Eat Cheap and Healthy

Replace your nightstand with a mini fridge and throw your leftovers in there

Dartser

Pretzels, small crackers like wheat thins, dry cereal like Cheerios, dried fruit, pudding cups with a spoon, I think Ensure makes pudding too.

Fresh fruit or vegetables in a container if you’ll eat it in a reasonable time (sliced apples rinsed in water so they don’t go brown, grapes, baby carrots, grape tomatoes, sliced cucumber, sliced bell pepper)

Dry pepperoni sticks, beef jerky, homemade protein balls (peanut butter, seeds, honey, nuts, protein powder, etc)

MStipey

A decade ago my husband broke his pelvis and was basically confined to his bed for 10 weeks. I still had to go to work. He could not walk to the kitchen. So, I moved the microwave and a small “student” fridge into the bedroom. While I worked, he snacked on basically a charcuterie board of sliced apples, pears, oranges, cherries, nuts, cheeses, hard boiled eggs, cold cut meats, whole wheat cracker, and such I put in the fridge for him. I also bought him those individual serving microwave soups. And packets of single serving oatmeal. He was sad when I took the microwave back to the kitchen.

Eogh21

Baked/dried chickpeas are a good source of protein! You can get different flavours too. They’re kind of like nuts though aha. Popcorn is another option (like that pre popped stuff that has preservatives so it won’t get stale). Or Lara bars, which you can make from scratch but it’s probably just easier to buy some (they’re basically dates & ground up cashews, no crumbs because it’s a fudge like consistency)—although they are on the more expensive side, even if you make them yourself.

I’m pre-diabetic, so I’ve always kept an eye on my blood sugar and kept snacks in various spots.

fever_dreamgirl

if the drawer is sealed tight, an apple or banana in a zip loc

Peaches in juice (fruit cups)

Dried mango

PEANUT BUTTER there are individual packs for single servings

Plastic spoons. Canned fizzy waters like Lacroix are good even room temp

SgtMangerBaby

Replace your nightstand with a mini fridge and throw your leftovers in there

Dartser

Pretzels, small crackers like wheat thins, dry cereal like Cheerios, dried fruit, pudding cups with a spoon, I think Ensure makes pudding too.

Fresh fruit or vegetables in a container if you’ll eat it in a reasonable time (sliced apples rinsed in water so they don’t go brown, grapes, baby carrots, grape tomatoes, sliced cucumber, sliced bell pepper)

Dry pepperoni sticks, beef jerky, homemade protein balls (peanut butter, seeds, honey, nuts, protein powder, etc)

MStipey

A decade ago my husband broke his pelvis and was basically confined to his bed for 10 weeks. I still had to go to work. He could not walk to the kitchen. So, I moved the microwave and a small “student” fridge into the bedroom. While I worked, he snacked on basically a charcuterie board of sliced apples, pears, oranges, cherries, nuts, cheeses, hard boiled eggs, cold cut meats, whole wheat cracker, and such I put in the fridge for him. I also bought him those individual serving microwave soups. And packets of single serving oatmeal. He was sad when I took the microwave back to the kitchen.

Eogh21

Baked/dried chickpeas are a good source of protein! You can get different flavours too. They’re kind of like nuts though aha. Popcorn is another option (like that pre popped stuff that has preservatives so it won’t get stale). Or Lara bars, which you can make from scratch but it’s probably just easier to buy some (they’re basically dates & ground up cashews, no crumbs because it’s a fudge like consistency)—although they are on the more expensive side, even if you make them yourself.

I’m pre-diabetic, so I’ve always kept an eye on my blood sugar and kept snacks in various spots.

fever_dreamgirl

if the drawer is sealed tight, an apple or banana in a zip loc

Peaches in juice (fruit cups)

Dried mango

PEANUT BUTTER there are individual packs for single servings

Plastic spoons. Canned fizzy waters like Lacroix are good even room temp

SgtMangerBaby

Sear and then simmer slowly in a gravy until tender.

Clorizzle-star

I’m a total sucker for chicken fried steak, but this may be the wrong sub in which to wax poetic about that particular dish.

Seared and braised with a peppery mushroom gravy (as already mentioned) would likely be your best bet. Shaoxing wine, star anise, and shallots would be good in there too.

rianwithaneye

Slow cooker with brown gravy mix or cream of mushroom and beef broth and sliced onions. Hi for 6 hours or low for 8.

304Mammy

I second searing them before slow cooking. But I prefer to use them as stewing beef

candyshmann

Had these probably once a week as a kid. Our local butcher shop did a good job tenderizing them, and I grew up liking the chew. I was surprised how tender a real steak could be later in life.

My Mom or Dad would coat them lightly in seasoned flour, fry, then put in a low oven to stay warm, then make roux milk gravy that we would put over the cube steak and a starch (rice, potatoes, noodles, or bread)

rainbowkey

I grew up not learning to do it & only started a few years ago. You’ll be okay.

ollygollymolly

I never rinsed it until fairly recently. I honestly don’t fully know the difference, but I also switched from a pot to a rice cooker at the same time. I ate unrinsed rice for decades without a problem.

MyPartsareLoud

For best quality in terms of taste and texture… yes, it’s optimal to rinse rice.

For nutrition and necessity? No, not at all. Your rice may end up mushier than you’d like, but that sure as hell beats using up valuable water that you need for drinking/sanitation.

Hope your situation gets sorted out. Water scarcity is a spooky thing to go through.

RiceAlicorn

I’ve found sautéing white rice in some butter or oil for a few minutes until almost a little brown and then adding the water, helps the grains separate and not end up gummy. Plus you can add a little garlic or onion while you sauté and it’s even better.

OkOption2703

I have watch a few videos on YouTube of Korean cooking. Some cooks wash the rice, but then save the water from the first rinse to make soup.

Carpet-Crafty

Buy pork shoulder on sale. slow cook or smoke it. Shred. Can be frozen if not eaten right away. Smoked is always better imo.

HankHenrythefirst

Tacos. Hand made tortillas and whatever toppings you like.

HankHenrythefirst

Absolutely, also adding some lentils to minced meat is a decent way to stretch it out, you hardly notice them.

Manshacked

Can you share your Tikka masala sauce recipe? My fiancé and I love Tikka but our last couple attempts at the sauce never felt like real Tikka.

Thorhees

Shredding meat creates more surface area for sauce.

All food is nothing but a medium for sauce.

TWeaKoR

Grated carrots and apples.

Grapes and apple in salads.

hermithive

Watermelon and jalapeño with some cilantro and lime juice is an insane summer salad

Edit: add red onion also!

AvidReader182

Fresh spinach salad with oranges, strawberries, walnuts and poppyseed dressing.

Also, tomatoes and avocados are technically fruit and they’re great on veggie salads.

Chica3

Pineapple with anything

xRicharizard

Some roasted apple and butternut squash chunks always hit the spot. Toss in some salt, paprika, nutmeg, cinnamon, and sweetener of choice.

KrakenClubOfficial

I love to debone the thighs, cut the meat into cubes and than saute to make chicken burritos, last time I did, I made a bunch of freezer chicken burritos

Kennedy_KD

Shake and bake them with seasoning. And bake at 375 for like 25-30 mins. Yum

itakepicsofcats

Chicken, peppers and sausage

Bohemian orange chicken

Fried chicken

Lemon chicken

Salt and pepper chicken

3LetterMan

I think one of the best simple and delicious foods is just crispy skin baked chicken thighs. You can eat them as is, or pull the meat and skin and make whatever you want out of that. All I do is put salt, pepper, and some olive oil on them and stick them in the oven skin side up at 425F for about 20 mins (long enough to crisp up the skin) and then lower the heat to 350F and cook them for about 20 more mins. No flipping, no trimming of fat (the fat makes it even better), and nothing else, really. I’ve yet to serve the “dish” even one time where guests didn’t really like it. Some optional fresh lemon squeezed over them is even better. Leftovers are delicious as is, or repurposed for something else.

jmatsumoto

Hungarian paprikash.

thriftstorecookbooks

There are TONS of ways you can use up left over ham. A search online will give you a bunch of ideas but here are my ideas off the top of my head.

Ham fried rice

Ham quiche or frittata (add any other veggies/cheeses you have to bulk it up even more)

Ham in pasta or pasta bakes or casseroles (tons of different recipes)

Add ham to scalloped potato’s or au gratin potatoes

Add ham to roasted veggies (almost anything would work but could be great with like Brussel sprouts, potatoes/sweet potatoes, onions, carrots, etc.)

All different types of elevated ham sandwiches (grilled cheese ham sandwich, ham sliders on rolls, sandwiches with ham and mustard)

Ham soup/ham and split pea soup (save the ham bone!! It’s great to make the stock)

Should last sliced up for a number of days in the fridge. Put it in an airtight container of you can so it lasts longer/doesn’t dry out.

ames_006

I would freeze it, if not 3-5 days in the fridge. Other than that though, maybe invite some people over to share it with. Ham Party.

STEMteacher_

I usually make a big batch of split pea soup and also use ham for breakfast hash/scramble.

the7thfollower

Cut it up and store most of it in your freezer, you probably aren’t going to use that much ham within 5 days.

Recipe wise I recommend split pea soup, ham casserole, beans and ham, salads with ham, ham and cheese roll-ups and everyone’s favorite ham sandwiches.

Negative-Industry-88

I made a monster of a ham once for just two people. This is what I did.

Cut up all the part of the ham that was spiral cut into as nice of slices I could manage. Portioned out a dinner’s worth and kept that in the fridge. Wrapped up and froze all the rest of the nice slices.

What meat was left on the bone after getting all the nice slices off, I chunked up what I could from off the bone. Took another dinner’s worth of that and put in a container for the fridge, and like I did with the slices wrapped them up and froze it.

I also threw the bone and anything that was attached into a Ziploc bag and put that in the freezer as well. I made a nice ham stock to use for liquid for cooking beans. I 100% recommend this. You already have the bone, might as well get as much as you can out of it since the cost of everything has gone bonkers.

I only had two portions in the refrigerator as I knew I’d get tired of ham… I do enjoy a bit of variety in my meals, so I didn’t want to waste any ham if it went off cause I didn’t feel like eating it.

But with the leftovers, I had made ham fried rice often as it’s legit my husband’s favorite thing whenever his family used to order Chinese takeout. You can also add it into eggs for breakfast, make an awesome split pea soup with the ham stock I mentioned for you to make with the bone, mix it in with some Mac and cheese and your favorite veggies and you got a one pot meal. And beans. Ham and beans are meant for each other.

sharkbaiiit

Make a “bowl of colour” on Sunday.

Dice up different coloured peppers, onions, courgette, sweetcorn, peas etc and mix well.

Make yourself some rice, couscous, pasta shapes or whatever you fancy the night before each day (each will probably last a few days so doesn’t need to be EVERY day) and mix in a handful of your bowl of colour.

For each, add whatever flavourings you have on hand. Some mayo and pesto for the pasta perhaps? Sriracha for the rice, or maybe soy sauce. Mixed herbs for the couscous…

If you have any spare from any other meals, mix in some leftover meat.

ASK_IF_IM_PENGUIN

Do you usually make dinner at home? The least meal prep is what you already do- I cook for 4 instead of two, the leftovers become our lunches. Less to clean up, less work overall.

FateCrossing

Sandwiches or wraps. Go to a deli and get good lunch meat and cheese if you can. World of difference and often same price or cheaper than the best packaged stuff.

Slow cooker meals portioned and froze ahead of time for days you do feel like preparing. Soups and Chili’s work really well for this.

As others have said, adult lunchables.

Canned tuna with spices. I enjoy a can of tuna with pepper, Sriracha and mustard. Triscuits or cucumber to use as chips and treated like a dip.

Making things with very easy prep such as pasta salads, salads, frittata, or any one pan dish if you can bring yourself to do that.

gondi56k

I do a slightly more sophisticated version of brown bag school lunch when I can’t think about what to make. Sandwich on a roll or nice bread, maybe lettuce- turkey and Swiss, or turkey and Genoa salami. A piece of fruit, one other snack. or two if you will be there awhile. In summer I like to make bean salad and bring a little each day as a snack.

nvmls

I personally take flavored tuna packets and minute rice cups to work when I don’t have other food. They don’t need to be refrigerated and they last in the pantry forever. Takes a minute to “cook” the rice and then just dump the tuna on top. It breaks down to just a tad over $2 per “meal.” They have flavored chicken packets too if you’re not a fan of tuna. There’s also different types/flavors of rice cups. It’s definitely not for everyone but if you don’t mind flavored tuna packets it’s a super easy and cheap way to get a quick lunch.

Stroodling69

We make pizza and a salad

lukesgirl0703

Puree some veggies and add it to your sauce. I do this with onions and peppers for flavor but I bet other kinds would also be good.

mrp_ee

I love broccoli or artichoke on pizza. I didn’t think it would be good but a local place offers them as toppings. Totally recommend trying!

Sick-Happens

I would eat a smaller portion of the pizza I love and start with a salad.

IndigoRuby

You could make a spinach and mushroom pizza, that’s about as healthy as it will get.

In my mind, when you take something inherently unhealthy, like pizza, and try to make it a health food you end up with something that is neither healthy or tasty. You are much better eating a half serving of less healthy pizza and a half serving of very healthy salad (or cut up vegetables, celery sticks, cauliflower, gazpacho, whatever healthy food you enjoy). That way you get to eat the pizza or cake or whatever it is you want, but have half the calories because you ate half the amount.

Cats_books_soups