Recession Meals

[RobinsonMason]

What do you eat when money is tight?

I've found a bag of 15 bean soup mix goes a long way when poured over some inexpensive long grain rice. Maybe some radish KimChee on the side...

If you really want to be cheap (and you live in North America) you can sign up as a "Bean Buddy" and although the site doesn't say it, they should send you a free bag or two of these beans: http://www.hurstbeanbuddies.com/signup.html

There's even a YouTube video. No, it doesn't LOOK appetizing, but it tastes good. Lots of leftovers... you can even food process the soup into a bean dip...! Also, I don't use a "pound of lean ham" --- but cheaper alternatives like some chopped up hot dogs or something similar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az6xOYrIH_4

The Cajun style is also great when shrimp or crawfish is on sale...



And the Kim-Chee I referenced is called "Ggakdugi" or "Kaktugi" kimchee - Korean Pickled Daikon Radish. Big chunks of spicy, crunchy radish that give you something to crunch on with your beans and rice. At a Korean market you can usually get a huge jar of it for a few bucks. Just make sure to eat it within a few weeks since it ferments and will get a bit too funky with too much time after you open it.

If you're not used to spicy food don't eat too much at first or it will wreak havoc on your internals.

[Infamous]

When desperation hits, i go for the tesco brand 10p noodles 2 packets of them are enough to fill you up and if you forgo the flavour packet that comes with it and stick something like beans or even one of tesco's cook in sauces (beans are like 12p a can and the sauces are like 50p) its a pretty cheap meal.

[Fee1]

I've always had a frugal eating budget, it only costs about $45 a week to feed me. Oatmeal, eggs, toast, a banana and some orange juice for breakfast. Cold cut turkey sandwich, and a salad for lunch, and a grilled chicken breast and some steamed vegetables for dinner. I chop my own vegetables, and salads, so that saves about $15 a week, and I buy a lot of in store brands, so that cuts out about another $10. I don't drink any soda, and can't drink alcohol due to doctors orders, so my beverage budget is pretty much nil. Outside of growing my own vegetables (which I might start doing this summer), I don't know what else I can do to get my food budget down. I can afford it where it is, but less money for food means more money for vidjagames and field recording equipment.

[RobinsonMason]

I am growing my own veggies this year, something I do from time to time. I have a few rows of yellow onions, green beans, tomatoes, eggplant and zucchini. Zucchini has to be the easiest to grow for a big harvest, just a few plants and you'll have more than you ever wanted. Great as a steamed side dish with a bit of butter. Just chop and go.

[Analog-X64]

We dont eat out much, only splurge on SUSHI (Cheap all you can eat place).

I love Soup, Beans and Rice. I can eat the same thing everyday and not get sick of it.

[Infamous]

Id love to grow my own veggies but dont have the garden for it, its all rocks and crap out there. When i was younger though my step dad grew potatoes and carrots and marrows and god knows what else at the back, up the sides we had tomatoe plants and long beans and an amazing strawberry patch too surprised they didnt continue doing that when we moved cos the new garden we got was much much bigger and was perfect for it.

Only thing i hated was you'd go to open the beans and always find some kind of dodgy creature having a nap in there, on the plus side though im not at all bothered by beetles and whatnot now their 2nd nature to me lol.