Rant: The week I tried to meal prep on $30 and it backfired hard

Last Monday I decided to challenge myself to eat for a whole week on just $30. Thought I was smart buying bulk rice, beans, and frozen veggies for $22. But by Wednesday I was so sick of bland rice bowls I caved and got a $8 burrito from a food truck. That basically wrecked my whole budget plan. Now I'm wondering if I should've spent more upfront on spices and sauce ingredients instead of all the cheap filler stuff. But hey, anyone else ever try a super low budget week and just crash halfway through? What's your strategy when the savings start to taste terrible?

2 comments

2 Comments

verab2823d agoMost Upvoted

Spices are non-negotiable. I learned that the hard way too. A $1 packet of taco seasoning and a $2 jar of curry powder turned my sad rice and beans into something I actually looked forward to. Also, try mixing one higher-cost ingredient like eggs or a cheap cut of meat into your bowls to break up the monotony. Next time budget an extra $4 for seasonings and one small protein, you'll actually stick to it.

holly_gonzalez6123d ago

Your math is a little off on that taco seasoning. Most packets are closer to 50 cents to a dollar now, not a dollar. But the point still stands. Seasoning is cheap and makes a huge difference. You can also stretch that curry powder by mixing it with a simple homemade blend of turmeric, cumin, and coriander if you have those already. The cheaper cut of meat is smart too, but watch for sales on chicken thighs or pork shoulder, they drop to under $2 a pound sometimes. That extra $4 for flavor and protein really does make the rice and beans feel like a real meal instead of just survival food.