Menu Ideas for Low Income / Food Bank Clients?

Question

I am trying to help people with very little money available to purchase grocery. Those are people who often have no other choices but seek assistance from food banks. I am asking for your suggestions. I want ideas for cheap, fairly healthy and filling meal ideas. My intention is to eventually prepare a pamphlet with basic information for the under priviledge around us. Better nutrition means better health. Healthier folks means a healthier economy, and more happy people.

Answer 1

Beef Stew:

1 pound beef, cut in 1" cubes
4 large potatoes, cut in 1" cubes
4 cleaned carrots, cut in 1" pieces
3 ribs celery, cleaned and cut in 1" pieces
1 large onion, cut in medium-sized pieces
2 Tbsp oil
1 can peas, drained
1 can mushrooms, drained
1 can corn, drained
1 small can tomato sauce
1 jar beef gravy
garlic powder and onion powder to taste

Brown the beef and onion in the oil. Add in the raw veggies and cover with about 1" water. Let simmer, uncovered, about an hour (longer is better, though). Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.

Add in canned veggies, beef gravy, tomato sauce and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasonings. Serve with some nice warm bread or noodles. Even better reheated the next day.


The beauty of beef stew is that you can stretch it with whatever you have. It's full of nutritionally sound elements, like fresh veggies and beef, and isn't overdoing it with empty calories like many pastas will. Best of all, it freezes and reheats really well...

Answer 2

Tell them to shop for everything they can save money on at a dollar or 99 cents store. There they can get a lot of canned vegetables, potatoes, beans, etc. at a very good price. Can get a lot of food for a low cost....then go to a discount grocery store (might take food stamps) in their area to get most of the rest. Also to look for a store that is especially cheaper at the fresh food items like lettuce, tomatoes, etc.....Buy all the fresh items at that one store....(and don't expect all the other items to be a good buy)

I have done this for years...hardly ever shop in a regular grocery store and save three-fourths of the cost.

As to making dishes.....Ground beef, bean dishes, and pastas are probably the least expensive....and having more eggs, cheese, milk and basic flour, sugar, etc. can make a lot of dishes. Oatmeal for Breakfast, Soups for Lunch, and Meat Loaf, Spaghetti, Chicken/Rice for Dinner are some of the cheapest.
Also Peanut Butter and Beans...good nutrition and inexpensive.

If you want good inexpensive ideas look up the old recipes for when people were going thru the Depression era...they got really creative!

Answer 3

How about spaghetti with canned vegetables mixed in and spaghetti sauce. It's hard, because so much of what's donated to food banks is processed food and not enough fresh vegetables or fruits. How about fruit salad? I am going to think about this some more; I think this is a GREAT question!!!

Answer 4

Hamburger steak with mashed potatoes and gravy and salad
Baked mostacioli with veggies and salad
sloppy joes and a veggie
grilled cheese and tomato soup
chilli and a "potato casserole" type of dish salad
taco's
baked cod
www.recipezaar.com has some very good ideas

Answer 5

first off i think this is a good question and i think what your doing is wonderful :)
hot dogs & beans
tuna cassarole (a can of tuna- noddles-cream of mushroom soup & peas)
spagetti
grilled cheese sandwiches
mashed potaoes- baked potatoes-fried potatoes
mac & cheese
canned vegatables
salad
sloppy joes


also here is a website for cheap cooking
http://www.cheapcooking.com/

Good Luck!