Poor vegan, cheap living

[twinkle]

... 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.

I've heard salt toughens the skins.

That last point is particularly good advice. It's bad when you think "I'll add these and they'll finish cooking in the dish", then they don't and the whole thing is made less nice because of chewy beans or soggy veg

[RubyDuby]

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.

chili
beans on toast
baked beans
bean dip
bean salad
beans and rice
refried beans and most mexican dishes
...I feel like (veganized)Bubba

[LittleSeaWolf]

beans, beans, beans... I love em. Irarely get them in a can .. I dont have a car, and a bag full of cans is pure torture lol I never remeber to soak them either. If you guys want a filling meal that'll last for about 4 days.... heres the ultimate "cozy" bean meal:

Ive made this tons of times... lasts forever, its warm, its filling... its almost comfort food. I'm always changing the recipe for fun. Personally im not a cooking"spray fan". :P Oh.... and instead of canola oil you can substitue with apple sauce... does the same thing, and its fat free.


HOBO CASSEROLE ( lol)Vegetable cooking spray
1 c. onion, chopped
1/2 c. green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can kidney beans, drained(or soaked equiv)
1 can pinto beans, drained(or soaked equiv)
1 (16 oz.) can tomatoes, chopped, juice and all
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. mustard
1/8 tsp. hot sauce(I like Tapatio)

BREAD MIXTURE:
1 c. yellow corn meal
1 c. flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 c. soy milk
1/2 c. egg substitute (i omitted this alltogether lol)
3 tbsp. Canola oil (if desired)
1 (8 1/2 oz.) can cream style corn (i mashed reg corn and added silk creamer-not toomuch lol)

Spray skillet with vegetable cooking spray, saute onion, green peppers and garlic until tender. May add 1/4 cup water if desired. Stir in beans and next 7 ingredients. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Pour into 9x13 baking dish. Set aside.Combine meal and flour with next 3 ingredients, add to dry mixture next 4 ingredients. Mix well. Spoon evenly over bean mixture to within 1 inch of edge, all around.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until corn bread is done.

[bryzee86]

ooh i'll make that tomorrow.

[EcoTribalVegan]

I don't think I've been as badly off as some people here. I have always had some form of food. When I do have money I try to stock up on canned beans ($0.50-0.70/can you can't go wrong), frozen vegetables and fruit and pastas (non-perishables is the key point).

Lately our fridge is running a little low too though. I think it will either come down to rent or grocery money. So groceries will be tight the next couple months. I have $8,000+ in student loans and have a rabbit companion that is requiring upwards of $2,000 in surgery (he has a really aggressive abscess). I am lucky though too that I have my mom who seems always willing to feed me. I'm actually going over tonight and she said she will make fallafels for us. Then she always sends us the left-overs. I feel a little bit moochy but I suppose that's what moms are there for. We haven't been to visit them for a few weeks anyway, so it was over due.

[Fuhzy]

EcoTribal, sorry to hear about your rabbit. I do have a question though, where do you keep him? I heard they are tough to litter box train and you can't give them free-run of the house. Is this true? I would love to get a rabbit (no cats b/c of the food dilemma). How much do they cost? Food?

[KrissStress]

my wife and I have two bunnies. They're lionheads, three months old and sisters and truthfully, aside from the odd and occasional territory marking on the couch (which can be removed easily), they're very easily litter box trained. We just put some of their fecal pellets into the places we wanted them to do their business and they adaped almost immediately.

I know it sounds gross, but we also feed them there as well (since alot of the time, they defecate at the same time that they're feeding). As for food, we usually give them either fresh romaine lettuce or packaged spring mix along with celery, (SMALL amounts of) oranges and banana along with a couple of other oddities occasionally.

They can typically be disciplined with a spray bottle (this is the best way I've found to discipline our's as it requires no physical discipline in hand form, which is advised against strongly) and for the most part don't chew on things that aren't there's. They're only three months old, so we accomodate their chewing needs by giving them used toilet paper rolls and cardboard and things of that sort. At that age, their teeth are hurting horribly since they're developing - so they need SOMETHING to chew on...

[RubyDuby]

I'm not trying to sound preachy, but I'm disappointed when I see vegans talking about purchasing companion animals... esp on poor vegan thread. Couldn't u rescue??

[Mystic]

I'm not trying to sound preachy, but I'm disappointed when I see vegans talking about purchasing companion animals... esp on poor vegan thread. Couldn't u rescue??

How do you know they are not rescued? By the way, I agree that it is much better to rescue but I have to admit that I purchased my dog from a shop window 8 years ago when I was still oblivious to the cruelty and puppy farms. He is my best friend and I don't regret it at all, but I will purchase all future animals from shelters and pounds.

[KrissStress]

Here's how I see it - alot of pet stores (mall ones in particular) are extremely abusive and neglectful towards the animals they have in 'stock' and for sale. Not only that, but a life is a life - whether it came from a previously abused situation by way of a shelter or whether it came from a posh pet store. I understand the importance of rescuing strays and other animals in shelters, but if we all were to take that mentality, there'd be quite the overflow of animals in pet shoppes which would lead to even worse abuse and neglect in their particular sectors.

Animals get lonely and sad and have anger and hopes just like any human being - so to sit in a kennel of a pet store for months or years on end without any companionship (oftentimes, sans even fellowship from their own particular species) is just as damaging as an animal whose been taken off the street to reside in a pound or shelter.

[EcoTribalVegan]

EcoTribal, sorry to hear about your rabbit. I do have a question though, where do you keep him? I heard they are tough to litter box train and you can't give them free-run of the house. Is this true? I would love to get a rabbit (no cats b/c of the food dilemma). How much do they cost? Food?

We let them out and around the house as much as possible. They're actually quite easy to litter train. My fiancee is the rabbit expert though. I just enjoy their company lol.

Food is relatively cheap. In fact, we were told that the pellets we have been giving them were created by the rabbit farming industry for no other purpose than to fatten rabbits up. So from now on (after this bag; no sense wasting it), we're just going to feed them lots of healthy hay. The vet says it's the best thing for them.

I'm not trying to sound preachy, but I'm disappointed when I see vegans talking about purchasing companion animals... esp on poor vegan thread. Couldn't u rescue??

All the animal companions we have now, save one (the rabbit with an abscess) were purchased. This happened years before I was really understanding of the nature of the animal trade. Believe me, I won't be purchasing any more. Although I am positive we will adopt.

Neo, our found rabbit, was an abandoned rabbit. We noticed him around our building and he clearly wasn't wild (as he approached us quite readily).

[Roxy]

beans, beans, beans... I love em. Irarely get them in a can .. I dont have a car, and a bag full of cans is pure torture lol I never remeber to soak them either. If you guys want a filling meal that'll last for about 4 days.... heres the ultimate "cozy" bean meal:

Ive made this tons of times... lasts forever, its warm, its filling... its almost comfort food. I'm always changing the recipe for fun. Personally im not a cooking"spray fan". :P Oh.... and instead of canola oil you can substitue with apple sauce... does the same thing, and its fat free.


HOBO CASSEROLE ( lol)Vegetable cooking spray
1 c. onion, chopped
1/2 c. green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can kidney beans, drained(or soaked equiv)
1 can pinto beans, drained(or soaked equiv)
1 (16 oz.) can tomatoes, chopped, juice and all
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. mustard
1/8 tsp. hot sauce(I like Tapatio)

BREAD MIXTURE:
1 c. yellow corn meal
1 c. flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 c. soy milk
1/2 c. egg substitute (i omitted this alltogether lol)
3 tbsp. Canola oil (if desired)
1 (8 1/2 oz.) can cream style corn (i mashed reg corn and added silk creamer-not toomuch lol)

Spray skillet with vegetable cooking spray, saute onion, green peppers and garlic until tender. May add 1/4 cup water if desired. Stir in beans and next 7 ingredients. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Pour into 9x13 baking dish. Set aside.Combine meal and flour with next 3 ingredients, add to dry mixture next 4 ingredients. Mix well. Spoon evenly over bean mixture to within 1 inch of edge, all around.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until corn bread is done.

Mmmmm this sounds like a yummy winter dish! I'm going to pick up the cream corn and beans next time I do groceries and I'm gonna make it Let me know how it turns out for you bryzee!

[brendonnn]

I saw a casserole recipe on here so I thought I would share my cheap recipe too. It is easy if all you have is canned food as well.

First of all, I am the kind of cook who doesn't measure or follow recipes lending me the ability to create new and exciting things, but more often than not horrible "abominations".

So here is a rough idea:

oven=375 f

filling:
2 cups of corn (1 can)
2 cups of beans (1 can)- I normally use chickpeas
1 cup of frozen or cooked spinach (so it is tightly packed) (if raw, use 2-3 cups)
1 cup of tomato, onion, pepper mix (basically any salsa will do)
some water

crust (whatever feels right, be creative or something):
flour and corn meal (about 1 1/4 cup mixture)
some olive oil (about 1/4 cup or less!)
some water (about 3 tablespoons-ish)
tortilla chips

Bring the filling ingredients to a boil on the stove. While doing this mix together the corn meal, flour, oil and water. Also, smash the tortilla chips. Put the filling in a small glass dish and drizzle the crust over and sprinkle on the chips. Pop into the oven for about 30 minutes.

DELICIOUS!

[RubyDuby]

How do you know they are not rescued?

I was referring to this...

How much do they cost? Food?

and the mention of "3 month old sister lionheads" sounded purchased.

[RubyDuby]

I wasn't trying to be a jerk. As vegans you guys (whoever was offended by me) should understand a need to say something about certain situations... in this case, purchasing animals. If nobody ever brought animal cruelty to our attention, for fear of insulting us, we wouldn't be vegans now. (I know thats a very general statement, but I hope you know what I mean.)

but if we all were to take that mentality, there'd be quite the overflow of animals in pet shoppes which would lead to even worse abuse and neglect in their particular sectors.

not giving money to pet stores would lead to pet overpopulation? I think you're confused.

[Mystic]

I don't think you were being a jerk at all - I agree with you, I just didn't know where you got the idea that the pets were purchased.

[KrissStress]

Ruby, I'll give you that. Looking back on that last sentence, it completely contradicts itself. My apologies.

As for the differences in purchasing and adopting, my wife and I have LONG been after lionhead rabbits in particular. In our living circumstances, their size as well as their needs are perfect for where we're at. As a newer breed, they're a bit of a rarity in shelters - infact, we didn't find any (being Chicago based, we looked as far out as two seperate states to see if we could - commuting wasn't the issue). We gave up and didn't bother after (literally) two dozen shelters.

A month or so back while we were on tour, we found two sisters in a pet shop local to that area. Perhaps I'm betraying my cause to social justice here (being a good 'ol vegan and all), but when we saw them, our minds weren't on the issues of them being deliberately bred and domesticated - our minds were on the joy that we were feeling from having FINALLY found THE type of rabbits that we'd been wanting. And I'll be frank - if I had to do it again, I would. I'm sorry, but in the last month they've given us so much joy and they've been wonderful as pets and as friends (we spoil the daylights out of them).

I understand that as vegans, we're supposed to be enlightened, aware and ultimately active in making sure animals of ANY kind receive justice and are treated fairly - but my mind (and this is only my own personal opinion, NOT to be anyone else's or to push it on anyone else) is more focused on making others aware of their choice not only in the diets and their clothing, but the way they view animals (mainly as other beings and not as a tangible resource). In my efforts to find the rabbits I wanted, I tried the shelters (be fully cognicant of the harsher treatments they receive in places of that sort) and came up empty. The next answer (and an accidental one at that) was a garden variety pet shop.

To have given up on the kind of rabbit I and my wife wanted, we would've been forced to settle with another rabbit larger and more impractical for us to work with and take care of. Keeping in mind an animals emotions and thoughts are what led us to ultimately buy two (as rabbits are creatures prone to loneliness and anger if they're by themselves or without companionship from their own species).

[Fuhzy]

I was referring to this...

and the mention of "3 month old sister lionheads" sounded purchased.

Sorry for starting a big debate, I just assumed that no matter where you got a rabbit (pet store, shelter, etc.) that they would cost some amount of money...

[snivelingchild]

Why does it seem that the poorest of us end up with the most animals, and vet bills to boot?! I'm lucky that the gang has been pretty okay recently. The old dog is still getting sicker, but I've been spending money on some more natural ways I think I can bring her health back, so I think she'll be okay. I'm just glad that I work at a health food store that lets me take expired food home! *mmmmm, free vegan health food*

I've recently found a dog food that's meant for dogs with troubled digestion (like mine) that's half the cost of what I give them now, and I can get it locally instead of through the mail. It's tempting. The food is vegan, except for the added vitamins sourced from animals. I've used it when the mail order stuff runs out, but I'd feel bad about purposefully puchasing it instead. If it weren't for that one thing I could save $50 a month.

[PaintedXSkyline]

If it weren't for that one thing I could save $50 a month.

you could try writting to that company explaining your situation.
maybe they'd care enough to do something, you never know...



....just a thought.

[Roxy]

I saw a casserole recipe on here so I thought I would share my cheap recipe too. It is easy if all you have is canned food as well.

First of all, I am the kind of cook who doesn't measure or follow recipes lending me the ability to create new and exciting things, but more often than not horrible "abominations".

So here is a rough idea:

oven=375 f

filling:
2 cups of corn (1 can)
2 cups of beans (1 can)- I normally use chickpeas
1 cup of frozen or cooked spinach (so it is tightly packed) (if raw, use 2-3 cups)
1 cup of tomato, onion, pepper mix (basically any salsa will do)
some water

crust (whatever feels right, be creative or something):
flour and corn meal (about 1 1/4 cup mixture)
some olive oil (about 1/4 cup or less!)
some water (about 3 tablespoons-ish)
tortilla chips

Bring the filling ingredients to a boil on the stove. While doing this mix together the corn meal, flour, oil and water. Also, smash the tortilla chips. Put the filling in a small glass dish and drizzle the crust over and sprinkle on the chips. Pop into the oven for about 30 minutes.

DELICIOUS!

Mmmmm - I love wintery foods like this!

[puca]

So, here's a thread for vegan students.

How well do you eat on your student budget?

Got any good recipes?

[xrodolfox]

I'm no longer a student, but when I was a University Undergrad, I moved into a student housing co-op that served only vegan meals.

I learned a lot there about cooking (for 30+ people), and about how to get good foods cheap, and even growing basic spices too.

It was very cheap too. I think that our vegan co-op had the cheapest rates for food out of all the competing co-ops. One other co-op was vegetarian (and slightly more expensive), and the others were omnivorous and had worse food for more money. I should know, because I lived in one of the other co-ops for a summer. Yuckky food in those, and it was expensive.

I think we paid less than $100/month for 6 dinners a week and all the bulk snacks we could consume and ingredients for making ourselves individual breakfasts and lunches 7 days a week. This was back in 1996-1998, so I imagine prices have inflated. But still. It was cheap.

I eat much more expensive now 'cause I'm not buying in bulk and I eat a lot more "comfort" vegan foods because unlike my student days, I don't have an hour to cook any more.

But if you get a chance, you should try and at least board at a vegan co-op. You'll learn a lot, and the food is generally pretty good too.

[Fungus]

I'll always have beans on toast ...

[JC]

i stock up on cans, such as soups, casseroles etc. then when i buy fresh vegetables, i prepare almost all of it in one go, like i'll make one big vegetable chilli for example, then freeze loads of individual portions. then when i need a quick lunch, i just defrost one of my meals. i also like using freeze-dried soya mince and just using onion, mushrooms and gravy granules to make it up into mince

[Mystic]

When I was a student I lived off dhal and rice - and not much else

[flying plum]

i tend to spend about £15 a week on food. i buy dried pulses rather than cans and get my fruit and veg from a stall in balham market. find that it's better quality than supermarkets, and cheaper too.

however, i'm not one for budgets...my boyfriend is the king of getting stuff on offer in the supermarket and coming out with a weeks worth of shopping for a fiver. i tend to try to stay under £20 a week, which i can afford to do. i work, and i cycle to and from uni so after rent, i don't really have any other expenditure *l*

amanda

[MillieAnne]

I spend a lot of my money on food but when I am in a tight budget then I make something big and packed full of nutrition to get me through the week.

This is my favorite.

Take a block of firm tofu and crumble it into a big tupperware container. Blanch 1 pound of asparagus, 1 bunch of kale (all tough stems removed), 1 pound of green beans, and any other green vegetable that you like. Place all of them in the food processor with 1 cup of sliced almonds or pine nuts (almonds are cheaper for the budget) with just a little olive oil and process until it looks like hummus. Combine with the really well crumbled tofu and add 1/4 cup well chopped basil. This is almost like a really chunky pesto. It goes well on anything and is full of nutrients. Pasta, frozen vegetables, rice, or if you are feeling frisky, a home made vegan pizza.

This may be a little more than what your budget calls for but I am a culinary nutrition student so I don't really have anything better to spend it on...this is what I do!

[Cup'O'Tea]

I'm a student and I still live on my mom's income, but I'm trying to get used to budgeting, even with her money.

I buy lots of canned soups and beans, I always have oatmeal for breakfast with fruit, and I keep lots of frozen fruits and vegetables in the fridge. It's best if you can stock up on the fruits and vegetables when they're in season, then freeze them yourself. It saves money.

I always bring my lunch to school - pita, salad or sandwich with veggies, beans, hummus, or nut/seed butter with fruit spread.

Invest in some good food containers and a thermos to store soup.

Buying things in bulk (things that won't go bad) slashes costs, and uses less packaging, which is wonderful. I keep walnuts, soya seeds and almonds in my freezer to use on salads, in oatmeal, in desserts, etc. I bought them all in bulk which seems expensive at the time, but they last a long time if you're using them in moderation.

[Aurore]

i'm a student that still lives with mom and dad, but i'm the only one who walks in a healthfood store, so i buy my vegetarian stuff :
-quinoa, so versatile and cheap, i recently bought a kilo for about 3€
-red lentils
-rice
-tofu (usually i'll buy it at a chinese grocery store, it's more wallet friendly)

as a treat i'll buy myself almonds or nuts, and as a big treat some almond milk.

for the fruits and veggies, the best deal remains the market. compare the prices because if it's big there's more than one seller. if possible, try to get there not too early as they may lower the prices to get rid of those they didn't sell before the end.

i also try to cook more than i need for one meal and freeze or tupperware and store in the fridge. mom also keeps ready a bag full of different vegetables for her ratatouille. frozen onions are also a life savior.

[sugarmouse]

I am a mature student but I try to be frugal i work part time.
Staples are
Lentils
Tinned tomatos
Tofu
Frozen veggies

Also I shop at discount stores and farmers markets alot-especially at the end o the day whern things are reduced.I make lots of soups and make two or three meals in one go adn freeze things...e/gI ll cook some tomato soup, then take some aside use some as stir fry sauce with a little extra spices, then thicken the restup with veggies and use as sauce with lentils/quinoa or chickpeas.....
I eat lots of salads too but I try to make sure I buy when reduced...

[ellaminnowpea]

I'm not sure how interesting my meals are, but I try to stick to this mealplan Monday through Friday. Saturday and Sunday are usually messed up since I drink and either get sick, eat too much lol, or travel. I'm also working on eating more raw, so every other day is about 95% raw.

RAW DAYS:
B: mono eating of some fruit - mangoes, grapefruit, bananas
L: I don't have breaks, but I may get brazil nuts, dates, and Lara bars if I can get to the grocery store this weekend
D: salad (bean sprouts, kale leaves, plum tomato, carrots, Bragg's Sesame Ginger aminos dressing + 1c black/kidney beans)
S: unlimited tea and another fruit three hours after dinner

COOKED DAYS:
B: 1/3c quinoa flakes + small banana + ground flaxseeds + 2 oz soymilk or ricemilk
L: I don't have breaks, but I may get brazil nuts, dates, and Luna bars if I can get to the grocery store this weekend
D: veggie stirfry from work (spinach leaves, bok choy, carrots, swiss chard, red bell pepper, mung bean sprouts, tomatoes, other veggies, sesame oil, edamame)
S: unlimited tea and another fruit three hours after dinner

I did just buy two cans of lentils to add to some of my veggie-based meals as I think I may need some more protein and calories in there.

[ellaminnowpea]

I've not found a market around here besides grocery, so I'm always paying so much money for food! I hate spending money on food, but I know as soon as my eating goes downhill with calories and nutrients, I begin to feel like shit. I guess the money is worth it, it is my health... just sucks that the uni and grocery store drain almost all my money!!

[Fungus]

MillieAnne - sounds like a nice idea - will try it out tomorrow

[wilsonclan]

Well, this isn't about organic foods, but this is another go-round for me on the vegan wagon. I've come to calling myself an "errant vegan" - I have good intentions, I try, but sometimes it just doesn't work out. Then I learn a little more, make things a little simpler, and try again.

This round was sparked by the news report about Hallmark Slaughterhouse, and what I saw on video footage (on national news, not a PETA video) regarding sick and injured cows.

My husband had bought some veggie convenience foods that were not vegan, but to be polite and to encourage his efforts to support me, I eat it anyway ... though now I'm politely telling him, please, no more "vegetarian" convenience foods .... (he's a meat eater, really doesn't like vegan foods, but he likes Smart Ground and other substitutes - however, they're expensive when feeding a family of four).

I'm finding it far simpler to stick with soymilk, beans, various grains, and some frozen or fresh veggies tossed in, or maybe some salsa, crushed almonds, or other added treats. It travels better (I'm on the go a lot with our kids and with my volunteer work), lasts longer, and fills me better.

And .... if it's a bean, grain, or veggie - I don't have to check a label to know if it's vegan. It's very simple. If it came from the ground, it's vegan. If it came from the ground, I can eat it with a clear conscience and no heartache. And I don't like butter or heavy sauces - I mostly cook with olive oil, vinegar, soy sauce, etc.

I do check soymilk labels because some brands toss in weird ingredients.

[emmapresley]

good stuff...welcome to the forum..knowledge is power and all that

[Mystic]

Welcome You seem very compassionate and it is very nice to have you here!

Eating foods in their natural state is often much cheaper then buying pre-packaged/processed foods, and it is also much healthier. I am no health food junkie, but for money saving purposes, my shopping lists generally don't stray from staples, such as brown rice, wholemeal pasta, dried beans and legumes (and some canned), herbs/spices, fresh vegies and fruit, green tea, coffee, bread, rice cakes/corn thins, dried fruits, natural peanut butter, all fruit jam, oatmeal and a few extras like juice, potato chips, corn chips and pop corn. My omnivorous (but veg at home) husband has soy milk too.

I have learned to cook too - I used to be lazy and live off convenience foods, but now I make my own refried beans to make burritos (soooo cheap!), I make my own pasta sauces, I make shepherds pie, soups, stir-fries etc, and I make my own cakes and muffins!

I don't buy organic coz I can't afford it, but I try to eat well with the resources that I have got Good luck!

[journey]

My husband recently became vegetarian, and was being nice, came home with a new kind of soy cheese frozen pizza, thinking it would be something we both could share. It was so sweet of him, and he really was trying, I hated to tell him that particular brand includes milk (as many soy cheeses do). But I knew if I ate it anyway, he'd buy it again thinking I like it and that he was doing something nice for me. So I gently told him about the milk in it, and that I've accidently bought soy cheese with milk in it. He was going to return it to the store, but decided to try it one night when I was out - he liked it - since he's vegetarian rather than vegan, I don't know if that's any better than full milk cheese, but we got a laugh out of it, and now he knows what brand to get. Live and learn.

[Hemlock]

I am skint, I have no money until pay day and the cupboard is bare. Whilst this is good for my figure I have just been forced to eat baked beans and spaghetti (barf - I hate baked beans).
Tomorrow I will be having dehydrated soya chunks a la tomate with possibly a bit of frozen spinach that I haven't yet touched as I let the packet defrost accidentally and instead of being little cubes of spinach it is now one giant chunk that can only be broken up using a jackhammer.
I do however have porridge oats and golden syrup, if I go shop lifting for some margerine I can make flapjacks I refuse to substitute baked beans for the margerine

[Ruby Rose]

It reminds me of when I was a student... at the end of term when everyone was super-skint, one of our friends invited 10 of us round to dinner. He said he'd be making Fish Finger Surprise. The surprise was there were no fish fingers - it was rice and tomato ketchup!

[JC]

Hmm that is quite a predicament! If you have a little bit of money, i would recommend buying some cheap chopped tomatoes, cheap kidney beans and cheap frozen mixed veg and making up a big batch of chilli, then freezing it into portions. Well that's what i do anyway, and i'm a student so i'm a bit of an expert in this field

[Ruby Rose]

It's time to visit friends!

[Hemlock]

It reminds me of when I was a student... at the end of term when everyone was super-skint, one of our friends invited 10 of us round to dinner. He said he'd be making Fish Finger Surprise. The surprise was there were no fish fingers - it was rice and tomato ketchup!

Hahahahahahahahaha

[Joeybee]

it's great doing nursing isn't it?!

[Risker]

I eat morrisons own brand curry flavoured noodles - 8p a packet.

[Sluggie]

There's always dumpster diving. Or if you have any neighbours with a vegetable patch, you could go and make appreciative comments while they're working on it, until they give you some. Local allotments on a weekend are a good place for scrounging. Vegetable growers always seem to have an excess of veggies that they are only too happy to give away to anyone who shows a polite interest.

If you have enough oats, you could make your own oatmilk for porridge.

[journey]

A box of instant brown rice is pretty cheap (and easy to make too).

When I was broke not so long ago, I cleaned out all my backpacks from camping and found a fair amount of backpacking food - maybe not the most exciting stuff, but it held me over for a week til I could buy something better.

[Janet]

Whats wrong with baked bean flapjacks? You could paint them black and pretend they're currants LOL. Try telling the local veg shop you have a rabbit and see if they wil give you anything.

[vegcurry]

Go to the library and check out Food For Free by Richard Mabey, or Wild Food by Ray Mears, or The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants, Mushrooms, Fruits, and Nuts: How to Find, Identify, and Cook Them by Katie Letcher Lyle. They might provide enough information for you to go searching for a naturally sourced supply of food.

Go to the coast and get yourself some sea lettuce (if you like seaweed that is).

[Hemlock]

Go to the library and check out Food For Free by Richard Mabey, or Wild Food by Ray Mears, or The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants, Mushrooms, Fruits, and Nuts: How to Find, Identify, and Cook Them by Katie Letcher Lyle. They might provide enough information for you to go searching for a naturally sourced supply of food.

Go to the coast and get yourself some sea lettuce (if you like seaweed that is).

I didn't think of that We have Food for Free on the bookshelf and enough brown rice to sink a battleship - we also found a can of mock duck but I'm not sure we're that desperate yet

Janet: LOL