I tried an experiment several months ago, and this is the last post regarding my findings. I shopped exclusively at the 99cent store(http://www.99only.com/) for several weeks, to see if I could make healthy, delicious meals on a shoestring. Breakfast and lunch were not a problem. Most breakasts were around 50cents, most lunches were under a buck. The challenge was dinner, because the 99cent store does not carry a lot of protein choices. Surprisingly I succeeded, and here are my results.
- 4 ounce chicken breast, mashed potatoes, veggie salad, dinner rolls, pudding. $2per person
- pasta with marinara sauce, garlic bread, salad with veggies, cake. $1.50 per person
- homemade bean and vegetable soup, poached salmon fillet, cucumber and onion salad, pound cake and sliced fruit. $2.25 per person
- ham and cheese fritatta, salad, rolls, fruit or ice cream bar. $2 per person
- chicken tacos, black beans, pound cake. $2 per person
- macaroni and cheese, salad, garlic bread, cupcakes. $1.50 per person
- hot dogs and beans, sauerkraut, pudding or jello. $1.50
In order to achieve the goal of healthy and inexpensive meals, I reduced the amount of protein in my meals, which is actually a really good thing. I was surprised to find chicken and fish fillets at the 99cent store in 4 ounce packets. I did not include any casseroles in the above list, but there are many inexpensive casserole meals that could be put together, but I'll do that at another time...Healthy, delicious, and cheap. That's a combo that can't be beat. You can do it too with a little thought and imagination.
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