c/budget-friendly-meals

Can we talk about dried beans versus canned for chili?

I made two batches last week, and the dried version cost about 75 cents less per pot and had way better texture. Anyone have a favorite bean type for stretching a meal?

Just had a major dinner fail with a cheap cut of beef

I was trying to make a stew with a $5 chuck roast from the local market last night. I browned it, added everything to my slow cooker, and left it for eight hours. When I got home, the meat was still tough as leather. I guess the cut was just too lean. I ended up shredding it with two forks and mixing it into a bunch of cooked rice and beans to stretch it, which actually worked. Has anyone else had a cheap cut just refuse to get tender? What's your backup plan?

Just realized my bean jar hit 50 meals

I started a big jar of dried beans back in January to save cash, and I finally used the last scoop for a chili tonight. It felt like a weird little win, like beating a game I didn't know I was playing. What's the cheapest single thing you've bought that just kept giving you meals?

Why does nobody talk about the canned lentil soup trick?

I tried to stretch a $1.50 can of lentil soup by adding a whole cup of water to make two meals, and it turned into a weird, flavorless broth. I learned you should only add a little water or, better yet, some cheap frozen veggies to bulk it up. Has anyone else found a good way to make canned soup more filling without ruining it?

I thought making my own veggie broth from scraps would be a quick 20-minute job, but separating the good scraps from the moldy ones in my freezer bag took me over an hour.

Has anyone found a better system for sorting kitchen scraps before they go in the freezer?

My neighbor said to buy a whole chicken and break it down myself

She told me this last Tuesday, and I was sure it would be a messy waste of time. But I tried it at my place in Springfield, and the $8 chicken gave me two dinners, lunch meat, and a pot of stock. I was wrong to think the pre-cut packs were a better deal. Has anyone else found a simple tip that saved way more than you thought?

A bad batch of chili at a church potluck made me rethink my whole grocery list.

I was at a community dinner in Springfield last month and the main dish was a huge pot of watery, bland chili that cost under $15 to make for 20 people. The cook told me she only uses dried beans, a single can of tomatoes, and bulk spices from the discount store, which explained the weak flavor. What's your go-to cheap ingredient that actually packs a punch?

Appreciation post: I used to buy those pre-made salad kits for $7 each, now I just grab a head of lettuce and a bottle of dressing.

My cheap rice cooker gave up the ghost mid-meal prep

It happened yesterday afternoon while I was making a big batch of beans and rice. The thing just clicked off and started smoking, filling my kitchen with a burnt plastic smell. I had to throw out the whole pot, which was about $8 worth of food. Ended up finishing the rice in a regular pot on the stove, which was a pain. Anyone have a recommendation for a budget cooker that won't try to burn my apartment down?

Just realized my bean strategy was all wrong for years

I used to buy canned beans for every chili, thinking it saved time. That changed about 6 months ago when I saw a bag of dry beans cost 89 cents versus a $1.29 can. Now I soak a big batch overnight and freeze portions. It adds maybe 20 minutes of actual work and cuts my cost in half. Has anyone else made a switch like this that seemed small but really added up?

My neighbor just showed me her grocery receipt and I'm shook

I was chatting with Mrs. Henderson from down the street yesterday, and she mentioned she only spends about $60 a week to feed her family of three. I asked how, and she said 'I stopped buying any meat that costs more than $2 a pound, full stop.' She showed me her receipt, and it was all chicken thighs, ground turkey, and big bags of beans. I've been buying chicken breast for like $5 a pound this whole time without even thinking. What other cheap cuts or proteins am I totally sleeping on?

Hot take: My best budget week came after my fridge broke for 3 days

I had to cook everything in my freezer immediately, so I made a huge pot of chili with the ground beef and a veggie soup with the frozen mixed vegetables. Has anyone else ever turned a kitchen disaster into a week of cheap, planned meals?

Walking through the old market in St. Louis made me think about how we shop for food

I was there last weekend and saw a produce stall selling a whole box of slightly bruised tomatoes for $2. My grandma would have bought that in a heartbeat for her soup, but now everyone just grabs the perfect, expensive ones. It got me thinking about how much good food we pass up for looks. What's your favorite way to use up less-than-perfect veggies on a tight budget?

Used to buy those pre-cut veggie trays for $12. Now I just grab a whole cabbage and a couple carrots for under $3.

Warning about those 'budget' meal kit trials

I signed up for one of those meal kit services with a cheap first box offer, thinking I'd get a few dinners for about $20. After the first week, they charged my card $80 for the next box because I forgot to cancel in their tiny 3-day window. I had to call and argue for 15 minutes just to get a partial refund. Has anyone else had this happen and know a better way to try new recipes without the hassle?

Rant: I just read that a single bell pepper costs more than a pound of dry lentils

I was looking at the USDA price data for my city, and it said a green bell pepper averages $1.20 each right now. A bag of dry lentils is like $1.50 for a whole pound. That's INSANE to me. I used to buy peppers for stir-fry all the time without thinking. Now I'm just going to load up on beans and rice for my base and save the fresh veggies for special treats. Has anyone else had to totally switch up their usual buys because the prices got so weird?

Tried to stretch a single chicken into three meals and ended up with soup for a week

Got a whole chicken on sale for $6 at the market, figured I'd be smart. Roasted it Sunday, made sandwiches Monday, then boiled the bones for stock Tuesday. The stock was so weak it looked like dishwater, so I dumped in all the leftover veggies and rice. Now I've got a giant pot of bland, greasy soup that's all I've eaten since Wednesday. I guess I learned you need more than just bones to make good stock, maybe some onion or herbs. Anyone have a better way to use up a chicken without ending up in soup jail?

Hot take: my cheap bag of rice almost ruined my whole week of meals

I was in my kitchen in Phoenix last Tuesday, about to make a big pot of beans and rice for lunches. I opened a new 5 pound bag of the store brand rice I always buy, but it smelled weird, like dust and old paper. I cooked a cup anyway and it came out with these little black bugs floating in it. I had to throw the whole bag out and my dinner plan was gone. Has anyone else had this happen with a basic pantry item and what did you do to fix your meal plan that night?

PSA: My cheap dried beans took 3 hours to cook, not 45 minutes

I followed a basic recipe that said to soak them overnight and then boil for 45 minutes. After an hour and a half, they were still hard as rocks. I kept adding water and simmering, checking every 20 minutes. It finally took over 3 hours total for them to get soft enough to eat. Has anyone else had this happen with certain store brands?

Just saw a chart showing how much cheaper dried beans are per serving than canned

Found it in a USDA report, and it's like a 75% price difference. Does that savings actually make up for the extra prep time, or is the convenience worth it?

Vent: People keep buying pre-shredded cheese for 'budget' casseroles and it drives up the cost per ounce.

A block of cheddar is $2.50 less at my store in Toledo, and you get more cheese. Has anyone else noticed this price gap where they shop?

My neighbor called my lentil soup 'depressing' and it got me heated

I was bringing a pot over to her place because she's been sick, and she took one look at it and said, 'Oh, more of your brown mush, Karen?' She said it with a laugh but it stung. She went on about how eating on a tight budget means you just give up on food being good. I make that soup with carrots, celery, and a ham bone I got for a dollar from the butcher, and it feeds us for three days. It's not 'mush,' it's how my grandma cooked. That comment sat with me all week. It made me realize some people think cheap food has to be sad and boring, but it's really about being smart and using what you have. My soup costs maybe eight dollars total and tastes like home. Has anyone else had someone totally not get why you cook the way you do?

Appreciation post: My barista in Phoenix showed me how to make a week's worth of breakfast for under $10

She told me to soak a cup of oats in water overnight, then just mix in a spoon of peanut butter and a sliced banana in the morning... has anyone else tried a super simple meal prep trick like that?

Just realized my cheap grocery store's bulk bin spices are way better than those little jars.

The bulk cumin was $0.89 for what would cost $4.50 in a jar. Game changer for my weekly chili. Anyone have other bulk bin wins?

PSA: My big batch of lentil soup turned into a bland disaster last Tuesday

I was in my kitchen trying to stretch a single bag of lentils into a week's worth of meals, but I forgot to add any acid or enough salt during the long cook. I saved it by stirring in a big splash of vinegar from the cupboard and letting it sit overnight, which totally fixed the flavor. Has anyone else had a cheap meal go wrong and found a simple fix like that?