Do you find yourself wondering if cooking at home is worth the work? The answer is yes. Not only do you get to control what goes into your family’s mouth, but you can also save a lot of money. I find that whenever I go out to eat with my family, my 4-year-old will only order chicken fingers and French fries. If you have children, then having them help you prepare dinner can be a great way to show them the many different varieties of food that exist beyond chicken nuggets and French fries. After my daughter helps me prepare dinner, she gets excited to taste how her cooking turned out.
Any of these recipes can be altered. For example, if you do not like tilapia, use salmon, sole, etc. They are all healthy for you. My family thinks that salmon is too fishy, so I don’t use it. But you should know that salmon is loaded with Omega 3 fatty oils, which is very good for you. Also, if you’re not a poultry fan, you can substitute with turkey cutlet or very lean beef. If you don’t like pot roast, feel free to use pork tenderloin, which is also a healthy alternative. Don’t be scared to use pork. It is actually a low calorie, low fat food.
Also, know that when a recipe calls for oil, I only use olive oil. It is much healthier than the other oils. It is heart healthy oil. I personally use Bertolli extra light tasting. It is lighter oil that doesn’t have a strong taste like some olive oils have. Also, I only use real butter, not margarine. It is better for you, but don’t think that you can eat a lb. of it on your toast! I also use cooking spray, when I’m looking to add as little fat as possible. There are many varieties to choose from at your local supermarket. I find that they do not taste as good as making your own. You can purchase a MISTO spray can and add your own oil. I’ve also known people who bought a regular water bottle and filled it with oil.
The easiest way to save money on your groceries is to stock up when they are on sale. I also belong to BJ’S, a discount club warehouse. You can get a lot of great deals there. For example, you can purchase a 3 liter bottle of Bertolli olive oil for just a few dollars more than you’d pay for a 1 liter at your local grocer.
I also purchase my chicken cutlets from BJ’S at an average price of $2.49/lb. That means that the main ingredient to your dinner will only be $2.49 for a family of four.
Remember, these prices may vary based on your location.
When it comes to vegetables I usually go to the local fruit/vegetable market. They are a lot cheaper then the grocery store. Depending on the vegetable, I usually do not buy them at BJ’S because I always want my fresh vegetables to be as fresh as possible. I find that the quantity is too large to feed a small family. Unless I’m having company I do not buy them there. I like to use fresh vegetables as much as possible. But I also use a lot of frozen vegetables. They come in very handy in many ways. It is easy to know exactly how much your using, and you always have vegetables ready at your fingertips. I do not
recommend canned vegetables. I will keep one can of corn and canned beans for emergencies only.
Pasta is a definite staple in my house. I have to admit that I love the regular pasta (semolina) in the box. I make sure I always have different kinds of shapes on hand. I’ve tried many kinds of whole-wheat pasta and have to say that most of them taste awful. The whole-wheat pasta that I actually do like is the rotini shape at Trader Joe’s. It doesn’t have that pasty taste that most brands have. When I make a stir-fry, that is the pasta that I use. When it comes to my pasta with homemade sauce, that is another story. Pasta is a great filling food that doesn’t leave you broke. If your not a fan of whole wheat pasta that’s ok. Just be sure not to eat a lb. of your favorite pasta with your dinner. When I cook with regular pasta (semolina) I cook a lot more vegetables and protein then I normally would.
Now that you know what ingredients are healthier for you as well as where to find them for as cheap as possible, here are a few recipes that I hope you will enjoy.
Stir-fry Chicken with Whole Wheat Pasta and Broccoli
Ingredients:
1lb. chicken cutlets
1lb. whole-wheat pasta (any shape)
1lb. frozen broccoli (or 1 head fresh)
olive oil
1 med. sized vidalia onion
garlic salt
salt
pepper
grated parmesan
First start with a large pot of water, generously salted (this is for the pasta) it needs to come to a full boil before adding pasta. This could take a while so make sure you put it on the stove before you do anything else. Either in a wok or large non- stick sauté pan, add a few tablespoons of oil. Clean chicken and cut into bite size pieces. Add chicken to hot pan and cook a few minutes, stirring to make sure all sides of chicken are fully cooked. Add a little garlic salt, salt and pepper. DO NOT OVER COOK. You will be adding the chicken back in later. Remove chicken and add onion. Cook until onions are soft. Add the broccoli to the pan. By now the water should be ready for the pasta. When broccoli is as soft or as hard as you would like, add the chicken back into pan. Drain pasta and add to pan, add some grated parmesan and your done. You can substitute rice instead of pasta.
Total average cost: $5-$5.50
Baked Tilapia, with Rice and String beans
Ingredients:
1lb. tilapia fillet or any other fish you prefer
1c. brown rice (you can use white rice if your not looking to be as healthy)
1lb. fresh or frozen string beans
butter
olive oil
1small onion (any kind you like)
salt
pepper
Preheat oven to 375°
Clean fish and pat dry. Place in a shallow baking dish. Put a little butter on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake approx. 8 minutes each side until nice and flaky. Bring 1 c water and 1 t butter to boil and add rice. Cover and simmer. In a sauté pan add 1T oil and sauté onions until soft. Add string beans and cook to desired tenderness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Total average cost: $6-$8
Slow Cooked Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots
Ingredients:
1lb. pot roast
4 large potatoes or 6 small
4 large carrot sticks
1 med. sized onion
water
salt
pepper
1T olive oil
Salt and pepper roast. Place oil in hot pan and sear roast on all sides. Place in slow cooker. Cut up potatoes, carrots and onion and place over roast. Add salt and pepper. Add 1 cup water over food. (this will make natural gravy) Cover and cook low 8-10 hours or high 6 hours.
If you don’t have a slow cooker you can still make this recipe. Just place roast in large pot instead of slow cooker. Add vegetables and cover with 2 cups water. Cook medium low for a couple of hours. The only difference with cooking on the stove is that you can take the lid off and mix gently. Or if you like thicker gravy you can mush up some of the potatoes.
Total average cost: $4.50-$5.00
I hope you enjoyed reading these recipes. Hopefully you learned how to get the most for your money when buying in bulk. As you can see most meals are closer to $5 than $10. They are a healthy balance of lean protein, carbs and vegetables.
Happy eating!
