With groceries so expensive does anyone have good suggestions for cheap but healthy meals?

Question

I'm in Alaska, the grocery bill is huge! $5 for 5 ears of corn? Gas is still $4.69. Can anyone help with ideas to make the food stretch? What should I buy? Thanks.

Answer 1

Look for specials and don't buy the pricey items.

Buy local and fresh seasonal foods as much as possible.

Plan your meals around what's available instead of looking for food to meet your plan.

Replace meat with veggies and tofu.

Rice, beans, and pastas are cheap versatile foods. You can get really creative and make 1000's of different meals with these bases.

Avoid single meal packaged food - they don't stretch.

Turn leftovers into new meals. For example make a roast one night, then from the leftovers you can make beef stroganoff, soup, stew, and stir fry.

Answer 2

Look for more rice and pasta dishes.

Cut back on the cuts of meat and make more stews and casseroles.

Buy the chicken drums and thighs instead of b*****s as they are cheaper.'

Buy veggies that are on special.

Look for the weekly specials.

Where you can buy in bulk.

If you have other family split large packages between you.

I am 5000+ miles south of you in NZ and we have the same problems.

Answer 3

Our prices here in Nevada aren't that expensive but we still conserve.  We do eat chicken and homemade noodles, beans with smoked neck bones, beef goulash.  This all stretches very good and also with a small salad it works good.

Answer 4

Use beans in things instead of meat

Make soups and meals in bulk so you can freeze the leftovers and eat them later

Add extra veggies to everything

Answer 5

ummm go to pricerite

the price is always rite!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

u can get like 1000 peices of corn for like 5$

alrighttttttttt

dont over steam it it wont be fudgyyyyy

yummmy

Answer 6

Hey Im in Alaska too except Im on an island with not too many options so I feel your pain. Some things Ive done to help is buying a few bags of frozen chicken breast and throwing them in the crock pot and when theyre done, shred them and put them in individual bags. I freeze them and pull them out for a dinner when I need it. It really has helped a lot since meat is SO expensive here. We do the same with veggies so they dont go bad. With everything else we just try to buy whats on sale.

Answer 7

Pinto or Red Beans

Rice

Answer 8

I started buying general brands instead of big brand products.  

Answer 9

Doesn't it SUCK when Doctors and parents and grandparents tell you to eat healthy?  Yet all the veggies and fruites are so darn expensive, how do we eat healthy and still enjoy spending money on ourselves?

Just buy your meat in bulk for stir-frys and portion it out in ziplock bags to keep in the freezer.  You gotta buy veggies, so just look for the ones that are on sale, forget about spending big money for veggies that aren't on sale cause you won't die.  I even go to the farmer's market, they are usually the cheapest then the supermarkets.

Answer 10

If you find something on sale, buy 2 or 3 of them - there's no law that says you cant eat pork 'n beans in December. Build up a stash of canned goods to fall back on those days when you just can't face shopping. Spend a rainy Sunday doing a little invesement cooking and portioning up some homemade refried beans, chili, soups or pasta dishes. A freezer runs more efficiently if it's full, so you might as well pack it with food, right?

Here are some links to frugal eating-

http://www.betterbudgeting.com/frugalrec...

http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/70doll...

http://www.mealtime.org/content.aspx?id=...

I'm trying to stretch too - good luck!

Answer 11

look at your local ads and make your meal/grocery list from that....I'm in Montana and food is spendy in my neck of the woods to. I went shopping for stir fry stuff and spent $39.00!

Answer 12

I lived there for six years, so I know how you feel.

Beans and rice

Homemade soup, you only need a small piece of meat, for vegetable or a few pieces of chicken for chicken noodle

.

Make casseroles, using noodles or pasta and small amounts of meat and vegetables.

Pot pies, add your vegetables and small portions of meat.

Avoid boxed foods, try to make everything from scratch, it's taste better and is cheaper.

Have a few meatless meals.

Answer 13

I really enjoy making fried rice. You can put in veggies like green beans with a lot of nutrients and you can put eggs and meat (I like sausage). And everyone in my family loves it!