yes but the cheapest is the only way some of us CAN go lol.
yes but the cheapest is the only way some of us CAN go lol.
"you dont have to be tall to see the moon" - african proverb
Very true Foxy...
I'm going without other stuff just to go organic...
I don't have any fancy vegan stuff, like the fake meat/cheese etc so I probably spend less anyway, that what someone would if they used those, as they are EXPENSIVE.
In a way not eating gluten has made things cheaper. lol
I still can't afford fairtrade clothes etc.
"It's not that people suddenly start breeding like rabbits; it's just that people stopped dropping like flies" - population explosion
Yeah, once you discover that you can't have gluten, most of the vegan convenience foods are out. I've been pretty much sticking to fresh fruits and veggies and things like rice, quinoa and nuts out of the bulk bins. I was so bummed to realize that I couldn't have a majority of the fake meats anymore. But in the end it's been great for both my health and my pocketbook!
I have an extremely limited clothing budget as well so I buy 90% of my clothes from the thrift shops. That way I have a bit of extra money so that the new clothes I buy once in a blue moon are ethical. Maybe this is something you could try if you have a thrift shop or two in your town?
We need to slash our food bill in half as our mortgage repayments plus saving for our big holiday is leaving us quite short in the cashola department. So we have discussed how we can eat cheaper, and something I forgot about was dhal and rice! It is so f**ken cheap to make! So we decided that dhal and rice is going to be our staple food again. It costs around $1-$1.50 to feed us both for a meal, but that isn't including any salad or vegetables. Once I buy the salad, it will probably cost around $3-$4 for us both to eat? Still that is heaps cheaper then eating meals that cost $7 every night.
I've been going to Asda in the evening to get veg. They have a reduced section which often has organic stuff as well.
The only normal people are the ones you don't know very well
i live off of meals that cost around a buck to make!
"you dont have to be tall to see the moon" - african proverb
I am quite surprised by this thread my shopping bill went down when I switched to veganism but then again I was eating ready meals before so that maybe why?
What you tolerate, you encourage.
Hi Stickydate,
Pulses and rice are extremely healthy as well as being inexpensive and don't forget that sprouting your own alfalfa, radish, clover, etc. produces very healthy greens with far more enzymes than mature plants. These can easily makeup 30-50% of your salads.
Best Wishes,
Robert
May all Beings be Free of Suffering
Me too, foxytina, the majority of my meals cost about 50 pence. I eat lots of rice and chickpea based meals.
Must start sprouting seeds again, robert has reminded me how cheap n healthy they are.
indeed furrytips!
for those new to sprouting all you need to start is some sprout seeds, and a jam jar as the most basic equipment!
The problem for us is that we've got not time, AND we've got no money.
It seems like before we had kids, even though we'd be broke, we could manage to make meals because we had time. We'd use dry beans and rices and stuff from the bulk bins and make really good meals that were also nutritious.
But now, with kids, we get home at 5:45 to a messy house and the kids need to eat at 6 sharp if we are to get them to bed on time. That doesn't even leave time to hang up jackets or to put our bags away.
So we always end up eating shitty (vegan) foods because what the hell can we make in 15 minutes? Even spagetti takes more time because we have to fish out pots, boil water, and in that time period one or both of our kids need something from us so something that used to take 10 minutes when we were solo no takes 40 minutes.
There've been nights when we've eaten peanut butter on toast with a side of garbanzo beans from a can... then since I need more calories I then proceed to eat four to five bowls of whole wheat raisin bran with a half gallon of soymilk then make myself a pot of pasta and eat a pound with some sauce (and eat it all at breakneck speed) by myself while the kids run around before we have to brush their teeth.
Luckily, we've got food stamps (EBS), and we've got some other ways to get good foods, but we barely have time to cook any of the good stuff. Every night I almost want to just feed the kids pop tarts instead of cooking, but those are too damn expensive.
context is everything
It's probably been said before but do you all know that dried pulses (beans, lentils etc) are a lot cheaper than tinned ones? There is a big variation in price too depending on where you buy the dried pulses. For example today at the pakistani grocery I bought a packet of dry channa dal for 65 pence. Enough to cook a lot of pots of yummy spicy dal! If I had bought a larger packet it would have been even more good value for money.
See my local diary ... http://herbwormwood.blogspot.com/
i love dried beans and lentils! i put them in lots of things!
"you dont have to be tall to see the moon" - african proverb
what about using a crock pot?
it is a definate time saver and u can get one for $20
thats how we make our dogs food. I just throw some water or stock and the food (beans+rice, pasta+tvp, barley+nuts), turn it on, and when I get home from work the food is done.
Each snowflake in an avalanche pleads not guilty.
I don't even know what a crock pot is.
I'm certainly aprehensive on trying something like that out. But... thanks. I might ask around.
Frankly I'm frightened by the idea of steamed casserols. ugh.
I'm Latin American! I need pasta and beans and fresh veggies. Not that we're doing good on that department.
context is everything
you can make a bean, pasta and veggie dish with a crockpot. crockpots are really great for parents with no time. you just throw a bunch of stuff in and then turn it on and leave it for the day and its ready by dinner time and you just serve it and eat. no cooking involved.
"you dont have to be tall to see the moon" - african proverb
a crock pot is a slow cooker--> http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=289940
you can make chili, soup, stew, beans and rice to eat with tortillas, roasted veggies and tofu, porridge, pot pies...
heres some recipes--> http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes/vegan,crockpot
Each snowflake in an avalanche pleads not guilty.
How old are your kids, xrodolfx? Are they at an age where you can get them to help you prepare some of the meal? Then they can't claim your attention away from the cooking. Sprouting is also great fun for kids!
"If you don't have a song to sing you're okay, you know how to get along humming" Waltz (better than fine) - Fiona Apple
Look, I'm not looking for help or suggestions. But thanks anyhow. I should've stated that at the beginning. I hope I'm not insulting you, as that is not my intention. I don't need a superman/woman. I just needed to vent. So if you listen, you are the person I need much more than someone sending me suggestions.
onwards:
My kids are 1.5 and 3.5 years old. Too young to help, and certainly not too old to demand attention all the time. That's what kids do.
We do have a solution: find more time to prepare/cook foods that are familiar favorites. That means preparation that other people in other income brackets (like our brothers, in-laws, etc) don't have to do. That's a rather unfortunate effect of being poor, but that's the solution (even more than more helpful devices). We certainly don't use the microwave much and that's supposed to make cooking easier.
The situation is aggravating.
context is everything
it is annoying in real life when u want to vent and ppl just want to help and u just want someone to listen...
but this is a forum and thats what this place is for. By reading your posts, we are listening, and the advice, while you may find it annoying and needless, it may help the next person who comes on here with no time or money.
Each snowflake in an avalanche pleads not guilty.
i felt it too, Twinkle
Each snowflake in an avalanche pleads not guilty.
*Hangs head in shame*
I know! I used to have a food bill of like $80, and now it is around $150-$200 I was racking my brain thinking why the hell has it shot up like that? Then I realised that I used to live off lentils and rice! Now I eat tons of tinned beans (still lots of rice though) and burritos and stir fry etc...
Hey loves, can anyone gimmie any help on how to go about sprouting stuff?
Pretty please?
I'm rubbish, I tried and it didn't work!
(I'm hopelessly addicted to alphafla(sp) sprouts and can't afford to keep buying them at H&B
Thank-you lots and lots
Love Melanie
~xx
I have made alfalfa before and I am pretty sure that you are supposed to soak the seeds for 8 hours (or so???). Then you drain them and put them in a dark area. You need to spray them with water once or twice a day too I think - but I haven't done it in over 2 years so you better check with someone else
Wow, super speedy reply!
Thankies StickyDate!
I'll try that!
Alfalfa sprouts are the easiest seeds to sprout putting up with all sorts of forgetfulness. I don't spray (but that sounds like a good idea) - I just (aim to) rinse twice a day. No soaking required. Larger seeds ie. lentils and chickpeas DO need to be soaked.
Lentils and alfalfa are my faves but lentils can't cope as well with forgetfulness as the hardy alfalfa sproutlets...broccoli sprouts are good too....but clearly lentils and alfalfa are the most economical.
"You can discover more about a person in one hour of play than in a year of conversation" ~ Plato
what do you sprout them in?
i want to do this.
"you dont have to be tall to see the moon" - african proverb
Well...when I started I used an old jar with a piece of fine muslin (with an elastic band to hold in place) over the top to drain them. Not very good...but okay for a first attempt. What I have now is a plastic 3-tier tray sprouter (see link for picture of the kind of thing I mean). Sprouting seeds is very cheap and a great way to get fresh salad for mere pennies (and a little bit of effort). You can sprout many seeds that are sold for cooking ie Quinoa, lentils etc. Wholefood stores also sell lentils/beans specifically for sprouting but they are much more expensive and there is no point in paying extra. (Lentils for sprouting must be whole ie. Puy, Continental, Brown etc)
http://www.ukjuicers.com/sprouters/GEOSprouter.htm
(You can get this type of thing at half that price if you look around a bit)
"You can discover more about a person in one hour of play than in a year of conversation" ~ Plato
Mm, puy lentil sprouts are delicious.
I use a plastic sprouter as well, although mine isn't quite as fancy as that.
"If you don't have a song to sing you're okay, you know how to get along humming" Waltz (better than fine) - Fiona Apple
could i just use a dish that looked like that? and what do you do? do you have to soak them? and then after soaking you just throw them in and do you have to water them or spray them or do they just grow?
"you dont have to be tall to see the moon" - african proverb
They generally need soaking overnight first (ETA maybe they don't from what heartsease says but I always do anyway!). If you use mung beans you're better off using boiling water to soak them as they have tough shells, but cold water is fine for most things.
You need to be able to give them a thorough rinse a couple of times a day to stop them going manky, which is why you need either a container with holes in it or a jar with muslin etc over the mouth. Maybe you could tip them into a sieve and rinse them in that though - it would just be a bit more trouble.
ETA I agree that home-grown sprouts are an excellent idea when one's strapped for cash because you get a huge amount of sprouts from a small packet of seeds or bag of beans, and it means you can always have something fresh even if you haven't had time to go shopping.
Hi Melanie,
Hope you have all of the info you need. I sprout all of the time. Here's my favorite:
2 TBS alfalfa seeds
1 TBS radish seeds
I soak them overnite in a quart jar of water. I use water a little warmer than room temp. But the temperature is not important as it will become room temp sitting out and that is perfect so long as it is not too cold.
I now use a plastic sprouter - The easysprout but for many years I just used the jar with a piece of cheeseclothe attached with a rubber band as Heartsease has said.
Just rinse under the tap and drain at least 2 times a day. If I'm home I rinse 3 times. There is nothing critical in the process. The most likely cause of failure is bad seeds but the seeds are hardy and survive most conditions. Frozen seeds will sprout when thawed. I imagine like raw food enzymes they may be killed somewhere between 105 and 118 degress F.
Notes:
I but a tsp of hydrogen peroxide in my soak wate to kill any fungus. It's not essential. I sprouted for years without doing this.
About once a week I dissenfect my sprouting equipement with Chlorox bleach. Not necessary but of course I recommend good hygiene - boiling water or any technique that destroys bacteria such as ecoli or at least thorough washing with hot water and detergent.
I've been adding about 1 tsp. of liquid seaweed fertilizer - Maxicrop here in the US - Also not nececessary but my sprouts seem to get off to a good start with it.
Sprouts have very high enzyme concentration at 4 days old. That's an optimal time to eat them. I eat them plain, put them in salads and sandwiches, and in green smoothies.
There isn't anything critical or difficult in the sprouting process. Sprouts want to grow and tolerate varying conditions. some people say to cover them so that it is dark when they begin sprouting but it is totally unnecessary.
Email or PM if you have any questions.
Best Wishes,
Robert
PS Don't be saying your rubbish. That's Bull
May all Beings be Free of Suffering
a good tip which i learnt today, for eating cheaply....or cheaper anyway..
keep an eye on your pantry and clear it out occasionally!!
i did a few kitchen cupboards today and found a whole bag of white rice, 2 bags of white basmati, 3 half bags of brown basmati, half a large bag jasmine rice, two unopened bags white & two wholewheat spaghetti, 3 half bags of mixed dried pasta, 2 boxes risotto rice, box paella rice, half box puy lentils, bag of red lentils, half bag channa dhal, half bag yellow split lentils ....there was more but i won't embarrass myself any further.
my point is spend less on unncessary purchasing by keeping an eye on your cupboards and cook from whats in them as opposed to looking for a recipe and buying what you need from that - you may have it in the cupboard already!!
Because soy milk is very expensive in Kansas, as it probably is in most places without any demand, I have began researching alternatives to cow milk alternatives. I have discovered that rice and oat milk are very easy to make and very inexpensive.
Begin with either 1-2 cups uncooked rice (brown or white) or 1-2 cups cooked oatmeal. You will also need two cups of water.
Rice: You will need to cook the rice with the water for about 20 minutes and then put it in the blender and blend until smoothed. Let the mixture sit and then strain the rice out, you can do this carefully with two cups if you have no cheese cloth.
Oat: You put the cooked oatmeal with water into a blender and blend until smooth.
Flavoring for both: Take the "milk" and blend again with whatever you want. I suggest almonds, pecans, bananas, strawberries, or blueberries.
*I suggest flavoring it based on what you will use it for.
I think that if you don't like the taste (it might take a while to like) you can use the rice and oat milk in recipes or with cereal at first.
Also here is my delicious smoothie recipe! Use however much you want of anything.
-Orange juice, about 1-2 cups
-Milk substitute, about 1 cup
-Bananas, 3-4
-Spinach, 2 handfuls
-Carrots, 10 of the small (baby) kind
-Grapes, 10
-Peaches or strawberries, 2 handfuls
*I know my recipe is nothing extremely new, I just like to incorporate vegetables and fruit in mine.
brendon
thanx brendon- very useful!
Each snowflake in an avalanche pleads not guilty.
Your welcome. It is hard to get used to the "milk", the oatmeal tends to make it sticky.
Me too cedarblue. I've been trying to eat less processed food/save money and have been clearing out my cupboards. I had several bags of frozen beans in the freezer, thinking they would be quick to add to soups etc. No, should have read the directions. They take 30 minutes to cook! And these are black eyed peas and lima beans.
it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble
I don't buy clothes, electronics, furniture, etc.
I pretty much buy gas (petrol) and food, and sometimes I don't have enough for either!
I always buy stuff that is the cheapest per unit (like $1.20 per oz). Sales don't affect me, it's always the per unit price that matters.
Are dried beans really cheaper than canned?
Anyway everything I buy is cheap but for some reason adds up to a lot. I went and spent $33 on two grocery bags tonight, argh...
That is what I think I am going to do when I move out of my parent's house. I will be a minimalist. I will just have the essentials by US standards. (Excluding an oven (I would probably set my house on dire) and large refrigerator.) And I sew most of my own clothes, or at least repair them. Lastly, I hate cable tv, so all I will need is a vcr and tv for movies.
Most of my money will go towards soy milk.
Not only are dried beans cheaper, you also don't have to deal with all of that salt and preservatives in canned beans. The only drawback is time. But just soak them over night and then boil them the next day for the recommended time.
Yeah, on the whole I do prefer to use dried beans. But I do have to admit that for convenience reasons I do buy the canned variety sometimes. I don't tend to plan my meals, so soaking over night only happens occasionally.
I like football. And potatoes.
I do sympathise with your feelings on this. There have been times when I have wanted a bean dish and have forgotten to soak beans, so no bean dish!
I do sometimes soak some chick peas or kidney beans for a day or 2 and then drain them and freeze them. That way they are on hand and actually cook faster after being soaked.
One thing I don't bother using dried beans yet is the "baked beans". However I did buy some dried haricots and I'm going to give it a go. Also, the green beans aka french beans. I buy them freshly frozen.
In general the prices of dried beans varies wildly depending on where you buy and what kind you buy.
I buy either from a wholesaler (Suma) or the oriental food stores. I could pay about £1.40 for a kilo of dried beans from either of these. The health food store or the supermarket would charge more.
See my local diary ... http://herbwormwood.blogspot.com/
i wonder whether dried legumes still end up being cheaper if you add the cost of cooking (water, and gas/electricity mainly), seen as the cooking time is so much longer than for canned beans...some types i need to leave on the stove for more than 2 hrs...that's got to consume quite a lot of gas/electricity. canned beans just need to be warmed up. the smaller the portions you cook at a time, the more this would effect the final cost, obviously.
I suppose there's no way around them being healthier though.
Like someone else mentioned, i also always go for the lowest per-unit-price, and yet my groceries add up to big bills. my flatmates who buy much more expensive products than me (got to be specific brands, processed foods etc) still spend less than me on a monthly basis. i think it must be because they eat tiny portions, and i never stop eating
edit: may i add that i have no pressure cooker, that would reduce cooking time...hmm..time to go shopping again?
Piggy
if u think about it too, the canned beans would only be a handful of the dried bean before theyre cooked.
Each snowflake in an avalanche pleads not guilty.
Yeah, it is almost always better to go with dried beans.
cheaper
bigger quantity
no salt
no preservatives
more room for creativeness
Beans are so delightful, you can make so many vegan classics:
hummus
curries and other indian foods
soups.
okay so I don't have that many ideas, but there are a few common uses for beans.
At the risk of sickening you all of this bean issue, Piggy's point has some logic.
If you are only going to need a very small qantity of beans once in a while you may not want to bother doing the soaking and cooking thing.
To save on cooking costs you can make sure the beans have soaked long enough...they should have no wrinkles on them and they should look smooth and shiny. Larger beans can benefit from a couple of days soak, you need to change the water a few times.
Beans that are too old will take longer to cook because the longer they are stored the more they dry out. So always check the sell by date when buying. It saves on cooking costs to soak and cook more quantity than you need, and put some cooled and cooked beans in the freezer. Make sure to write the date on the packet.
I don't have a pressure cooker but I use a pan with a heavy lid and keep the lid on whilst the beans are cooking. I don't add salt, I think they take longer if you add salt?
One more thing... I make sure the beans are soft enough before I add them to my recipe. This means I don't end up overcooking the whole dish.
See my local diary ... http://herbwormwood.blogspot.com/
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