thread: Please help! Need super cheap meal ideas!

  1. #1
    Registered User

    Oct 2008
    Victoria
    4,601

    Please help! Need super cheap meal ideas!

    I'm positive threads like this have been posted before...but I am in desperate need of inexpensive dinner ideas! Besides the rates due later this month, we have also been hit with a very large vet bill unexpectedly, not leaving us much left to work with. DH is only paid monthly and that won't be for another fortnight...eeek!

    I'm really not creative in the kitchen so any ideas most welcome

  2. #2
    BellyBelly Life Subscriber

    May 2005
    in the national capital
    1,682

    Any pasta or rice based dishes usually come out really cheaply and I noticed that quite a few veggies were uper cheap the other day at woolies (although can't this minute remember what of course!)

    The taste website has a whole section on budget meals with heaps of recipies. I would start there.

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Jul 2007
    melb
    8,498

    Pasta bakes
    Fried rice
    Rissotto
    Sausage casserole
    Spag Bol
    Baked potatoes

    Above are all things you can bulk out with vegies and use only minimal meat.

  4. #4

    Jul 2009
    Australia
    5,102

    Fried rice
    Potato bakes/pasta bakes
    Casseroles
    Pasta dishes
    Chicken drumsticks/wings are VERY cheap and satisfying

    Many of those recipe bases are cheap and easy not involving alot of ingredients.

  5. #5
    Registered User

    Jun 2005
    USA
    3,991

    Soaking dry lentils and beans (not canned) is a great, cheap way to make any meal go a lot further.

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Jan 2008
    Brisbane
    598

    I agree with the beans and Lentils. You can make curries, soups, burgers, nachos with these and add to meals.

    Eggs are a great option

    You could make soups and stocks from left over chicken bones, old veggies.

    Homemade pizza on pitta bread
    Meatballs and pasta/vegies
    Tuna and rice/pasta
    Corn on the cob
    roast jacket potatoes with ham, cheese and sour cream

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Feb 2006
    NSW Central Coast
    5,301

    There are several threads around, a link here's one I replied to recently,

    https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...llenge-176423/

    HTH

  8. #8
    Registered User

    Oct 2008
    Victoria
    4,601

    Thank you ladies, that's a great start for me!

    Thanks also for the link 3littlemonkeys, heaps of ideas there too.

  9. #9
    Registered User

    Jul 2007
    in a super happy place!
    1,008

    I've just borrowed the 4Ingredients cookbooks from the library, where everything is made with *obviously* 4 or less ingredients. They also have a great Facebook page with heaps of ideas. I've got my bake on after reading it lol. Tomorrow night I am making a fettucini pasta using fettucini, some chicken, and a can of cream of condensed chicken soup. I'll also add some avocado and maybe some bacon. Cheap and quick!
    Last edited by mrscricket; February 3rd, 2012 at 05:40 PM.