Quote:
Originally Posted by snowy
Bulk, bulk, bulk. Buy beans and rice in bulk, not in packages, and tell them to keep them in well-sealed containers. We always have several kinds of beans and varieties of rice on hand--they can be combined in endless ways.
If they really want to eat on a budget, cut out the meat. Meat is expensive. Cutting meat consumption to 1-2 major meals a week can seriously cut expenses.
|
A big, big +1 on the above. Awesome points, Snowy. Bulk beans, split peas, lentils (hint: red lentils taste way, way better than brown lentils, they take spicing better, and make way better soups), rice, grains in general (barley is awesome to cook with, as are oats), even dried fruit, if that's something that you use a lot. Also, I would absolutely recommend trimming meat consumption down to twice a week: one fowl night and one red meat night. Or, if you really want to stretch a buck, get cheap stew cuts of meat, or sausages, and make soup or stew with them. Much cheaper than just eating straight meat. If you want something meatlike in between, I recommend fish: cheaper than meat, if you get a common stock, and much much healthier. Tilapia is usually a safe bet for a tasty, easy-to-cook, cheap and healthy fish.
BTW, as for fresh produce, I totally agree that, if what you are looking for is either unavailable or expensive, absolutely get frozen. And some things, of course, are better purchased frozen: peas, corn (unless one wants corn on the cob), cubed squash or chopped spinach-- all can, depending on what is making, be better to get frozen. Likewise, I reiterate my support for canned beans and tomatoes. But I stand by fresh fruits and vegetables, in general. There is no substitute for good, fresh onions and garlic, fresh eggplants, fresh greens, fresh broccoli or asparagus, to say nothing of fresh apples, oranges, berries, pineapples, mangoes, etc. The flavor is more intense, the vitamins and minerals are just bursting to get out, the colors are more lively, and there are just some things that the corners can't be cut on. Dull food is a dull existence. Better to eat less meat and spend the money on better produce. I said it, and I stand by it. I do it myself, and I have never regretted it.