Before turning to ramen or boxed macaroni and cheese, explore your grocery store for inexpensive meal ingredients that require just a little imagination or tender loving care to become a flavorful meal. While shrimp and lobster may not fit into your budget, there are plenty of other options you can turn to rather than reverting to unhealthy processed food.
Chicken
Keep dinner costs down by opting for a whole chicken or bone-in chicken parts. Poultry marketing specialists at Texas A&M University state that, as a general rule, whole chicken is less expensive per pound than cut-up chicken parts, which are less expensive than boneless and skinless meats. Roast a whole chicken along with cut-up potatoes and inexpensive root vegetables, such as carrots and parsnips, for a cost-effective and easy meal. The next day, use the leftover bones, meat and veggies to make a hearty chicken soup or stew. When the weather turns warm, turn on the grill. A simple meal of marinated chicken drumsticks and grilled vegetables along with sliced potatoes and onions in aluminum foil packets will keep your wallet and your family happy.
Pasta
Whether homemade or store bought, pasta makes a filling and inexpensive family meal. Spaghetti works well as a standalone dish with a variety of simple sauces, or topped with meatballs or sauteed vegetables. In fact, "Eating Well" magazine promotes an eggplant pomodoro pasta using fresh tomatoes, parsley and red wine vinegar that works out to less than $3 per serving. Add small pasta, like ditalini, orzo or pastina, to a broth-based soup to turn a light nosh into a hearty meal, or stretch a stew by serving it over a bed of egg noodles. Keep your pasta meals as healthy as possible by choosing protein-enriched or whole wheat pasta, and serve it with a simple side salad.
Beef Roasts and Steaks
While high-end cuts of beef such as tenderloin may not fit your budget, you can still serve your family tender and flavorful beef without breaking the bank. "Cook's Illustrated" recommends top round and top sirloin roasts as two cuts of beef that are relatively inexpensive, but suitable for roasting if prepared properly. Cook these roasts in the oven for a longer period of time at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for best results, and serve with a side of mashed potatoes and a salad or other vegetable.
Grilled steak is not out of the question for those on a budget. Flank steak, also known as London broil, grills up nicely after spending time in a marinade that contains some acidic ingredients to help break down tough fibers. Cut the steak into thin slices going across the grain of the meat to ensure tender meat, and serve with an ear of corn on the cob.
Ground Turkey
Ground turkey usually costs slightly more than ground beef, but the health benefits of eating this low-fat poultry make the additional cost worthwhile. The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service states that you can safely store uncooked, ground turkey in the freezer for 3 to 4 months, so stock up the next time it goes on sale. Since the meat is so lean, it needs additional ingredients to keep it moist if you are using it for burgers or meatloaf, but it works well on its own in a variety of casseroles and sauces. Use ground turkey and kidney beans to make a satisfying pot of chili, served with a simple side of cornbread, or add mini-turkey meatballs to a beef broth-based soup with some tubular pasta and fresh, cut-up tomatoes.
References
- Texas Agricultural Extension Service; Cost and Yield Comparisons of Ready-to-Cook Chicken Products; Denton and Miller
- "Eating Well": Healthy Budget-Friendly Recipes
- "Cook's Illustrated"; How to Roast a Cheap Cut of Beef; Christopher Kimball and Eva Katz; September 1996
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service: Turkey from Farm to Table
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