Budget Bites
Don’t let these plain sounding foods fool you. What does potato, banana, oats and canned tuna all have in common? They are all foods that are not only affordable but also versatile.
Potatoes
It’s not a stretch of the imagination when I say I could eat potatoes at every meal. They are affordable, have a long shelf life, and can be made to go with almost any meal. You can make hash browns for breakfast, baked potato for lunch and mashed potato for dinner. You can boil them, bake them or even fry them. If you are in a crunch for time and don’t want to wait for a potato to bake you can poke holes in the skin of a potato and microwave for about 5 minutes. This can be a good way to get some extra vitamin C and potassium in your day!
Bananas
Bananas are something you can always count on. They can be eaten plain or dressed up on some dessert. They are a good source of carbohydrates when you are on the run. You can make a peanut butter banana sandwich or dehydrate them for a sweet treat. I like to use mashed banana as an oil substitute in my baked goods. If you can’t eat all your bananas before they go bad you can always peel and freeze them for a great smoothie.
Oats
When you think of oats you think of the boring breakfast food that you hated eating as a kid. I’m here to tell you that oats have so much more to offer (and for a great price). Oats are not only low in fat, but they are also full of fiber. Oats can be used as a flour substitute in cookies and loaves of bread. They can be made into granola or even crumbles. One of the biggest ways oats can help save money and are mixed into meats. The oats act as a bulker and a binder in meatballs or meatloaf. Some fish or chicken can even be crusted in oat flour. Oat flour can be made by just blending oats until they become a fine powder.
Canned Tuna
Tuna is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D. It can be a cheap versatile source of protein to add to your menu. You can add a can of tuna to your boxed mac & cheese for a cheap and quick meal. I like to add a microwavable bag of broccoli to complete my meal. Canned tuna can be made into a wrap with your favorite sauce or even baked into a tuna cake. The possibilities are endless!