Low-cost foodstuffs

[Neon]

My mealplan has run out before the semester. What besides ramen is cheap? I have a stove, microwave, fridge if required.

[NTSC-J]

Outlet stores are your best bet. Tuna has lots of protein and is about 50 cents a can, I was choking down a few a day for a while. If you can find energy bars for cheap they're pretty filling and have lots of shit in em.

[metallica_tyler]

Load up on Little Debbie snacks. I live off of those. It's like a buck for a nice sized box of goodies.

[raiden]

I don´t know how it is where you live, but noodles and rice are pretty cheap around here. Bread also, but I don´t like that too much. Noodles and rice just require the right amount of spice to taste well. Potatoes are cheap, too, but require too much preparation (peeling and stuff) to be worth the effort imo.

[howmuchkeefe]

Back when I was eating on $10 a week, I ate a lot of eggs, ramen, frozen veggies and sausage (those 2 for $5-6 ones; Polish, Kielbasa, etc). Rice and beans are good bets, too.

I hated that milk, meat, cheese and fresh veggies were so damned expensive.

Good luck to you!

[SuperGrafx]

Cambell's soups are pretty cheap and you get loads of variety.
Things like Spaghetti-O's and cereal are also pretty cheap and nutritious.
If you really don't feel like cooking, I suppose you can't go wrong with those dollar menu items at the fast food restaurants.

[it290]

PB&J, although I don't care for it, is quite filling.

I have been buying these little 'Tennessee Pride' brand buttermilk and sausage biscuits lately for breakfast -- at $5 for a dozen they're a pretty good deal.

French bread, at about a dollar a loaf, is another one. Goes well with the Campbell's soup mentioned above.

Finally, Hot Pockets, although disgusting, are pretty cheap as well. I'd rather get a double stack at Wendy's, though.

[ahnslaught]

I lived off crap casserole in college when I was short of money:

rotini
tuna
cream of mushroom
frozen vegetables
some milk

Cook the rotini, then dump everything in a casserole and bake until it looks done. The good thing is that you make a bunch at once, so you can eat it for a couple of days, and it's better than earing nutty bars all day (though, those are cheap as hell - .25 for a pack of nutty bars? I'm in!)

[FatCobra]

Pasta and Ragu is pretty good, and cheap. Baloney and cheese sandwiches are pretty good too.

[Damocles]

Not sure if it's cheap enough, but I survive off of a line of microwavable meals called "Michelina's". Good stuff for what you pay... Find them in your frozen food isle.

[Dale]

Mustard and Ketchup sandwiches I know it sounds unsatisfying but it definetly is satisfying,and tastes very fancy and safisticated as well.

[Rob]

^*barf*

Seriously, wtf. The Little Debbies comment also made me a bit sick. Try to stay healthy.

[Klatrymadon]

Yeah, all this plastic-wrapped stuff is very dreary. Fresh fruit is cheap, get some of that down ya!

[Andi]

I'm a master of living off from nothing.

Rice is always good, but it doesn't keep you filled up for long and doesn't have any real nutritional value.

Condensed soups (tomato, vegetable, chicken noodle, etc.) are typically very cheap and can be bought in bulk. Adding some slices of toast or bread makes the soup more filling.

Spaghetti is cheap. However, sauce can end up costing you. One solution is to buy a tub of margarine or butter and melt that on top instead of sauce.

If you need meat, hot dogs are the way to go. They can be bought in large quantity for extremely cheap. If you want to save money on buns, go ahead and use folded slices of bread.

[Eps]

I'm a master of living off from nothing.

Rice is always good, but it doesn't keep you filled up for long and doesn't have any real nutritional value.

The vast swathes of the world for whom rice is a staple foodstuff would probably disagree with that comment!

Anyway, rice, pasta, potatoes -- all good sources of complex carbohydrates. Bread, too. Pasta might be the best bet for breadline nutrition; students over here stereotypically live on it with some success when the money runs out. You just need some cheap tomato sauce, some inexpensive fresh veg, and maybe whatever else you can find in the bargain sections to throw in, and you have a nutritious yet inexpensive meal

[FatCobra]

Spaghetti is my god, but I need to figure out how to get rid of the aftertaste.

[Keranu]

If you have any middle eastern restaraunts near you, order a bulk of falafels and pita bread. It's really cheap and taste awesome, plus it's not bad for you.

[Specineff]

Guys, guys.. it's about survival, not turning Neon into a zeppelin.

Ahem.

I second the idea of rice, and as someone else mentioned, frozen veggies. Try getting frozen chicken. It's a bit less expensive than fresh chicken, and will last longer. Get some tomatoes and carrots and onions and lettuce. Whip them up into a salad and freeze it. Tuna is also a good food to get. Get some multivitamins at walgreens to make up for whatever you're missing. Avoid ramen alone, and little debbie snacks. Forget bologna and frankfurters as they are loaded with artificial stuff. Go for some chicken or turkey breast. Or if you must have franks, make sure you don't eat them more than once a week. Ramen accompanied by a salad or with veggies and meat is ok.

[iatneH]

I thought you were going to suggest tacos.

[professor ganson]

Beans and nuts (peanut butter) will give you protein and fill you up at a good price. Rice, bread, and pasta will give you the carbs. I try to eat fresh vegs. and fresh or dried fruits everyday, but they are not always cheap. Bananas tend to be cheap, though they won't give you the fiber you need. As for meats, you can usually get the dark meat of chicken (legs and wings) at a low price. Bake them or even boil them for some protein. Prepared foods like frozen dinners are obviously not cost effective and will give you too much sodium.

For the future: get a wife (partner) who is good at cooking. You'll live longer.

[Specineff]

I thought you were going to suggest tacos.

Yes, but only if he makes them himself:

Boil some chicken breast with salt, laurel leaves or oregano, and onion. (You can use the onion later on the tacos if you wish, but it'll be a bit gooey). Shred it by hand, or chop it. (Save the broth later to use with some pasta, too.)

Dice some onions, tomatoes, and cilantro if you want, or some peppers. Shred some lettuce too. Stuff your hard taco shells with that, and voila. You're getting carbs, some vitamins and protein too. And none of the processed stuff you get with frozen tacos or fast food ones.

[howmuchkeefe]

If you have a ski mask handy, you might want to try mugging old women for their groceries. Contrary to popular belief, they usually buy good stuff, and not just cat food.

Sometimes there's good stuff in dumpsters. You wouldn't believe what they throw out at supermarkets!

Food stamps are not to be overlooked, either. They are most efficiently used for food, but they can be traded in for cash in a pinch.

Cigarettes are easy enough: These may be found in ashtrays at any convenience store in an area of town not inhabited by bums or gutterpunks.

Fun fact about cigarettes: They are the best substitute for food this side of heroin!

Girlfriends! Girlfriends can be a life saver. If you play your cards right, you can take care of rent and your grocery bill in one fell swoop.

[neorichieb1971]

Cereal is easy and cheap.

Boil eggs and eat lots of them.

You can do alot with bread and baked beans.

Pies are pretty cool if you can find them cheap.

Taco bell can be used for fillers.

[ahnslaught]

Sometimes there's good stuff in dumpsters. You wouldn't believe what they throw out at supermarkets!

I suppose college is the time to try this kind of shit...I remember a guy in my dorm who never took a shower for 3/4 the semester, but when he tried to make a compost heap in the middle of his dorm room, we had to put the smack down right then and there.

[PsikyoPshumpPshooterP]

go to costco

a HotDog and Free Refill 16oz sode for $1.50

U cant beat that!!!

[rolins]

Rice with canned corn beef. Just put them both in the microwave, add some black pepper, and meal ready to serve in less than 1 min. I prefer the Libby (red can) over the Hormel (blue can). Taste difference I think. Over here they're only a dollar a can, and you can probably live off one can for two days.

[landshark]

go to costco

a HotDog and Free Refill 16oz sode for $1.50

U cant beat that!!!

Sorta crazy, but you can't beat the CostCo lunch. A giant dog and unlimited soda.

If you want cheap, get some curree (sp?) paste, onions, potatoes, chick peas (though these are more expensive), carrots, coconut milk (the 14 oz cans), and egg noodles (spaghetti or any other kind of pasta works too).

Dice the vegetables, through them all in a pot with the coconut milk and curry paste, bring to a boil, and the lower to low and simmer for like 20 minutes (cover it). You can add chicken if you want too.

Ended up making that this weekend when I realized I was out of pretty much everything and was too lazy to go to the store.

[Neon]

Thanks for the suggestions, urrbody.

howmuchkeefe: Still angry over the capitalism thing?

[Pixel_Outlaw]

hmmm my wal*mart has a 10 pack of burritos for 2 bucks...
I'm no rabbit, i like my meats filled with preservatives and such, none of that bohemaian earthy crap for me...