What foods are the best value?

[jeffrey]

If you were on a limited budget, what are the 10 foods you feel are the best value that can be used in a number of different dishes? Basically, what would you stock up on when money was really tight?

[Broken Arrow]

You know, food is that one thing that I have yet to integrate into my lifestyle.

I know there are lots of easy recipes that don't cost much but.... I even have a crockpot, but....

Oh, and I also have the book "A man, a can, and a plan". Great book by the way.

And yet, I can never seem to get around to doing something about it. I leave early for work, and when I get home, I just feel wiped out.

It's bad, I know, but there you have it....

[Coleroo]

1. Dry milk
2. Flour
3. Butter
4. Bananas
5. Eggs
6. Grits
7. Fresh beans (all kinds)
8. White Rice
9. Pasta
10. Bagged Chicken quarters or ground beef

[PrincessPerky]

1. Brown rice...brown has protein, added to most things makes a complete nutrition meal. and while it takes longer to cook, it tastes very similar to white (but not as sweet) so most people eat it (if you eat rice that is)

2. Potatoes...cause I am Irish, can't help it.

3, 4, and 5. flour, eggs and some spices, if you know how to cook, if not skip it you aren't learning this week when stressed over money.

6. cans of beans or sauce...add to rice or potato and you have a meal.

About here is where you run out of money...but should you find another 10$...

7. whole wheat bread (NO high fructose corn syrup!)
8. milk mix those two and you will feel full after only one slice and one glass..something about milk and bread always fills people up...try it on a starving kid sometime

Still have money? go for

9. frozen veggies
10. chocolate (cause I am a royal PIA without it .)

Now my list is based on a lifestyle of slowly trying to remove all white refined products and high fructose corn syrup...gonna be kinda hard for a newcomer to jump right in to that. (besides brown rice on sale is the cost of white not on sale, so..we don't buy it all the time, only when on sale...)

That and I am assuming the fridge has butter, salt in pantry, and pepper..or that you can bum some off of anybody.

[scfr]

Dry Beans
Brown Rice
Powdered Milk
Eggs or Egg Whites
Cooked Tomato Product (paste, sauce, stewed, spaghetti sauce, etc)
Oil
Mrs. Dash (or other mixed seasoning)
Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate
Frozen Mixed Vegetables
Frozen Fish (whatever you can get in bulk for a cheap price)

[fairy74]

Eggs, Tortillas, Pasta, Pasta Sauce, ground beef, bananas, peanut butter, rice, refried beans, milk

[mom-from-missouri]

Beans, rice and potatoes. You can add anything to them to make soups, stirfry....anykind of leftover and some cheese to make a caserole.

[MoneyHoney]

Add canned tomatoes to the list! They're very versatile & add a lot of good nutrition.

[cschin4]

A whole chicken - I roast it and easily get 2 meals out of it, then boil the carcass, remove the extra meat and save for chicken salad, and then make chicken noodle soup which is always a big hit.

I also think turkey is a great value. I often buy a thawed turkey breast at the meat dept. It easily feeds my family of 5 and makes a very good inexpensive meal.

Rice and potatoes - Very filling. I highly recommend a rice cooker. I bought one at the local Dollar Store for $12 (Proctor and Silex). I works great and makes great tasting rice.

Frozen, bagged veggies - They often have a sale on frozen, bagged veggies of 5 bags for $5. I buy brussel sprouts, green beans, corn, etc. I cook the veggies by steaming them. They taste great, are nutritious and you can control the amount you prepare so much less waste.

[Gabelma]

lets see lol may change mind when I am in States:

1. Beans
2. Pasta
3. Cheddar Cheese
4. Baking Potatos
5. Flour
6. Frozen Veg
7. Butter/Spread
8 Tinned Tomatoes
9. Wheat
10. Milk

[LuckyRobin]

Peanut butter
Potatoes
Turkey
Apples
Carrots
Milk
Cabbage
Tomato sauce
100% whole wheat bread
Eggs

[Exile]

Pasta, banana, avocado (you can use the latter as a dessert with a little sugar on it. There's even avocado ice cream, which is really tasty)

[Fern]

In terms of best nutrition, versatility and most affordable, I'd say:

1. Canned chunk tuna
2. Peanut butter
3. Rice
4. Canned tomatos
5. Eggs
6. Flour
7. Beans, dried or canned
8. Bananas
9. Apples
10. CHICKEN LIVER

[Duchesse]

Oatmeal
Beans
brown rice
wheat pasta
brown bread
milk
tuna
quartered chicken legs (save skin and bones to make stock/broth which can be used for soups and to flavor pasta and rice.
vegetables if you can only have one make it collards,
fruits, if only one , apples

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

1. Eggs,
2. dry beans/ lentils
3. rice
4. flour
5. oil
6. carrots
7. onions
8. any winter squash/pumpkin/sweet potatoes (pretty much interchangeable)
9. probably chicken
10. cabbage

It sure was hard for me not to find a place for potatoes, garlic, celery, apples, celery, bullion, and the current best vegetable sale on that list. They could really add a lot. And believe it or not, I was trying to get a little nutrition into my list, not just filling calories.

At one time I'd have put cheese on the list rather than chicken, but cheese has become less a value as its price has risen.

I would say packaged pasta, but I could even make that from scratch if motivated.

[threebeansalad]

On a related note, check out all the great articles from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension's "Cook it Quick" section. All of these resources fit the budget and health minded consumer: Cook It Quick!

Assuming staples like oil and flour are available, my list would include:
1. Frozen veggies of any kind
2. Canned tomatoes
3. Dry milk
4. Whole wheat pasta
5. Potatoes
6. Block cheese
7. Dried beans
8. Eggs
9. A whole turkey or chicken (Not cheap, but very versatile)
10. Apples

[Caoineag]

Assuming this was me who was on a tight budget for awhile;

1. Canned Tomatoes
2. Flour
3. Milk (wish I knew where you people were finding dry milk for cheap but I can get the real stuff for half the price of making the dry stuff)
4. Frozen veggies
5. Eggs
6. Canned Beans
7. Spinach
8. Potatoes
9. Sour cream
10. Butter

There are very few things that I can't make with that list. I have never had to buy my bags of chicken breasts, oil, pasta or seasonings when things have been tight because I only buy those in quantity when on sale. Meat is the first thing that gets cut when expenses are tight and it only gets bought on sale.

[howk055]

I bought some tortelli in a BOGO. I am going to make that, salad, and some bread. What is on your menu today?

[Duchesse]

Where are you getting inexpensive dry milk?

If it wasn't for my family I wouln't be able to afford dry milk. My cousin, a senior citizen is eligible for USDA food and she doen't use the dry milk.) I use it for cooking (mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, baking, etc.)

I must use Lactaid which just went up to $6.59 for 3.5L . Pathmark recently had a sale for $4.99/3.5L with a limit of 6.

Along with a friend I bought 12 and froze some or else my son would finish it in 12 days.

My son loves cereal so much he drinks the dry milk anyway. I know the powdered milk gives him the runs but, I can't afford to keep up with his appetite for milk. I also get a whole case from my cousin for FREE!

What do you do with a 15 year old who loves milk, is lactose intolerant, and drinks 3.5L of milk which costs $6.59 per day?

I'm counting the days until he gets a job.

[Coleroo]

Originally Posted by Duchesse

Where are you getting inexpensive dry milk?

If it wasn't for my family I wouln't be able to afford dry milk.

Im not sure about lactaid, but i can get regular dry milk in a 20 qt box for $6 to $7 from our aldi's. That's what, 4 gallons for less than $8 taxed? In a pinch you can thin it out more.... I love it. I can get it for almost that cheap at our Super Walmart too. We dont like it to drink (unless we add sugar) but for baking and mixing (cereal, milkshakes, etc) you can't beat the price.