There are very few things that are more stressful than staring at the dwindling number in your checking account and trying to figure out how you’re going to buy enough groceries to feed yourself until pay day. These five cookbooks will help you eat well even when money is tight.
1. Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4/Day by Leanne Brown
When Leanne Brown moved from Canada to New York to earn a Master’s in food studies at New York University, she noticed just how limited the options were for the 47 million Americans on food stamps. She set out to write a cookbook to help people eat well on SNAP benefits of just $4 per day. Good and Cheap gives tips on stocking a pantry with cheap basics, and has flexible recipe ideas that are priced out per serving. Brown has also made the entire book available online for free as a PDF.
2. Budget Bytes: Over 100 Easy, Delicious Recipes to Slash Your Grocery Bill in Half by Beth Moncel
Beth Moncel started her popular blog, Budget Bytes, as a college student during the great recession. Armed with a degree in Nutritional Science, Moncel focuses on healthy, flavorful meals, appetizers, and desserts that are as affordable as they are easy to make. The Budget Bytes book contains over 100 simple recipes and expert tips for saving money in the kitchen.
3. Make the Bread, Buy the Butter by Jennifer Reese
When Jennifer Reese lost her job, she started a series of food related experiments. She found that not all home cooked meals actually cost less or taste better. Reese breaks down the cost of store bought vs. homemade foods in 120 recipes, and gives make or buy recommendations.
4. Good Cheap Eats: Everyday Dinners and Fantastic Feasts for $10 or Less by Jessica Fisher
Each of Jessica Fisher’s delicious recipes is designed to feed a family of four for ten dollars or less. Fisher experiments with tons of different types of cuisine, with recipes including curry couscous, lemon pie with honey-ginger ice cream, and simple bean tostadas. She also gives helpful tips on reducing waste, maximizing leftovers, and finding good cuts of meat that are cheap.
5. Vegan on the Cheap by Robin Robertson
Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, or just trying to squeeze in a few more vegetables and fruits every day, Vegan on the Cheap is an awesome book for the budget cook. Robin Robertson provides 150 delicious recipes that cost just 50 cents to $2 per serving.
What are your favorite budget cookbooks? Let us know in the comments!
YouTube Channel: Brothers Green Eats
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