What are some cheap and easy, but tasty food ideas?

Question

I'm a college student and living on my own for the first time. What are some things that are easy to make and relatively inexpensive? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Here are some of my favorite CFE (cheap, fast & easy) foods:

1) pasta

2) salmon - buy in bulk, cut into little portions, season, and & bake or broil.

3) chicken (breasts, thighs, wings) - also buy in bulk, marinate/season portions, and cook. Whatever you have left over, you can freeze for later use.

4) soups - you can always make your own inexpensive soups (e.g. chicken soup - chicken broth, egg noodles and cooked chicken)

5) tacos, burgers, meatballs - all you need is ground meat. It's a very versatile ingredient.

6) salad - buy your favorite ingredients and custom make veggie/pasta salads.

7) rice - make stir-fry rice, steamed rice, spanish rice, etc.

Answer 2

Here are some very low cost ideas:

if you have leftover hamburger or hot dog buns make garlic bread with them for your spaghetti dinners. Spread margarine on the split rolls and sprinkle with garlic powder. Bake on cookie sheet until toasted.

When you make mac and cheese - toss a pack of frozen brocolli pieces in to the boiling mac a few mins before noodles are done. Then drain noodles with brocolli and add cheese sauce.

Canned tomato soup and grilled cheese are great together.

Make pitchers of iced tea and keep in refrig. - much cheaper than soda.

There are some good jarred pasta sauces out there - but they can be a bit costly. Try this - a can of Hunt's spaghetti sauce cost between .99 cents and 1.25 - add a can of diced tomatoes to it - zest it up with some garlic powder and italian herb mix.

breakfast for dinner (eggs, bacon, toast) is pretty low cost.

Store brand frozen veggies a relatively inexpensive.

Hope some of these ideas help you out

Answer 3

hear is one my college students loved
about a lb of ground beef (cook in frying pan and season to taste I use garlic ,salt and peper some timean onion)drain away any grease when done. Cook two or 3 cups macaronni until cooked then Drain the macaroni. In the large pot you cooked the macroni in combine the ground beef and macaroni together. To this add two cans condensed mushroom soup I add a can of chedar cheese soup as well because mine like it cheesy with the stove on low combine the soups into the macaroni and ground beef goes a long way and is cheap and will keep for nearly a week in the fridge Enjoy

Answer 4

A DIFFERENT PASTA DISH
Received from Chef Leo, Prince Macaroni Resturant
1 box pasta "shells" cooked
2 cans minced clams
Lots of smashed garlic
1 stick butter or like butter
Salt, pepper, parsley (fresh chopped is best)
1 bottle clam juice.

Saute all of the above ingredients till almost boiling. Pour over pasta shells. Pour into a bowl and eat with a spoon. YUM

Answer 5

Here are some ideas.1. spaghetti with jar sauce 2. manwiches 3. chef boyardee 4. mac and cheese 5. grill cheese sandwich and soup 6. ramen noodles 7. hobo meal--look up its real simple 8. club sandwiches 9. Thomas English muffins mini pizzas 10. the isles are loaded with rice dishes, pasta dishes for feeding 2 people and lots of boxed complete meals with all ingredients included next to Hamburger helpers. my youngest just left for ECU and took these ideas with her.

Answer 6

Here's a really easy nacho dip that tastes awesome! 1 package Velveeta mexican chese (you can do spicy or mild) 1 can Hormel chili +/- green onions Melt it in an oven-safe bowl in the Microwave or oven (for however long it takes to be all melted) stirring occasionally, and eat it with tortilla chips. It's awesome!!

Answer 7

Tacos, spaghetti and other pasta, also yo mat want to check out a book store in their cooking section. There are a lot of recipe book for cheap meals.

Answer 8

Mushroom chicken is really good and easy. You just bake some chicken breast until almost done and then poor in a couple cans of cream of mushroom soup and put it back in the over for little while longer. Then you can serve over rice. Its yummy and you have plenty of leftovers!

Answer 9

ramen noodles, mac& cheese[the store brand] , hambuger helper if you leave out the hamburger, tomatoe soup,chicken noodle soup, [store brands ].pb&j sandwiches, yougart, oatmeal, rice,tuna. if you have a freezer in your fridge big enough stock up on frozen dinners like budget gourmet,lean cursizne, pot pies, how about a can of spagheti-o's. there are alot of things out there if you just walk up & down the grocery isle you will be amazed at what you will find.

Answer 10

purchase fresh fruits and vegetables in season.
purchase rice.
purchase pasta
purchase tomato sauce when it is on sale
stock up on your spices- buy from a bulk store.
purchase frozen vegs/canned vegs during winter months
try to take some sugar/salt and pepper along with napkins at fast food joints
when making soups from scratch freeze it