the_matthew•12d agoProlific Poster

Pro tip: That one week I fed my family of 4 on $35 in Austin

Last spring, I had a rough week between paychecks and only had $35 for groceries. I grabbed a bag of dried beans, a big sack of rice, some cheap onions, and a pack of chicken thighs on clearance from HEB. Made a massive pot of chicken and rice soup that stretched 5 days, plus fried rice with the leftovers. Has anyone else tried stretching a tiny budget with just beans and rice for a whole week?

3 comments

3 Comments

avery_lopez12d ago

Oh man, that chicken and rice soup is a lifesaver for sure! I'd say toss a can of diced tomatoes and some cheap frozen veggies in there next time, it bulks it up way more and adds a little variety without breaking the bank. Rice and beans are literally the MVP of tight budget weeks, you can season them so many different ways it never gets old. Even just switching up the spices like cumin one day and curry powder the next makes it feel like a whole new meal lmao.

patriciareed12d ago

Nah, I gotta push back on that one a little! Loading up soup with tomatoes and frozen veggies just waters down the flavor and makes it taste like a sad vegetable broth instead of a proper chicken soup. Sometimes keeping it simple with just the chicken, rice, and some basic salt and pepper hits way harder than trying to turn it into a kitchen sink situation.

hunt.quinn4d ago

Wait you actually throw frozen veggies into chicken soup? That sounds like a recipe for sad soggy mush instead of something comforting. @avery_lopez I gotta side with patriciareed on this one, that tomato and veggie overload is just gonna kill the whole vibe.