The very word “budget” conjures up images of deprivation and hardship for many. Whether you have to stick to a budget in order to save up for something big (house, car, iPod), or because you must make the best use of every single penny you earn to survive, having to keep track of your money can be time consuming and, dare we say it? Disheartening.
Fortunately, when it comes to budgeting for food, I’ve got a few tips and tricks that can stretch your dollar to keep both your stomach and your wallet satisfied.
(image by Photosoup, via Dreamstime)
As a former Queen of Ramen Noodles, I can tell you that spending only $1 a day on meals is possible – but it’s definitely not ideal!
However, you can take that extremely low-budget item (available at 10 to 20 cents a piece at any grocery store) and make it into something that will taste great, fill you up, and only takes only a few more minutes to make than your average heat-n-eat cup o’ noodles.
Here’s how to get started.
First, round up the following ingredients:
- 1 package of ramen noodles (yes, those little packets you can buy 100 of for $1; I swear this is NOT going to suck!)
- 1 package of frozen broccoli, combo broccoli & cauliflower, or stir-fry mixed vegetables (your choice)
- soy sauce*
What to do
- Add twice the amount of water the package suggests to a pot, and get it boiling.
- DON’T add the seasoning packet! Why? It’s nasty, it’s overly salty, and it’s just plain bad for you. Throw it away. Trust me.
- Once your water’s boiling, toss in about half of the package of veggies and cook until your veggies are getting soft (about 3-5 minutes).
- Add the ramen noodles and continue to cook until noodles are softened (3 minutes).
- Remove from heat and add soy sauce to taste. Remember, a little goes a long way!
Basically, this is your usual ramen package of soup, pumped up with veggies. Now, remember that this is just a framework to build upon, and creativity is always highly encouraged. Add whatever you like to eat in a soup or stir-fry. If you want to get fancy, you can add additional spices: cayenne pepper, sriracha chili sauce or Tabasco for spicy heat work great. So do ginger, garlic and onions if you’ve got ‘em. If you have leftover meat in your fridge (chicken, beef, and pork all work well), you can chuck those in too. All you really need to do with the leftovers is reheat them, so add them to the pot at the end, and if you’re cooking fresh meat, do it in a separate pan before adding it to the soup.
Ramen noodles are actually quite versatile, and once you toss the mystery seasoning packet, they’re not quite as bad for you as the label indicates. (As the LiveStrong website notes, the Beef variety of Top Ramen has 1,520 mg of sodium – which is 66% of the maximum amount you’re allowed to have daily!) Okay, so ramen noodles may never qualify as health food, but you can certainly turn this easy to make ingredient into a full meal without having to spend a fortune.
* Cheap Bastard Tip: You can even swipe packets of soy sauce from a Chinese restaurant - or your fridge at work! - if you’re super broke. Trust me, I’ve done it and would do it again.
EXTRA CREDIT
Check out the Houston Press’ article, “Top 5 Ramen Hacks,” to further fuel your ramen revolution.
Got a favorite ramen recipe? Leave us a comment, or Tweet us a link @shoestringATX.
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Tags: home cooking, LiveStrong, ramen noodles, recipes, sodium, Top 5 Ramen Hacks, Top Ramen
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