🍳 Cooking 🍳 Cheap Yet Healthy Food Options

[G_Chem]

Hey guys,

So this next month is gonna be tight for me financially and I wanted to pick people’s brains on foods that are cheap yet healthy to be eating. I already can guess there will be differences of opinion on both “cheap” and “healthy” and that’s ok. Just want to hear your opinion regardless..

I’m a good cook and don’t mind cooking at all but my living situation makes it more difficult than need be. So the less time required in the kitchen the better.

I’ve already got some decent ideas that I’m implementing but could use some additional ones. Thanks.

-GC

 

[mal3volent]

Beans are a great healthy option and they're cheap as hell. My favorite way to eat them is put them in the slow cooker in the morning on low, then they're ready when you get home. I don't even add any salt, just beans and plenty of water. I add salt once they're in my bowl, but don't need much as I always have Louisiana hot sauce. Dice up some onion and that shits .

Cornbread makes it a bit less healthy, but overall still not bad at all.

Bean type is up to you. My favorites are pintos and great northern. Pintos I will leave plain, but sometimes I'll add some chicken base or adobo to the white beans.

 

[Mysterier]

If you have a slow cooker, you can make a protein-based dish like chicken, pork, or beef that can last you for a week. Additionally, beans and rice are also excellent options. Budgeting out all the necessary ingredients beforehand is helpful to avoid any stress.

 

[mal3volent]

If you have a slow cooker, you can make a protein-based dish like chicken, pork, or beef that can last you for a week. Additionally, beans and rice are also excellent options. Budgeting out all the necessary ingredients beforehand is helpful to avoid any stress.

They mark down pork tenderloin all the time at my Kroger. I just bought four yesterday to put in the freezer.

I like to cook them with carrots, celery, and onion. After the first night you can take the leftovers and add tomato juice, stock of your choice, some mixed vegetables etc . Then you got soup for a couple more nights.

 

[Shady's Fox]

oven potato whole.

10m in boiling water

oven around 1 hour and 10m say 20. ( 180celsius)

coriandre/salt/pepper meatloaf (300grams) with 1 whole skimmed garlic.

total cost = around 4≠Eur and bit.

 

[Salem_is_tired]

1) Rice! If done right, it can be really good even for days, (my favorit type is the cheapest, bagged white rice what you just put in the pot of water). Depending on your location and how tight is the budget, Asian kitchen offers many option to make it more fun and interesting but these receipts sometimes asks for stuff really hard to find - in this case I usually leave it out completely or search for something similar. Personally my easiest and cheapest way of making rice a bit more fun is to add canned corn to it.

2) Instant ramen and/or soup. Not the healthiest but with some carrot, hard boiled egg, meat, greens it can make a good meal.

3) Meatloaf/patty - great with rice :D I don't know if it is a Hungarian thing or not, but sometimes we even put eggs in ours: https://image-api.nosalty.hu/nosalt...1200&h=920&s=25c5b52c8b7d4949868c263129591176

4) Most pottage. Usually cheap and easy to make in bigger servings too.

 

[kiely]

Cream of Wheat or Malt O Meal is filling and good and goes a real long way. Then maybe some cinnamon, chocolate chips or cocoa powder, or honey for extra flavor or energy.

And yes the ramon noodles are fun too, I think the flavoring is what leans toward not as healthy.

And eggs always for protein and are very healthy and are real filling and so good for you. !! Good source for collagen and protein.

Good lucks !!

 

[kiely]

 

[kiely]

Oh and steal cut oatmeal would be very healthy also and then maybe add butter, salt, or ground cinnamon.

Apple trees I used to do that or other trees that you could pick from . . . cherry, mulberry or prickly pairs are good but have to be cooked down.



Believe it or not dandelions can be eaten and used for tea !!

 

[Salem_is_tired]

Believe it or not dandelions can be eaten and used for tea !!

Elderflower too! And as far as I know you can actually use every part of the dandelions. There is so many flower and plant that I would have never guessed to be edible. On tiktok, a user named Alexis Nikole makes great videos on the topic - where to find the plants, how to check if they are save to eat, and how to prepare them for cooking.

Oh and another cheap food, what is also really easy to make and really filling. It is basically a savory version of french toast: https://www.tasteatlas.com/bundas-kenyer
Also liver: Cheap and really healthy, and if you wan to make it extra good, roll some bacon on it and it will be great.

 

[kiely]

Yessss, I love dandelion tops with butter !!!

I am definitely going to try the Elderflower


Wow. All I ever knew was dandelions. Thanx.

Oh . . and I would definitely love some tea.

And it lasts too.

 

[kiely]

Elderflower too! And as far as I know you can actually use every part of the dandelions. There is so many flower and plant that I would have never guessed to be edible. On tiktok, a user named Alexis Nikole makes great videos on the topic - where to find the plants, how to check if they are save to eat, and how to prepare them for cooking.

Oh and another cheap food, what is also really easy to make and really filling. It is basically a savory version of french toast: https://www.tasteatlas.com/bundas-kenyer
Also liver: Cheap and really healthy, and if you wan to make it extra good, roll some bacon on it and it will be great.

Nice !!

I'm trying to jump on to them. I'm trying. Looks like goood ones !!!!

 

[G_Chem]

Some great suggestions so far!

I do have a slow cooker handy and that’s been my go-to for cooking large amounts of meat with ease. I think I’ll aim to eat mostly slow cooked meat cuz large cuts are usually cheaper per LB.

Pork tenderloins are a great option too! I’m glad you brought that up Mal. Around here I can get a small one for 2-3$ that’s perfect for 2 meals worth of meat.

Besides that I’m trying to eat as much vegetables as I can, carrots, onions, potatoes, celery, radishes, parsley, cilantro, etc..


I’d like to add more but for those of you into eating flowers. Try to make some lilac honey! It’s that time of year and still some bushes with flowers on them. Tastes great but does keep me up for some reason if I eat too much, like a really mild stimulant effect.

Violets are another great one. Toss them on a salad to add some class to your meal.

-GC

 

[Salem_is_tired]

Yessss, I love dandelion tops with butter !!!

I am definitely going to try the Elderflower


Wow. All I ever knew was dandelions. Thanx.

Oh . . and I would definitely love some tea.

And it lasts too.

It makes great tea, but you also can make a syrup (a bit more difficult, but if done right it is really great!), and also deep fry them end eat with some honey or jam - a fantastic snack!
Just don't forget to check for bugs :D (rest in peace the poor ladybug who I found in my oil)

 

[Shady's Fox]

Yessss, I love dandelion tops with butter !!!

I am definitely going to try the Elderflower


Wow. All I ever knew was dandelions. Thanx.

Oh . . and I would definitely love some tea.

And it lasts too.

thats around 8 euro even 9. milk is 3 euro.

final estabilishement = 12 euro

 

[Shady's Fox]

for a flower to spend 12 euro nowadays is like covering oven with a cloth. Kitchen joke

 

[Northerngyal]

I love making fried rice. I put scrambled egg, bacon, peppers, celery and onions if you like onion. It’s so yummy and hella cheap. I’ll make a big batch and even have it for breakfast.

Stuffed peppers with rice and ground beef is fairly cheap too and yummy.

 

[G_Chem]

I love making fried rice. I put scrambled egg, bacon, peppers, celery and onions if you like onion. It’s so yummy and hella cheap. I’ll make a big batch and even have it for breakfast.

Stuffed peppers with rice and ground beef is fairly cheap too and yummy.

Who doesn’t like onion?!?

You have any recipes online you could link? I’ve made fried rice but this breakfast style sounds different.

-GC

 

[Northerngyal]

Who doesn’t like onion?!?

You have any recipes online you could link? I’ve made fried rice but this breakfast style sounds different.

-GC

I don’t have a recipe unfortunately but it’s a really fool proof recipe. I make it atleast once a week lol.

Cook your batch of rice and set it aside to cool down. Cut your bacon into bits and fry it to your liking drain the grease. Then throw your veggies in the pan. (I’ll switch pans or clean out the bacon frying pan) I microwave 2 eggs for 2 mins in the meantime. Cut the eggs up throw them in the pan along with the rice. Soya sauce to your liking (oh and garlic adds an amazing flavour if you’d like) It’s so darn good, trust me

 

[G_Chem]

I don’t have a recipe unfortunately but it’s a really fool proof recipe. I make it atleast once a week lol.

Cook your batch of rice and set it aside to cool down. Cut your bacon into bits and fry it to your liking drain the grease. Then throw your veggies in the pan. (I’ll switch pans or clean out the bacon frying pan) I microwave 2 eggs for 2 mins in the meantime. Cut the eggs up throw them in the pan along with the rice. Soya sauce to your liking (oh and garlic adds an amazing flavour if you’d like) It’s so darn good, trust me

I’m making this soon!!

-GC