That 50 cent bag of lentils changed my grocery bill

I started tracking my food spending back in March after a rough month with the electric bill. I was buying chicken breast at $4 a pound and wondering why my wallet hurt. Then my neighbor, an old Italian guy named Tony, told me to buy a 2 pound bag of lentils for like a buck fifty. I laughed it off but gave it a shot. Now I stretch ground beef by mixing in cooked lentils at a 1 to 1 ratio. It works in tacos, meatloaf, even spaghetti sauce. I save about $15 a week doing this. Has anyone else found a cheap ingredient that just works as a stretcher?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_lisa5d ago

Right, because nothing says "saving money" like turning your dinner into a science experiment with a dusty bag of lentils from the back of the pantry. Tony probably charges you for the free advice too, doesn't he? I tried the ground beef and lentil trick once and my husband asked if I was trying to poison him with sawdust. Guess it works if you're feeding a family of rabbits or you're just really, really broke. At least you're not out there buying $8 fancy quinoa from a glass jar, so there's that.

leeknight6d ago

Gotta admit I was the same way for a long time. I used to think lentils were just for hippies or people trying to be healthy and I wasn't interested. But then I started noticing my grocery bill creeping up and I got desperate. Threw some red lentils into a pot of chili one night just to see what would happen and honestly I couldn't even tell they were in there. Now I buy them in bulk from the big bins at the store and throw them into soups, stews, even some casseroles. They soak up flavor like crazy and you barely notice the texture if you cook them soft enough. It's not gonna make you rich but it's a damn sight better than watching your money go into the trash can with leftovers that went bad.