Everyone has a frugal meal they cook or order when they want to save some money. A Reddit user wanted to know what these meals were when he posted this question on the platform. He prefers cold-cut sandwiches himself.
Here are some of the best responses in that conversation.
Rotisserie Chicken From Costco
“I like to buy a rotisserie chicken from Costco. I shred it and eat it for lunch with rice. I add some sort of sauce like siracha or chili oil. It’s super tasty! The chicken can last me for 2 weeks! I’ll prep 3/4days at a time and freeze the rest of the chicken,” said one user
Pasta and Veggies
“Pasta and veggies. I get produce every week and mix up what I get. But the biggest frugal move I’ve made with food is to not eat out of boredom. Kind of a non-answer, but this reduced my groceries by like a third,” another added, saying this meal helped them reduce their grocery bill.
Ham, Mashed Potatoes, and Green Beans
When you have a chest freezer, you can create good meals; as this user notes, “Tonight will be ham, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Ham was about 20 cents a pound. Why I have a chest freezer.”
Peach and Chickpea Curry
One user explains how this meal is prepared, “It’s a recipe by a food and anti-poverty writer named Jack Monroe from the UK. Take a tin of tomatoes, a tin of peaches, a tin of chickpeas, an onion, garlic (fresh if you have it, powder if you don’t), some cumin, and chili flakes. We usually have some extra spices in it as we have a pretty well-stocked spice cabinet, but it’s a great budget-friendly recipe.”
Tacos
Tacos can go with almost anything, as one user says, “Tacos — with whatever happens to be cheap or in-season. There’s really no prescription for it. Make your toppings out of what’s available – it some quick pickled things, avocados, make salsa from what you have, or just good ole cilantro and onion.”
Rice
Rice can also be mixed with a lot of other foods, “I have a rice cooker, and I can do tons of things in it. You can directly make rice with lots of additions, like fish, veggies, etc. Also, rice can be quite cheap.”
Avocado Toast
Since avocados are cheap in Texas, one user finds the meal quite frugal, “Avocados are $.60 apiece in Texas, and living alone, I can make one last for at least two meals if I add things like shredded cheese, bits of chicken, tomatoes or lentils. The same principle applies to tostadas. I recently made a can of $1 refried beans last for 4-5 meals. Pastas are another one.”
Pork Chops
Compared to chicken or beef, pork chops are cheap meals one can make at home, “Pork chops in cream of mushroom soup gravy over rice. I also add extra onions and mushrooms. I loved it as a kid and pork chops are very inexpensive compared to chicken or beef. Simmer in a crock pot all day, super tender.”
Make the Most of What You Got
According to one user, the meal may not matter much if you make the most of what you have, “For me, it’s not about a frugal meal; it’s about making the most of what u have got. I check what I have at home, check what offers are on & plan my meals around that.”
Chicken Bites
One user found a way to enjoy chicken without spending much, “I buy boneless skinless chicken when it is on sale, cut it up and toss it in seasoning, bake, freeze, put it in the air fryer when I want to eat it. Broccoli or carrots for a side.”
Pork Shoulder
“I get a pork shoulder, smoke, and pull it. Then, portion it out into vacuum bags and freeze it. Delicious BBQ whenever I want. Yes, it’s expensive to buy, but it makes quite a few meals and goes with a lot. Tacos, nachos, by itself with slaw on a bun,” says another user.
Pizza or Burritos
Some people find pizzas to be cheap and fulfilling, “Flour tortillas are easy to make as is pizza dough. Beef and bean burritos don’t require a lot of beef. In fact, I use very little, and it tastes beefy and has a beefy texture.”
Mujadara
“The cheapest, fairly balanced meal ever is mujadara, which is so good. Equal parts lentils and rice with salt and maybe cumin, crispy onions on top. It’s so much better than it sounds,” explains another user.
Tuna and Rice
A user offers a recipe on how to prepare this meal, “1/2 cup rice, I can tuna, I usually put in a half can of diced tomatoes (sometimes with chilis) I put a little chicken stock in the rice while cooking it ( rice is always 2/1 ratio so 1 cup of water for 1/2 cup of rice), I also like to put a few drops of Louisiana HS or Tabasco in mine. Good workout food, too.”
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This article was produced and syndicated by A Dime Saved.
