Favorite Meal under $2.00

[Roadworthy]

For fast food, if you can find a Del Taco, they often have a 1/2 pound bean and cheese burrito for .99. That's about as healthy as you can get for fast food, without going Subway, and a lot more money. Two will fill most but a big guy or a teenage boy.

As far as cooking, if you make a bunch of stuff ahead (depending on your cooler/fridge/freezer space), you can save a ton, and only cook once. One pot of rice, divvied up between ziplock bags, can be the base of several meals, especially if you eat real rice (brown, not hulled white rice). That stuff is tremendously filling, and way cheaper than instant rice put in holey bags for boiling. In fact, Costco used to carry a case of small bowls of pre-cooked brown rice. Add a can of some spicy beans to it in a pan, mix and heat, and in a minute or two you have a filling, cheap meal (those pre-cooked brown rice bowls are only affordable at Costco...too pricey in the grocery stores.)

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Oh, and Taco Bell has the deals between 2-5pm. The loaded spicy chicken griller is a lot more filling than you'd think, looking at it. Two of them are good for me. My pre-teen son eats 2.5 or so. They're a dollar each during the afternoon deal time.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

We like egg sandwiches with cheese for breakfast. Sometimes eggs and sausage with some bread and jam.
Neither costs much and is easy.

 

[jeanontheroad]

Eggs. Wrap them in tortillas with sauteed onions or green pepper or salsa. Egg sandwich on toast and some carrots or an apple. Scramble them and add them to rice with some Baco chips. Eggs are cheap full of protein, and versatle..

 

[MK7]

You can buy a gigantic rotisserie chicken from Costco for like $5. With some rice and vegies, and you can eat 4-5 healthy meals. Much less fuel cost to re-heat the leftovers vs. cooking new dishes; including less time and less mess.

A tastier whole chicken from Boston Market is like $8.50, w/a coupon and it can be 6 free piece of cornbread.

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Ugghh....don't mention McDonald's. There's some kind of mystery power in their food:

Also beware of Dollar Store food too. I bought a pack of 6 potato bread hamburger buns from Dollar Tree and ate 2. They tasted decent, not as good as say..Pepperridge Farms. The other 4 stayed in the cupboard for about 2 weeks and then into the fridge and was forgotten. After like 4 months, there was no sign of any mold at all. I decided to see how long it would last. It's been 17 months now, and no molding whatsoever. It's hard as a rock though, but no mold. Looks fresh to the eyes.

 

[wagoneer]

Yah Costco chickens are the bomb.

 

[akblack10]

Thanks to everyone who posted on this topic, you have given us some great ideas!
Just last night I made some hobo packets on the coals of a fire.
Take any kind of meat, I used ground beef,
place it on a sheet of aluminum foil,
add veggies,
add salt and garlic, hot sauce,
seal aluminum foil and place packet on the fire,
let cook 30-45 mins and carefully remove packet… enjoy!
-AK

 

[MK7]

Another reason not to eat McDonald's: 14 year old hamburger, looks good as new w/no mold. No special storage. Just forgotten in an old McD's tin burger container and left inside a coat pocket. GROSSSS.

 

[offroad]

If something dehydrates it's not going to grow mold. Does not mean it has chemicals. Just no live yeast.

 

[spd2918]

I love to cook. One of my favorite, simple meals is sauteed green pepper, onion, and garlic with any kind of meat added. You could throw in leftover hamburger or any already cooked meat.

33 cent Ramen noodle packs can be jazzed up this way, too. Peppers and onions are cheap and are the base for many great dishes.

 

[Zil]

You know it. I saute onions and peppers when peppers are on sale, then store them in the fridge. Only use olive oil. A scoop in the frying pan to heat, a double hand full of fresh greens until they wilt down, scramble a couple of eggs mixing all together until eggs are cooked. serve with strawberry preserves.

 

[sl1966]

This is something called the Hangover Helper. Had this dish for brunch once at a place in Santa Ana, CA a few years back.

1 poached egg
1/4 cup cooked grits
cheddar cheese to taste
pat of butter to taste
hot sauce of your choice

The original dish had about 2 tablespoons of cooked chorizo, but you can sub something else in. I occasionally like to use one or two crumbled farmer john breakfast sausage(s).

poach egg - place in bowl
fry meat - place on top of egg in bowl
cook grits add cheese and/or butter pat - place on top of meat on top of egg in bowl

add hot sauce to taste

eat it!

Does it actually help hangovers. I don't remember since I never really kept track. I just know that it's yummy and cheap!

 

[caseyc]

Question: if I keep eating the $1.50 Costco hotdog with drink, will that one day kill me prematurely? :huh:

I only eat that once in a while, but was just wondering.

 

[sl1966]

Question: if I keep eating the $1.50 Costco hotdog with drink, will that one day kill me prematurely? :huh:

I only eat that once in a while, but was just wondering.

Lulz ... probably, I think so yes.

Have a salad instead. It even costs less if you do it yourself. Pickup a box or bag or spring greens and add any of the following ....sliced mushrooms, carrots, cherry tomatoes, black beans, quinoa, craisins, pine nuts, broccoli, red onions, anything else you happen to like.

 

[Lucky mike]

Man Killed by Costco HotDog........Details @ 11 ....channel OU812...Cable network!!!

 

[akblack10]

Man Killed by Costco HotDog........Details @ 11 ....channel OU812...Cable network!!!

Hahaha…. very funny!
-AK

 

[caseyc]

Oh great! I better stick to my tried and true can of Chunky soup. Just got a few cans of Chunky at Target store on sale for $1.44 each, haha!

 

[Mac J]

How much sodium is in a can of your Chunky soup? do you think that's more or less than your Costco hotdog and soda?

 

[Reducto]

Ok, this thread got me hooked on sauteed onions and peppers! Wish I had not decided to cook and eat it inside the other day. The inside of my van smells like an Italian kitchen!

Today I fried up half a bell pepper, 1/4 onion and some minced garlic in olive oil. Added 2 1/2 cups water and a handfull of pasta (same price as ramen but takes up less space) and once the the pasta was done cooking I let the rest of the water boil off, added 1/4 can of store brand spam and some soy sauce. Yum! tastes good with no meat or with black beans as well.

 

[akblack10]

Reducto, When you cook with the ingredients you mentioned about, it's mandatory that you sing a song by Luciano Pavarotti, practice makes perfect.



-AK

 

[spd2918]

Ok, this thread got me hooked on sauteed onions and peppers!

That's awesome. You could go all the way and add a little garlic. I use a chopped pre-roasted garlic. I add it towards the end of a cook so as not to scorch it. It smells great.