I've got about $70 a week budgeted for groceries right now because we're TTC and money is tight due to the doc bills, so what can I buy in bulk that will stretch?
I always buy a big bag of potatoes, and about 8 lbs of ground beef, canned tomatoes, instant potatoes, pasta, pasta sauce, and canned tuna. I just don't know what else to buy that will complement that stuff, within my budget.
I need some budget friendly recipes! Doesn't have to include the above ingredients, just something that will be good and fairly cheap. NO BEANS (hubby hates beans, but I love 'em!)
I love brown rice and oatmeal in bulk. Both items can be made into a variety of items. I love brown rice topped with cooked protien and dredged in tomato and vegetable sauce. You can also make a great 'salad' by mixing cooked brown rice that has cooled, with tuna fish and vegetables and a vinegar sauce (no mayo). Also, if you like beans, white northern beans are a great additive to tuna salad made with vinegar no mayo.
Inexpensive but tasty and easy on the system is a breakfast made from cooked cereal with chopped apples in it. Apples can be bought by the bag for a better price.
Cabbage is fairly cheap, and if you grate or shread it, and mix with vinegar, olive oil and a bit of spices (I like caraway) and marinate overnight, it is a great fiber rich side dish that you can throw on top of a regular salad. FIber is really helpful for us PCOS gals, so I try to get it in wherever I can.
You could also cook ground meat, drain and rinse (I've done this to decrease the fat) and then toss back in the pan with some spices and add in some fresh grated cabbage, and cover till the cabbage wilts. This is an easy way to make a 'stir fry'. When I am in a pinch, I've done this with pre shredded cabbage slaw, and then serve it over brown rice.
The tomato sauce you are buying would be a great base for chopped summer squash which is also fairly inexpensive, and a good sauce or soup. run it in the blender, add some italian spices and a bit of pasta and or beans, and you have a great soup.
Don't discount frozen veggies as a great source of fiber and low cost option. I love my frozen broccoli!
I know you said no beans, but for your benefit, if you soak and cook your own garbanzos, add some olive oil, lemon juice and garlic with spices, and you have homemade hummus from the blender or food processor...
Cassy
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Cassandra Cox - Nutritional Consultant
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Here are something that comes to mind, now I am not sure how healthy they are for you but these are somethings you could make using some of the ingredients you listed that you purchase.
Cabbage Rolls
Chili
Sheppards Pie
Pasta Bake
Tacos or Taco Bake
Chicken Wings
Nachos
Ground Beef Quesadillas
Slow Cooker Mexican Ground Beef Stew
Cabbage & Potato Bake
Cabbage Stew/Has Ground Beef in it
Easy Corned Beef and Cabbage (cheap)
Baked Shrimp-Crab Salad (cheap)
Crockpot Picante Chicken (easy & affordable)
Crockpot Garlic Chicken (easy & affordable)
Cheesy Hamburger Mac (quick, easy & affordable)
Taco Cornbread Pizza/has Hamburger Meat in it (quick,easy & affordable)
Mini Pizzas/made out of English Muffins
Stuffed Green Peppers
Vegetable Soup
If you are interested in any of those recipes, just let me know I will post the recipes to them. Most of them are very affordable to make and quick & easy dishes. I am sure some of them you already make. Those are some the things you could make that came to mind. If you have a crockpot/slow cooker you can make so many things with that and it is great because you can get cheap cuts of meat and the less expensive cuts and they usually always come out really good, you can add all your veggies & potatoes right in the slow cooker to make a meal.
I second the cabbage idea. I use it for stir fries, soup, coleslaw, etc. and at my local market it costs just around $0.60 per head. I can make about 3 meals for 4 (or 6 meals for 2!) from each head, so you really can't beat that.
Potatoes, pasta and rice are always really cheap staples to have and buy in bulk (if you're not low-carbing, that is) and you can put them in soups and serve them so many different ways.
I find that using ground turkey instead of ground beef saves on calories and money. Some brands of 93% lean ground turkey are more expensive, but still nowhere near the cost of extra lean ground beef.
Also, for fresh veggies check your area for local farmers' markets because they are really so much cheaper than buying produce in grocery stores. And you can usually find organic fruits and veggies for less than you'd pay for ordinary produce in the big chain stores.
I saw that you have been TTC for about 3 years. Have you considered giving up potatoes? I know they are good in a frugal budget (we had them every meal for over 6 months), but you would do better to switch to sweet potatoes or carrots if you are TTC.
We get big boxes of whole wheat pasta for mac and cheese, tuna cassarole, etc.
DH's tuna cassarole:
1 or 2 cans tuna
salt and pepper to taste
block of white sharp cheese, shredded
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz milk
egg noodles or wheat noodles
1/2 stick of butter
You can make chicken and dumplings pretty cheap with wheat flour, and the different cheaper parts of the chicken (legs, thighs, etc)
Hamburger pie:
Stir all ingredients for a meatloaf, but squish it out into a glass pie plate. Top with french fries and ketchup and bake as you would a meatloaf.
15 oz can of whole tomatoes with juice
4 oz water
1/4 cup sugar (or to taste) (I haven't tasted these with sugar substitues)
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
salt and pepper to taste
Pour all ingredients into a pot, stir well and bring to a boil. Place dumplings on top of mix and don't stir. Reduce to a simmer and watch for 10 minutes or until dumplings are done.
For dumplings Mom now uses can buscuits. Pull apart, don't cut them.
Wow thanks gals! I will definitely check out all those suggestions and recipes.
I actually don't like sweet potatoes but love carrots and cabbage! I never even thought about cabbage! What a great idea! Also, the local farmer's market has started back up due to the season, so I think I might frequent it on Sunday mornings when it's open!
Keep the ideas coming if you have 'em! Thanks a bunch ladies!
I follow the IR diet plan for the most part but we eat lots of eggs, chicken breast (bought in bags on sale) and ground turkey/turkey sausage. I do spend more money for whole wheat pasta. Oatmeal is of course good too. Just watch the sales a lot. Sirlion Tip roast was on sale last week so I got two and I cut it up for beef kabobs. Stews soups and casseroles are a good way to stretch things. Pasta salads are good in this hot weather. Keep things simple it saves money since you're not spending on any convenience foods. Check and see if there is a bakery outlet near you. I get all kinds of bread english muffins etc whole wheat and even organic sometimes for less than a dollar each at mine. Freeze what you can't use that week. Eat leftovers for lunch or a salad or sandwich. Chicken, eggs, tuna, pb are all cheap sandwiches. Cut up carrots instead of buying baby ones. Make a list of meals and a grocery list before going to the store and take cash so you can't spend more.
I hope you have good luck at the farmers market. Mine has amazing deals. I like to go when they are closing down so I can "snipe" and bargain with the sellers. Many of them will give better prices rather than let something go to waste or bring back wilted produce for the next day.
If its possible I would try to get a Sam's Club or Costco membership. I know its a big chunk of change upfront but it can pay off in the end. The prices I mention are from Sam's in NJ so keep in mind that might vary according to your location. They have awesome deals on wheat pasta in bulk for about $5for 4 lbs and if white isn't a big issue for you I bought an 8 lb. package of spaghetti noodles a couple weeks ago for $5 and you can easily store it in the freezer until you are ready for it. Also the whole chickens I purchase from Sam's comes in a two pack for less than $10.
On a healthier note you might be able to add salads to your meals if you so desire. A bulk container of salad mix (I love Sam's spring mix) is about $4. If you can pick up fresh veggies inexpensively you have a healthy salad ready to go. I usually pick up cucumbers, green peppers, and tomatoes from Sam's if the price is right. If not I can usually pick up some fresh veggies from the regular store and have salad makings an entire week for less than $15. Also I find the frozen veggies from Sam's/Costco taste much better than cheaper versions from the store and one bulk-sized bag goes a long way.
I also buy chicken leg quarters. Here in NY they are less than a $1 per pound. Usually I can catch them on sale at .69/lb and buy in bulk.
I strip all fat and skin off and bake with BBQ sauce or bake with garlic and herbs with olive oil.
Also full chickens can go a long way too. I usually roast one on Sunday/Monday and then save the leftover meat to use later for enchiladas, sandwiches, etc.
I recently moved to NY and am on a budget too. One of my most favorite discoveries is bulk beef. You pick out a cut of beef (looks like a 10 lb. or larger roast) and then they cut it suit. This is such a wonderful idea that it may be worth seeing if any meat markets offer it in your area. Not to mention I can get very lean ground beef for almost $1 less per pound this way.
Some items that I try to keep on hand are:
Fresh Garlic.....I use fresh garlic in almost everything I make and prefer fresh to packaged.
Onions.......Great for spaghetti, roasts, meatloaf, chicken, enchiladas etc.
Potatoes (Fresh bagged and mashed mixes).....I try to limit using potatoes but when you are on a budget they are cheap and easy. Instead of plain baked potatoes try roasting them in the oven with a little olive oil/italian seasonings/salt and pepper. My family also likes roasted potatoes with olive oil/kraft parmesan cheese/garlic. Also toss some herbs and garlic into mashed potatoes. Gravy isn't always necessary.
Well now that I have written a book let me wish you good luck with TTC and if I have anymore ideas I will float them your way.
Make a list of meals and a grocery list before going to the store and take cash so you can't spend more.
Sorry went back and read the posts better. I 2nd this. I spend a couple hours fine-tuning my shopping list as I have about $150 every two weeks to get us through. Each and every cent counts. Plan meals ahead of time. Since I only buy every two weeks I plan my meals down to the day to eliminate any waste. This also helps me to integrate fresh veggies into a mealplan without worrying about spoilage.
Also if bulk isn't an option consider Walmart if you have one. I know for some Walmart is the devil but when you are trying to stretch $1 its a godsend. I have a whole list of items I buy only from there as I know I can get it for less than $1 each.
I recently found a lot of bread on sale, but my question is, can you freeze bread?
I certainly hope so, because it will all mold if I can't! I mean, I got a GREAT deal on loads of bread. Like $.25 a loaf for marble rye, organic artisan bread, multigrain wheat artisan bread, monterey french bread, etc.
You can definately freeze bread, just make sure it is wrapped airtight so it doesn't get freezer burn. Living in Florida, and not eating a lot of bread myself, I've learned that if I do buy it, it keeps best if I keep it in the freezer and pull out what I need, when I need it.
When it is time to eat it, I just toast it. If it is a whole loaf, without slices, you can just wrap it well with foil and heat in the oven after you defrost it. This works best for thick artisan breads.
Enjoy!
Cassy
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Cassandra Cox - Nutritional Consultant
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Eating on a budget! 
