c/cheap-eats-club

Hit $50 on my grocery bill for a full week of dinners and it made me wonder about bulk buying

I managed to feed two people for seven nights on just $50 from Aldi in Columbus last month. Chicken thighs, rice, frozen veggies, and eggs carried me through. But my buddy says I could've saved even more if I bought a 25lb bag of rice and a whole pork loin from Costco. Which side works better for keeping costs low long term without wasting food?

PSA: I used to think bulk spices were a ripoff until I did the math last month

I always bought those little jars at the grocery store for $4 each and figured buying a bag for $8 was just wasteful. Then I saw a bag of cumin at the Mexican market for $3.50 and it was literally 10 times the size of my jar. I compared the weight and realized I was paying like 5 times more for the same amount. Now I buy everything in bulk and just refill old jars. Anyone else find a surprising money saver like this?

Picked up a tip from an old cook at the diner about stretching ground beef

I was grabbing coffee at Lou's Diner on Route 9 last week and overheard their cook mention mixing half a cup of cooked lentils into every pound of ground beef. Tried it myself with a batch of tacos, and honestly couldn't tell the difference, plus it stretched the meat to feed two extra people. Has anyone else tried this with other meats like ground turkey or sausage?

Fell for that $40 'infinite' garlic trick and now I'm mad at myself

So I saw this video online about how you can take one clove of garlic, plant it in a pot on your windowsill, and just keep cutting the greens forever for free garlic flavor. Sounded perfect for saving money on groceries right? I spent $40 on a fancy self-watering pot and organic soil because I figured I'd be set for life. Well six weeks later I got maybe three sad little snips of green that tasted like plain grass. The bulb rotted out and I basically made a stinky mud pie. That $40 could have bought me like 40 heads of garlic at the discount grocery. Has anyone else fallen for one of those clever food hacks that just doesn't work?

My neighbor said canned tuna is a waste of money compared to mackerel.

He argued a can of mackerel is 30 cents cheaper, has more meat, and tastes just as good in pasta, which made me question all my cheap lunch staples.

TIL a lot of people are overcooking their dry beans and making them mushy

I kept ending up with split, grainy beans until I read a tip from a chef in Austin. The key is to simmer them super gently, just below a boil, for about 90 minutes instead of a hard boil for hours. It saves energy and gives you a way better texture for things like chili or salads. Anyone else have a specific bean cooking method that works for them?

Overheard a neighbor call a bag of lentils 'emergency food' at the store

She was telling her kid they were just for the pantry, but I use them for a cheap soup with carrots and onion that costs maybe $3 total. It made me wonder how many people skip the basics because they seem boring. What's your favorite way to make lentils actually exciting?

I had to choose between a bag of potatoes or a box of pasta for my main cheap carb this week.

The potatoes were $2.50 for five pounds, and the box of pasta was $1. I went with the potatoes because I realized I could roast them, mash them, and even make a simple soup. It worked out great, and I got four different meals from them. Anyone have other cheap ideas for a base ingredient that can be used in a bunch of ways?

I bought a $12 jar of fancy 'gourmet' pasta sauce and it tasted exactly like the $1.50 can from the store

My $15 slow cooker from a yard sale finally gave up the ghost last night, turning my planned bean stew into a cold, watery mess.

I mean, I guess I should've seen it coming after three years, but has anyone found a truly reliable cheap cooker that won't die mid-meal?

My rice cooker broke right before dinner and I had to improvise

I was at home last Tuesday, about to make a big batch of beans and rice, when my cheap rice cooker just stopped heating. I had already soaked the beans overnight. I ended up boiling the rice in a regular pot with extra water, then drained it like pasta. It worked fine and saved the meal. Has anyone else had a kitchen gadget die and found a cheaper way to do the same thing?

Walked past the old diner on 5th Street and the burger is now $18. Remember when it was $6?

PSA: I thought dried beans were a waste of time until I tried them last winter

For years, I only bought canned beans because I thought the dried kind were too much hassle. Then my budget got tight, so I bought a 2-pound bag of black beans for $2.50. After soaking them overnight and cooking for an hour, I got way more food than four cans would give me. The taste was better, and I saved over $5 on that one meal. Now I'm split, is the extra time really worth the savings, or should you just grab the can?

I always thought dried beans were more trouble than they're worth

For years I'd grab the canned ones, figuring the extra dollar was a fair price to skip the soaking. Then my buddy, who cooks for a family of five on a tight budget, showed me his system. He buys a 2-pound bag of pinto beans for about $3, soaks a whole batch overnight, cooks them in his slow cooker while he's out driving, and freezes them in old yogurt containers. He gets about six cans' worth for half the price. I tried it last month and the texture is way better, plus you control the salt. I've been making a big pot of chili every other week with them. What other cheap staples are people prepping in bulk like this?

My big batch of lentil soup turned into a salty mess last night

I was making my usual pot, a recipe I've done a hundred times, and I added my stock cube like always. I guess I didn't taste it before I dumped in the whole bag of lentils, because after it simmered for an hour, it was almost too salty to eat. I had to add two whole peeled potatoes and let it cook another 30 minutes to soak up some of that salt. It saved the soup, but it was a close call and used up my last potatoes. Anyone have a good, low-sodium veggie stock trick that doesn't cost a fortune?

My pressure cooker seal split right before I was about to cook a big pot of beans.

It happened Tuesday evening, right as I was getting dinner ready. The rubber ring had a clean tear, so it wouldn't hold pressure at all. I didn't want to buy a new seal right then, so I just cooked the beans in the pot without the lid locked, like a regular pot. It took about two hours on a low simmer instead of 45 minutes, but they turned out fine. Anyone know a good place to get a cheap replacement gasket that won't fail in six months?

Was totally wrong about using canned mackerel for fish cakes

Always thought it would be too fishy or weird, but a friend in Seattle swore by it. Tried it last night with some potato and onion, cost maybe $2.50 total for two big patties. Who else has a cheap protein swap that actually works?

Why does everyone overcook their lentils into mush when a 20 minute simmer gets them perfect?

I finally nailed my red lentil soup after 3 tries by pulling it off the heat the second they were tender, not after they'd turned to paste, and now my $2 pot of soup actually has texture.

A simple trick with dried beans that saves me about $40 a year

I see a lot of folks skip soaking beans because they think it takes too long. The key is you don't need to soak them overnight. I put 2 cups of dried pintos in a pot, cover them with boiling water from a kettle, and let them sit for just one hour. They cook much faster after that, which cuts my gas bill. Does anyone else have a quick soak method they like?

Hot take: my $3 lentil soup from scratch last night beat any canned stuff I've ever bought.

I boiled a bag of brown lentils I got for a dollar with an onion, a carrot, and some bouillon cube I had left over from a pack I bought three months ago, and it made enough for four huge bowls.

My neighbor told me dried beans are a waste of time and I completely disagree

Honestly, I was in my apartment building's laundry room about two months ago, and my neighbor Sarah saw my grocery bag with a 2-pound bag of pinto beans. She said, 'Ngl, I don't get why people bother with those. They take forever and never taste as good as the canned kind.' Tbh, it really stuck with me because she's usually so chill. I told her that a bag costs $1.89 and makes like 12 meals worth of beans, while canned is at least triple the price. I soak mine overnight and then cook them in my slow cooker with some onion and garlic while I'm at work. The texture is way better, and I can control the salt. Has anyone else had to defend cooking from scratch to save money?

My pressure cooker's seal gave out right before I was about to cook a big bag of dried beans I got for $2.

I just wrapped the whole thing in a towel to keep the steam in and it actually worked, but has anyone found a reliable cheap replacement seal online?

My pressure cooker's seal gave out right as I started a big batch of beans

Happened last Tuesday, right when I was about to save a ton on dried chickpeas. Had to pivot fast and soak them overnight, then simmer them for three hours on the stove, which totally blew my gas budget for the month. Anyone have a good source for replacement gaskets that won't cost more than the beans?

Spent 45 minutes trying to make my own veggie broth from scraps before I figured out the trick

The great canned bean debate is missing a key step

Everyone says to just rinse them, but that washes away flavor and nutrients. I simmer mine in their own liquid with a bay leaf for 10 minutes, and the resulting bean broth makes soups way better. Am I the only one who does this?