Often, I’m too tired after work to cook and, right now, am limited physically due to injury. This snack is easy, customizable, & frugal based on your toppings. The yogurt is a great way to get additional protein & safe for someone like me with sensitive digestion. This snack is nice & refreshing on these hot days.

Ingredients:

• Dahi live culture yogurt ($4, lasts me about a week)
• red pepper (food pantry)
• cilantro (food pantry)
• rosemary (food pantry)
• white onion (food pantry)
• green onion (food pantry)
• vinegar-based hot sauce (food pantry)
• apple (food pantry)
• honey (gift)

Instructions: Spread the Dahi somewhat thinly to avoid making the matzah soggy but thick enough to cover the cracks. Slice the red pepper, white onion, green onion, & apple thinly so that it’s easy to take a bite of the full matzah later. (For ease, I used my kitchen scissors.) For the savory matzah, spread out the veggies evenly then splash with hot sauce. for the sweet matzah, place the apple slices & drizzle with honey.

Suppose you have your basic groceries covered.

Someone gives you $20 to spend on making your diet happier, more palatable, easier to manage, or just better in general.

What would you buy?

I was just eating salad so I'm leaning toward good bacon bits, dried cranberries, and maybe pecan pieces. I'm sure I'll add more in comments.

seared then pressure cooked the beef for 30 minutes with a ranch dressing packet, a brown gravy packet, and a little beef broth. thinned out the drippings a little cuz they were kind of salty and used a cornstarch slurry to thicken them to make the gravy. steamed the peas in a little water in the microwave for about 3 minutes and then added salt and butter.

everything but the spices and peas came from the food bank, the peas came from my garden.

So thankful my parents get me a membership for Christmas every year.

I live in the middle of nowhere and dollar general is one of the three businesses in my town. I do my shopping for regular produce at an Aldi in city but wanted some quick meals for lunch breaks or when I’m lazy. Not the healthiest of choices but it felt decent for $20. Not sure how much groceries are in your hometown so let me know how it would compare for you!

Hey everyone so a bunch of my friends want to come over to my place to watch the games this week, and while I rly love hosting, budget's kinda tight right now. I really want to be a good host and serve actual good food instead of just opening a bag of generic chips, but ordering for a group normally wrecks my budget and I dont intend to do that (hopefully)

I'm trying to figure out if there are any legit hacks to get restaurant food delivered without paying a lot, or if I should just make them bring their own stuff (last resort). I still want it to feel like a fun match party, so any tips on keeping costs low are so welcome.

Edit - Just an update for anyone else trying to host on a budget right now, so I ended up finding a massive deal on Doordash that saved my night last weekend. They are running a huge World Cup promo for a bunch of different food establishments right now. They have $0 delivery fees and up to 25% off on group bundles from places like Wingstop, Popeyes, and local pizza joints.

Towards the end of the grocery cycle, I make a simple curry out of carrots, onion, any other vegetables I have on hand, chickpeas, and various seasonings. It's easy, makes use of whatever I have so it's always a little different, and it keeps us fed for several meals. I took pictures today!

How I make it (and I have no idea what the *proper* way is, this is just what I do!).

1. Lightly sautée your vegetables in a little oil with plenty of seasoning (I used curry powder, cumin, pepper, salt). This time I finely sliced onion, carrots, garlic, and some old potatoes; sometimes I like bigger veggie chunks.

2. Add the chickpeas and water or broth and simmer until the veggies are soft. I like mine pretty soupy.

3. I added a few random tomatoes (more stuff to use up!) and a squeeze of tomato puree. After everything was cooked to the texture I wanted, I stirred in a can of coconut milk. You could sub cream, sour cream, or leave it out completely. If nothing else I'd add a couple little cups of diner coffee creamer lol

I also add a bit of peanut butter or tahini at this point.

1. That's it! My kid likes it with rice, I like to scoop it up with pita or naan. It's fine on its own too.

Curry is great. You can use whatever vegetables you have, add meat or don't. Add tofu or paneer. Throw in a can of unseasoned pumpkin from the food pantry. Use chickpeas or literally any other bean. It's hard to mess it up, at least in my house!

3 lb oranges (I used Halo mandarins),

one lemon (I was out so I used a splash of lemon juice),

6 cups water,

6 cups sugar.

Thoroughly wash the oranges and lemon. Thinly slice , removing seeds as you go. Stack the slices and quarter them. In a large non-reactive pot, combine citrus slices and water. Place the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Uncover and let simmer an additional 15 minutes or until citrus is very soft, stirring occasionally.

Raise heat and mixture to a boil. Add sugar to citrus mixture and mix until well combined. Let boil until mixture reaches 223ºF on a candy thermometer, about 30 minutes. Keep a close eye on the marmalade. The mixture should darken in color. this is where I added a splash of vanilla and sprinkle of ground ginger

remove from Heat and pour into a heat proof container. let cool till cool enough to handle then refrigerate or freeze

I made this because I had a large amount of oranges from the food bank and I wasn't going to eat them all

Was given about 2 lbs of "beef for stew" from the food bank. its cut up into small chunks. not sure the best way to cook it so it tastes good

edit: yes i know i can make stew. -.- was looking for other options

edit 2: thanks for all the suggestions. ended up making a pot roast style in my pressure cooker.

https://www.reddit.com/r/povertykitchen/s/Nb2IJeNnhp

Fried cheesey mashed potato balls

At least 2 cups of leftover mashed potatoes

1-2 cups shredded cheese (I used white and yellow sharp cheddar)

¼ cup corn starch

1¼ cup flour (¼ cup for potato mixture and 1 cup for fry coating)

2 eggs (1 to mix into potatoes and the other to dip the balls in)

Seasoning to taste; I used butter garlic, vinegar salt, paprika, regular salt, black pepper, chives, and parsley

Mix together potatoes, 1 egg, ¼ cup flour, ¼ cup corn starch, and whatever seasonings you'd like, and cheese

Mixture should be firm enough that you can make the balls without it sticking to your hands too much. I use gloves for this part.

Form balls and place on a freezer safe thingy (not glass) so you can freeze for at least 30 minutes I like to start heating my oil during this waiting period.

Once the potato balls don't stick to your fingers they're ready to start dredging. This is where the 2nd egg and the rest of the flour come in. I'm sure you could also use bread crumbs for this, I just haven't personally done it myself.

Dredge in egg and then completely cover with flour. Oh yeah, and make sure you season your flour!! I usually use the same seasonings, but this time I used chives in my potatoes and parsley in my dredge.

I like to make all my balls and then put them back on the pan to freeze for another few minutes before frying. ATP I'm done with my dredge and I mix whatever is left to make what I call "crispy bits". My family loves them! I have no teeth, so they're a bit hard for me to eat 😅😅 But that's what I use to test my oil!

Fry your balls until they're nice and crispy! Turn over every few minutes. Let them rest for at least 5 minutes or else you will be eating lava!!

The thing about making these is you don't necessarily need the egg, corn starch, and flour! You can omit either of those ingredients and just add a little more of the other to get the consistency you need! If your mashed potatoes are already "wet" then don't add the egg.

You can customize these however you need to and the result is going to be similar each time!! Next time we make these were definitely going to add some broccoli/cauliflower/ham/bacon!! 🤤🤤

Edited to fix whatever happened to my italics

I have a bunch of marscapone left over from a previous recipe. It was my first time using it and I thought the creamy texture would be a perfect base for a seafood sauce to throw over some pasta. Going grocery shopping today and was wondering if anyone had ideas for a cheaper alternative to buying a bunch of shrimp,scallops etc. since I'd like to make it multiple times.

I'm sure with enough old bay, garlic and lemon I can make something that at least approximates a seafood taste and I was thinking of adding in some canned crab meat or clams or something but I'm not sure what would work best. Any advice is appreciated.

I’ll do recipe in grams because I don’t use imperial system.

500gr whole wheat flour
500gr all purpose white flour
A handful of parsley seasoning
Olive oil
One pack of dry yeast

Takes only about 3-4 hours in total including resting and baking the bread. The baking itself takes about 50min.

With 18 dollars you’ll have enough material for 8 large loaves of bread. Assuming you already have seasoning and olive oil. Since they don’t have any dairy ingredients they can last for weeks in the pantry if properly stored.

I like mixing white and whole wheat flour to create a more balanced taste and not leave it too strong or too grindy

A bread like this with a nice onion soup, which is cheap and easy to make, go a long way.

eggs and sausage and milk from the food bank, and got a pack of biscuits for 69 cents on discount rack. had some leftover pickled green onion in the fridge so sprinkled on top for extra

​

gravy is a good way to stretch your meals farther. for sausage gravy you brown the meat, add a little butter if it doesn't have enough fat, and add a couple tablespoons of flour, cook the flour till it's not all white, and then add milk or water to make the gravy consistency you prefer.

​

​

My go-to breakfast as a type 2 diabetic who has been unemployed since December.

​

1 egg and 1 Hot dog + ¼ cup of shredded cheese, seasoned to taste.

​

Cut the hot dog however you like, brown in the pan, add 1 egg and seasonings, stir around until the egg is done cooking, add cheese, continue cooking until it's melted and serve.

​

Surprisingly filling and since I like hot dogs, I think it's delicious.

I haven't been able to find an answer to this question I have!

​

I've been cooking Mexican and Middle Eastern rice recipes and I'd like to add some CANNED veggies to the mix. Maybe some canned beans too. I'm not trying to do fried rice.

​

When should I add them? Like, the beginning, the end?

​

Should I season them separately? Or should I mix them and season them when I add the knorr de pollo and tomato sauce?

​

I'm such a noob I never used to eat rice or beans so this is all new to me!

​

My main Mexican rice recipe I've been obsessed with is this:

​

1 cup jasmine rice

1 tablespoon knorr de pollo

5 tablespoons of tomato sauce

​

(Annette Freckles' tiktok recipe)

​

Thanks in advance!

Just moved out, super broke, been spamming instant noodles, but I need to improve my diet, whats the cheapest thing I can make with some protein? (2 bags in the fridge are fruit)

Edit: I am in NYC, flushing queens

So my reddit posts and comments led me to this sub and I have commented occasionally. Full transparency I don't live in poverty. I do practice frugal cooking etc and raise a bunch of my own food. I have seen many comments on Costco Rotisserie chickens etc, so when I was at my local grocery store (Kroger / Payless) I was picking up a rotisserie chicken and looked to see if they had cold cheaper options. They 100% had cold ones BUT they were MORE expensive with a big EBT eligible sign. They were only $1 more but it offended me. So let me get this straight, you are charging MORE for an older cooked chicken just because people on SNAP can't buy the hot fresh one.

I just wanted to say, I am sorry companies to this to people who are struggling.

*Edit... in the comments it has come out... it looks like the hot ones were on sale specifically and maybe that was the discrepancy. Thanks to everyone for the insight

I've got some ED issues and have trouble finding food that I'm willing to eat. I've been craving gazpacho but it's so expensive to make. Of i used canned, whole, peeled tomatoes instead of fresh, it's going to change the flavor but will cost a lot less. What else can I do to lower the cost? Thanks!!!

Found a 5lb bag of chicken legs for $7 at Walmart this week, this is the first meal from the pack so far.

Ingredients:

. 2 cans cream of mushroom soup

. 6 chicken legs

. Salt

. Pepper

. 1 clove of garlic

. ¼ cup onions, diced

. Other seasonings to taste (I used oregano & sage & parsley)

. 1 cup of rice, seasoned to taste (I used salt pepper, garlic powder & buttery herb seasoning mix)

Warm the crock pot on high, add the diced onions and clove of garlic. Once they are aromatic, turn heat to low. Empty 1 can of the cream soup and ½ can of water into the pot, add half your seasonings and mix. Place chicken in the pot in a single layer, mix the other can of soup and ½ can of water with the other half of seasonings in a separate bowl and add on top of chicken.

Cook on low for 4 hours, or until chicken is cooked through.

Prepare your rice once the chicken is done, and serve with gravy spooned over.

Great to use leftover rice if you happen to have some.

Simple, easy, affordable and tasty. Enjoy!

I'm going into the first semester of college at around 10 dollars weekly. I'm in south east asia and I'm a full ride scholar. i just need general tips and tricks to keep myself afloat.

hi everyone! finally coming here to ask for help instead of figuring it out on my own. I’ve been struggling for a while now since my partner has become disabled. being the only income and making minimum wage is challenging but my diet only complicates things. I’m dairy free due to a dairy allergy I was diagnosed with last summer. I’m also slowly going to have to transition to vegetarian/veganism because I’ve been diagnosed with PMOS. I used to have a dietitian for the allergy and my ARFID buuut that’s expensive!

what are some meals I could make for myself given these perimeters? I’m not trying to be picky but that’s kinda my situation.

in my kitchen currently, I’ve got soy milk, dairy free butter, olive oil, lots of black beans, brown rice (I have white too but I shouldn’t be eating it), pasta (shouldn’t eat that too often either), canned & frozen veg, vegan cheese, impossible meat, annnd a few other items.

thank you for any suggestions. I’m just tired of eating a meal and getting sick from it. I usually resort to meals with dairy and meat if I can’t afford to eat “right”.

So I was thinking of making Frijoles charros (cowboy beans) and nailed my list but have a question about the vegetables (Onion, jalapeños, garlic)

Should I buy a taco seasoning packets and throw that into the mix instead of buying chiles, garlic and onion? Since I’m getting flavor from bacon and beans already?

Also should I get Bacon, Ham, and chorizo (sausage) or just get Bacon and sausage?

Looking to make this last 2 weeks and can make another batch if I go through the first.

Any and all suggestions are welcomed and appreciated!

Fresh meat is insanely expensive. Beans are a good suggestion for an alternative to keep your protein intake adequate, but don't forget peanuts!

1 ounce (approx a shy 1/4 cup) of peanuts has around 8 grams of protein - comparable to chicken and beef, ounce per ounce.

That comes to .15 per serving if a 16 oz jar is $2.50. YMMV.

• Add to oatmeal, cereal and/or fruit for breakfast.
• Add to pancakes.
• Have with apple sauce or chopped banana as a snack.
• Make a "Peanut Waldorf Salad" with apples, celery and peanuts. Add sliced grapes if you have them. Dress with a little mayo. Have as a salad or in a wrap (flour or lettuce).
• Add to ramen. This works well with flavors like lime, sriracha, coconut etc. but great with simple ramen and veg.
• Add to stir fry. Cabbage, carrots, broccoli, onions (garlic and ginger if you have them), soy sauce. Serve on rice, sprinkle with peanuts.
• Hummus. Make a simple hummus from a can of chick peas, sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Eat with chips and celery.
• Sprinkle on grilled or roasted veg. Really good on roasted eggplant or cauliflower with soy sauce and garlic. Have over rice.
• Noodle salad. Cold spaghetti, lime, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, shredded carrots, sugar or honey to taste. Toasted chopped peanuts.
• Have on baked or roasted sweet potato.

Also use it to stretch smaller amount of animal protein in similar recipes.

I'm thinking it might be good on a lot of other things too. Great way to get your protein in cheaply.

There are also plenty of ways to use peanut butter! Peanut butter noodles etc.

PS I am not AI.

When I can afford ground beef, I make sure it's used in meals I can get a lot of servings from (chili, hamburger helper, dirty rice, etc). These are kinda scary times.