Eating healthily on a budget?

Question

We're on a tight budget but contrary to what everyone says (making all your own food from scratch is cheaper than buying ready made foods) I find that buying loads of fresh fruit and veg and ingredients for really nice recipes is REALLY EXPENSIVE! Especially when you buy herbs and spices and exotic ingredients.

Its got to the point where I'm just trying to buy really filling food like bread, cheese, rice and pasta, potatoes etc, some milk and yoghurt and only a tiny bit of fruit (a few apples, bananas and pears usually plus some fruit juice.)

But I don't know how to make interesting meals out of such a limited selection of food! Help! I'm vegetarian so don't eat meat.

Answer 1

Planning your meals a week in advance helps to prevent buying too much food, and you can work out recipes that use similar foods for the week. Just change from week to week to allow variety in you diet.

Cannelloni is a really simple meal, which is filling and cheap.
I make my own pasta which is much cheaper than buying it ready made.

Pumpkin and Ricotta Cannelloni

Sauce:
Brown one diced onion and one or two cloves of garlic
Add one tin diced tomatoes and one cup of stock.
bring to boil and then simmer for half hour or so. Then blend.

Pasta:
Use plain flour and eggs. depending on hoe much you need. I start with one egg and one egg yolk and just mix in enough flour to for the dough with a pinch of salt.
Roll out the dough, fold it in three and repeat two times. (you can do it in two batches if easier).
Roll it into a large rectangle.

filling:
150g Ricotta Cheese
1/4 average sized pumpkin cooked and mashed or you can use steamed spinach instead.

Mix the tow ingredients together and lay across the pasta in small long strips. Roll the pasta over filling, use water to stick and cut it off. Then do the next one. You can make a dozen or so.

Place in oven proof dish and pour sauce over top and bake in moderate oven for 20-30 minutes.

Answer 2

In answer to the herbs and spices bit if your budget allows why dont you buy yourself some herb plants if you havent got a garden a window box is just as good and you will only ever have to pay for them once and then you will have masses of fresh herbs all year round, also while saying that possibly you could also grow some of your own vegetables that will alos save you loads of money and obviously the taste and flavour is much better
i hope this is of some help to you good luck

Answer 3

At this time of the year you can buy root veg like carrots, parsnips & leeks quite cheaply. I love to roast them with a veg oxo cube crumbled over the top with just a dribble of oil. You can also use beetroot too - it roasts beautifully. Sometimes it pays to check the sell offs in supermarkets as well- and link saves - I do it all the time!

Answer 4

I make a LOT of meals with tofu.

We make a lot of brown rice and serve it with different "toppings", like salsa, soy sauce, and parmesan cheese (not all at once of course).

Black beans are another great source of inexpensive nutrition. Black bean salads, black bean burgers, black bean tacos! Making your own tortillas is a real money saver.

I LOVE pasta with olive oil and parmesan cheese, and we love spaghetti and lasagna which can be made with soy crumbles instead of meat.

Finally, Here is my very favorite recipe made with tofu, that doesn't really need the asparagus which is the only expensive ingredient:
Chili-Glazed Tofu over Asparagus and Rice


From Cooking Light




Cooking the rice and asparagus in the same pot of boiling water saves a little time.

4 cups water
1 (3 1/2-ounce) bag boil-in-bag long-grain rice
2 1/4 cups chopped asparagus (about 1 pound)
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon bottled minced ginger
1 teaspoon hot chili sauce with garlic (such as KA•ME)
1 pound extrafirm tofu, drained and cut lengthwise into 9 pieces
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup preshredded carrot
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan. Add bag of rice, submerging bag completely in water. Boil 10 minutes. Carefully remove bag from pan, leaving boiling water in pan. Add asparagus to pan; cook 1 minute. Drain.
While rice cooks, heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Combine sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, and chili sauce in a small bowl. Sprinkle tofu with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add tofu to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Add soy sauce mixture; cook 20 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Combine rice, asparagus, 1/2 teaspoon salt, carrot, and sesame oil. Serve tofu over rice.

Answer 5

Try the link it is specifically for someone trying to live low budget as a vegetarian. Good Luck

Answer 6

It's hard to do? I'd recommend fresh stuff like fruit and veg's. organic meat available but higher? why? do they segregate animals?