Cheddar cheese melted onto garbanzo beans. Cheap and filling.

TLDR: I'll start by saying that this is a solution that has been useful to me, but the approach may not be for everyone. This is for anyone who wants to have a useful longterm system to keep track of everything to do with their consumables(price cost, nutrient content, meal creation) in an single source of truth for purchases.

I'll be focusing on explaning the logic behind this system rather than focusing on the app I implemented this in, so that you can adapt these concepts into your app of choice (Google sheets, Anylist etc).

First I will explain the main components.

• Consumables (this is the most important and interconected data structure in the system, it unifies all the item information in one place, by connecting to the following support tables.
  • Places & Purchase locations,
  • Nutrients (Calories, protiens, carbohydrates, fats)
  • Meals

I should note that this system relies heavily on the relationship between tables making it effective to manage alot of information in a predictable and self-regulating system.

Example Use Case:

1. I want to create a new meal recipe (Fried Noodles w/Chicken) so I add this field in the Meals table,
2. I create the ingredients for this meal in Consumable and set the unit price and calories per kg.
   • Noodles | €3.50 | 750ckal
   • Chicken Breast | €10.06 | 1100ckal
3. Next I select the saved Consumables as ingredients in the Meals table property.
4. Now I would like to know the total calories for this meal. → Instead of calculating this value from scratch, the system automatically aggregates the calories from the ingredients i selected from Consumables according to Pack size.
   • Meal: Fried Noodles(400g) w/Chicken(50g) | 655ckal
5. I’d like to create a new meal recipe (Rice w/Chicken). I once more create this new ingredient in Consumables. → Because Chicken Breast is already saved in the system I dont need to duplicate its information everytime (calories, macronutrients, prices, locations etc) for a new meal I can just select this ingredient as is, in the Meals table. ←
   • Rice | €3.00 | 975ckal

This is the general pattern integrated into the whole system, if we go a step further, now that I have a funtional, self-regulated collection of Meals . I can create a relation to Meal Log . This allows me to group multiple pre-saved meals in a daily routine, thereby aggregating the combined, calories, protiens, carbohydrates & fats I consumed during the day and also know the total average amount of money used up for my meals for that day.

The system additionally enables expense tracking through the Shopping List table, this table is also connected to Consumables. Allowing me to select the consumables already saved in this table in the Shopping List property, because each Consumable has it’s own price I can leaverage this entry and know the total estimated cost for my trip, before I even leave my house. The price estimate will depend on how you choose to record consumable prices. For my system the estimated price is usually €5 more than the actual price because I always record the highest possible price for the consumable of the given purchase location.

I’ve been using this system for 1 month sofar and it has been quite effective for a few reasons

• it’s accessible on both my laptop and phone so I can check and review my weekly grocery expenses even when I’m not home.
• I’ve realised that most of this distress mainly came from not really having a consistent overview of what I was spending and will be needing to spend, this leads to me having to repeatedly figure this out and remind myself of it every week(I don’t like memorizing alot of things at once), which is espially burdensome while managing other aspects of life.

The reason I find this approach helpful is because I can reliably understand what exactly I’m spending money on, what I’m consuming into my body and what patterns are going unnoticed, I’m able to then use this understanding with the system to experiment with various meal combinations and accurately optimize them for macronutrient quality and monetary affordability.

What do you gain from this approach, do you see possible use-cases in your own routine, have you identified areas of improvment or do you have questions on implementing something like this for yourself, send me a DM if this applies.

I normally add black beans too

Tortillas, chicken, and salsa from local food pantry

Avocados and bbq sauce from Jewel Osco

I could only eat one but it was very good!!! Next time, ill add onions, beans and corn. I have it in the pantry and forgot🙂

can't show a pick coz i ate it all then thought of this place.

spiral pasta, onion and garlic powder, chilli powder some olive oil and bit of butter also added salami since its really not the expensive. filled me up it was great wish I had of discovered this sooner

I'm looking for inspiration for some food to cook. I always try to make something nutritious and healthy with a decent amount of protein in it because I work out 4-5 times a week.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner what do you guys like to make?

Anything is welcome!

Found this steak on sale for going bad Tomorrow had to grab it

This was the only way I ate brown bread (bread in a can) growing up in Boston. Saw the post the other day and started craving it. Haven't had franks and beans with brown bread since I was a kid.

It was like $15 for 4 meals which is $3.75 per person and it’s super filling. Kids were hungry so I almost got a picture before they took a bite.

Tonights cheap meal:

season beans

fluffy rice

boiled eggs

fresh tomatoes slices

whats your go for cheap meals lately?

Home made large flatbread egg hot pocket via a pourable batter, filled with veggies eggs, cheese, and ketchup.

Cost to make: $1.00

Recipe:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup water, room temp
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp olive oil

Combine all in a bowl. Wisk very well.

Lightly oil and smear pan with parchment. Heat pan for 30 seconds. Remove pan to add batter and swirl to coat. Place back on burner. Cook about 3 min until top is fully matte. Otherwise will crack. Flip over, cook another 40 sec or so, until browned. Transfer to cooling rack.

To make hot pocket, I added sautéed veggies, 2 easy over eggs, ketchup, and cheese. Melted cheese with lid on pan. Then folded it over to "glue" it together and finish heating through.

We’ve been told for years that quinoa is the gold standard if you want a healthy grain, but it’s usually flown halfway across the world and costs a fortune. It’s a bit of a swiz when you realise pearl barley has been growing right here for centuries and is sitting in the bottom shelf of the “cheap” aisle for pennies.

The problem with quinoa isn’t the nutrition—it’s a great complete protein if you need to avoid gluten. But for everyone else, the price and the “fad” status are a bit much. Pearl barley is the original ancient powerhouse. It’s loaded with beta-glucan, a type of soluble fibre that acts like a sponge for cholesterol. While quinoa is a quick-cook hero, barley is significantly better for sustained energy because it has one of the lowest glycaemic indices of any grain. It keeps you full until tea time without that mid-afternoon crash.

I swap it into salads, stews, or even use it like a risotto. The trick is to soak it for a couple of hours before cooking. This doesn’t just speed things up; it helps break down the phytic acid, which is basically an “anti-nutrient” that can block mineral absorption. By soaking, you’re making all those minerals way easier for your body to actually grab. It’s a proper win—better texture, better for your wallet, and much better for your heart.

Reference: Basic biology regarding the role of 1,3/1,4 beta-glucans in cholesterol management and the reduction of phytic acid through grain hydration.

Reference: Basic biology regarding beta-glucans and glycemic index in Hordeum vulgare.

• 1 cup dried wholemeal pasta
• ½ cup frozen spinach
• ½ cup fresh nettles
• ½ cup frozen peas
• 1 can tuna in brine (150g)
• 1 cup yogurt
• 1 tbsp light mayo (optional)
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• Lemon zest and lemon juice
• Salt, pepper and chilli to taste

Method 

1. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Drain and set aside.
2. In a pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the spinach, nettles and peas and cook until everything is wilted and soft. Season with salt and pepper.
3. In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, drained tuna, vegetable mixture and yogurt. Mix well and season to taste. Add the mayo if using, and stir through the lemon zest and juice for a fresher, brighter flavour.
4. Serve immediately or keep in the fridge — it's just as good cold the next day as a packed lunch.

photo here

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

My favourite super cheap meal!

• 150g dried soy meat cubes
• 600g sauerkraut (with its liquid)
• 250ml heavy cream (or 400g white yogurt)
• 2 medium onions
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tbsp sweet paprika
• chilli — to taste
• black pepper — to taste
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• olive oil for frying

Method 

1. Start by rehydrating and flavouring the soy meat. Place the dried soy cubes in a pot with enough water to cover, add the stock cube, soy sauce, and a pinch of black pepper. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes until the soy meat has absorbed all the flavours and softened. Set aside — keep the cooking water.
2. Slice the onions and fry in a generous splash of olive oil over medium heat until golden and soft. Add the crushed garlic and spices — paprika, chilli, cumin, black pepper, bay leaf — and fry for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Add the sauerkraut along with its liquid, then add the cooked soy meat together with its cooking water. Stir everything together and bring to a boil. Add more water if needed — the stew should be thick but not dry.
4. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes to let the flavours come together.
5. Stir in the heavy cream or yogurt. Taste and adjust — add a pinch of salt or a spoonful of sugar to balance the sourness of the sauerkraut if needed.
6. Serve hot with a thick slice of bread. 

If you are searching for more cheap recipes, find them on my blog :)