I wish there was a menu for people on a college budget...

[korry1977]

I am in grad school, so every $ counts... Just wondering if there was a menu or suggestions for a "meal plan" for over 2 weeks... that doesnt burn a hole in my wallet...

Thanks for all the help
Korry

[IvannaBFit]

Canned meats are always on the inexpensive side...

[Kathy54]

Canned Tuna, salmon, are good source of protien and cheap. Eat real foods, stay away from the high cost LC stuff and you'll do fine $$ and weight.
cheers Kathy
OOPS, I'm not a teen (tee hee) just followed from another link, LOL

[mb99]

Hi. If you have access to a kitchen (which I assume as a grad student you do) it isn't that hard... as long as you can stand repetiveness. I live on a tight budget and I can tell you what I eat...
ANYWAY...
Shopping List...
1. 1 whole roast Turkey or 2 small chickens
2. Lettuces
3. Brocooli
4. Calliflower
5. Bok Choy
6. Tuna
7. Mince
8. Steaks
9. Mushrooms
10. Spinnach
11. 2 dozen eggs
= 38 approx for me in AUSTRALIA.. may vary a lot where you are

Ocassional Purchases
1. Heavy Cream (buy generic brand.. costs me 99c)
2. Lemon Juice
3. Mayonaiise
4. Spices


BREAKFAST.
3 eggs scrambled with heavy cream.
OR
3 egg ommlette with spinach and 2 button mushrooms

OTHER MEALS....
The cheapest way to eat meat is to ROAST. Have a 'roast night' and roast up meat.. In Australia the cheapest option is Turkey (look in the frozen section) or chicken (Buy small chickens in a 2 pack as small chickens are cheaper)... I imagine it would be similar.
That's dinner one night, with some steamed veges. Then pick all the meat of the bone, and put in a tupperwear in the fridge. For a turkey I can get 5 salads, for a small chicken maybe 3?

So Lunch 5 days a week is salad with the left over roast meat.

For remaining lunches I do the same but with tinned Tuna (buying generic brand seems to be fine.. and very very cheap) with low-carb mayannoise to up the fat if you have some...

DINNERS FOR A WEEK
1. Roast Night
2. 3. Mince nights...
Veal and Pork mince a dirt dirt cheap, and freeze and keep really well. Just wham it in a pan, add a heap of herbs and 1/4 cup of stock...
Cook up enough for two nights, refridge the rest for instant dinner.
4. Soup Night...
Keep the Turkey/Chicken Carcass. Put it in a pot with water and a squirt of lemon juice (buy the bottled kind.. it lasts forever) (lemon juice seeps the calcium from the bones... good for you!)... Set the heat to a boil and forget about it for an hour... use tonges to remove the carcus.. Chop up Broccolli and Calliflower Stalks (yes the stalks, it is used regularly in chineese cooking and most people just throw it away.. save money!), Chop up some mushrooms, any other low carb vege.. turn down heat, cook for 6 more minutes, sprinkle over the top some chopped bok choy... Mmm vege soup.
To up the protein chuck in some left over turkey meat from your roast if you have some, of have it with an 'entree' of tuna!
Alternatively, if you have some uncooked mince left put the mince in a bowl with only a little soy sauce and lemon juice, and spices... roll into small balls (they stick together well) chuck in when you chuck in the veges and they cook into flavoursome meatballs (and don't make you feel like your eating mince again!)

5. 6. Steak nights...
Buy Steak in Large packs.. topside etc is cheapest I think. I can get 3 very large steaks (which I cut into 6 small steaks) for $7. Steak is always discounted.. ask your supermarket on what nights they discount meat before they add the new meat...
Cook steak. Eat steak with veges.
ALternatively.. if you can't stand steak for two dinners a week dice one up, and stirfry it with veges and soy sauce and lemon juice and spices... it is good!

7. For breakfast I have 3 eggs but I buy 2 dozen eggs. So the night before I go shopping again I make a super ommollette.. I use whatever veges I have left (bok choy, spinnach, mushrooms, even brocolli) as filling.

Finite.

P.S - if you are a snacker, buy peanuts in LARGE BAGS.. Cheapest option.

[MichaelG]

Hi Korry.
Also Australian.. don't know about where you are but eggs are the cheapest they have been for years, about $2,40 a dozen (US 1.80). Omelettes, fried with bacon etc.
A very useful canned fish is Mackerel from Chile. The stuff comes in a can about the size of a baked beans can and is only around a dollar US , and I expect its just about no carb!

I eat it twice a week, for some reason many women find it too strong in flavour but its ok made into patties or eaten with plenty of mayo or olive oil and chopped tomatoes, whatever.

If you have a pacific island community there, shop where they shop and you'll find it!

Cheers

Michael Gardner
Queensland
Australia

[korry1977]

Thank you everyone for your valuable advice...

It has helped me tremendously

Thanks again,
Korry