What budget meals can be prepped under ₹150 per day for 3 members?

Question

What budget meals can be prepped under ₹150 per day for 3 family members? Get a sample plan for extremely affordable family cooking.

Answer 1

Budget-friendly meals under ₹150 per day for 3 people can include lentil soup with rice, vegetable stir-fry with noodles, or chickpea curry with roti, focusing on affordable staples and seasonal vegetables. Planning meals and buying in bulk can further reduce costs.

Detailed Explanation:

Creating budget meals for three people under ₹150 per day requires careful planning and a focus on inexpensive, nutritious ingredients. Here's a breakdown of how to achieve this:

1. Meal Planning: Start by planning your meals for the week. This helps you avoid impulse purchases and ensures you use all your ingredients efficiently. Consider themes like 'Lentil Monday' or 'Vegetable Tuesday' to simplify the process.

2. Staple Ingredients: Focus on affordable staples like lentils (dal), rice, wheat flour (atta), chickpeas (chana), potatoes, onions, and seasonal vegetables. These form the base of many Indian dishes and are relatively inexpensive.

3. Example Meal Plans:

   • Lentil Soup (Dal) with Rice: Lentils are a great source of protein and fiber. A simple dal made with masoor dal (red lentils) or toor dal (yellow lentils), seasoned with basic spices like turmeric, cumin, and mustard seeds, served with rice, is a filling and affordable meal.

   • Vegetable Stir-Fry with Noodles: Use seasonal vegetables like cabbage, carrots, beans, and onions. Stir-fry them with a little oil and spices, and serve over inexpensive noodles. You can add a simple soy sauce-based sauce for flavor.

   • Chickpea Curry (Chana Masala) with Roti: Chickpeas are another excellent source of protein. Make a simple chana masala with tomatoes, onions, and spices, and serve with homemade roti (flatbread) made from atta.

   • Potato and Spinach Curry (Aloo Palak) with Rice: Potatoes and spinach are often budget-friendly. Cook them together with spices for a flavorful and nutritious curry.

4. Bulk Buying: Purchase staples like lentils, rice, and atta in bulk to save money. Check local markets for better prices than supermarkets.

5. Seasonal Vegetables: Opt for seasonal vegetables, as they are usually cheaper and fresher. Visit local farmers' markets for the best deals.

6. Minimize Meat Consumption: Meat is generally more expensive than vegetarian options. Reduce meat consumption and focus on plant-based protein sources like lentils and chickpeas.

7. Cook at Home: Avoid eating out or ordering food, as this significantly increases costs. Cooking at home allows you to control ingredients and portion sizes.

Pro Tip:

Grow your own herbs like coriander, mint, and curry leaves in small pots. This adds flavor to your meals without incurring extra costs, and reduces food waste from buying large bunches that you can't use.