Cheap Healthy At Home Meals That Don’t Involve Ramen Noodles

Food is Our Number One Cost Driver

This post will share with you my cheap healthy at home meals that don’t involve ramen noodles. Food is our family’s number one cost driver outside of my wife’s fun money (which happens to include all clothes for the kids) so I constantly challenge it. This is my second of two posts on food in this series.

Food is a problematic cost for us given the size of the expense but also the desire not eat Ramen every 5th meal. I am sure most families are in the same boat after you realize you somehow ate out twice as much as you were supposed to the month prior… the bills add up. Our family also happens to like food and quickly get bored if we eat the same thing too many times or feel like we are eating “rabbit food” all the time.

The post below shares what we have done….. I’ll take any suggestions!!

The following menu has been handcrafted with multiple years of life hack experiences so please read the notes below.

Parameters of the menu:

1. Target average meal cost is $5 a serving for 2 or more people…. this is set low to drive me to be creative. I typically am consistently below $7 a serving but you’ll obviously see some meals higher.
2. Be able to get the meal on the table in under 30mins
3. All pastas, breads, etc are always whole grain or brown rice pasta
4. Not everything is 100% healthy but they all lean healthy…. this has helped up stick with a healthier menu.
5. I stay away from processed food (sausage etc)…. I love this stuff don’t get me wrong but any meat that can be on a shelf for a year is not good for you. I have lost weight simply by not cooking this at home.

Buying secrets to hold down costs:

1. I buy fresh ground beef, chicken, shrimp, pork, or steak and then freeze it. Every night after our meal we decide what we are eating the next night and I put the frozen food in the fridge to thaw (the meat is typically more tender this way!). Ground beef and Chicken typically costs me $3.50 a serving (half a pound), shrimp and steak is close to $8 a serving, and pork depends on the cut but is usually below $5. If I forget to defrost I defrost the meal in the microwave or go for an all frozen meal.
2. I buy rice and frozen vegetables when they are but one get one free and stack them up. Duh!
3. I buy a potato, fresh corn, artichoke, lettuce, squash, and other veggies from time to time to have something fresh as a side.

Menu – Main Dishes:

• Baby back ribs – one thing of bbq sauce and ribs when they are on sale only! I usually make extra and freeze (these re heat well).

• enchiladas – buy the meal kit, cheese, and ground beef…. Publix has buy one get one free meal kits once a quarter and I pick up extras to lower costs.
• tacos – buy the meal kit, ground beef, salsa (usually can do two meals), and extras (I usually get an avacado)…. Publix has buy one get one free meal kits once a quarter and I pick up extras to lower costs.
• pad Thai – buy the meal kit, eggs, and shrimp or chicken…. feeling frisky? Buy some of those buy one get one free egg rolls or pot stickers when they go on sale!
• spaghetti and meat sauce – buy spaghetti, ground beef, and sauce. I load up on pasta and sauces when it is buy one get one free at Publix.
• cheese tortellini or ravioli and meat sauce – buy cheese tortellini (the frozen kind – it’s cheaper and better), ground beef, and sauce. I load up on pasta and sauces when it is buy one get one free at Publix.
• chicken Milano (sundried tomato sauce) – buy chicken and sundried tomatoes. Easy and done.
• beef and broccoli (Chinese flavor) – buy the sauce packet and frozen broccoli. I use thin sliced a sirloin that I freeze.
• lemon pepper chicken – buy the chicken and the Larry’s 30 min marinade (these are buy one get one free some times… buy them up and try something new!)
• Chimmichurri steak – buy hanger steak and chimmichurri sauce… mix the two and freeze. The chimmichurri sauce is usually good for two meals.
• honey teriyaki chicken or beef – buy the chicken or beef and the Larry’s 30 min marinade (these are buy one get one free sometimes… buy them up and try something new!)
• pesto chicken – buy the chicken and a bottle of pesto…. mix and cook…. you would be surprised how good this tastes
• mussels in sauce – buy the frozen kind – cook when you want to phone it in… these are cheap meals (but good)!
• garlic and black pepper pork loin – bought the hormel packaged product… good not great but this helps switch it up
• garlic grilled shrimp – pretty straight forward
• sloppy joes – don’t hate – a sauce packet, a 16 oz can of tomato sauce, ground beef and some buns
• meatloaf – premade from Publix or some ground beef, a sauce packet it, an egg, and some bread crumbs
• chili – excellent in big batches – freeze the extra
• bbq chicken sandwich – buy extra bbq next time you are at bbq restaurant and freeze it…. awesome reheat and cheaper than the premade bbq in the deli aisle
• stuffed clams – buy one get one free is the only way to go from the frozen food isle…. these are pretty good!
• Frozen crab or lobster – I have steamed this often when I get a good deal… the raw that you cook is better than the precooked if you ask me.
• Beef Bulgogi – Korean beef bbq – look up a recipe this is easy
• healthy shrimp scampi – butter, shrimp, and some cream and herbs if you want… easy
• Thai peanut (not spicy) chicken – buy the bottle of Thai sauce and chicken
• crab cakes – buy one get one free is the only way to go and I pick them up anytime I see them….. don’t hate on any of the brands because they are frozen – a little butter and some garlic or onion in the pan when you cook and no one will know the difference
• orange chicken – buy the chicken and the sauce from the Asian / international isle
• burgers – I buy the premade ones that have blue cheese and pepper or the bacon and cheese..:. This prevents me from getting a whole bunch of toppings
• tikka masala – buy the chicken and the sauce from the international isle
• mojo chicken – buy the chicken and the sauce from the international isle
• lightly fried garlic chicken – buy the chicken and bread crumbs – mix the bread crumbs with garlic and don’t go heavy…. hard to beat
• bbq pork chop – bbq sauce and a pork chop
• Pizza chicken – the chicken is the crust and the topping is normal pizza….. don’t hate this is healthy and good!
• Lettuce wraps – Bibb lettuce and premade ground chicken with spices if they have it at your store like me (if not pull down an easy recipe). I usually make brown rice with this
• Baked whole chicken – bake a whole chicken in the oven for an hour with rosemary, onion, and butter to taste… or cheat and buy a rotisserie chicken
• Frozen king crab or snow crab – on the more expensive side but this helps break things up
• Frozen lobster tails – usually I pick these up buy one get one free after a holiday weekend to keep cost down

Healthy Sides

• #1 tip – you only need one side – not two! Your mama told you wrong! We always have too much food when we have two sides and it drives up cost vs more of the side. A BIG mental leap for some of you I know! We did it!!

• Rice – I buy the big tub and cook a little at a time. Buy some Mrs Dash (pick different ones) and mix in with a little butter. Garlic and Herb and the Garlic and Rosemary are my go tos
• Pearled couscous – great for the international meals. Butter and garlic and you are done. Throw in some mrs dash for fun
• A baked potato
• Boiled or grilled Corn
• Artichoke
• Green beans – frozen only and buy one get one free. Toast some almonds with some butter and salt and toss with the green beans… wow!
• Asparagus
• “Veggie tots” – love these!
• mini tater tots
• Any of the healthy rice mixes when they go on buy one get one free
• We pick out assorted frozen veggies from the frozen food isle – i have seen these go on special and we take advantage when the sales pop up. Frozen veggies reheat very well!

That’s A lot!

Ok I gave you my current list…. we mix and match between the sides and the main dish. My main advice on the cost side is to buy the buy one get one frees…. you might not use everything at first but before you know it you have a big menu built out at half the price. My other advice is to try things out….. we have thrown some wild variety into our menu above and it has been the wacky things on the international menu that have become our favorites.

Good luck… let me know if you have any go to recipes!!!