Really Cheap Dinners: The Saga Continues
Here are my hundred menus! Next step: testing!
Putting these behind a cut because it's a long list.
Nutritional goals: 600+ calories, 20 grams protein, some kind of produce
I used cabbage in the salads because it's usually cheaper than lettuce (although not always), it keeps better, and it's higher in vitamin C.
I put toasted sesame oil in the southern-style vegetable recipes as a vegetarian substitute for bacon fat.
A lot of these menus have international or historical inspiration (which I have noted) but I make no claims of scrupulous authenticity. I was working with the constraints of a limited budget and sometimes limited information. I hope you enjoy them anyway.
Putting these behind a cut because it's a long list.
Nutritional goals: 600+ calories, 20 grams protein, some kind of produce
South American (Andean): Peanut Soup (mashed potatoes, peanut butter, chopped onion, seasonings), hard boiled eggs, carrot sticks - Total: $1.04 Calories: 677 Protein: 28
Italian-American: Spaghetti with homemade lentil "meatballs" and cheese, cabbage salad (shredded cabbage and carrots with olives and Italian dressing) - Total: $1.25 Calories: 766 Protein: 35
English: Mushy peas, oven fries, carrot sticks, bananas and “custard” (flour, butter, and milk hasty pudding) Total: $1.03 cents Calories: 812 Protein: 27 Lighter option: skip the custard sauce, sprinkle the banana with a little cinnamon sugar: Calories: 600 Protein: 21
Baked potatoes, lentil chili (lentils cooked with onions and seasonings), glazed carrots (with butter or margarine and brown sugar) - Total: $1.05 Calories: 738 Protein: 25 Lighter option: Plain carrots with a little soy sauce & herbs instead of butter and sugar.
Good brown stew (pinto beans, potatoes, carrots, onion, dumplings), homemade garlic toast - Total: 88 cents Calories: 800 Protein: 22 Lighter option: skip the garlic bread, have veggie crudites on the side.
East African: Irio (potaotes mashed with split peas and corn kernels), homemade chapatis, kachumbari salad (raw cabbage + spicy canned tomatoes), baked sweet potato - Total: $1.28 Calories: 756 Protein: 29
Lentil meatballs and gravy over mashed potatoes, peas and carrots -Total: 93 cents, Calories: 804 Protein: 30
Chickpea stew with dumplings and vegetables (potatoes, carrots, onions, green peas), baked squash - Total: $1.65 Calories: 671 Protein: 22 grams
Indian: Curried lentils and vegetables (carrots, spinach, and potatoes) over rice, homemade chapatis - Total: $1. Calories: 686 Protein: 32
Central European: Lentil meatballs and gravy, boiled potatoes, sweet and sour cabbage (cabbage with apple, vinegar, and brown sugar) - Total: 94 cents Calories: 747 Protein: 27 grams
Split pea soup (with carrots and potatoes), savory cabbage (cabbage with sauteed onions and barbecue sauce), garlic bread -Total: $1.02 Calories: 708 Protein: 22.5 grams
Egg, potato, and onion omelet, broccoli with garlic butter, cheese toast - Total: $1.17 Calories: 668 Protein: 27 grams
Taco bean soup (black beans, canned tomatoes, canned corn, onion, seasonings), quesadillas (tortillas, cheese, salsa), carrot sticks, pan-fried banana with cinnamon - Total: $1.88 Calories: 697 Protein: 28
Chili mac (macaroni, lentils, spicy canned tomatoes, cheese, onion), homemade coleslaw (raw shredded cabbage and carrots with sweet and sour mayo dressing) -Total: $1.30 Calories: 751 Protein: 32 grams
Tomato and pea soup, carrot sticks, cheese toast - Total: $1.33 Calories: 652 Protein: 29
Mexican: Spanish rice (rice with canned tomatoes and seasonings), savory pinto beans (pinto beans with onion and barbecue sauce), cabbage salad (raw cabbage and carrots with Italian dressing) - Total: $1.04 Calories: 783 Protein: 21
Indian: Curried split peas and carrots over rice, homemade chapatis, fruit salad (bananas, orange sections, a little cinnamon) - Total: $1.20 Calories: 702 Protein: 23
Italian-American: Minestrone (pasta, canned beans, vegetables, and seasonings), cheese toast, carrot sticks - $1.52 Calories: 689 Protein: 32
Italian-American: Pasta with mock alfredo sauce (pureed white beans, margarine, garlic powder), broccoli with herbs and cheese, garlic bread - $1.14. Calories: 775 Protein: 25
East African: Sukuma wiki (cabbage, fried onion, and spicy tomato stew with canned kidney beans) over mashed potatoes, peanut butter-sweet potato pudding - Total: $1.50 Calories: 722 Protein: 26
Mexican-American: Tacos (pinto beans, chopped onion, raw cabbage, canned tomato, salsa, cheese, corn tortillas), carrot sticks, bananas with cinnamon-vanilla sauce - Total: $1.47 Calories: 824 Protein: 29
Egg and stir-fried veggie wraps (made with frozen broccoli, cabbage, onion, and homemade chapatis), baked sweet potatoes - Total: $1.26 Calories: 667 Protein: 26
Central European: Rumford soup (bean, potato, carrot, and barley soup), hard boiled eggs, sweet and sour cabbage -Total: $1.25 Calories: 759 Protein: 30
Chinese-American: Egg drop soup, stir-fried noodles and vegetables (broccoli, carrots, onion), rice, fruit salad (oranges and bananas) -Total: $1.48 Calories: 897 Protein: 28
Italian: All-in vegetable frittata (spinach, potato, carrots, onion), garlic bread, cabbage and carrot salad - Total: $1.48 Calories: 659 Protein: 26
Vegetable-barley soup, cheese toast - Total: $1.37 Calories: 645 Protein: 21 grams
Corned bean hash (lentils, potato, onions, seasonings) with fried eggs, glazed carrots, oranges - Total: $1.47 Calories: 702 Protein: 28
Macaroni tomato souffle (baked mac and cheese with canned tomatoes and beaten egg), peas and carrots -Total: $1.18 Calories: 796 Protein: 32
Homemade Bean loaf (made with pinto beans and lentils for the protein and oats for the starchy component), mashed potatoes and gravy, peas and carrots -Total: 90 cents Calories: 708 Protein: 26 grams
Breakfast for dinner (pancakes with bananas and cinnamon, scrambled eggs,fried potatoes, orange juice, milk) - Total: $1.18 cents Calories: 869 Protein: 27
Chicken-fried oatmeal cutlets (fried seasoned oat and mashed potato patties) and gravy, devilled eggs, homemade coleslaw - Total: 88 cents. Calories: 757 Protein: 24
Hearty pasta salad (with carrots, peas, corn, and canned kidney beans), fresh apple - $1.48 Calories: 832 Protein: 27
West African: Groundnut chop (lentil-vegetables stew with peanut butter and spicy tomatoes), rice, baked sweet potatoes -Total: $1.30 Calories: 744 Protein: 30
Scottish: Scotch broth (barley-split pea-root vegetable stew), homemade oatcakes with cheese - Total: $1.34 Calories: 826 Protein: 35
Scottish: Minches and mash (stewed lentils with carrots and onions over mashed potatoes), carrot sticks - Total: $1.01 Calories: 652 Protein: 26
Baked beans (from scratch), toasted tortillas, cabbage-apple salad with evaporated milk dressing and sunflower seeds - Total: 97 cents Calories: 764 Protein: 24
Split pea soup, cabbage-apple salad with evaporated milk dressing, bread and butter pudding - Total: $1.32 Calories: 843 Protein: 32
Indian: Palak panir (curried tofu and spinach), rice, chapatis, carrot halwa (carrot-milk pudding) - Total: $1.58 Calories: 855 Protein: 33
Scottish: Burns Night: Homemade vegetarian haggis, neeps and tatties (mashed turnips and potatoes), mock cranachan (yogurt, toasted oatmeal, and jam parfait) - Total: $1.50 Calories: 882 Protein: 25 With one potato: $1.38 Calories: 752 Protein: 22 Using raspberry preserves instead of strawberry spread: $1.57, 872 calories
Indian: Punjabi dal (lentils and kidney beans in a creamy tomato curry sauce) on rice, fruit salad (banana and orange) - Total: $1.62 Calories: 732 Protein: 31
Bean loaf and gravy, hedgehog potatoes, carrot-raisin-orange salad (raw grated carrots, oranges, raisins, evaporated milk dressing, cinnamon) - Total: $1.07 Calories: 750 Protein: 24
Indian: 3-P Curry (peanuts, peas, potatoes), rice, cabbage-orange salad -Total: $1.27 Calories: 730 Protein: 22
Central European: Beans... er... Schnitzel? (breaded sauteed bean cutlet), hedgehog potatoes, sweet and sour cabbage - Total: 88 cents, 707 calories, 26 protein
Baked Spaghetti (with lentils, vegetables, tomato sauce, and cheese), cabbage-orange salad (raw cabbage, oranges, Italian dressing) - Total: $1.45 Calories: 667 Protein: 30
Italian: Pasta e fagioli (pasta, bean, tomato, and onion soup), garlic toast, broccoli with lemon butter - Total: $1.35 Calories: 826 Protein: 28
Thai: Thai Chickpea Salad (raw cabbage and carrot salad with canned chickpeas, peanut butter dressing, and crispy fried onions), Rice, Thai Iced Tea -Total: $1.17 Calories: 728 Protein: 25
British: Shepherdess Pie (vegetarian shepherd's pie with lentils and vegetables topped with mashed potatoes ), Cabbage-Apple Salad with evaporated milk dressing - Total: $1.80 Calories: 857 Protein: 31
Italian: Scallobeanie (Italian-seasoned bean cutlet, coated with egg and crumbs and sauteed), spaghetti marinara, cabbage salad - Total: 91 cents, 648 calories, 30 protein. With garlic bread: $1.05 Calories: 868 Protein: 33 grams
Cantonese-American: Tofu chow mein (tofu, ramen noodles, celery, onion), fried rice, fruit salad (banana and orange), green tea - Total: $1.80 Calories: 906 Protein: 26
Greek: Eastern Mediterranean Bean Cutlet (flavored with garlic, parsley, oregano, lemon pepper, and a touch of cinnamon), Greek salad (raw cabbage with diced canned tomatoes, olives, marinated tofu "faux feta," and Italian dressing mixed with lemon, garlic, and oregano), oven fries -Total: $1.74 Calories: 839 Protein: 34
Italian: Antipasto (homemade hummus (mashed chickpeas mixed with peanut butter, vinegar or lemon juice, salt, and garlic) and crackers, faux feta, marinated vegetables, olives), cacio e pepe (spaghetti with cheese and pepper) - Total: $1.24 Calories: 749 Protein: 26
Salvadoran: Red beans, pupusitas (fat homemade corn tortilla) with cheese and salsa, curtido (cabbage-carrot-onion slaw with a spicy vinegar dressing) - Total: $1.30 Calories: 694 Protein: 34
Homemade baked beans, buttered corn cakes, carrot-orange-raisin salad - Total: 98 cents Calories: 793 Protein: 22
Polish: White bean, barley, and mushroom soup, hard boiled eggs, string beans polonaise (with buttered cracker crumbs) - Total: $1.47 Calories: 700 Protein: 30
Filipino: Filipino barbecue tofu, rice, coconut stringbean stew, faux flan (baked custard with caramelized brown sugar topping) - Total: $1.64 Calories: 807 Protein: 28
Japanese: Sukiyaki (tofu, spinach, celery, ramen noodles, onion, seasonings), rice, green tea - Total: $1.83 Calories: 675 Protein: 31
Brazilian: Feijoada Vegetariana: black beans, rice, greens, garnishes, oranges -Total: $1.71 Calories: 682 Protein: 28
Indonesian: Kitchip tahu (Indonesian spicy-sweet tofu), rice, mixed vegetables with peanut sauce, fried banana, sweet tea - Total: $1.78 Calories: 717 Protein: 25
Ethiopian: Ethiopian-style lentils, chapatis, vegetable alekha (mixed vegetable stew), baked sweet potato - Total: $1.76, 721 calories, 28 protein
Romanian: Stuffed cabbage rolls (with lentil and rice filling, baked in tomato sauce), polenta with sour cream and garlic, Romanian carrot/orange salad (with a yogurt-OJ dressing) - Total: $1.43 Calories: 744 Protein: 27
Russian: Kotlety (breaded sauteed bean cutlet - onion and parsley flavored), vinegret salad (potato and vegetable salad with vinaigrette dressing), tea with jam - Total: $1.39 Calories: 816 Protein: 35
Korean: Bibimbap (rice bowl with tofu, vegetables, sesame-soy sauce, and fried egg), quick kimchi (spicy quick-pickled cabbage), Korean-American apple cinnamon punch (fresh apple with diluted pancake syrup, cinnamon, and sunflower seeds) Total: $1.79 Calories: 673 Protein: 29 grams
Mini-pizzas (with homemade chapati crust), carrot sticks and ranch dressing dip, orange or grape julius - Total: $1.40 Calories: 686-701 Protein: 24
Romanian: Polenta with cheese and tomatoes, Romanian-style refried white beans, sweet and sour cabbage Total: $1.37, 700 calories, 27 protein
New Englander: Corn Chowder, Baked Beans, Indian Pudding (polenta with molasses) - Total: $1.33, 910 calories, 26 protein
French: Pate faux gras (lentil and onion pate) and crackers, potage parmentier (potato and onion soup), sweet carrots - Total: $1.40 Calories: 909 Protein: 23
Italian-American: Lasagna (with vegetables, cheese, and tofu), garlic bread, cabbage salad - Total: $1.44 Calories: 726 Protein: 27
Italian-American: Fettuccini with golden vegetable sauce (based on carrots, canned corn, and evaporated milk), broccoli and kidney beans with lemon butter, fruit salad (apple and banana) - Total: $1.65 Calories: 845 Protein: 22
Oceanian: New Guinea Casserole (kidney beans, potatoes, spinach, canned tomatoes, canned coconut milk, seasonings), fried bananas, sweet potato pudding - Total: $1.60 Calories: 819 Protein: 31 With canned beans: $1.77 Calories: 739 Protein: 25
Sixties Counterculture: Hippie Bean Casserole (main ingredients are white beans, corn, tomatoes, and brown rice, topped with grated cheese and crumbs), mixed green salad (cabbage and carrots with sunflower seeds and Italian dressing), herb tea - Total: $1.41 Calories: 807 Protein: 31
Central European: Lentil balls with sauerbraten-style gingersnap gravy, fried potatoes and onions, green beans with buttered crumbs - Total: $1.28 Calories: 753 Protein: 28
Oatmeal cutlets, potato salad (with hard boiled egg, pickles, celery, and a mayo-based dressing), oranges - Total: $1.44 Calories: 841 Protein: 22
Italian-American: Bean cutlets pizzaiola (scallobeanie cutlet with canned tomatoes, basil, oregano, and garlic), broccoli and onions with lemon butter, garlic bread - Total: $1.48 Calories: 744 Protein: 27
French: Oeufs a la tripe (hard-boiled eggs and onions in seasoned white sauce) over mashed potatoes, carrots with maitre d’hotel butter (butter flavored with lemon, parsley, salt and pepper), poached pears (canned pears with vanilla and cinnamon) - Total: $1.46 Calories: 799 Protein: 25
Russian: Stringbean stroganoff (canned stringbeans and mushrooms in a sour cream and paprika-enriched white sauce over noodles), stuffed eggs, pickled beets - Total: $1.57 Calories: 743 Protein: 27
Indian: Chickpea and vegetable biryani (rice, chickpea, and vegetable casserole with a lot of Indian spices), raita (yogurt and vegetable salad), mango lassi (milk, yogurt, and mango nectar drink) Total: $1.71, 739 calories, 26 protein
Norwegian: Norwegian beanballs (white bean based bean meatballs seasoned like Scandinavian meatballs) with milk gravy, parsley potatoes, sweet carrots, pickled beets - Total: $1, 871 calories, 28 protein
French: Crudités (carrot sticks and olives), Haricots Gratinées (French baked bean casserole - like a vegetarian cassoulet), Pommes Lyonnaise (fried potatoes and onions with parsley) Total: $1.70 Calories: 809 Protein: 25
Persian/Iranian: Khoresht Gheimeh (Persian meat and split pea stew - using TVP for the meat here - flavored with tomato, onion, lime, and Persian spices), oven fries, pretty pilaf (rice with cinnamon, carrots, raisins, and sunflower seeds) - Total: $1.22 Calories: 761 Protein: 32
Fried wham steaks (bean cutlets with peanut butter, sesame oil, and brown sugar), with milk gravy, fried potatoes, fried apples and onions -Total: $1.49 Calories: 851 Protein: 28
Czech and Slovak: Halusky (buttered cabbage and egg noodles) with a fried egg, apple charlotte (apple and bread pudding served with evaporated milk) - Total: $1.23 Calories: 914 Protein: 25
Tex-Mex: Chili Non Carne (mixed bean chili with TVP, tomatoes, and vegetables), cornbread, carrot sticks - Total: $1.56 Calories: 743 Protein: 32
Indian: Indian Bean Cutlet with spicy tomato gravy, curried rice with peas - Total: $1.09 Calories: 749 Protein: 30
Moroccan: Vegetarian tagine (chickpea stew with as many veggies as you can manage and Moroccan spices) with millet, oranges, cinnamon cookies, mint tea if you have it - Total: $1.86 Calories: 840 Protein: 22
Norwegian: Fiskboller (white bean balls, seasoned like Norwegian fishballs) with gravy, hedgehog potatoes, buttered spinach - Total: 88 cents, 732 calories, 28 protein
Ashkenazic Jewish: Shabbos Dinner: Gefilte Physh (mock gefilte fish balls made with cornmeal and mashed potatoes), Tofu Brisket with vegetables (tofu pot roasted with vegetables and onion soup mix), mashed potatoes, Carrot and Raisin Tzimmes (carrots and raisins with butter/margarine, sugar, and lemon) - Total: $1.88 Calories: 936 Protein: 25
Roman Cena: Olives, Roman lentilburgers (lentil meatballs seasoned with pepper, garlic, soy sauce, mild curry powder, and grape juice) with fried onions and gravy, barley porridge, carrots with "wine and garum" (grape juice and soy sauce) - Total: $1.17 Calories: 676 Protein: 27
Victorian Dinner: Mock Turtle Soup (black bean soup) with egg, celery sticks, simple and delightful carrots (carrots and potatoes mashed together), baked apple with brown sugar, cinnamon, and evaporated milk - Total: $1.86 Calories: 866 Protein: 29
Dining In The Days Of Good Queen Anne: Savoy soup (cabbage and onion soup with dry toast croutons), fricassee of kidney beans (kidney beans stewed with fried onions), pickled beets, rich rice pudding (custard type rice pudding seasoned with nutmeg) Total: $1.28 Calories: 816 Protein: 27
Dining in the Middle Ages: Hanoney (scrambled eggs with fried onions), roasted root vegetables (carrots and turnips) with camelyne sauce (bread-thickened sauce with sugar, vinegar, grape juice, and sweet spices), oatcakes, perys en composte (canned pears in cinnamon and grape juice) Total: $1.85 Calories: 863 Protein: 25
Dining For Victory: Deluxe Woolton Hunt Pie (vegetable and lentil deep dish pie with oatmeal-thickened interior gravy and a potato-cheese pastry top crust) with gravy, cabbage and apple salad with evaporated milk dressing - Total: $1.71 Calories: 822 Protein: 25
Dining For Victory: Hamburg Deep-Dish Pie (lentil-TVP pie with tomato gravy and biscuit crust), Scalloped Carrots - Total: $1.02, 745 calories, 26 protein
Australian: Kangaroo tail soup (pinto bean and barley soup), toast, broccoli with lemon butter - Total: $1.55 Calories: 746 Protein: 24
Szechuan-American: Szechuan cabbage with tofu (cabbage and tofu with soy sauce, hot pepper, garlic, ginger, and vinegar), dandan noodles (ramen noodles with a sweet and spicy sesame-peanut butter sauce), rice, green or black tea - Total: $1.44 Calories: 911 Protein: 31
American Jewish: Happy Hanukkah!: Tofu brisket, potato latkes (grated potato pancakes) with sour cream and/or applesauce, french toast jelly donuts (jam sandwiches dipped in beaten egg and cooked like French toast) - Total: With sour cream: $1.55 Calories: 754 Protein: 28. With applesauce: $1.64 Calories: 754 Protein: 27
“Forget the brisket, let there be latkes!”: 2 Latkes, french toast jelly donuts, sour cream AND applesauce - Total: 98 cents, 715 calories, 20 protein.
Egyptian: Hummus with flatbread (homemade chapati), mujaddara (lentils and rice with fried onions), Egyptian coleslaw (raw cabbage and carrots with a lemony sour cream dressing): Total: $1.47 Calories: 843 Protein: 33
American Southern: Oatmeal cutlets with milk gravy, butter beans (with sesame oil, brown sugar, onions, salt, and hot sauce), Southern-style greens (cabbage with soy sauce, garlic, red pepper, vinegar, salt, and hot sauce), cornbread - Total: $1.48 Calories: 894 Protein: 26
Louisianan: Red beans and rice with marinated onions, hors d’oeuvres (olives and celery sticks), Louisiana-style greens (cabbage with onions, garlic, red pepper, etc.) Total: $1.22 Calories: 714 Protein: 21
South American (Andean countries): Locro (cheese and potato soup), salsa, ensalada de acelgas (cold cooked spinach with lemon juice and olives) - Total: $1.70 Calories: 754 Protein: 28
Shore Dinner: New England physhcakes (as Norwegian Bean Balls, but replace some of the oats with mashed potato and season like New England fishcakes), corn oysters (little pan-fried corn kernel fritters),sugar and vinegar coleslaw - Total: 99 cents, 744 calories (764 if you put catsup on your corn oysters), 27 protein
I used cabbage in the salads because it's usually cheaper than lettuce (although not always), it keeps better, and it's higher in vitamin C.
I put toasted sesame oil in the southern-style vegetable recipes as a vegetarian substitute for bacon fat.
A lot of these menus have international or historical inspiration (which I have noted) but I make no claims of scrupulous authenticity. I was working with the constraints of a limited budget and sometimes limited information. I hope you enjoy them anyway.