[Victoriakem]

When I was in nursing school, & so broke, I bought several boxes of brand X corn flakes. We ate them for breakfast, made cookies out of them, made meatloaf & crispy chicken, which is dipping chicken pieces in melted margarine & flour & then in crunched up corn flakes & baking for an hour. I had about 10 boxes lined up on my kitchen shelves when they went on sale for 79 cents a box. I could only afford to buy hamburger & chicken legs quarters, but we still ate pretty well. Plus you could get free videos from the library to watch.

[TheCommuter]

I also learned how to make homemade bran muffins using the cheap, store-brand generic boxes of Raisin Bran cereal. These little muffins were rather addictive and, in my opinion, some of the tastiest baked goods that could be made on a low budget.

[Marie_LPN]

They sound good, and something quick to grab for breakfast.

[kiyatylese]

Originally Posted by stevielynn

What we called "Bread, milk and sugar" . . white Wonder Bread broken into pieces and covered with sugar and milk - Breakfast of Champions!

We used to eat that every morning when we were growing up, because we didn't have money for cereal. But I still like it now.

And we used to buy a lot of potatoes. You can fix them every day in a different way:mashed potatoes, french fries, baked potatoes, broiled potatoes with a little chese....

[Marie_LPN]

Ranch potatoes. Potatoes fried with powdered ranch dressing (actually still make that, Matt loves it).

[TheCommuter]

I also forgot to mention these tasty, low-budget meals:

1. Grilled cheese sandwiches
2. Iceburg lettace salads with the imitation bacon bits
3. Rice-a-Roni
4. Pinto beans covered with cheddar
5. The $0.99 frozen TV dinners
6. Cheap citrus fruits such as oranges
7. Homemade iced tea
8. Chicken leg meat covered with spaghetti sauce and mozzarella
9. Plain cheese sandwiches (not grilled)
10. Egg noodles (either in chicken broth or spaghetti sauce)

[Marie_LPN]

I remember one time of being so broke i was taking a spoon to the generic can of grated parmesean cheese. Mmmmmm mmmmmmmmmm.

[DutchgirlRN]

A box of Kraft Mac & Cheese was 17 cents back in the 70's and one box fed both of us. Occasionally we'd throw in a hot dog for a real treat. Powdered milk was cheap and we made it up as we needed it to use in the Mac & Cheese. This is the most common cheap meal I remember us eating.

The only time in 2 years that we ate beef for dinner was if we ate at Mom's house.

We were both thin, happy, not overwhelmed with credit and remember those meager times fondly.

[gauge14iv]

Egg Sammiches - sometimes with cheese if I had extra money that week.

I still love them once in awhile!

[kitty29]

Boy...stuff I've eaten in a pintch probally would make some of you ....well you know!

canned pasta - cold
rice-a-roni
mac & cheese
those noodle soup things
spam

But to be honest I have never been all that down & out. One of my brothers said once they lived on bisquick pancakes...but being the only girl I might have been a bit spoiled.