cheap MEAL IDEAS?

Question

i am in college so my budget is really tight i spend around $35.00 a week for groceries any body have some cheap meal ideas besides ramen soup or mac and cheese?

Answer 1

That is a really tight budget but it won't be like that forever.
Try adding things to the macaroni and cheese like sliced vienna sausages, or tuna, or some frozen vegetables.

Also, if you boil the ramen noodles without the seasoning packet and drain it. Then put the noodles into a a very small amount of oil in an electric skillet or frying pan. Then sprinkle the seasoning packet over it. To this you can add a little frozen vegetable. They cost about 1.40 a bag and you will be able to make several meals with it. This will be like a chinese lo-mein.

Answer 2

How about Chinese Green Soup?
Steamed Rice? Perogies? Pizza
all these can be made cheaply!
Egg Noodles with butter! Chick Peas with tomato sauce! Deviled Onions ( filling Cream corn with pimentos). Just Plain boiled onions with butter on them are Delicious! Soya cheese on boiled or baked potatos. (Soya cheese is cheaper than real cheese).. get the Sharp Taste one it's almost as good as the real thing! Nutmeg helps bring out it's flavour! Note I'm almost on the same budget as you I just have a tad more to spend but I'm Canadian! Ever hear of Poorman's Soup? If you see that in a Restaurant that is a name for Leftovers! Cheap restaurants will sell that soup cheaply as low as 50 cents a bowl in some places!
Andy's in Sault St.Marie told me his Poorman's soup is never more than 1 day old! His mighty good too! He's located behind the 2nd Hand Store " 3rd Time Around!" I think the store is called not name of Andy's Eatery!

Answer 3

We have just come off of 9 years with 2 children in college/law school. Our son said that all the girls that ever invited the guys for dinner made spaghetti..1 pound of ground beef and a jar or 2 of Ragu will feed a group very inexpensively. Our daughter loves those really cheap frozen pizzas..like G & W..you can usually get them for less that $1 each. Also she buys the Michelinas frozen dinners at Kroger for 1.03 each. Chicken noodle soup and a grilled cheese is always a hit for mine too.

Answer 4

Box of mac and cheese - 30 to 50 cents
Add 2 cheap hot dogs - 50 cents.

Feeds 2 people for a buck.

or

Potato soup = 2 or three potatoes, an onion, a pint of milk, some salt, pepper and water = feeds 2 people for about $3

Answer 5

The trick is to eat a healty diet on that amount of money. I suggest things like tuna salad (light on the mayo), chef salad (a little meat and cheese can go a long way), omelettes, baked chicken breast, baked stuffed potatoes, Spanish rice, sausage stuffed squash, etc.

Avoid canned soups, packaged foods, and too much ramen because of the salt. Use coupons from the local paper, and watch for good sales. If you have a freezer, you can buy a pack of chicken or hamburger on sale, then divide it and freeze it in individual portions.

If you need individual recipe ideas, email me and I'll send you some. My husband and I survived on $15 a week back in the '70's when we were in college. . .and I am a pro at this!

Answer 6

Buy some chicken. Usually they have some frosen chkn breast in freezer section. THey go for about 7-9 bucks for about 7-8 breasts. And since you probably have some mac n chz it would make a good meal. Also probably throw some frozen veggies in the cart. Anyway meat is usually on sale in the beginning of the week. I usually stock up on steaks and freeze them. They are cheap during holidays like the 4th and labor day weekend.

Answer 7

Ok, pasta with just plain red sauce is always good, sandwhiches are good; loaf of bread for under a dollar, sliced cheese, PB&J. Look for sales on meat and don't buy it if it is not on sale. You can get deals if you buy the "family size" packages and then take them home and wrap them in individual serving sizes before freezing. The hamburger idea is cheap and a great time saver...you cook once and season small batches with whatever (taco seasoning, itallian seasoning,etc.) invest in some cheap storage containers and freeze and use as your heart desires.

Answer 8

Most full-service supermarkets have their own rotisserie chicken that usually are cheaper than at Boston Market. Google "rotisserie chicken recipes". There are hundreds of ways to use it . I agree that you should avoid ramen noodles and processed soups. They are LOADED with salt. also, get a head of iceberg lettuce, cut it into wedges, pour some low-cal blue cheese dressing over it and tip it with some diced fresh tomatoes and a sprinkle of course ground black pepper. MMMMMM!

Answer 9

Poor Mans Tuna Casterole
2 boxes mac and cheese
1 can peas
1 can cream mushroom soup
1 can tuna
1 can corn
prepare mac and cheese as directed add mushroom soup drain peas corn and tuna add to mac and cheese stir all together you can eat off this for a couple days if you buy off brand or store brand products you'll only spend about $3.00 and it tastes really good.

Answer 10

Quick Black Beans and Rice
"Some say beans and rice is the most nutritious and well balanced meal in the world! You could add some hot dogs or kielbasa if budget allows.
Original recipe yield: 4 servings.
Servings:4 (change)

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INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, undrained
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 cups uncooked instant brown rice

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DIRECTIONS:
In large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion, cook and stir until tender. Add beans, tomatoes, oregano and garlic powder. Bring to a boil; stir in rice. Cover; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes before serving.

You can also fry up some potatoes and ham with a green onion and some pepper. Potatoes are inexpensive and filling!