"jmcquown" > wrote in message
...
> On 11/9/2015 6:21 PM, Nancy Young wrote:
>> On 11/9/2015 3:50 PM, wrote:
>>> in debt. My sends me about 50 bucks a week.
>>>
>>>
>>> Tonight we are going to pick up some ramen. Boringgggg.
>>>
>>> I know beans are cheap, and recommendations on which brands to get?
>>
>> As Carol already said, dried beans are really cheap, get good at
>> soaking those and you'll have more money to spend on other food.
>>
>> As for canned, I like Goya or Progresso.
>>
> Store brand canned beans work just as well and are likely to come from the
> same mfg.
Agree with one exception. I did try one store brand of refried that were
super runny. Tasted fine. I just prefer thicker. I am not brand loyal
when it comes to beans at all. The only reason I do not buy the Walmart
brand is that it states on the can, "May contain traces of..." and then a
list of stuff I can't eat. But for most people they would be fine.
>
>>> Any suggestions appreciated. It would be nice to have more options than
>> > beans and ramen.
>>
>> That can get really old, really fast. And it's not especially
>> nutritious, either.
>>
> Ramen is not healthy. Those "noodles" are deep fried so what you get is a
> lot of fat without a lot of substance. And a heck of a lot of salt in
> that seasoning packet. I'm not afraid of salt, mind you. But Ramen
> seasoning is ridiculously salty.
Agree but I think once in a while they would be fine to eat.
>
>> Buy chicken parts when they are on sale. You can bake them or
>> you can make chicken stock with them, which leads me to soup. A
>> big pot of vegetable soup can be very cheap, whether you make it
>> with chicken stock or vegetable stock. The point is, soup is a great
>> way to stretch ingredients.
>>
> It sure is. 
>
>> If you can chop onions, garlic, etc., you can make a pot of
>> pasta sauce that can last for many meals, with pasta you can
>> buy on sale. You don't need mad skills in the kitchen to get
>> started making that kind of food.
>>
> We all had to start somewhere. Me, I started with watching some cooking
> shows on public television. And I was given a cookbook. Nope, it wasn't
> Joy of Cooking. It was the Good Housekeeping Cookbook.
>
>> > I'm a total noob to cooking(made scrambled eggs for the first time
>> this year).
>>
> Scrambled eggs are one of the tests many chefs use - if you can scramble
> an egg you can cook pretty much anything. However, the desired
> consistency of scrambled eggs (and ingredients) may vary depending upon
> who you ask.
>
>> Good. Eggs are a great meal that will be a terrific source of protein
>> and aren't too expensive. You can stretch those with vegetables and
>> mushrooms, whatever you like and is available for cheap, and it's a
>> good sized meal. Learn to make omelets. Easy.
>>
> Absolutely!
>
>>> Grew up on mostly proccesed frozen, and fast food.
>>
> Ditto. My mom earned the nickname "Freezer Queen". She glommed onto
> frozen family size "entrees" by that name in the 1960's and never looked
> back. Ditto Betty Crocker boxed potatoes. Instant mashed potato flakes.
> Mom did not enjoy cooking. Not everyone does.
>
>> Well, you have a whole new adventure, learning to make food and saving
>> money at the same time.
>>
>> When I was hurting for money, I ate boxed mac n cheese. You can do so
>> much better.
>>
>> Best of luck to you, ask questions and people will be happy to
>> answer. I hope you stick around.
>>
>> nancy
>
> Agreed. Learning to shop wisely is the first step. One does not have to
> live on Ramen.
And I will add since she can go to Walmart, she might look at the Halloween
clearance foods. Mine had cereal for cheap but there might be other things
too. It's not always just candy.