Is there a way to eat cheaply without repeating often?
 

We are really trying to reduce our food budget. The only way that it makes sense to do that is to buy certain (cheap) foods and use them more often than we are using expensive foods.


DH cant handle eating rice more often than 1 time every 1-2 weeks

quinoa 1 time every 2-4 weeks

Potatoes 1 time every 1-2 weeks

Pasta every 1-2 weeks

Certain veggies "too often"

Soup every 1-2 weeks


And then since beans are generally served with rice :shrug3

Were vegan, soy free, gluten free, corn free. I do prepare all of the above items in WIDE variety of ways. Still, he complains if we have the same thing too often. Also, Im not willing to try new, extravagant recipes every night. :no Besides it being cheaper to eat this way, it also just makes way more sense time-wise.

So, is there a way to eat inexpensively without having certain staples your menu that you repeat often?

Re: Is there a way to eat cheaply without repeating often?
 

If you already prepare things in a variety of ways, I fail to see how you wouldn't repeat no matter how much money you had. :scratch There are only so many starches to base your dinners on to be had at any price.

We eat plant-based, too, and I can only think of so many grains or other starches. What would he want if money weren't an issue?

Re: Is there a way to eat cheaply without repeating often?
 

He fails to provide suggestions. Lots of processed foods though. And he says he wants to avoid processed foods now. :shrug3

Maybe he just needs some time to adjust.

He and DD still sometimes eat soy and gluten at home too, so he has even more variety than I do.

Re: Is there a way to eat cheaply without repeating often?
 

Honestly, I'm not sure that once every few weeks is a reasonable expectation. :shrug3 Especially when you're talking about staples like grains.

I can make huge variances of what we serve over the grains, but switching out the basic grains itself so many times is hard to do inexpensively. That leaves the option of the meat being the primary substance which is great, but adds $$$.

Variation is most definitely possible. Meal planning on a limited budget is most definitely possible. I'm not convinced that you can accomplish both completely simultaneously.

Is he fully on board with the budget cut? I think I'd have a discussion with him to see what's the bigger priority -- budget or variation.

Re: Is there a way to eat cheaply without repeating often?
 

We are not vegan, but GFSFDF and corn free. So I get the struggle!

Is there a meal plan you could follow? What I do is have a category of meal types assigned to each night, such as:

Monday: Soup
Tuesday: Tacos
Wednesday: leftovers
Thursday: we alternate Italian and Asian pasta dishes

Etc.

And then within etc category:

Soup:
Lentils
Senate bean soup (a great option for you!)
Minestrone
Taco soup (or save this for taco night)

Tacos:
Beans & rice
The kids eat corn tacos, DH usually have rice or rice tortilla
Taco salad

Italian:
Usually GF pasta with marinara, but there's tons of options

Asian:
Pad thai
Egg roll in a bowl
Rice noodle soup


That really helps me :yes

---------- Post added at 06:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:46 PM ----------

I have quite a few vegan baked goods if you also have a breakfast night. We gave up on that because DH didn't like it. Fridays, we have burgers. Simple Dollar used to have a GREAT homemade black bean & quinoa burger recipe. He is mostly vegan and has some great options :tu

Re: Is there a way to eat cheaply without repeating often?
 

What is your current food budget, and what are you trying to reduce it to?

Re: Is there a way to eat cheaply without repeating often?
 

I did make up a menu plan similar to what Bananacakes is describing. I think I have 9 categories that would alternate.

We currently spend $500/mo and love to reduce it by even $50-100.

Re: Is there a way to eat cheaply without repeating often?
 

For Beans & Rice/Taco nights
Kedgeree (Whole)*
Puerto Rican Rice & Beans (Whole)
Kitchree (Whole)
Mujadara
Crockpot Enchiladas
Black-eyed Peas w/Sausage & Rice
Mexican Rice & Beans w/Sausage & Chicken
Rice & Beans w/Meat
Rice, Beans & Taco Meat

Casserole
Bean Pot Pie (Whole)
Kosheri (Whole)
Lima Bean Casserole Cassoulet CrockPot Recipe (365 Crockpot blog?)
Pasta E Fagioli (Whole)
Egyptian Lentils
Slow Cooker Pot Pie (Simple Dollar)
Zucchini-Quinoa Lasagna (Simple Dollar?)

Burgers
Mexican Bean Balls (Whole)
Bean Burgers (Whole)
Black Bean & Quinoa Burgers (Simple dollar)
Falafel
Lentil loaf
White Bean Szechuan Burgers (Spunky coconut?)

Pasta or Noodles/Pizza
Bean Lasagna (Whole)
Rice Pasta w/Red Sauce
Red Curry
Mac & "Cheese"
Penne with Cannelini & Tomatoes
Spaghetti with Pesto
White Lasagna
Pad Thai
Pizza on this crust (we use Daiya cheeze)

Soup/Dish, Bean (some of these could go under soups)
Mexican Bean Soup
Pureed Bean Soup (Whole)
Black Bean Soup
Jamaican Black Bean Pot (Clay cookbook)
African Bean Soup (Whole)
Basque Country Stew (Whole)
Italian Chili
Vegetarian Chili
CrockPot Boston Baked Beans Recipe
Magic Jambalaya
Senate Bean Soup (Whole)
White Chili
Beans from Brittany (Whole)
Crockpot Coconut Curry
Mideast Carrot & Chickpea Puree ( (Whole))
Moroccan Braised Chickpeas (Clay)
BBQ Eggplant & Lentils (Whole)
Lentil Dhal w. Roasted Garlic (Clay)
Lentil Lemon Soup
Lentil Stew
Moroccan Lentil Soup
Honey Baked Lentils
Red Lentil Soup
Red Lentil Soup with Lemon
Black-eyed Pea Chili
Taco Soup
Crockpot Black-eyed Pea Soup
Hoppin' John (Whole)
Curried Split Pea Soup
Mom's Thick Split Pea Soup (Whole)
Split Pea Soup
Tarka Dhal
Yellow Split Pea Dhal
Yellow Split Pea Soup
Quick Creamy Bean Soup (Whole)
Adzuki Bean & Sea Veg Soup
Foul Modammas
German Bean Tzimmis (Whole)
Chipotle-Kissed Red Bean & Sw. Tater Chili
Slow Cooker Jamaican Bean Stew
Herbed Bean Spread
Hummus
Auntie Barnie's Lively Lentil Stew (Vegan cookbook)
Lentil Loaf
Rustic Tomato Lentil Soup (Vegan)
Sweet and Spicy Chili
Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Curry
Black-eyed Pea Soup
Yellow Split Pea Stew
Hoppin' John Slow Cooker Recipe (Simple dollar)

*"Whole" refers to this cookbook: American Wholefoods Cuisine. This is BY FAR my all-time favorite vegetarian cookbook. No pictures, not fancy, but TONS of recipes. Some have gluten, some have dairy, but very easily adaptable. I used it so much I had to buy a new one!

"Clay" refers to this (appears to be out of print)

Re: Is there a way to eat cheaply without repeating often?
 

Lately I have been doing things like using other veggies in place of rice or grains.In this warm weather have made things like cold 3 bean salad variations.Found a brand of healthy good tasting green beans,beets and other beans.One time I made it with drained canned green beans and drained rinsed white beans and chopped red onion,sea salt and parsley.2 parts olive or avocado oil to 1 part ACV or lime or lemon juice some dried parsley and sea salt.Can soak overnight . Recently made again with green beans and drained cooked sliced beets and you could also switch up with garbanzo beans. can also make a kind of cold salad using thawed frozen green peas instead of pasta and whatever protein kind of thing.I have made it with tuna or egg salad but you could make it with tofu salad.So the peas and beans become the bread or pasta substitute.

Re: Is there a way to eat cheaply without repeating often?
 

What do you mean can't handle? Mental preference or physically his body can't tolerate starches well.

Re: Is there a way to eat cheaply without repeating often?
 

Subbing

Re: Is there a way to eat cheaply without repeating often?
 

I was wondering this as well.

The only other, not really helpful though is making smoothies as a meal in the rotation as summer is coming on.

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Re: Is there a way to eat cheaply without repeating often?
 

I got this book from the library, A Salad A Day. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/16818...piL&ref=plSrch actually, I got the name a little wrong. Many of them have cheese and meat in them, but I found enough that could be easily adapted. This will not save you money but it will give you variety, especially with the summer coming.


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Re: Is there a way to eat cheaply without repeating often?
 

mental preference.:yes

IDK I talked to him about the budget and why Im trying to increase the foods Im increasing and he seems more open to it thinking of it that way. :heart

Bananacakes, lots of good suggestions to try, thank you!

Were considering rotating

Mexican night: taco or burrito bowls (he can have his in a tortilla if he wants) fajita wraps (in lettuce of tortillas) Gazpacho

Asian night: stir-fry over rice, peanut-butter stir-fry veggies over rive, sushi, curry, Indian whatever....

Pasta night- GF noondles w sauce

Soup or salad night

Roast veg with grain or potatoe night

Breakfast for dinner

American Night- French fries and burgers, mac uncheese, ???

Im missing some....:think

Re: Is there a way to eat cheaply without repeating often?
 

Gotta add pizza to American night. When I was dairy free I realized I actually loved a sprouted grain pizza crust(you can sub gluten free if u need) with sauce and loads of veggies! Didn't miss cheese at all. Just lots of peppers of all colors mushrooms and a little onion and fresh garlic. Oh and sun dried tomatoes if we had them