meals for a tight budget

I have been asked to donate my time to teach a nutrition class to a low income group.I need some help the class starts Monday.These people(single moms) have about $35
a week for food.I have been researching recipies all night .Anyone have any low cost recipies that they are willing to share?

Ami, about a dozen or so years ago I did some work with a home for unwed mothers, putting together cooking information that was both nutritional and cheap. Shopping advice, that kind of stuff.

Two of the most important things I passed on was that cooking with beans/legumes, particuarly starting from the dry state and presoaking them yourself, is the pathway to nutritional, very inexpensive meals. Things like baked beans, etc. So I'd recommend you seek out those types of recipes; I'm sure you'll find tons here at Zaar. Also, meat can be a real killer on the budget, so meals that use veggies as the main ingredient and meat in a smaller role are both nutritious and inexpensive. Something like a macaroni and cheese dish with a small amount of meat and the addition of a veg like broccoli can be an inexpensive one-dish meal.

The other point is utilizing the bulk food store in your neighbourhood for spices and other ingredients where you only need a small amount -- but particularly spices. A bottle of spice is very expensive, so many folks hesitate to buy any more than two or three. But spices and herbs can add so much flavour! One tablespoon of most spices at my bulk store costs literally pennies. For a dollar I can buy a bunch of different kinds. It's a wonderfully economic thing to do. In fact, I gave my MIL an assortment of small ziplock baggies -- about the size a pair of earrings comes in -- all tucked into an index card file. I put a different herb or spice in each baggie and then labelled them. She was so thrilled -- and it takes up hardly any room in her cupboard. She's really started to experiment with herbs and spices since I did this.

Sorry to ramble on; I hope I've given you some ideas!

Thanks for the adivse .You must live on this site!As a matter of fact I just made pasta fagioli today(using dried beans).they cost about 59 cents a bag.People overpay for prepared foods.As soon as my little one goes off to school I hope to take some nutrition classes.She needs me home now.This is such a wonderful web site I am so glad I found all of you.

The other night I used a single chicken breast, cut very thinly in a stirfry and if fed 3 people. I think this is something that can be stretched so you are getting the meat, but you really aren't using a lot. A 7lb package of Chicken breasts is about $7-8 here, usually 7-8 breasts in each one.

My computer is in my living room so it's always on, and always online. So easy to sit down with a cup of tea and pop by. Zaar is like my next-door neighbour!

Have you looked at the "Inexpensive" category here on Zaar. I don't know whats on it but there may besomething you can use. I just checked it out and there are 468 recipes . To get to the recipes type in "Inexpensive" in the Search window at top of this page and it will come up with no recipes found but right below this it says inexpensive category, highlight that and there they are. I didn't know if you knew how to do this, I don't mean to talk down to you but I know how confused I have been on How To. Hope there is something helpful for you

Bergy, that would be a GREAT addition to the Search field at the top of the screen. Right now we can type in something and search in "All of Recipezaar", or we can change that to "By Recipe ID#", and type in a number.

Wouldn't it be great if we could change it to "By Category" and type in a category name?? I wonder how hard that would be for the Zaar programmers? I think I shall ask!

Beans are indeed inexpensive and nutritious. How about Chili, with packaged pinto beans? Soup beans which is nothing more than Pinto beans, Great Northern beans and Navy beans. Soak them, put them in a pot, add an onion and a ham bone and serve with cornbread. Ham bones yield a lot of meat. Believe it or not, pizza is another nutritious meal. Lots of protein and vegetables. Lasagne is not cheap but it also is not too expensive and there is usually plenty to freeze. Lasagne nukes really well.

Another think to consider is appearance. My husband was in the military and I had to work off a very limited budget. I can remember making potatoes and instead of slicing them, I would dice them. When it looks like you have a lot, it is a lot.

Sorry, now I'm going on. A whole chicken is not at all expensive, especially on sale. Once a chicken is boiled, the possiblities are endless. Part of the broth can be save for soup, the chicken could make countless entrees. Using the liver and giblets for dirty rice, and again, those are fairly inexpensive. Chicken and rice, fried rice, more I think about it, you just can't go wrong with chicken dishes. Chicken and noodles, chicken, noodles and dumplings...

THANK YOU VERY MUCH EVERYONE.I DID PRINT ALOT OF RECIPES UNDER INEXPENSIVE.CHICKEN IS ALSO A GOOD STRETCH.I GET THREE MEALS OUT OF MINE.I JUST WENT SHOPPING TODAY (ITS AN ALL DAY EVENT WHEN THE CLOSEST MARKET IS 40 MINUITES AWAY!)PRICES ARE SKY HIGH.HERE IM MASSACHUSETTES ANYWAY.ARE THINGS IN CANADA CHEAPER THAN THE U.S.? I HOPE TO VISIT THIS SUMMER.WELL WISH ME LUCK I STILL HAVE ALOT TO PREPARE FOR CLASS!

FYI: It's not the US so much as the area that you live in. I've been to Boston and the cost of living in Boston versus the cost of living in Kansas or Missouri is quite different. I've seen studies done that say we in the Kansas City area have more discretionary income (income after basic expenses and taxes) than elsewhere in the US and I know that wages are not as high here as they are out East.

Or up north.

The company I work for starts it's hourly workers out at $6.00, in K.C. it's closer to $7.00, in Minneapolis, it's $7.50.

Ami,
Here's one for $0.87 per serving:

Tuna Salad Pepper Cups
2 Large Green Peppers
2 Cans (6oz each) tuna, drained
1 medium cucumber, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup dill pickle relish

Cut green peppers in half (from top to bottom) and remvove the seeds and membranes. In a bowl, combine the tuna, cucumber, onions, mayonnaise and relish. Spoon into pepper cups. Chill for a few minutes or serve immediately. Servings = 4

I actually take this to work for lunches and leave it in the fridge for a couple of hours and it's fine.
Good luck. I also recommend the magazine Quick Cooking. It typically has a section for Frugal Cooks.

Ami
Check these out

http://www.ilovepasta.org/recipes.htm

The one below looked fun for kids

http://www.ilovepasta.org/recipes/Sloppy_Joe_Spaghetti.html

http://www.miserlymoms.com

http://www.frugal-moms.com/

I don't have a Tast of Home Mag subscription but I think they have a section on feeding a family for under a dollar a plate. Hold up, and I will see if I saved one in my collection. Di