I'm going to have to start...COOKING...

[DI]

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@Corvidae wrote:

Living on my own I found it cheaper to get a $1 cheeseburger from Burger King rather than make a meal at home.  When I was married I cooked my own meals but now its too expensive to eat healthy.

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I tell people all the time paying for more expensive healthy foods and exercising is much cheaper than having to go see a doctor.  Fast foods and foods high in fat will eventually put you in the hospital.    My medical bill for the past 12 years has been my monthly gym dues. 

[Anonymous]

I trend to make larger meals I can eat a few days out of.  Like  a large Bisquik Cheeseburger Pie, pasta, Pot Roast, Baked Chicken.

ALSO: outfitting your KITCHEN is crazy expensive. Shop wal mart, target, big lots and thrift stores. Check item reviews on Amazon before you buy so you are getting a good toaster oven/blender/coffee machine not a bad one. Consider a nice toaster oven?  Why simple I cook a lot in mine it does not heat the apartment up as much as the big oven, nor does it use as much electricity when cooking for one person. Buy your spices each time you go other wise you can spend $35.00 on stuff you will barely use (buy small amounts too since they may well go bad before you ar ehalf way done.

First time I went out on my own in 1989 I remember spending $250 to stock my "kitchen" and had nothing to eat. All those staples that you use but do not actually make a meal like oil, shortening, salt pepper, pyrex pans

Better Homes and Gardens cook book, the Gingham covered one is a great cook book.

From a Post I made here a long time ago when the economy tanked:

See where your money is going out at.

3- Save all you grocery receipts. Go through them. Are there generics you can trade out? Frozen or fresh for cheaper depending on season.  Most people can save 50% of their food household goods budget by:

a) Buying Generics

b) Aggressive couponing (with products they actually use)

c) meal planning using guides like the book CHEAP, FAST, GOOD, by Mills.

d) grocery planning using circulars and online looking. This does important things- it allows you to buy cheap and it limits trips out shopping. Most people buy at least ONE thing not on their list. If you limit your shopping to x times  a month you limit how many extra items you may buy.

e) Shop at multiple stores for your needs. One stop shopping means you are paying more for something that the discount store or store next door sells cheaper. I shop at 3 different stores- The Big grocery store, Aldis and a discounter named Marcs. I can buy coffee creamer  for $1.00 a quart,  at Marcs, same brand product for 3.59 at grocery store or house brand at Aldis for $2.79. Be aggressive- don't buy what you dont eat, or can eat as thrown away food is thrown away money But shopping can for 3 hours of work save you a considerable amount

f) get another notebook for shopping. It's your grocery log. Write down and log prices of the staples you typically buy at the stores you go to- that way you can remember that milk is chaeper at XXXX but carrots are cheaper at XXXX record price changes as you shop. You can also then compare and see where a sale price is actually cheaper.

g) start downgrading meals- you dont need steak or chicken so much, and you may find frozen chicken breasts at a better price then fresh.

h) Less prepackaged- mini carrots are great but regular ones are pound for pound cheaper. bagged salad mix is incredibly expensive. Do you really need Mesculin Mix

I am serious: Always eat before you grocery shop and plan your trips you will always buy a few items you do not need and if you are hungry you will over buy. Plan your trips see where some stores are cheaper then others.

Go to Wal Mart, near the microwaves  and buy a Plastic microwave egg cooker. It looks like  thick plastic burger clamshell.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001B2MRSE/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-...

You spray a lil non stick in it, throw yo reggs or egg beater products in it, maybe with some cheese or frozen sausage toast nuke for  90 seconds and 2 slices of toasted bread you got a cheap breakfast sandwich.

Plot your meals out, plot your lunch meat purchases. lunch meat goes bad fairly quick so I buy a lot of 3/4 pund amounts prior to the start of a work week.

THE BIGGEST ISSUE WITH PLANNING ON COOKING AT HOME FOR ONE TO SAVE MONEY IS:

BYPASSING FAST FOOD AND RESTAURANTS WHEN YOU ARE TIRED OR ON YOUR WAY HOME. THE FOOD YOU BUY WILL GO BAD, FAST FOOD CAN PUT YOU OFF YOUR LUNCH MEAT FOR A DAY THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN ITS BAD.

[Anonymous]

How about White Turkey Chili? It's tasty, it's healthy, and it's versatile, and it's easy to transport.

I don't really use recipes when I cook, so this is going to be a little scatter brained, but here goes--

Ingredients needed:

• Lean Ground Turkey Breast
• Tomato Paste
• Chili Powder
• 1/4 cup of Lime Juice
• 1 can of Tomato Paste
• 1 can of Black Beans
• 1 can of brown lentils
• 1 can of diced tomatos
• Crushed Garlic or garlic paste
• 1 medium white onion
• Bell Peppers: 1 red, 1 yellow, 1 orange
• 1 Hungarian Pepper
• 2 table spoons of balsamic vinegar
• Cooking Oil (EVOO)

You can adjust the proportions to your liking, I have a family of 6, and usually some extra kids running around at dinner time, so... And, we always have leftovers for lunches, or dinner the next day, or to freeze for another day.

I find the leanest ground turkey breast available (that's usually Jennie-O Extra Lean (99% fat free). I usually need three packages (approx. 1.25 lbs each, but you won't need nearly that much). I'd say to "brown" it using one tablespoon of EVOO per package and really good non-stick pot, but it actually turns a disturbingly bright white color, LOL! Try to ignore that. You have to work at chopping & scrambling it to the right consistency as it cooks, as you would ground beef, so it doesn't clump together. Once the turkey is about halfway to fully cooked, add some crushed garlic. I add a LOT, but we like it like that. Add however much you like, or not at all. Then, keep cooking.

While the turkey is cooking, you can chop/dice (again, adjust the proportions to your liking) 1 white onion, 3 bell peppers (1 red, 1 yellow, 1 orange),  and 1 hungarian pepper. Set it aside.

Open the cans of diced tomatos (I use DelMonte diced tomatos and with jalapeno peppers & chili sauce, but I've also used plain diced tomatos when I've had to  take it down a notch), black beans, and lentils, and pour them into your simmering turkey, juice and all. Gently stir it (so you don't crush the beans) to loosen and blend the mixtue. Pour in the lime juice and balsamic vinegar. Stir again. Stir in the tomato paste, and add the the chili powder, and bring to a boil. Finally, stir in your diced peppers & onions last (when the ground turkey is completely done), turn down the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes. At this point, you have to add whatever salt & pepper you like to taste. I add a little sea salt, lemon pepper (w/o salt) and cayenne pepper.

I put in the diced peppers & onions last, because we like our veggies a little crisp. Obviously, the longer you cook them, the less crisp they'll be, so adjust the timing to your liking.

We eat this in a bowl, with a little shredded cheese on top, and some whole grain tortilla chips. Or, over rice. Or, over noodles. Or, on all beef, kosher hot dogs. I've even been known to spoon some over salad greens.

[DI]

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@Anonymous wrote:

How about White Turkey Chili? It's tasty, it's healthy, and it's versatile, and it's easy to transport.

I don't really use recipes when I cook, so this is going to be a little scatter brained, but here goes--

Ingredients needed:

• Lean Ground Turkey Breast
• Tomato Paste
• Chili Powder
• 1/4 cup of Lime Juice
• 1 can of Tomato Paste
• 1 can of Black Beans
• 1 can of brown lentils
• 1 can of diced tomatos
• Crushed Garlic or garlic paste
• 1 medium white onion
• Bell Peppers: 1 red, 1 yellow, 1 orange
• 1 Hungarian Pepper
• 2 table spoons of balsamic vinegar
• Cooking Oil (EVOO)

You can adjust the proportions to your liking, I have a family of 6, and usually some extra kids running around at dinner time, so... And, we always have leftovers for lunches, or dinner the next day, or to freeze for another day.

I find the leanest ground turkey breast available (that's usually Jennie-O Extra Lean (99% fat free). I usually need three packages (approx. 1.25 lbs each, but you won't need nearly that much). I'd say to "brown" it using one tablespoon of EVOO per package and really good non-stick pot, but it actually turns a disturbingly bright white color, LOL! Try to ignore that. You have to work at chopping & scrambling it to the right consistency as it cooks, as you would ground beef, so it doesn't clump together. Once the turkey is about halfway to fully cooked, add some crushed garlic. I add a LOT, but we like it like that. Add however much you like, or not at all. Then, keep cooking.

While the turkey is cooking, you can chop/dice (again, adjust the proportions to your liking) 1 white onion, 3 bell peppers (1 red, 1 yellow, 1 orange),  and 1 hungarian pepper. Set it aside.

Open the cans of diced tomatos (I use DelMonte diced tomatos and with jalapeno peppers & chili sauce, but I've also used plain diced tomatos when I've had to  take it down a notch), black beans, and lentils, and pour them into your simmering turkey, juice and all. Gently stir it (so you don't crush the beans) to loosen and blend the mixtue. Pour in the lime juice and balsamic vinegar. Stir again. Stir in the tomato paste, and add the the chili powder, and bring to a boil. Finally, stir in your diced peppers & onions last (when the ground turkey is completely done), turn down the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes. At this point, you have to add whatever salt & pepper you like to taste. I add a little sea salt, lemon pepper (w/o salt) and cayenne pepper.

I put in the diced peppers & onions last, because we like our veggies a little crisp. Obviously, the longer you cook them, the less crisp they'll be, so adjust the timing to your liking.

We eat this in a bowl, with a little shredded cheese on top, and some whole grain tortilla chips. Or, over rice. Or, over noodles. Or, on all beef, kosher hot dogs. I've even been known to spoon some over salad greens.

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I'm going to try this whenever I feel like spending more than 5 minutes in the kitchen. 

[veracious]

Hi, JasonBorneOfCredit.

I was a bachelor for  a long time before I married again.  Try going to Sam's Club or Costco  and visit the frozen foods section.

If you have time on the weekends there are always courtesy samples prepared that you can try.

You will find that those samples are prepared with simple appliances so there is no need to invest in very many

cooking utensils/appliances.  I used to grab a few things I saw being served for customers at Sam's Club and away I went.

[MattH]

http://www.amazon.com/Peg-Bracken/e/B001IXRWEA/