Cost-effective meals: One day living below the poverty line

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Start at a bulk food store and end at a discount grocery provider, and careful shopping should lead you to enough food for these three healthy and frugal meals for your family for $7.

Creamy Oatmeal With Dates

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Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 2 tbsp powdered skim milk
• 1/2 cup chopped pitted dates
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

Directions

• Combine water, powdered milk, dates, cinnamon and salt in a medium pot over high heat and bring to a boil.
• Add oats, turn heat down to medium-low and simmer for 15 min or until oats are cooked and liquid has been absorbed.

Makes 4 Adult Servings

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Simple Split Pea Soup

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups dried split green peas
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 tsp chopped garlic
• 1 tsp dried mixed Italian herbs
• 7 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

• Put peas in a bowl with enough water to cover and set aside.
• Heat oil in a large pot on medium heat.  Add onion and carrots and sauté for 8 min or until softened.Add garlic and herbs and saute 1 min longer. Drain peas and add to pot along with water and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, cover pot, turn heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour 10 min or until peas have completely broken down. Season with salt and pepper.

Makes 4 Adult Servings

Read more: Soup: 7 hearty winter recipes>

Lentils & Cracked Wheat

Think of this as a sort of savoury protein-laden risotto, and serve with a side of whatever vegetable you can buy with your remaining change.

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Ingredients

• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 5 cups water
• 3 tbsp powdered low-sodium (MSG-free) chicken bullion
• 1 cup lentils
• 1 cup cracked wheat

Directions

• Heat oil in a pot on medium heat.  Add onions and sauté for 10 min, stirring, until onions are lightly golden.
• Add water, bullion, lentils and wheat and bring pot to a boil. Cover pot, turn heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 min or until lentils and wheat are tender and water has been absorbed (you can add a little more water to loosen if needed to reach desired consistency).

Makes 4 Adult Servings

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