I have three priorities when it comes to my food. It must be:
- Healthy
- Inexpensive
- Easy and quick to make
There is a widespread misconception that healthy food must be expensive, but I eat about as clean as it gets and my average grocery costs for the last two years has been a little under $130 a month. How can someone do that without eating off the dollar menu at McDonalds you ask? Here’s how:
My go-to meal for a fair amount of lunches and dinners has been named “The Mix” by adoring fans. It’s main component is lentils, which are the most underrated food on the planet. One serving of lentils contains 10 grams of protein and other great stuff like fiber and iron. When you buy a 4 lb bag, that is 52 servings for $4.88 aka 9.4 cents per serving.
Second is brown rice. Adding some more protein, fiber, and most of the carbs that I eat, I buy brown rice in 5 lb bags for $3.88. With 50 servings per bag, that boils down to 7.8 cents per serving.
Lastly, I add beans and vegetables to The Mix, usually adding on another 10-20 cents per serving depending on how fancy of veggies I use. Season with your favorite spices (my favorites are cumin and chili powder) and you’re good to go. A complete meal with lots of nutrients for 30-40 cents per serving, keeps well and reheats well, and can be customized to taste however you want. This is how I prepare it:
- 2.5 cups dry brown rice, 5 cups water, cook dat rice following instructions from the package or the internet
- 3 cups dry lentils, 7 cups water. Rinse lentils, then cook them, and rinse again when cooked. Again, follow instructions from the package or the internet
- 1 or 2 cups of whatever kind of vegetables you like (I like frozen mixed veggies, broccoli, or peas). You can either microwave, sauté, or just throw them in your final bowl depending on what veggies you’re using and what you prefer.
- 1 or 2 cans black or kidney or pinto or *any other kind of* beans. Rinse beans. (I’ve actually started making big batches of dried beans, which cost roughly half as much as buying them in a can)
Throw everything in a big bowl, mix it around, season it. You now have a week’s worth of meals done in 45 minutes. I eat it warm, but I know other people have eaten the mix cold as well.
Honestly, I have not found a more efficient way to get eat healthy, cheap, and easy-to-make food than the legendary Mix. If you know of anything better, please let me know!
I’ll be detailing more of my food habits soon, stay tuned.
#FoodGoals
(Picture has been edited to show texture)