[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/foodstamps.org\/Articles\/Article\/ID\/180\/least-expensive-meal-ideas-for-food-stamps#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/foodstamps.org\/Articles\/Article\/ID\/180\/least-expensive-meal-ideas-for-food-stamps","headline":"Least Expensive Meal Ideas for Food Stamps","name":"Least Expensive Meal Ideas for Food Stamps","description":"Check out these easy to make least expensive meal ideas. Find out how you can stretch your food stamps!","datePublished":"2018-07-06","dateModified":"2018-07-26","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/foodstamps.org\/author\/admin#Person","name":"admin","url":"https:\/\/foodstamps.org\/author\/admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e26111862ca029071a00a76fae48c51b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e26111862ca029071a00a76fae48c51b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"FoodStamps.org","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/foodstamps.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/FS_Logo-2.png","url":"https:\/\/foodstamps.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/FS_Logo-2.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/foodstamps.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/FS_Logo-2.png","url":"https:\/\/foodstamps.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/FS_Logo-2.png","width":100,"height":100},"url":"https:\/\/foodstamps.org\/Articles\/Article\/ID\/180\/least-expensive-meal-ideas-for-food-stamps","about":["Cheap Recipes","Recipes","Weekly Recipes"],"wordCount":643,"keywords":["180"],"articleBody":"Being on food stamps is supposed to supplement a person\u2019s weekly grocery budget, but often times, it still doesn\u2019t go far enough. Going without food isn\u2019t really an option the way canceling cable or turning the thermostat down is, but a few handy tips can make food stamps go a little bit further than before.Swamp SoupThis meal idea is so called because, like a swamp, it has a bit of everything in it and doesn\u2019t look the same twice. You can put just about anything you want in it\u2014it\u2019s sort of like the ground beef or bran muffins of the soup world\u2014but there are a few base elements that usually go in to\u00a0Swamp Soup.Add tomato sauce or tomato soup to give it a slightly liquidy consistency and a bit of coloring. After that, protein- and fiber-rich foods should get added: lentils, pot barley, potatoes, green beans, peas, chickpeas, rice, or ground beef. It\u2019s a hearty soup that lasts days and days, and only costs a few dollars to make (price: about 50 cents a bowl).Beef RoastBuying beef on food stamps can seem like an awful lot of money to spend on one item, but it doesn\u2019t have to be. We’ll share a few old butcher tips, the know that the best beef deals (in terms of cost, balanced with yield) are: Boneless blade roast, slow roasted at 250F for a couple hoursInside round roast if families prefer a lean, inexpensive cutBoneless chuck braised or slow roasted with plenty of liquids covering itBrisket that\u2019s tenderized in brine, and then slow cooked at low heat Other MeatsBeef doesn\u2019t have to be the only choice for meat in a family, with these other options also providing a cost-yield purchase:  Pork:\u00a0Think butt or shoulder roasts (ask the butcher to slice the rind off) and slow cook them; center or rib roasts for something more tender and juicy; (boneless) blade roasts that are slow-cooked; and side ribs instead of back ribs.Fowl:\u00a0Whole chickens or turkeys can be bought for incredibly cheap, and make lasting meals that can be redone into a variety of leftovers.Fish:\u00a0Stay away from fresh filets and steaks, and opt for tinned tuna\/salmon and frozen whole sides of fish instead. The price is a lot lower, and the protein isn\u2019t going anywhere.  SpaghettiUsing pasta and tomato sauce as your base, there are dozens of different ways to make spaghetti. Play around with spices, different ground meats, and vegetables to add a new twist to a favorite dish. But wait until pasta and tomato sauce go on sale to really save money, and then buy in bulk. And if you grow your own herbs inside, like basil, dill, oregano, and parsley, you can make the spaghetti really taste for even less money.PizzaUnless you\u2019re skilled at making flour turn into dough, it\u2019s usually a better bet to just buy premade dough. But after that, well after that, anything goes. You can add tomato sauce or olive oil as the base, sprinkle it with cheese or go without, add or remove as many vegetables as you want, and make the crush as thin or thick as you\u2019d like. The best part about pizza, though\u2014besides its low cost to make\u2014is how little time it takes to prepare (under half an hour, including baking time). Just remember to preheat your oven\u00a0before\u00a0you start on the ingredients."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Articles","item":"https:\/\/foodstamps.org\/Articles\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Article","item":"https:\/\/foodstamps.org\/Articles\/\/Article\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"ID","item":"https:\/\/foodstamps.org\/Articles\/\/Article\/\/ID\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"180","item":"https:\/\/foodstamps.org\/Articles\/\/Article\/\/ID\/\/180\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"name":"Least Expensive Meal Ideas for Food Stamps","item":"https:\/\/foodstamps.org\/Articles\/Article\/ID\/180\/least-expensive-meal-ideas-for-food-stamps#breadcrumbitem"}]}]