Organic things I have bought at Aldi: baby kale, baby spinach, butter, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, grape tomatoes, cheddar cheese, blue tortilla chips, granola, almond milk. Not every day do they have all of these.

Buy a bag of every type of Goya brand bean and make the recipe on the bag. Cheap and always delicious.

I freeze things as soon as they're starting to go bad and I know we won't eat them. Fruits, veggies, etc. end up being smoothies. Bananas can get totally black and still be great for banana bread.

I just cook everything from scratch. EVERYTHING-including pancakes.

This saves a ton. We also eat vegan one day a week.

Since I cook from scratch, we are able to eat like kings, spending $150/week on groceries for a family of 4. We do eat out once a week.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with Aldi and Asian markets - produce is good and SO MUCH cheaper.

Produce is not organic, not GMO-free, and is raised using any and all manner of pesticides and fungicides. You know, the opposite of what OP is asking.

Have you ever been to an Aldi?

https://www.aldi.us/en/grocery-items/fresh-produce/organic-locally-grown/

Kids never really have a "huge appetite" for healthy food so I think you don't need to worry too much. Buy lots of fruits and veggies and watch the appetite go down.

The key is really to buy things on sale OP. Check out the flyers and then go to the store that has the best deals. I've found that CVS often has sales on things that are much cheaper than grocery stores (they'll have deals on oatmeal, cereal, milk, mustard, ketchup, peanut butter, nuts, etc.) and I buy that stuff when I see one of there big sales.

Eggs go really far. You can figure out several recipes to stretch your burdget and they have a lot of protein. Frozen veggies/fruits are often cheaper than fresh. You can find great deals on bananas. We have found that many Mexican and Asian dishes are super cheap because you can combine just a little piece of meat, or a few ounces of shrimp, with rice, noodles whatever. Italian is also relatively cheap.

Pop your own piopcorn with an air popper for a healthy snack.I have a sister who is poor and lives alone. She qualifies for food stamps but is too proud to get them. She only spends $100 a month on food. I told her she ought to teach a class.

Anonymous wrote:Agree with Aldi and Asian markets - produce is good and SO MUCH cheaper.

Produce is not organic, not GMO-free, and is raised using any and all manner of pesticides and fungicides. You know, the opposite of what OP is asking.

Anonymous wrote:Shop at Aldi to save a lot.

"Read the OP before commenting in order to avoid wasting OP's time with useless responses."

Add flaxseed as they provide good protein. I sprinkle them on yogurt, soup, pancakes, just about everything. If yogurt, you can nuts, seeds, raisins, flaxseed, oatmeal-it's quite nutritious.
When I cook my rice in a rice cooker, I add about quinoa-about half cup. Because, they cost so much, so I use it as a supplement.

Cook pasta in a large pot with a steamer on top, so you can steam the veggies or meat on top. Make enough for 2 days. It's so convenient. It takes about 20 minutes.
Make your saunce separately-one day red sauce, another day white sauce, however style you make. Spinach and Kale, collard greens has alot of proteins, keep you full longer. This would satisfy your veggie and protein intake. . Add spices accordingly.

Agree with Aldi and Asian markets - produce is good and SO MUCH cheaper.

Add millet and buckwheat to your diet. Boil in salted water, until water completely evaporates (usually around 20 - 25 mins), add butter (we like a lot), let it stand covered. Can be reheated with milk, or without. Very healthy and good for you, and cheap.
The main thing, it should be salted enough. Butter enhances the flavor. I cook these in the evening, and reheat in the morning, takes less than 5 minutes to prepare breakfast this way. So much better than processed cereal.
.

Really good tips from PPs. Lentils and barley are good and cheap, too. I make "sloppy lentils" in the slow cooker and serve it like sloppy joes--easy and cheap. I also make banana pancakes a lot--overripe.banana plus an egg or two, mashed and mixed. We try to make sure nothing goes to waste by making stuff that freezes well,and keeping homemade pizza dough on hand for pizza a la leftovers....Smitten Kitchen has a quick pizza dough recipe.

Anonymous wrote:single parent. DD has HUGE appetite all the time.

To deal with a huge kid appetite, make sure she is filling up on wholesome foods with good nutrients... but not overeating the expensive things.

So... fruit and veggies in season as appetizers before dinner; also vegetable soup or other vitamin and mineral rich broth as an appetizer or snack.

Popcorn is a great snack.

Water for thirst, milk only with meals, juice only as a real treat.

Anonymous wrote:Great suggestions. got any good recipe links?

try here:

http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/40dollarmenu.htm