c/budget-friendly-meals

I finally tried making my own bread after a bakery trip shocked me

I was at a fancy bakery downtown last month and saw a single loaf of sourdough for $8. I bought it, but it felt like such a waste. The next day I looked up a simple recipe online, got a bag of flour for $3, and just mixed it in a bowl. After a few tries, my third loaf came out perfect and costs maybe 50 cents. Anyone have other cheap staples they learned to make from scratch?

My buddy in Phoenix said my bean soup was just salty water with beans, so I started using a leftover ham bone from the grocery store deli for about $2 and now it's actually good.

What's your cheap trick for making a simple soup feel like a real meal?

My $15 lentil soup experiment turned into a week of dinners

Last week, I had a bag of brown lentils in my cupboard that I bought for $2.50 at the local market. I threw them in a pot with a chopped onion, three carrots, some garlic, and a can of diced tomatoes I had on hand. After letting it simmer for about an hour, I ended up with a huge pot of soup that tasted way better than I thought it would. What other cheap, filling soups do you guys make when you need to stretch your food budget?

Appreciation post: my neighbor's garage sale changed how I cook

I was at a garage sale in my neighborhood last month and saw a pressure cooker for $5. I had never used one before but figured it was worth a try. I made a pot of black beans from scratch in under an hour, which used to take me all day. Now I make big batches of cheap dried beans every week. Anyone have other good pressure cooker recipes for cheap ingredients?

PSA: I was wasting so much money on fresh herbs until my neighbor in apartment 4B said something

I used to buy those little plastic packs of cilantro or basil for $3 each, and half would go bad before I used it. My neighbor saw me throwing a bunch out and told me to just buy a live herb plant from the garden center for the same price. I got a basil plant for $3.50 at the local hardware store and it's lasted me over a month so far. Has anyone else tried growing a couple basic herbs on a windowsill to cut costs?

Just found out how much cheaper dried beans are than canned

I was reading a food blog from a lady in Tucson and she said a pound of dried beans costs about $1.50 and makes the same as 4 cans. I always grab the cans for convenience, but that's a huge price jump. I tried cooking a batch of black beans last night and it was way easier than I thought. Has anyone else made the switch and have tips for making it less of a chore?

My pressure cooker's seal split right before I was going to cook a big pot of beans.

It happened last Tuesday, and I was planning to use a $2 bag of dry beans for three meals. I ended up soaking them overnight and cooking them in my regular pot for about two hours, which worked fine but used more gas. Has anyone else had a pressure cooker fail and found a good, cheap way to replace just the seal?

Spent $8 on a giant bag of lentils and now my kitchen looks like a crime scene.

I tried to cook them all at once in my biggest pot, which was a huge mistake because they expanded way more than I thought and now there's lentil soup dripping from my cabinets. What's your best way to use up a massive amount of one cheap ingredient?

My brother said a $5 meal can't be healthy, but his plate of beans and rice looked better than my takeout.

My view on canned beans changed after my rent went up last year

I used to think canned beans were just for chili and always bought the dry kind to save a few cents. Then my rent in Phoenix jumped by 200 dollars a month and I had to cut my food budget fast. Now I grab canned beans because they're ready in five minutes and I don't have to plan ahead or remember to soak them. What other quick canned foods do you lean on when you're really pinched for time and money?

I thought using powdered milk in cooking was a total joke until my grocery bill in April hit $300 and I tried it in a potato soup recipe from a 1970s church cookbook.

The soup was actually creamy and rich, and using the powder saved me about $4 compared to fresh, so has anyone found other recipes where this swap doesn't ruin the taste?

My weekly grocery bill used to be over $100, now it's under $60.

A few months back, I was buying a lot of pre-cut veggies and single-serve stuff. It added up fast. I switched to buying whole vegetables and a big bag of rice. I cook a big pot of beans every Sunday. That one change cut my costs by almost half. Anyone have other cheap base ingredients they always keep on hand?

Unpopular opinion: I spent $40 on a fancy rice cooker and it was a total waste. My cheap pot works just as well.

Update: I swapped my usual ground beef for lentils in chili and saved almost $10

I make a big pot of chili every other week, and last time I decided to try something different. I usually use two pounds of 80/20 ground beef, which cost me about $12 at my local store. This time, I used one pound of beef and a bag of dried brown lentils I had in the pantry, which cost maybe $1.50. I cooked the lentils separately first, then added them in. The pot was just as full, and honestly, the texture was even better! It was heartier and less greasy. My family didn't even notice the switch until I told them. Has anyone else tried a similar swap with beans or another cheap filler in a meaty dish?

A trip to the big discount grocery in Springfield changed how I buy beans

I was at the big discount grocery in Springfield last week, looking for cheap protein. I grabbed a can of their store brand black beans for 79 cents, thinking it was a steal. When I got home and opened it, the liquid was cloudy and the beans had a weird, almost gritty texture. I checked the label and saw it had a ton of added salt and some preservatives I didn't recognize. Now I only buy the plain, no-salt-added cans from the regular store, even if they cost a dollar more. It's worth it to know what I'm putting in my chili. Has anyone else had a bad experience with a specific store's budget brand?

My roommate swore by adding a can of chickpeas to boxed mac and cheese for a full meal

I thought it sounded gross, but after trying it last week, it's actually filling and costs less than $3 total. Has anyone else found a weird pantry staple that actually works?

Overheard a guy at the grocery store say he'd never buy a whole chicken

Honestly, he said it was too much work, but breaking one down myself saves me like $8 a week. Anyone got other cheap cuts that are worth the extra prep time?

My slow cooker died halfway through a big batch of black beans

It was a Tuesday night and I had soaked 2 pounds of dry beans to make my usual cheap meal prep. The heating element just quit after about 3 hours, leaving me with a pot of hard, lukewarm beans. What's a good, cheap backup plan when your main cooking gear fails like this?

Just realized those 'dollar store' spices are actually fine

I always thought you had to spend more for good flavor, but my $1 jar of garlic powder from Family Dollar made my chili taste just as good as the $6 brand. Has anyone else tried the cheap spices and been surprised?

My grocery bill in Phoenix jumped $30 last month and I'm scrambling

I used to make a big pot of chili for under $15, but ground beef alone is now $8 a pound at my local Fry's. I had to swap in a can of lentils, which honestly turned out fine, but it's just another thing to figure out. What's your go-to cheap meal when the usual stuff gets too pricey?

Ran into a guy at the grocery store last week who was buying a huge bag of dried beans and a single onion. He said it was his 'rent week special' and he'd eat on it for days.

My brother's freezer full of soup changed how I shop

I was helping him move apartments in Cleveland last fall and saw he had about 15 identical containers of homemade vegetable soup in his freezer. He said he makes a giant pot for under $12 every other Sunday, using whatever cheap veggies are on sale. He eats it for lunch all week and freezes the rest. I started doing the same thing with a basic bean and potato stew. I spend maybe $15 on ingredients and get 10 meals out of it. Has anyone else found a specific 'big batch' recipe that actually saves you real money?

My big pot of chili turned into a bland disaster last night

I forgot to add any spices until it was almost done, so I just dumped in a whole can of tomato paste to try and fix it. Now I have a huge batch of weird, thick tomato goop. What's your best way to save a messed up meal without spending more money?

I tried to make a huge batch of lentil soup to save cash and it totally backfired

I figured I'd cook a giant pot of lentil soup to eat all week, using a 2-pound bag of dry lentils I got for $3. After 4 hours of simmering, I ended up with about 3 gallons of this bland, mushy paste that tasted like dirt. I tried to fix it with more salt and vinegar, but it was too far gone. Now I'm stuck with a freezer full of soup I don't want to eat. Did I just overcook it, or is there a trick to making big batches of beans and lentils that actually taste good? What's your go-to method for meal prepping cheap staples without ruining them?

Back in my first apartment, I tried to stretch a single pack of ground beef for a week

I was in my kitchen in Spokane, trying to make a giant pot of chili, and I accidentally dumped in a whole container of chili powder instead of a tablespoon. The pot was basically inedible, so I had to rinse the beef under cold water and start over with just some onions and a can of beans. What's the biggest cooking mistake you've had to salvage on a tight budget?