c/budget-friendly-meals

Appreciation post: My kitchen scrap experiment paid off big time

Honestly, I got fed up with wasting food and money, so I tried regrowing my veggie scraps. Tbh, I took onion bottoms and carrot tops, stuck them in some dirt in old pots on my windowsill. Ngl, I didn't expect much, but after a couple weeks, I had fresh greens growing. This meant I didn't need to buy herbs or green onions for my meals, which saved cash. For example, I made a cheap lentil stew and used my home-grown celery leaves instead of buying a whole bunch. It feels good to cut down on trash and save a bit each week. Has anyone else tried something similar with their leftover scraps?

Pro tip: How the fruit cart on my block cuts my grocery bill

I mean, there's this fruit cart that sets up on my block every morning. The guy sells stuff that's a bit too soft for display at the end of the day for half price. I grab bananas, apples, whatever he has. Then I chop them up and freeze them for smoothies. It's way cheaper than buying frozen fruit from the store. Last week, I got a bag of mixed fruit for two bucks and made smoothies for three days. Maybe it's just me, but I think more people should check out their nearby stands for deals like this. It's a simple way to eat healthy without spending a lot.

Heads up on a dried bean time sink

I used dried beans to save cash on my soup. They needed so long to cook that I almost gave up. How do you plan for long cook times without wasting energy?

Appreciation post: Rice and beans never get old

I make rice and beans most nights. It costs almost nothing and fills me up. How do you add variety without extra cash?

Discovered that batch cooking on Sundays sets me up for the whole week without breaking the bank.

I finally called out my mom's 'fancy' pasta night for the budget trap it is

She buys those tiny jars of sauce and fresh herbs, which costs triple the canned stuff. Now we make big batches with store brand tomatoes and dry spices, and nobody can tell the difference.

My cheap chicken dinner turned into lunches too, need advice on similar saves

So last week, I bought a whole chicken on sale and roasted it. The first night we had it with rice and veggies. Then I used the leftovers for sandwiches and a soup. I mean, it felt like a big win for my wallet. Idk, maybe it's just me but I'm hooked on saving money this way. What are your go-to meals that make ingredients last? I'd love to hear any cheap recipes you swear by.

I finally got my kids to eat lentils by hiding them in spaghetti sauce.

Any other sneaky tricks for adding cheap protein to meals?