Here are 30 frugal meal ideas for when your trying

kamo63, Jan 3, 5:14am
Here are 30 frugal meal ideas for when your trying to save a dime.


Breakfast
Eggs & Toast
Oatmeal w/Raisins & Sugar
Brown Rice w/Butter & Sugar
Cinnamon Sugar Toast with Yogurt
Banana & Yogurt
Scrambled Eggs w/ Sautéed Veggies
Cheese on toast & Apple
Fried Potatoes & Eggs
Homemade Biscuits & Gravy
Homemade Waffles or Pancakes


Lunch
Leftovers
Cheese & Crackers w/fruit
Homemade Pasta Salad w/Fresh Veggies
Turkey or Ham Sandwich & Fruit
Beans on Toast
Baked Potato & Side Salad
Grilled Chicken Salad w/Veggies
Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup
Peanut Butter & Jelly w/Fruit
Homemade Tuna Salad Sandwich w/Fruit


Dinner
Spaghetti & Tomato Sauce w/Homemade Bread
Beans & Cornbread
Homemade Bean & Cheese Burritos
Vegetarian Chili
Chicken Noodle Soup & Homemade Bread
English Muffin Pizzas & Carrot Sticks
Homemade Vegetable Soup & Homemade Bread
Fried Potatoes/w Diced Ham & Onion
Breakfast for Dinner (see ideas above)
Grilled Chicken Legs or Thighs & Veggies

frances1266, Jan 3, 5:17am
If you lose the meat and dairy the cost would be reduced by half. If you check out vegan blogs you will find subs for these products which would taste just as good.
Think many people will be living on a tight budget for a few months.

motorbo, Jan 3, 5:29am
I agree on losing the meat, or at least cutting it right back to 1-2 nights a week, the menu looks very Americanised to me, rather than muffins, make your own flatbreads - so so cheap and very yummy, grow some veges. cant beat silverbeet in the garden it just gives and gives, fried potatoes with herbs and veges, cheaper than ham. and it goes on

kamo63, Jan 3, 6:04am
Yes it is Americanised I cut and pasted it. I thought though that it was a pretty good menu and one that I practiced when I was a young solo mum and my son only liked mashed potato and chicken. It still true that chicken pieces at 2 kilos for around $10 is a good start. Even now I train my brain that with regards to meat. $5 a kilo is what I look for. And lots of veges. Yes grow your silverbeet. my son would not eat it. and still doesnt in his 30s,

whitehead., Jan 4, 5:04am
a lot of times you can cut out sugar in your breakfasts as well

duckmoon, Jan 4, 6:37am
there is a fund raiser called "living below the line" (poverty line)
living off $2.25 per day.

you can google their cookbook

nauru, Jan 4, 7:18am
You sure can, way too much sugar in commercial cereals etc. too. I usually have homemade muesli or porridge, I don't add add sugar, (I prefer it without) you don't need it. I make the porridge with water and don't add milk to serve (my preference) top with fresh fruit. I add either plain yoghurt or water to the muesli and leave to soak then top with fresh fruit.

motorbo, Jan 4, 8:29pm
some of the ideas are way to processed carb for me, more veges and no bread with pasta is a better idea, and spices and herbs add flavour, many do not like the bitterness of silverbeet - then add a tiny bit of sugar or honey to it when cooking, it balances it much like sugar does with tomatoes. crackers could be a cheap option if you made them yourself, otherwise I don't think they are a money saver . most of all keep food in season, grow ya own, and cut back on meat, its pricey and full of hormones we just don't need, treat it was a treat and buy better quality . I love vege meals and my body feels better for it

lythande1, Jan 4, 11:42pm
I made this the other night.
1 onion, 2 zucchini, picked oregano, 2 slices streaky bacon (donated), approx 1 tin of tomato puree (frozen from last years tomatoes), 3 largish mushsrooms.
Chop it all, Cook it, cook some pasta, tip sauce over, sprinkle with some grated strong cheddar - strong and then you don't need much.

It was seriously delicious.

Made pizzas the other week too, oregano in the dough rather than sprinkled over, ham scraps from sons work ham, 1/2 pkt mushrooms, 1/2 mozzarella and 1/2 strong cheddar (for the flavour again). Made 3 large ones, worked out about $1.60 each.

uli, Jan 5, 3:42am
bump for frugal meal ideas.

buzzy110, Jan 5, 4:51am
No need to add sugar or honey to silverbeet. That sounds ugh. The bitterness comes from oxalic acid. It is better to well cook it (yes silverbeet should be well cooked, same as green beans should be) then drained and a potato masher used to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. The oxalic acid goes with the liquid. Then add lemon juice and a dash of butter and pepper.

What do you suggest as a good, cheap substitute for animal protein motorbo?

Having less meat is probably an okay idea but I wouldn't go for the better, more expensive cuts. If you are going to cut down on meat it is more logical to buy cheaper cuts that have skin, bone, fat and connective tissue as well as organ meat. It is cheaper for those on a tight budget as well. Muscle meat alone draws more lysine from the body. Having lysine balance is important in the great scheme of things.

NZ grass fed red meat and wild fish are not known to be filled with added hormones.

Be careful about blandishments to give up meat altogether. Some say it is cheaper but forget to mention how much they spend on supplements to replace micronutrients lacking in their diet - iron, essential fats and amino acids, B12, etc.

samanya, Jan 5, 5:20am
Do we need a lecture?
Most of us, who are health conscious, are very comfortable with what we eat.
OP gave a few more options & most of us are capable of working out what suits us . thanks kamo631.

avoking, Jan 5, 6:04am
I love Swiss Chard! Young leaves, fresh or in a smoothie.
yum
this is slightly interesting on the topic of oxalic acid, and from a NZ stay at home mum and a cook :D
http://www.cravingfresh.com/2011/04/good-news-eating-raw-spinach-might-be.html

motorbo, Jan 5, 6:09am
buzzy im not going to go to great lengths in every post I put up here as to why I say or do what I say or do, because you will as always read it the way you want, and find something you don't like about what I say and nit pick it, lets just leave it be - we have different preferences in life and isn't that great!

nauru, Feb 11, 4:41pm
We don't eat red meat at all, we have chicken occasionally, fish but mostly vegetarian meals. We eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, pulses and wholefoods, all made fresh and not processed. And no, I don't buy supplements, you can still have a balanced diet without meat and the need to take supplements. Each to their own, what is good for one may not be good for another but I'm happy with my diet and so is my Dr.