Cheap but easy and tasty food?

[craig]

When on the trail, I like to eat good, but I also like to eat easy. I also like to eat cheap so I can afford to do this more often. Lately I've recommitted to finding ways to eat cheaply and easily. I also have to watch my carb intake (< 45g per meal) so I have to limit the amount of Pasta I consume which seems to be a staple in freeze dried food. One of the best items I've found are the "Tasty Bites Indian Food" pouches for about $3.00ea. Good as a restaurant. Just boil the pouch in water to heat it up.

http://www.tastybite.com/
For example the Jaipur Vegetables have 2 servings per package w/
Calories 169
Total Fat 11g
Sat Fat 3g
Trans Fat 0g
Total Carb 10g
Fiber 4g
Sugars 3g
Protein 7g



Anyone else have any cheap, easy, tasty non-pasta items (other than beef jerky)?

Craig

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Great idea's........!

I like to wait until these are on sale for a $Buck.....and then I load up on them.

They last for over a year and are very tasty! They stack very nicely in my food bin. They even stay in my truck in case I have to evacuate.


http://www.chunky.com/products.aspx <~Clickit!

Click around....they have tons of choices!:chowtime:



.

 

[Green Ganesha]

One of the best items I've found are the "Tasty Bites Indian Food" pouches for about $3.00ea. Good as a restaurant. Just boil the pouch in water to heat it up.

http://www.tastybite.com/

Craig, thanks for the tip. I just ordered a bunch of their stuff to try.

 

[craig]

You bet.

I like the Jaipur Vegetables and the Bombay Potato Curry. Until I linked to their website here I didn't know they were doing Thai food, so I'll have to try that too.

One thing that is nice is that you can buy them in the organic section of Safeway (So they are easy to find), although they were about 20% more expensive there than at our local farmers/grocery Co-op.

Craig

 

[Green Ganesha]

I like the Jaipur Vegetables and the Bombay Potato Curry. Until I linked to their website here I didn't know they were doing Thai food, so I'll have to try that too.

I went a bit whole hog with my order, trying just about everything, and mostly in the $12 6-pack sizes. I may be feasting on Indian and Thai cuisine every single trip I take next year....

One thing that is nice is that you can buy them in the organic section of Safeway (So they are easy to find), although they were about 20% more expensive there than at our local farmers/grocery Co-op.

Craig, how do your grocery Co-Op prices for these compare to the website's?

 

[Scott Brady]

My aunt Linda is a master at "boil in a bag". She prepares awesome meals prior to the trip and then vacuum seals them. Drop it in a pot and heat it up. Easy and tasty

For me, I love to cook more complex and elaborate meals while camping. Part of the experience for me, and usually gives me the chance to feed my good friends something unique or protein "rich". :cow:

 

[craig]

I mix it up Scott. On the more difficult trips, or colder more mountainous trips I prefer to have easy to prep food and leave the cooler at home. On the easier more relaxing "Overland" trips I like to go all out and have a feast... our group usually has a Potluck on those trips to share the wealth.

Craig

 

[craig]

Craig, how do your grocery Co-Op prices for these compare to the website's?

The co-op sells em for $2.29 just like the website, but they don't have anywhere near that selection. They are $2 ea when you buy the 6 pack. That's pretty reasonable considering how good it is. Seriously, if a local restaurant was spreading this stuff over a bed of basmati rice I wouldn't know the difference (and I was introduced to Indian food by my Indian officemate in grad school... everything made from scratch).

Craig

 

[7wt]

I always opt for the Johnsonville Better Chedder over charcoals. That's about the only thing I can cook well.

 

[ntsqd]

One of my cheaper meals is what I call "microwave burritos." Probably not news to many on how it works.
A can/box of chili, some cheese, and a bag of tortillas. I heat the chili in it's can in a pot of water. Simple, fairly qwik, and easy.

The Chunky link looks interesting. Going to have to check out some of those options. Food is mostly fuel to me, but I do want to like what I eat.

 

[craig]

Easy and healthy lunch items:

- Wheat tortillas or wraps, w/ tuna straight from the can, avocado slices (instead of mayo). Optionally add tomato slices and dijon mustard.

- Pitas with humus and tomatoes.

 

[craig]

I always opt for the Johnsonville Better Chedder over charcoals. That's about the only thing I can cook well.

I've done those too. They are tasty, cheap, and easy. Unfortunately they fall kind of short in the healthy and no cooler required categories. I guess I'm really after the equivalent of back-packing food here but don't like to spend $12 on gourmet Mountain House when I can get twice the taste from "Tasty Bites" for 1/6th the price. There have to be other options similar to this.

When I was younger and did more backpacking some of the items I'd bring were:

- Chick Peas and Couscous
- Any Instant Rice type meal plus some sort of canned meat added to bulk it up.
- Pastas, and I'd make my own white sause with powdered milk and parmesan I had pre-grated and packed in. etc.

Now I have to eat more protein and veggies and fewer carbs, so I'm hoping to find some good recipes in this vein and I'm not having much luck.

Craig

 

[Dave Bennett]

Doc's Dish

Combine in a large skillet over a Coleman single burner:

1 sliced up Beef Polska Kielbasa (brown these first)

1 bag Ore-Ida hashbrowns
1 bag Ore-Ida diced onions
1 can corn (drained)

Season-All to your taste...

Cook until done...

Mix in 1 bag of shredded Colby-Jack chesse...

...Voila! Enjoy!

Cost: about $5.00 US
Feeds: 3 or 4 depending...