5 Meals for less than 5 Dollars

Cheap Meal Solutions for Price Rise Complainers

Talk back radio and current affairs programs love to run stories on the struggle of some people to make ends meet. A struggle that is so great that they often have to resort to buying dog food to eat. Sorry? Dog food?

As a keen follower of grocery prices, and an equally keen follower of spin, I'm putting these claims to the test. Actually, that's not true. I'm not testing anything, i know the claims to be crap.

So this is the first in the series of cheap meals for "price rise" complainers. There will be plenty, so you can have a wide variety of healthy and filling meals for a limited cost. And you wont even have to shop around. All ingredients are available at your local supermarket.

Tuna Vegetable Pasta

Ingredients:

2 Tins of Home Brand Tomatoes - .49 cents each - Total $.98c
1 Tin of Home Brand Tuna Chunks in Brine - Total $1.89
1 Packet of Home Brand Penne Pasta 500gm - Total $.79c
1 Packet of Frozen Mixed Vegetables 1kg - Total $1.99 (Use only 500gm) Total $1.00
1 Tablespoon of Sugar - Total $.05c
Salt to taste - Total .01c
Pepper to taste - Total .01c

Total Cost: $4.73

Method:

Place the packet of pasta in a pot of boiling water for 13 mins. Place the tomatoes, including the juice in a frypan, add 500gms of the frozen vegetables - simmer for 9 mins. Open the can of Tuna, drain half of the brine, and add the chunks to the tomato, vegetable mix. Stir through some sugar and simmer for a further 4 mins, add salt and pepper to taste. Drain the pasta, and stir the sauce through.

Each serving is approximately 350gms. That's certainly enough for one meal - and maybe too much for some. So at a minimum, thats 5 meals for less than $5. Even you live by yourself, either make this one portion at a time, or separate and freeze the rest.

Special note - This recipe is extremely low in fat, greater than 99% fat free and high in protein and vitamins. In other words, its very good for you.

And for those that think that home brand isn't as good as the branded products - they are. Not only do i eat them myself, i save a massive amount every year. But more on that later.

Enjoy your pasta.