what is your favorite cheap food?

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phil

phil

So the cheese thread reminded me that I wanted to ask this about yous guys.

Scenario! You don't have a lot of money, but you decide it would be a good idea to eat anyway. You go to the store and you purchase ____!

FILL IN THE BLANK


Personally, I like spaghetti. I can get the noodles and a can of sauce for just over 2 bucks, and I can eat that for a few days.

PB&J is alright too, but I usually like milk with it which can make it a little more pricey. about 5 bucks for the PB and the J, another dollar for bread, and between 3-4 dollars for the milk. It'll last a while though, so it can save me some money in the longer run.
 
Charlie Don't Surf

Charlie Don't Surf

I was really pleased to find out that I love ramen at about the same time my recent poverty hit.

Also, eggs are SO CHEAP. Love it.

Also, when I feel fancy, I like hamburger helper ($.88) with ground turkey ($1.49/lb)

ALSO since I moved to Texas, I'm a no beans chili hound which can be ~$1.25 a can. I like making this and pouring it on before-mentioned ramen.

ALSO even more recently (days ago!) I found out I love canned tuna.
 
sixpackshaker

sixpackshaker

Pinto Beans. $3 and I can eat fairly well for nearly a week.

Now that I've been cooking for business parties and family gatherings... It will be a big part of my Thanksgiving contribution.
 
Shakey

Shakey

Ramen is great. You can find cases of the really crappy flavored kind for super cheap. I used to just eat the block of noodles without cooking it and toss the flavor packet.
 
phil

phil

Charlie Dont Surf said:
I was really pleased to find out that I love ramen at about the same time my recent poverty hit.

Also, eggs are SO CHEAP. Love it.

Also, when I feel fancy, I like hamburger helper ($.88) with ground turkey ($1.49/lb)

ALSO since I moved to Texas, I'm a no beans chili hound which can be ~$1.25 a can. I like making this and pouring it on before-mentioned ramen.

ALSO even more recently (days ago!) I found out I love canned tuna.
Click to expand...
Our fridges must look similar on the inside!

I only realized like a year ago that eggs are just the cheapest thing. My HEB had a dozen jumbo eggs for just a buck.

How do you make your tuna? I use mayo, mustard and sweet relish. I know some people get crazy with it though, and do like almonds n' stuff in theirs.
 
Shegokigo

Shegokigo

Shakey said:
Ramen is great. You can find cases of the really crappy flavored kind for super cheap. I used to just eat the block of noodles without cooking it and toss the flavor packet.
Click to expand...
Mmmm, Ramen for sure. I love to cook it, toss in the packet, then drain the liquid completely and just eat the sticky noodle. :uhhuh:

Charlie - Ramen and Chili Beans? Really? I have both in my cupboard right now and would totally try it.
 
Charlie Don't Surf

Charlie Don't Surf

Shegokigo said:
The entirety of the Wendy's $1 menu.
Click to expand...
You can make literally everything on here yourself for cheaper than $1!

Shakey said:
Ramen is great. You can find cases of the really crappy flavored kind for super cheap. I used to just eat the block of noodles without cooking it and toss the flavor packet.
Click to expand...
Ugh! I tried eating them raw at work and couldn't finish :( I just put them away and went home and boiled 'em.

Denbrought said:
Rice, so friggin awesome I can't even describe it.

The other cheap food is paste, but that I don't enjoy ~_~
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Ooooh. Forgot rice. My investment in a rice cooker has remained one of my best purchases ever.

phil;278997][quote=Charlie Dont Surf said:
I was really pleased to find out that I love ramen at about the same time my recent poverty hit.

Also, eggs are SO CHEAP. Love it.

Also, when I feel fancy, I like hamburger helper ($.88) with ground turkey ($1.49/lb)

ALSO since I moved to Texas, I'm a no beans chili hound which can be ~$1.25 a can. I like making this and pouring it on before-mentioned ramen.

ALSO even more recently (days ago!) I found out I love canned tuna.
Click to expand...
Our fridges must look similar on the inside!

I only realized like a year ago that eggs are just the cheapest thing. My HEB had a dozen jumbo eggs for just a buck.

How do you make your tuna? I use mayo, mustard and sweet relish. I know some people get crazy with it though, and do like almonds n' stuff in theirs.[/QUOTE]

I am new on the Tuna, so far I have only ventured into the sunkist premade tuna salad. I'm gonna try to make some tonight.

Shegokigo;279000][quote=Shakey said:
Ramen is great. You can find cases of the really crappy flavored kind for super cheap. I used to just eat the block of noodles without cooking it and toss the flavor packet.
Click to expand...
Mmmm, Ramen for sure. I love to cook it, toss in the packet, then drain the liquid completely and just eat the sticky noodle. :uhhuh:[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I am also not a fan of the liquid part of ramen. Just the noodly part.
 
Shegokigo

Shegokigo

Charlie -

The Wendy's thing? Yeah $1 is a bit, but for $5 I eat for the whole day with no cooking/prep-time. When I've got a WoW raid or something I hit Wendy's before if the GF isn't going to be home.

The Ramen/Chili Bean thing, do you just make it, drain it and skip the flavor packet and toss the beans over it? Dry or with their juice?
 
phil

phil

Oh man, I forgot about rice as well. I like to mix in some soy and sweet n' sour sauce. It took me a while to get the cooking down just right though. Mushy rice is not good rice.
 
Charlie Don't Surf

Charlie Don't Surf

Shegokigo said:
Charlie -

The Wendy's thing? Yeah $1 is a bit, but for $5 I eat for the whole day with no cooking/prep-time. When I've got a WoW raid or something I hit Wendy's before if the GF isn't going to be home.

The Ramen/Chili Bean thing, do you just make it, drain it and skip the flavor packet and toss the beans over it? Dry or with their juice?
Click to expand...
I hate beans. I take a can of Hormel NO BEANS chili. Put it in a big bowl in the microwave about when the water's boiling. Then heat it up, put the ramen in the boiling water. No flavor packet, toss that shit in a colander about when the chili's done, then put the noodles in the chili and stir vigorously.
 
sixpackshaker

sixpackshaker

phil, do you consider sticky rice good?

That is my favorite way. If I am doing stir fry and laying it on a rice base, I still want to be able to use my chopsticks.
 
Shegokigo

Shegokigo

Charlie Dont Surf;279014][quote=Shegokigo said:
Charlie -

The Wendy's thing? Yeah $1 is a bit, but for $5 I eat for the whole day with no cooking/prep-time. When I've got a WoW raid or something I hit Wendy's before if the GF isn't going to be home.

The Ramen/Chili Bean thing, do you just make it, drain it and skip the flavor packet and toss the beans over it? Dry or with their juice?
Click to expand...
I hate beans. I take a can of Hormel NO BEANS chili. Put it in a big bowl in the microwave about when the water's boiling. Then heat it up, put the ramen in the boiling water. No flavor packet, toss that shit in a colander about when the chili's done, then put the noodles in the chili and stir vigorously.[/QUOTE]

Hmmm, VERY interesting, I may be trying this out tonight as I'm home alone again.
 
Adam

Adam

I have a vicious reaction to Ramen for some reason. Even the smell makes me want to hurl - and I was never a poor enough student to have it as one of my four main food groups.
 
phil

phil

sixpackshaker said:
phil, do you consider sticky rice good?

That is my favorite way. If I am doing stir fry and laying it on a rice base, I still want to be able to use my chopsticks.
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I like sticky rice. I have not fried it in forever though, I might try that again soon. I wish I could use chopsticks without looking like a jackass. I envy those who can.
 
Q

Qonas

Eggs. Spaghetti of all kind (I am Italian after all). Ramen. Dollar value menus at fast food places. The usual. But something I don't see many people mention?

Fruit. Seriously. I really only go this hog-wild in the fall, when orchards open up and it's all beautiful outside. But go to your nearest apple orchard and you can stuff giant bags full of apples for cheap. Apples are the best because they're pretty filling for their size; the issue being, they're that filling because they've got a decent amount of fiber in them. So be prepared for the gastro backlash. :p
 
S

SeraRelm

Do so with the vegetable flavoring kind, not the meat flavoring kind.
 
Shakey

Shakey

The Knorr side packets are good if you make em and add a can of chicken to it. I suppose tuna would work too. It's gonna be a bit more expensive than ramen though.
 
Vytamindi

Vytamindi

I like popsicles. My favorite flavor (banana) is really cheap at walmart.

Can't stand ramen anymore, but in a pinch I do the whole pb&j. I always splurge on milk.
 
Shannow

Shannow

Staff member
Chicken. Boned breasts, thighs, whatever. A full week worth of dinner for like 5-6 bucks. Add in a frozen vegetable to steam (bag worhth about 4-5 meals of mixed veggies is at most like 2.50) and you are set for a full week of healthier dinners for liek 8 dollars. Mix in cheap rice or whatever if you want it.

When I started dieting and hitting the gym early last year, I discovered that i could get over a week's worth of full healthy food for like 20 bucks o so. Low fat wheat waffle for breakfast before work with OJ or milk, those special k 90 calorie crisp bars for a snack, can of tuna plain for lunch, and chicken or turkey and vegetable for dinner. Bam, healthy eating on the cheap. (though, to be fair, i was also having a protien bar for last break at work at 3 because of hitting the gym daily at 5..those dont really fall itno the cheap part).

Weight dropped quick and stayed off pretty much, felt great, and my wallet felt even better on all the money I was saving from not eating fast food and crap all the time. Those good habits continue to this day, though, I will be fully honest, i have slipped a bit recently. Getting back at it now.

Cheap food is great. I still do not really spend a lot on my food budget.

---------- Post added at 04:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:07 PM ----------
Charlie Dont Surf said:
Yo, what would happen if I took some canned tuna, and just put it in ramen.
Click to expand...

Hahahahah, the salt in that meal would be nuts, for what you get out of it :D
 
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