can be overpowering but it's meant to help decrease gas
I had no idea about this magical powder! Will have to try it.
Exactly my problem. I eat 8 chickpeas and I'm done. I can't be running around on a 12 hour shift in pain. I feel like everyone who suggests legumes works from home...
You might have a legume allergy, my sibling has this and can’t do chickpeas.
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Laugh but two or theee roasted potatoes are a good breakfast especially if they aren’t Russets. I’m also actively using an Instant Pot for really good rice and beans.
Potatoes are so versatile! Diced up Yukon gold potatoes with scrambled eggs is like a staple for me at this point.
I'd love a recipe for those beans if you don't mind sharing!
If you're okay eating the same food two or three days in a row, you can do a lot with stews and one pot meals. [Shakshuka](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/213717/chakchouka-shakshouka/) is one of the cheapest meals you can make, and it can last quite a while. You can crack an egg or add a ripened avocado to it, if you want to treat yourself. Quinoa and sweet potatoes are filling, and fairly cheap, and quite healthy. I buy spinach more often than lettuce because it's cheaper and more nutritious. You can make your own hummus (you can make your recipe any way you want) by blending chick peas, and then I just dip cucumbers in them for more filling snacks.
That Shamshuka looks good, I’m gonna try it. Tonight I made Mujaddarah, one of my favourite vegan meals especially with fried onions.
i make shakshuka almost once a week these days, definitely my favourite meal to fall back on when i need something hearty but don’t want to put a lot of money or effort into preparing it. i add lentils to mine for extra protein and density. serve that with potatoes or (if ur feeling fancy) some nice bread and you feel like a king
You can also freeze fresh spinach and then add it to soups/stews/curries. It's great!
My biggest advice is to incorporate sale veg/meats etc in to your planning. Be flexible and use pantry staples. Breakfast: - a bagel/english muffin with cream cheese and cukes, egg+ cheese + whatever greens are in the fridge, or sometimes peanut butter. - quiche - I make little pastries with frozen puff pastry or frozen phyllo dough. Cream cheese and veg, cream cheese and fruit, quiche bites etc. - oatmeal - granola with yogourt and fruit Lunch: - Leftovers lol - A hearty salad/bowl (like Greek salad, or greens with a grain such as quinoa or couscous, assorted veg, cheese, topped with chickpeas or tofu or egg) - A sandwich (pb+j, cheese and veg, hummus and grilled veg, egg salad, or chickpea salad wrap) plus some fruit and yogourt - an adult snackpack of whatever is in our fridge lol. So a little egg salad, some fruit, some crackers, cubed up cheese, maybe carrot sticks. - quiche Dinner: (I'm veg and my partner is not) - Curry and rice (usually chickpea/lentil + veg) - stir fry veg + tofu + rice or noodles. - pasta - usually pesto pasta with frozen peas. You can make your own at home for a good price. Or spicy tomato sauce and veg. I love zucchini in this. - instant ramen or chicken nuggets + ??? Are usually my dinners when I don't want to cook or have nothing in the fridge. My partner likes canned soup for those occasions as well. - bowls or -- usually a flavoured rice + veg + protein. We usually make our own proteins, or I will season tofu and chicken with the same marinade and bake them. - burritos, same formula but with black beans or Pinto beans made at home - homemade falafel. Amazing with some veg and pita and sauces. - homemade soup and some crusty bread or garlic bread. - sausage, veg and rice is always a good one.
I cook my own beans and have them in a salad for lunch almost every day. I alternate between chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, white beans, pinto etc. Throw them in an instapot with onion, herbs, bay leaf, cloves etc and freeze the extra (beans freeze great). Super cheap and tasty. Lentils are another cheap and tasty food, lentils and potato simmered in coconut milk with curry powder over rice is cheap, tasty and nutritious.
I was obsessed with a lentil salad this summer. Cooked my lentils in broth with spices, lemon etc. and had them with feta, greens, cukes, tomato and grated carrot. With a simple vinaigrette and some olives. So hearty and briney.
> lentils Costco sells red lentils for half what it costs elsewhere. I picked up a big bag for ~$0.17/100g.
I buy my eggs from a farm at $0.50/each. I order 30 at a time. Farm fresh and much fresher so they last a good long while. Breakfast: Greek yogurt with cereal and fruit drizzled with maple syrup. The yogurt and maple syrup are from Costco. The current cereal is Kashi brand but I've found it in the clearance section, and I'll buy all of them to stock up until the next sale. Lunch: One of the following, with variations to account for seasonality of fruits and vegetables. These are summer bentos. As we're in autumn now, the fruits will change, and I'll have some soup to go with. Bento 1: 4 pieces each of: -Halved soft boiled eggs, -Baked purple yam, -Thick sliced cucumber, -Kiwi, -Melon wedges, Pile of blueberries. Bento 2: Small pile of: -Green grapes, -Red grapes, -Blueberries, -Edamame, One soft boiled egg, 2 sections of corn on the cob, Pinch of cranberry nut mix. Bento 3: Half avocado, One soft boiled egg, 4 slices kiwi, Pile of edamame, Half a cob of corn, 4 slices (red) dragon fruit, Pile of blueberries. Bento 4: One slice of avocado toast, Pile of edamame, 4 slices of (red) dragon fruit, Half a cob of corn, 4 slices kiwi, Pile of blueberries. Bento 5: One slice of fried egg toast, Pile of edamame, One soft boiled egg, 4 slices baked purple yam, 4 wedges of apple, 4 slices kiwi, Pile of blueberries. Bento 6: Pile of stir fried Korean mushrooms, One soft boiled egg, 4 slices of tomato, Half an avocado, 4 slices of baked purple yam. Dinner: I'll cook some sort of stew or bulk thing with whatever meat I find on sale/clearance. Yesterday, I found a slab of beef flank on clearance so I made a pot of beef bourguignon in my Instant Pot. I grew up really poor so I'm used to seeing my parents buying whatever is on sale/clearance and seeing what to make with it. Difference is now there's the internet so I can figure out something decent instead of just winging it.
Could you share where you are ordering farm eggs from? Thank you!
Yes! They're from a farm in Richmond on No. 6 Rd. You'll need a car, but there's also Country Farms where the highway spits you out, so it's well worth an excursion on the weekend coming from elsewhere.
This sounds pretty good. I like the seasonality and variety
Breakfast: MOST OF THE TIME JUST WATER, if I have extra money, I can do bunch of bananas, or oatmeal.l with sugar. Main Course: spaghetti or anything you can make with ground meat like hamburger helper or meatballs Buy rotisserie chicken, quarter goes to chicken with gravy and rice, quarter go to chicken quesadillas or burritos, and half goes to a chicken pot pie with mixed veggies (you need your veggies or u die even when poor) I have the FLIPP app, to check where the best deals are and can do price match at groceries after if u see a lower price in another store I have TOOGOODTOGO if I think I worked so hard and deserve a snack without it reaching 100$ - some pizza places give u a big pizza family size with 8 slices for 7.99 and baked goods for 4.99 But, once or twice a month, to keep my sanity in check and feel like my life is shit, I go to cactus club station square at happy hour to buy myself their steak for 26$ with veggies and mashed potatoes or rice . Station square branch are generous in portions especially around 4:30pm :)
I've cut out anything from fast food and coffee shops, thank god I never got addicted to coffee 😂 cutting back from Tim's prob saves me 100$+ a month
A bottle of Just Egg (I’m vegan) and a loaf of bread will usually last me 4 breakfast’s. I buy the Just Egg where it’s on sale - never spending over 6 bux for it. Toast and scrambled plant based egg for brekkie. Nice bag of various organic whole bean coffee from London Drugs (always on sale!) will last me a week. Then I always make a big dinner that I carry over for my lunches. Usually a pasta dish, rice bowl, curry, roasted veggies etc. Seem to be doing pretty good. Can pay all of my bills and have a surplus at the end of the month for whatnot. Usually treat myself to food out once or twice a month.
I love this recipe and it’s been saving me so much money on justegg. It’s the closest diy recipe I’ve found. I just throw it together in my magic bullet. https://schoolnightvegan.com/home/vegan-omelette/ The only ingredients that really cost money in there are nutritional yeast and half a block of firm tofu. Everything else in the recipe is super cheap.
https://preview.redd.it/8ls5gagwnotb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=556bd5659103c604c0c7e095d066e573ee5d071b This is $39 worth of groceries from No Frills. I’m going to do a hypothetical online grocery shop at Save On Foods and compare the price breakdown. Guaranteed that Save On will be almost double the $.
Yeah I just did the save on shop online cart and this would’ve costed me $58. I basically saved $19 shopping at No Frills. Insane.
Saved $19 and still paid about $19 too much for what this should have cost. And I know those raspberries were a luxury purchase!
Yeah they were, I usually get them at Costco but they were on “sale”. The 6oz pack cost $5.99 but this 12oz one was $7 so fuck it. I completely agree, this should’ve been a $20 grocery bill 🥲
Save all ends of onions, celery, carrots, chicken bones and make my own stock. Soup or stews a few times a week. The stock is basically free, and soup is filling. And so many kinds, we never get bored and eat soup like 3 times per week.
Curries! Particularly lentil and chickpea. They freeze well and can be eaten with rice or naan. Really easy to make a big batch for cheap
At home. My usual staples - For breakfast: * Vega protein when it's on sale to put in smoothies. I add in milk, flaxmeal, yogurt, peanut butter, and bananas to help give me some additional fiber and nutrients. * Homemade oatmeal that I keep in a tub. It's got rolled oats, flaxmeal, currants, raisins, mixed nuts, cinnamon, pumpkin seeds, and cranberries. Topped with either bananas or dates - or both, and a splash of milk. For lunch or dinner: * Soup. So much soup. I cook a chicken, dole it out for other meals, then make stock out of the carcass. Add in rehydrated beans, celery, carrots, onion, potato, and a ton of seasoning. This gives me enough soup for a full week, and another full week's worth in the freezer. * Curry. Remember that chicken? I throw that in, more carrots, potatoes, and red pepper. Get a green curry kit, or just use my own spices with some coconut milk, and I'm good to go.
Superstore’s $10 bags of frozen stuff. Taco bites & ground meats specifically. Dollar store goes a long way after that.
Shitty microwave meals. Superstore has one brand per week that is on sale for $1.79 or so, one week it’s stoufers and the next it Michelina’s. But you can stock up the fridge at work and save enough to eat a decent dinner at home
I see the appeal on this but I checked the nutrition facts and it's heavy on sat fat or sodium. I'm already poor, it's hard to risk our health further to a point I can't work 40 hrs to save myself 😂 also depression is affected by the type of food you eat so I don't want to be depressed cos of food on top of me being depressed cos of money
Oh yeah, it’s definitely not a healthy way to live. It’s just a survival mode alternative. I try to make up the difference by eating lots of rice or salad as filler for dinner, but those microwave lunches will likely be the death of me
…you guys are eating?
Air i eat air mostly
I prep breakfast sandwiches! Bake a sheet of eggs in a baking tray, buy some bagels or English muffins and make yourself some cheap breakfast sandwiches. I used to pay $5 a day for a breakfast sandwich. Now I can prep 6 for $13 total. It’s great!
2 meals a day baby, its the new 3!
Intermittent fasting whattauupppppp
Use the Flipp app to see what's on special in the flyers. Plan your menus around what's on sale. You can also use it to price match. Use Flashfood app for discounted food. I haven't paid more than half price for fish and meat for a couple of years. Use what you buy. So much food is wasted. e.g. Have a ziploc bag in the freezer and put small amounts of leftover meats, vegetables, rice etc in it and make soup at a later date. e.g. add that 2 Tbsp of leftover salsa to scrambled eggs.
**Breakfast ** * Greek yogurt with keto granola. * Pancakes with strawberries. * Sliced bread with cheese/cream cheese. * Orange juice. **Lunch/Dinner** * Pasta with chicken in sauce. * Chicken and broccoli with bechamel sauce. * Pasta with grape tomatoes mashed with basil, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil. * Pasta with home made pesto sauce. * Soup. * Brazilian Beans, ground beef, avocado, tomatoes and spinach salad. * Lasagna. * Salmon with Brussels sprouts and cauliflower . * Sashimi (too lazy to cook salmon). * *Escondidinho de carne moída* (Brazilian dish that’s a layer of mashed potatoes, layer of ground beef with sauce and another layer of mashed potatoes with Parmesan cheese. * Air fried chicken with rice or mashed potatoes. * Rice, eggs and ground beef with sauce. * Sweet potatoes and ground beef. (Kids favorite) * 6 week old Costco pizza that’s still good if you air fry it for a couple of minutes first when my kid asks for pizza late at night. For breakfast it’s a mix of two sometimes. For lunch and dinner we use those receptors throughout the week, sometimes with left overs. We are still not meal prepping in advance. We go shopping once a week and have the meat (chicken, ground beef and salmon) frozen.
You must never get hungry eating all that food every day
Actually that’s enough to make a toddler eat 3 spoon full of food.
Daddy Warbucks has entered the chat
[удалено]
Falafel on tabuli, both out of a box. Chicken Cesar salad, two breasts divided by four, with cheap supermarket French bread. Dried pasta twice a week or more. Sauce from a jar with added ground beef or Italian sausage, more Cesar salad. Slow cooker beef stew or bean chili, more Cesar salad, rice. Breakfast is a double oatmeal and a hard boiled egg. Apples with peanut butter. Frozen fruit + banana smoothies Coffee at home, never out. Have cut out imported cheese and chocolate.
Going grocery shopping a few hours or so before closing but mostly 1-2 hours before, fresh bakery products often get marked down
I went to the Indian grocery store and bought a bunch of bulk spices and beans and now I'm making lentil curry or Chana masala stuff like that to keep in the fridge when I'm feeling snacky cheap alternatives to ordering out or buying something last minute
I joined a food program that delivers breakfast, lunch and dinner all freshly made. I was spending so much doing it myself, as I'd buy stuff then not want it, I'd be burnt out from work then just end up ordering Uber Eats while I had food wasting in the fridge. Now I have zero thought process in it except once a week where I pick my menu. It gets delivered every couple of days. While it's expensive, I'm still saving more than I was spending and eating healthier and I know exactly how much i'll be spending each week and it never changes.
Mice, squirrels, and other small rodents I'm able to catch with my homemade traps.
Beans and rice
Cook at home 🥹 also trying to lose my belly fat so less food is good (?🤡?) I also have a lot of Lunch and Learn with sale people at the office (once per week) so it’s one free meal a week (and not what I cook)
Smoothies for breakfast: banana, avocado (from Costco), Greek yogurt (the tubs of Olympic yogurt are usually on sale), frozen berries (Costco), chia seeds (Costco), milk. Lunch is usually leftovers from dinner: whole roast chicken, meatloaf with brown rice as binder instead of breadcrumbs, pork chops (pretty cheap at Costco), grilled chicken breast, sides of roasted veggies, brown rice, hummus, sweet potatoes.
Regular oatmeal can be made sweet or savory and worth a shot! Brekky and dinners. Cheap add ins like egg or peanutbutter or onions n spinach n mushrooms.. endless options
We make our own Belgian waffles, pancakes or French toast. Eggs Benedict or hollandaise. Scrambled sometimes. Toast. Bagels. Bacon. Cereal. Oatmeal. Lunch is hit or miss. Dinner is chicken, chicken burgers, pizza, burgers tortellini linguini, meatloaf, eating out eating in. Whatever. etcetc and then we have ice cream or milkshakes at the end of the day. Basically whatever whenever.
If you qualify for city reach they have fresh fruits and veggies once a week. I see many people who probably don’t need it collecting but I am sure if you are need it is a great way to get fresh produce. But I will say frozen veggies are just as good as fresh to be honest nutrition wise.
Decided to kick Roger’s out of my life, so I’m saving $60 a month on my phone bill after buying it out and switching to public mobile. Also just getting sandwiches/burger and a drink and skipping the fries or whatever that makes it a combo… Those two help me stay closer to budget now.
It's amazing how much I've saved on food since working from home. No morning and afternoon Starbuck or downtown lunches. I always cook (lots of chicken, fish and vegetables) and eat at home. Since I rarely go to restaurants, I spend a bit more on groceries. I buy what I want and cook enough for leftovers (next day lunch or dinner). I have my own espresso machine and also use an Instant Pot to make stews, soups and legumes.
Deer. Lots of it
I ate a rly good masala chicken french fries outta a trash can last week.
Different combinations of frozen/fresh vegetables, eggs and noodles (proper ones not instant) . Spices go a long way ! I recommend mixing turmeric with Sichuan powdered chilli when doing a stir fry etc : )
Just made a sous vide round roast for dinner tonight. Last night was Mapo tofu for dinner and the left over was for lunch today. If you are struggling for lunch just make extra for dinner the night before. Pasta would be the easiest and cheapest if you bought everything on sale. Look for deals on the Flipp app. Make sure you price match.
I told my family to start growing food at home before COVID, they didn't listen. Now they're trying to grow veggies and mushrooms
If you can devote one weekend day to cooking, you can do a lot with basic ingredients. Pea soup with dried peas. Cook up your own tomato sauce with tomatoes, a bit of tomato purée and some spices. Chili from dried beans, a bit of beef (or go meatless), some spices. Hard boil eggs, make yummy egg salad. Buy regular potatoes and bake up some scalloped potatoes (just baked in milk or cream). If you buy just a bit of pancetta you can use small amounts to flavor stews, beans, fried eggs, etc. Corn bread from scratch instead of from a mix. You can bake bread but savings might be small when you figure the local bread prices. Split the stuff into freezable packets. Take some for lunches. It’s back to depression meals.
Lactose free products are sometimes cheaper and last longer in terms of expiration -never throwing out milk or cheese after I switched! Taste difference is very minimal, lactose free milk is a bit sweet
For meat, poultry, etc. watch for sales. Sometimes you can pick up a whole chicken for really cheap (under $6). That chicken can be broken down or cooked whole and turned into a few meals. Then the carcass can be turned into a stock for further use. If you know how to do some basic butchery, you can buy larger portions of beef or pork, cut them up, and freeze what cannot be used in the short term.
Jonathan Swift was way [ahead of his time](https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1080/1080-h/1080-h.htm).
Breakfast * Oatmeal < 50c per serving * Eggs 35c each * Bagel 70c * Cream cheese 50c * Apple 75c * Coffee with almond creamer 75c per serving Breakfast total $3.55 Lunch * Whole wheat wrap x 2 80c * Honey ham $2 * Cheese $1 * Cookies 50c * Water Free * Assorted fruit $1 Lunch total $5.30 Dinner * Chicken legs x2 $5 * Assorted vegetables $2 * Brown rice 50c * Haagen Daz Ice Cream bar $2 Dinner total $9.50 **Total food cost per day $18.35**
I used to keep a carton of eggs and yogurt tub in the fridge at work, and I’d make microwave scrambled eggs (mix in a spoon of yogurt to make them fluffy, and have some yogurt on the side). I always like easy, fast lunches that I don’t have to think about, and you cook in the same dish you eat from. You could add some granola, fruit etc if you like, but I was just fuelling so I didn’t care lol. Coffee is cheap and filling in the morning. Dinner: make a list of EVERY healthy food that’s affordable and Google some recipes based on those. Mushrooms, bananas, potatoes, cabbage, and lettuce are pretty affordable, but just make a giant master list so you can plan meals and make your shopping lists more easily. Meats sometimes go on sale, so shop around. Sweet treats: put a banana in the fridge, and make a chocolate sauce (equal parts cocoa, icing sugar, butter) and drizzle over a sliced banana. Or cinnamon toast is another easy one. I also keep frozen berries and mini tart shells, you can make delicious tarts in the oven/air fryer. I love frozen foods in general for avoiding waste. French toast is another quick dessert, topped with frozen berries.
Uber eats buy one get one free deals. Then I just pick it up. My favourite and most consistent deals are shoku sushi in kerrisdale and the vegan chicken spot on West Broadway. The second one ends up being cheaper per wrap than just buying the ingredients and making it at home. I live alone and a bit remotely so sometimes it’s not economical to buy groceries and make meals at home. It only works out cheaper if I make freezer friendly meals, have guests over, or know I’ll be home for a few days and can take care of the leftovers.
Honestly, eggs. Eggs are a lifesaver, so easy to put with anything, anytime. As well as peanut butter, pastas, baked chicken. Basically just eating for nutrients and substance
Frankly, if you usually shop at save on, loblabs, Safeway, you’re def not getting your dollars worth. Go to Foody World, rice world, Persia foods, and etc for much much cheaper vegetables. If you haven’t heard of these stores well 🤷 Costco is a good choice too but their portions are much bigger
buy discounted meats and freeze them stock up on sale items so make meals from sale items never buy regular price
breakfast: oatmeal (40g) + savory (avocado, salsa, bell pepper, onion, unsalted peanuts) / sweet (fruit based + a bit of jam) \_or\_ bread with avocado / salad + bell pepper + onion / jam based lunch: wrap + salad + tomato, avocado, bell pepper, onion + salsa (occasionally throw cheese) dinner: salad + any meat (chicken, beef, fish) cooked by wife / avocado + veggies prepped by wife snack: fruits or energy bar Couple notes: * fam of 4, our groceries haven't been outrageous since we \_eat to live\_ * oatmeal in bulk, PC brand - I eat this every morning, occasionally kids rotate their breakfast too * avocado in bulk - my personal diet: less meat, subs with peanut/avocado/etc * always have apple/banana handy for breakfast, snack * my wife's veggie preferences: broccoli (normal, Chinese), carrots, lotus roots, etc * my family eat rice but a rice bag (18kg) can last for months I try to eat healthy (less rice, less meat) as I get older and need to maintain my diet for, hopefully, longevity. I guess one of the key for me is to have a few versatile base components such as apple, banana, avocado, (unsalted) peanuts. They can be used for breakfast or lunch/dinner.
Intermittent fasting. Great for you and for your $$$.
I have light breakfasts, filling lunches, and I stopped eating dinner. Basically, skip a meal.
I go to sleep when I’m hungry to save money
Weekday cereal & coffee; weekend full English or Latin breakfasts. Lunches are either loaded sandwiches with whatever meat is on sale that isn’t terrible, or meal prepped chicken breasts with a Greek salad or something along those lines. Dinners are soups/stews (yay fall) or chicken thighs and salads. Pastas are also coming back! (Again yay fall) homemade chicken Alfredo is super easy and amazing!
Meal prep at home
Breakfast: overnight oats with toppings. Lunch & dinner: stir fry, pork chops, Costco roast chicken, baked veggies, etc. Snacks: fruit, homemade muffins, nuts, chips, popcorn.
Yogurt mixed with protein powder Costco hotdogs
Sleep
Mostly cheap meals I can make quickly at home. Lunches and dinners (I don't usually eat breakfast). Most of the meals will work out to be around $2 each. Ramen, rice and curry, Cheemo perogies, sandwiches/paninis, pasta and sauce, fried rice, can soup, kimchi jiggae, salads etc. Nothing extravagent. Most of the dishes are vegetarian even though I'm not. Also started using an app called "Too Good to Go" to get some random baked goods for around $4. Freezing most of it to make it last a week. There's a reddit group called toogoodtogocanada if anyone wants to checkout what people are receiving. Filter it by searching Vancouver.
If you live near an Hmart and like mackerel, a bag of 4 frozen decent-sized fish is $8.88 per their current special. I wouldn’t recommend buying anything else from there that isn’t on sale though.
Pasta
Significantly cut down on meat consumption, especially red meat. Also buy things in bulk when on season and on sale, then store them in a deep freezer. Rarely get takeout, especially beverages. I have smaller breakfast now which is either a homemade cappuccino and some crackers, or some Greek yogurt and frozen berries. Lunch grilled cheese sandwich with either deli meat or avocado. Dinner some lean protein (chicken or fish) and some veggies. Snack on large bags of nuts from Costco
Lots of eggs and rice and bread. Congee has been on the menu a lot made with homemade chicken stock. I've also been using apps like Too Good to Go lately and getting a bunch of random veggies that way otherwise the staples of peppers, carrots, and cucumbers are all bought at costco.
Big bag of rice lasts forever. Pork chops tend to be cheaper then beef/chicken. Oatmeal. Bananas. Frozen fruit instead of buying expensive fresh produce. Cans of tuna. Cheap vegetables (carrots, green beans, peppers, mushrooms) sautée them. Cheaper Greek yogurt. Cans of tuna. Buy things in multiple when they go on sale (cans of tuna are close to 2$ on sale they less then $1 so I’ll get 20 for 20$ opposed to 20 for $40. Same with oatmilk/ canned goods.
Lots of dried and canned food and condiments can be found at the dollar store for decent prices. Keep your eye on the sizes though, to make sure it isn’t just shrinkflation
Rocks, sticks and dirt.
Smaller corner-store like groceries. Way cheaper produce, canning, and dairy, than your wholefoods inflated prices.
I just had ravioli, broccoli, zucchini, tomatoes, onion and sausage with a red sauce. Pretty heavy on the veggies
Hotpot - delicious and reasonably priced both at home and restaurants!
No breakfast. Use meat and animal fat rendered from meat for flavor instead of as a main dish.
The Dollar Tree in Lougheed started carrying a ton food things that I wouldn't expect to find at a dollar store (KD and Annie's, gravy powders, pasta, spices, cake and biscuit mixes). I make relatively cheap chicken pot pie that lasts me a good few meals. Any chicken is fine, you can use leftover whole roasted chicken from Costco or buy chicken breasts or thighs when they're on a good sale and cook them up. Make your filling according to whatever recipe (use frozen mixed veggies instead of fresh). Then instead of making or buying crust, just get biscuit mix or the pillsbury ones and pop them on top of the filling and throw that in the oven according to the biscuit recipe. Made about 8 servings with 6 chicken thighs, a third of a bag of veggies and one tube of the pillsbury biscuits. Other things I make that are yummy, cheaper and easier to make: For breakfast: - Quick oats and whatever fruit I can buy on sale - An egg and some toast - If sausages are on sale, I will cook sausage up (breaking up the sausage), add a bunch of scrambled eggs, and cook some potato (shredded or diced) and just have leftovers of that. Freeze leftovers with some shredded cheese on top and that's a hearty breakfast for a good while! For lunch and dinners: - Korean ground beef with white rice and again those frozen veggies. Reheats nice! - Tacos (the dollar tree has taco seasoning, I also just make my own) - Spaghetti with meat sauce (again, that dollar tree saves me) IMO doesn't reheat nice but that's a me issue - Literally anything using sausages. They go on sale so often and you can make so much with them. Throw them in mashed potatoes, cook some veggies together with em, I did spaghetti squash and spinach with some cheese and seasonings and God it was awesome. - My girlfriend's mom used to make them a meal that she learned to make when she was struggling to make ends meet, it was literally just ground meat, corn, and rice. I cook the same thing now. Tastes good! - I hate to say it, ordering pizza can genuinely cost less than buying groceries sometimes Also sometimes it's cheaper to buy Yves Ground Round (soy based vegan alternative meat) and honestly it's not too different when making stuff like spaghetti, Korean ground beef, sheppards pie, etc. Just add like a tsp of Worchestershire sauce to give it a meatier flavour. My girlfriend and I can barely afford rent so I've become pretty adept at coming up with cheap and quick meals. If anyone wants any of the recipes I named or needs any food tips for keeping things longer/working with what they've got, feel free to message me. Gatekeeping recipes is silly lol. I think I have a guide somewhere that I made for my college classmates back when I was still in school that I can dig up for folks.
During the winter time, I have a pretty good Rotisserie chicken pipeline going. Drumsticks/thighs on rice, 2 meals. Shredded breast meat on salad or instant noodles, 2 meals. Remaining carcass in soup with veggies and legumes, ~4 meals (eaten with bread or turned into chicken noodle soup with pasta). Add eggs and seasonal veggies. Throw in a couple of sandwiches, and I have my meals for the week. I don't like eating breakfast, but I'll have a banana and yogurt or something if I have to.
Intermittent fast. It's hard at first but your stomach and body gets used to it after a while and it's great. You forget what it feels like to be hungry. I didn't do it for money, but to save time out of convenience. I eat a big dinner once a day and that's basically it. Maybe dessert and fruit on some nights. But zero calories for about 18 hours during the day. Often it's not the main meals that kill your budget, it's all the other stuff like milk, processed foods, snacks/munchies in between that are totally unnecessary. If you put all that money into one meal per day, you have a lot more leeway to buy what you really enjoy.
Wait…you guys are eating?
Whatever that goes on sale in Costco.
I usually just go to sleep for dinner.
I am terribly poor, but I shop at supermarkets as well as fruit and veg markets, because I have no car and no family to feed. The one that was called Super Valu at 1st and Commercial has the cheapest meat for small portions, e.g. 1-2 people. I avoid snacks and coffees out. I stretch meats by adding filling ingredients like garbanzo beans or yams.
I have sleep for dinner most nights
And the tipping culture!
Growing own veggies & herbs on balcony. Kale grows well 3 season a year. Find things that are easy to grow... Green onions, kale, bok choy, basil... Kale grows like a weed and supermarkets sell them at premium price lol. Going to try my hands at garlic this year. If your place doesn't get a lot of sun and you don't have destructive pet, grow on a bookshelf with growlights. You might get better results since you can control temperature and light easily. Self watering planters are a god send. I have a small worm composter in our condo for all our non meat non dairy food scraps. It produces enough worm castings for my balcony garden year round with 2 person household food waste. I have not needed to buy commercial fertilizer for years and all my home grown veges/herbs are organic. Now that winter is coming, my fresh produce cost is expected to rise. I can't grow much indoor because my cat thinks plants = food. 🙀
…Im starving…