Last lunch of #SurviveOn35!
I had just enough ingredients to make one final salad.
- Romaine Lettuce: $0.50
- Carrots: $0.19
- Corn Tortillas: $0.18
- Hummus: $0.60
- Total: $1.47
This meal cleared out all of my lettuce, cheese, and hummus, but I still have a couple of tortillas and carrots left for dinner (with a few other things). I’m pretty sure there will be zero food left when I’m done here. 
Love the big glob of hummus. 
I’ve been sharing a few of my budget-friendly healthy meal ideas with you this week, and now I’m interested in hearing yours!
What’s your favorite healthy dish on the cheap?
{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }
I LOVE hummus.
I love spaghetti squash with meat sauce. It’s cheap relative to my normal groceries/meals… But I’m not sure how it would work out on $35/wk per person…
Jordan @ Bake Write Sleep recently posted..Costco Paleo finds.
Carrots and hummus is definitely a favorite healthy, affordable snack! Or apples and peanut butter!
Katie @ Talk Less, Say More recently posted..Getting Back On Track
We love making pizzas with ready made crusts – topping them with whatever we have around in the fridge!
Krissy @ Shiawase Life recently posted..Tune-in Tuesday:Playlist additions for Work(ing Out) and Play.
I love black beans and yellow rice. Not sure how healthy that really is, but it could be worse.
And it sure is inexpensive to make!
Mary @ food and fun on the run recently posted..My Favorite Post-Run Stretches
hummus is SO fabulous! it makes any dish spectacular!
Caralyn @ glutenfreehappytummy recently posted..Grilled Romaine & Nectarine Salad! GF, V, SCD w/ BED Opt’n!
You have done awesome! What a hard core challenge. I’m with you on frozen veggies and canned beans- those save a good chunk of money! I also buy in bulk on pantry staples we use a lot of
Erica recently posted..Body Step Launch & Kaylin Happenings
Cuban style black beans using the eatliverun.com recipe! Makes a ton and they are super cheap-only need black beans, onion, cilantro and salt.
Spinach pasta- mix 1 container mushrooms, 1 package frozen chopt spinach and some dried basil into your favorite marinara sauce. Mix with 1 lb cooked pasta and top with cheese if desired. Bake for 20 min until bubble. Nutritious and CHEAP!
One of my favorites is definitely rice and beans. Specifically brown rice and black beans. Topped with some salsa and it’s perfect. Super easy and filling.
Gabby (Quest for Delicious) recently posted..When in doubt, find a coffee shop
I think hummus is good on everything, including off the spoon!
amy recently posted..A lesson from the boys
Rice and beans are always good! Spaghetti squash with chopped up tomatoes as sauce is also delicious!
I love hummus. I recently started using it instead of dressing on my salads-love the texture and it really adds a lot more flavor! My favorite go-to cheap meal is tofu veggie stir fry. 5 ingredients: tofu, brown rice, frozen veggies, soy sauce (low sodium of course) and eggs!
Megan @ The I Do Diaries recently posted..The Dark Knight, Lots of Pizza and the Anniversary Countdown Begins!
Sweet potato, eggs and salsa! It’s my new favorite go-to for any meal of the day! I just microwave a sweet potato (I’m rarely home long enough before a meal to actually bake it) and then cook 1 or 2 over easy eggs and plop them on top! I love to add salsa and sometimes some avocado! I also love to add an egg to my oatmeal to give it some extra protein, and of course whatever fruit I have around to add some flavor.
Katie @ Peace Love & Oats recently posted..Resource Review + Spa Giveaway!
Anything with beans is my go to cheap food. dry beans are cheaper than buying canned. A bit more work, but I think they taste better.
P.S. How are you not chewing your arm off? I would be absolutely starving if i’d had only oatmeal and a small salad, especially after a workout.
yeah- I’m wondering about this too. Do you feel like you’ve been getting enough to eat the past few days in relation to how much exercise you do? I’m ravenous when I run and I’m not sure $35 worth of food for a week would satiate me!
Danielle @ Long May You Run recently posted..Plan Marathon
I was wondering what you thought about the calorie counts in this week’s meals too. I’d estimate your breakfast and lunch are together totaling ~500cals. Do you think you would be eating more if you weren’t on the challenge this week? It might be interesting to discuss in your summary post. Balancing cheap, nutritious, AND calorically filling is tough for sure!
I like black bean burritos. Typically when I make them, they aren’t ridiculously healthy, but I’m sure others could make them healthier.
The Many Thoughts of a Reader recently posted..I’m not Scared
I am all about beans and tortillas -salsa (pretty cheap) bowls. Oh and quinoa is pretty cheap in bulk!
I love eggs and spinach too
Annette @FitnessPerks recently posted..Lifting Motivation
You forgot to add in the price of the cheese in your calculation. It doesn’t really matter but just in case you’re trying to add stuff up at the end (even though you already did when you bought the groceries). I just thought I’d give you a heads up. I’m interested to read your thoughts about it tomorrow.
Peanut butter sandwiches are my go-to cheap meals (although Ezekial bread kinda negates the cheap aspect)…I also like to buy whole wheat pizza dough from Trader Joes ($1) and make pizza for my son and me. We throw together the toppings and it is cheaper than going out for a few slices which these days costs somehow $10-$15 just for the 2 of us. So we make it at home and we make it great!
Beans and rice is the way to go on a deal… you can get blocks of cheese for decent priced too!… protein.. carbs… throw it on top of some lettuce for a salad with some tomatoes and it is rounded out!
Kayla Moothart recently posted..Random Thoughts Tuesday
My fav is omelette’s. You can pretty much use any veg around and the eggs fill you up.
CampingGirl recently posted..Back on Track… again.
I’m really curious to see what you’ll say in your summary post for this challenge. I previously worked for an organization that helped people on social assistance access affordable, healthy food and the clients did not have the luxury of doing it for only a week. One politician in my city did a similar challenge for a month and he also lived in social housing and in shelters. To echo the comments above, I’d like to hear about your energy levels, satiety, and any other physical/mental effects you felt. I think your response is a good way to reflect on the stigmas facing those who receive government subsidies.
Looking forward to hearing what you have to say. You’ve had some good ideas for recipes so far!
Big fan of black beans and brown rice when I need something easy and cheap. I usually go for instant rice for simplicity purposes – more expensive but worth spending ten minutes making it rather than forty.
Hummus is also a big staple in my diet – must be in the fridge at all times.
Sam @ Better With Sprinkles recently posted..Desperately Seeking Produce.
Vegetarian chili is one of my favorite budget-friendly meals!
BroccoliHut recently posted..What Summer Tastes Like
Beans, lentils or oats. So versatile and cheap. Especially when you can buy in bulk.
Angela @ Happy Fit Mama recently posted..Cross Training for Injuries
Off topic, but I would love for you to check out my race report from my first triathlon this past weekend. I have loved reading your triathlon posts these past few years and I finally started training for a 1/2 Ironman this summer. On Sunday I did a sprint and you can bet I reread your sprint race recaps on Saturday night. Thanks for inspiring me to finally try something I have been afraid of as I loved it more than I could have thought.
http://www.westfordmommy.com/2012/07/danskin-triathlon-2012-race-report.html
Robin recently posted..Danskin Triathlon 2012 Race Report