Very cheap, somewhat healthy food to live off?

Question

I am a musician, who has just spent all my money making a record. I will be in debt for a while, what can I eat for very little money? "Top Ramen" is not acceptable! It's just the lowest grade of bullion mixed with MSG.
I need food that I can freeze, or that has a long shelf life, that has some real nutrients. I am willing to sacrifice taste if it is cheap and healthy. THANKS!!!

Answer 1

Bread
Potatoes
Hot Dogs

Answer 2

If you will have access to a farmer's market, produce co-op or whole foods type market, then a raw 80-10-10 diet would be the most affordable. I have found that the most costly products on a vegan diet are the three "s"'s - Snacks, Substitutions, and so-called "super foods". You don't *need* things like maca powder, spirulina or chia seeds. Processed vegan snacks are also ridiculously expensive. A piece of fruit or some celery is pretty cheap. Meat and dairy substitutes...eh, those are expensive, hard to find and are usually loaded with soy and sodium in order to replicate their non-vegan counterparts. If you go with a largely plant based, raw diet consisting of nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables then you could save a ton of money and still be healthy. My advice would be to take some money you save and invest in a really good juicer or blender (like a Vitamix). Whole food juices and smoothies are awesome.

Answer 3

Pasta is fairly cheap and you can always have butter noodles, tomato sauce with them, tomato soup and elbows, add veggies or other ingredients if you find a good price. And you can always do the same with rice for something different.

Buying frozen items in bulk can seem pricey at first, but it saves money in the long run. I have done that with frozen veggies and chicken nuggets.

Also, a store like Mr. G's Liquidation has lots of food for those on a budget. They sell low cost canned goods and many other items there.

Answer 4

LENTILS CHICKPEAS combined wtih RICE, CORN
lentils and chickpeas have great protein content and iron etc.
It is very easy: buy them bulk, not canned, and soak overnight before cooking. they are not gassy like beans and they have more protein, that I know of.
FOR lentils:
If you can afford it, cook em in broth. Otherwise, water in a big pot. Let boil with lentils in and then simmer until lentils are soft.
Throw in a carrot and half and onion and a celery stick about 1/2 hour after you put lentils to boil--those are CHEAP. Makes a i'm warm stew, totally freezable, packed with nutrients. White rice helps make protein out of lentils and chickpeas.
For the chickpeas, I'd boil them in stock and toss some frozen spinach and then serve with a boiled egg cubed. It does taste good.
Both chickpeas and lentils will make a delicious cold salad if you mix them with some chopped boiled egg, chopped bell peppers, some crumbly cheese, dressed with some oil and vinegar or some lemon.
Check out nutritional values for the suckers and see how much they are per pound if you buy them dry in bulk--they really are the healthiest for the poor.
broccoli, steamed or boiled, has loads of calcium and is cheaper than milk/cheese, plus you absorb the calcium better
good luck with your music and take care
livin' proof of it

Answer 5

Potatoes, large bags of rice, dry beans, powdered milk, (Spartan brand is okay), shop at discount grocery stores and dollar stores for a lot of food, paper products and cleaning supplies,too. Only get meats on sale, preferably look for 10 lb bags of chicken legs and thighs for $.39 a pound to use in soups, boiled and broiled with BBQ sauce or baked. (Save broth for soup.)
Make all your own baked sweets.
Eggs are cheap. So is the bagged or off brand cereal.(Just as good).
If you want soft drinks, do KoolAid and sugar on sale.
Look for Wonder-Hostess outlet stores or other baked good discount stores. Save a bundle that way. (I've seen bread loaves 3 and 4 for a dollar there!)

Answer 6

First, congrats on your record!

Generic frozen vegetables and fruits.
Generic pasta, rice, spelt, couscous, etc.
Generic dried beans.
Get some cheap spices from the dollar store...they will make the veggies for you.
Buy whole fryer chickens on sale and cut them up and freeze them. Use the leftover parts (necks, backs, gizzards), to make stock for your grains.
Dinty Moore Beef Stew (as a treat).
Spam (ham parts, made from real meat, stretches food)

Go to the dollar store in your area for spices, prepared foods, and almost expired fruits and breads.

In college, I used to make the following for myself and my neighbor:

Brown rice
2 cans of black beans
Diced Spam

Mix it up, it will last for a week!

Answer 7

tuna is very full of protein, low sodium vegetable soup, canned chicken or if you can afford it boneless skinless chicken breasts, peanut butter, wild rice ( I like to mix my rice with spinach) tomato sauce in a jar served over pasta is good with a simple tossed salad on the side, hamburger can be used all sorts of ways, some of those lean cuisene meals in the frozen food section of the grocery store are good or healthy choice.

Answer 8

Ground turkey is both cheaper and healthier than ground beef, and can be used the same way in many dishes. (it needs a binding agent for meatloaf or burgers, though).
Tuna is cheap......eggs are cheap & last up to a month...spaghetti sauce & noodles, pot pies, mac & cheese, pizza.
Buy store brands, or go to a very cheap store like Aldi's or Sav-A-Lot.

Answer 9

Wow, if you are really poor, you can try rice, (it stores well, as long as you keep it away from the rats) and you can mix it with pretty much anything you want. Great source of carbs and you also get protein as well.

Answer 10

You should try putting hot dogs IN the Top Ramen...

Love is the best nutrient of them all.