Extreme Frugality Meal Plan

Though I've posted an individual meal idea here and there I thought I'd try to organize various money saving meal ideas into a meal plan guide. These meals are for a single individual so adjust as needed. However, before providing the meal guide, I wanted to point out that when following an extremely frugal diet you must be aware of and manage various health issues. Due to their importance I am listing health issues first but you can always scroll down for the general meal guide.

Rice Issues
If you are going to get a large portion of your calories from rice, because it is so absolutely cheap, then it is imperative that you use long grain brown rice. Polished white rice has the external bran portion removed and thus it does not contain several vital nutrients. If you are simply adding rice to your diet several times a week, then it shouldn't be an issue of concern.

Also, if you do cook large batches of rice, then you must store it properly. After cooking, the unused portion should promptly be refrigerated in a sealed container. If it, the rest of the batch, is left to sit around while you prepare or eat dinner you greatly increase the risk of mold growth. Handled and stored properly your rice can last in the fridge for up to a week.

I've developed a passion for rice. Read more details about keeping rice from going bad and how I selected a rice cooker.

Oatmeal Issues
Oatmeal is generally pretty simple to deal with. You buy it, put it in a sealed container, and use it when you want it. However, the common oatmeal that is sold in many supermarkets is instant or quick cooking oatmeal. This is not the oatmeal you want. Your oatmeal should be as unprocessed as possible. You wan't the large flaked slow cooking variety. This gives you more nutrient value and a slower release of carbohydrates during digestion.

Protein Issues
Protein can be expensive. This is especially true if you are buying meat, cheese and milk to supply proteins. While I am not an advocate of vegetarian diets you can take steps to get complete proteins from most of your meals. For example, simply add some beans to your rice dishes. A good source of cheap beans might be a sack of dried kidney beans. However, there are many tasty bean varieties available.

Fruits and Vegetables
You simply must include a variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet in order to be healthy. Luckily, we don't need all that many, and they are conveniently available in mixed varieties from the frozen foods section. Use a little bit with most of your meals and try to buy different variations if possible.

Basic Supplements
This may be a bit more controversial, but I'd recommend taking two supplements when you are following a strict and possibly not varied enough meal plan. First, a general once a day multi supplement with vitamins and minerals. Second, a basic fish oil capsule so that you get your omega-3 oils. Now, if you are following the ideas above and taking these supplements you could very well be eating healthier on a frugal diet than some who frequently eat fast food.

Basic Frugal Meal Plan
You may as well start your day off with your supplements. Then, for breakfast, put a spoonful or two of frozen fruit into a bowl of oatmeal. Add milk and let sit. The oatmeal will soak up the milk and soften up. If you prefer, you could prepare this dish before going to sleep, so that you don't have to wait for the frozen fruit to thaw. Perhaps add a sprinkle of cinnamon if you like the effect. Pumpkin pie spice has also been suggested for oatmeal.

Here is a post about oatmeal being healthy and cheap.

If you need a snack before lunch, perhaps a piece of fruit or some peanuts. As long as you eat them sparingly a bag of apples or a jar of peanuts will last quite a few days.

For lunch it will be a plate of rice and beans with mixed vegetables. Obviously, if you are buying dried beans they will have to be soaked and cooked before you can use them for lunch. Generally, the weekend is a good time to prepare foods for use during the rest of the week. This is incredibly cheap and healthy, but admittedly boring. Look to spices, a slice of cheese, an egg, or perhaps some kind of soup or sauce to add flavor and variety.

If you need a snack before dinner, then again some fruit, nuts or a salad should suffice. It's also okay to have some leftovers from a previous meal if appropriate. The idea is to avoid buying expensive junk food or convenience snacks.

An example frugal snack food is roasted green peas.

Dinner will involve cooking up some meat such as chicken, beef, ground turkey or sausages. Basically, whatever was on sale for the cheapest price or left over from a recent meal. Because we are making sure to eat complete proteins by adding beans to our rice meals we can use very small portions of meat and save a lot of expense. Fry or otherwise heat up some rice, serve with beans, meat and a small portion of mixed vegetables. Spices and sauces are vital for keeping dinner interesting if you are using the same basic ingredients repeatedly.

Here are some previous meal ideas and recipes: rice recipe variations, frugal meal ideas, making chili in a 12 quart stock pot, a date worthy budget meal and making three meals for five dollars.

At first glance these ideas may seem a bit plain. However, honestly, with a bit of inspiration you can mix and match ideas to come up with a large variety of healthy and cheap meals. For example, I love leftover chili piled up on top of a piece of buttered whole grain toast! It's great for a snack or a meal.