What's Your Process for Getting a Cheap Feed?

Just wondering what everyone's process is for getting a cheap feed to their liking?

This isn't a who's right or wrong, or even who's got a better process debate as we each have different tastes (literally), nutritional requirements, and options available. Just a friendly discussion on what we each do.

Here's mine that I use when at the office and need to buy lunch:

  1. By default I'll go for either a $9.95 burger and chips deal or $11 soba salad if I'm being healthier, from the eateries at the bottom of my work building.
  2. If I'm looking to save a few dollars, or if I need to walk into the CBD during lunch, I'll check the Maccas app or HJs shake and win thing for sub-$8 option. If similar pricing, I will usually go for Maccas due to points to go towards a free Big Mac, but getting a Whopper for $4 will do me for lunch

If at home and I'm not eating my own cooking:

  1. My comparison benchmark is a $7 banh mi at the local bakery near my PO Box
  2. I'll check the Maccas and HJs apps for anything of similar price or cheaper. Again, Maccas for the points is more desirable if options are similarly priced.
  3. If I'm not feeling like fast food, I'll grab a salad like a home style coleslaw pack from the Woolies up the road and some roast chicken.

Comments

  • +11

    Salad bars like Soul Origin reduce leftover prices considerably around 3PM. You can get 2-3 bowls of pasta/salad or sandwiches for the price of one during lunch rush hour.

    • +11

      Oh i sometimes walk past soul origin at 3pm to 5pm but never seen reduced price

      Is it something you need to ask before they give discount?

      • +3

        Maybe it differs between franchisees, but the ones I've seen have all put up a sign (e.g. 'afternoon special').

        Probably depends on closing time as well, usually it's available a few couple before.

        • Oh i c thanks

          My local close at 5pm and i dont see any signs for afternoon special

          • +2

            @ATTS: RIP sounds like your local might be run by a stingy franchisee

  • +53

    I pity your intestines

  • +76

    I cook my own food. Cheaper and healthier than anything you mentioned above.

    • I agree, cooking is so much cheaper. But time is also money my friend.

      • Nowhere did the op say they were time poor

        • +1

          But they did clarify that this thread was for "when I'm not eating my own cooking"

  • +1

    Get uber one and check oZb

  • +57

    Cook extra dinner, bring leftovers.

    • +19

      Leftovers for lunch is always the best!

  • +6

    Have always bought my lunch - spending drives the economy. As a rule of thumb, I spent no more than one hour's pay for the working week.

    • +1

      What’s your hourly pay rate lol

    • Jesus if I decide to eat outside I usually end up spend one hours pay on it.

    • +4

      Is this how you justify buying lunch lol. Me surviving out here is enough to drive the economy.

    • We have some pretty good local shops that do lunch specials. Similar to you, no more than one hour for the working week.
      Local asian place does $12 lunch specials. Usually get the crispy skin chicken, steamed rice and salad.

  • +4

    IGA grocer near me for lunch. They do freshly made sandwiches for $7-9.

  • +20

    What makes you "need" to buy lunch?

    This makes me think you can't cook and I highly suggest you learn the basics of cooking. IMO, cooking is one of the skills one needs to have. Even if it's just cooking rice and pre-marinated chicken. That's like 3 lunches at around $3 per lunch.

    Personally, when I worked at an office, I couldn't even fathom to spend $10+ on lunch 5 days a week. That's already $2,600 per year if the food is $10, not to mention drinks, snacks, etc….

    I used to cook different types of food at home and bring it in to work.

    • -4

      Maths doesn't add up

      • Which maths?

      • -1

        52 weeks in a year,
        minus at least 5 weeks for Annual Leave, etc.

        So, 47 weeks x 5 working days = 235 days

        235 days x $10 lunch = $2350 or thereabouts

        • +3

          10 days personal leave
          10 days public holidays
          20 days annual leave
          $2200

          • +1

            @Darude Sandstorm: I see you take the "compulsory" 10 days sick leave per year haha

            • @Poor Ass: LMAO.
              Well look, if you’re subcontracting on a 12 month contract these are the numbers you’d use to calculate the FTE pay. But also yes, use those sick days baby! You’re entitled to them so do it.

        • +1

          "or thereabouts"

          Which mine is "thereabouts" too. No need to be nitpicking on my maths it's just an example.

          Also, annual leave for FT workers is 20 days not 25 days.

          If you want to nit pick, people work OT and buy dinner, people buy drinks and snacks, people buy lunch that is more or less than $10, people work or don't work on public holidays, people work more than 5 days a week…..

          • @hasher22: I wasn't nitpicking you, because I already agreed with you.

            I was replying to the other person before me,
            but in my reply to support you,
            I got negged now, and I don't know why.

    • +1

      Bro can make 5 chicken sandwiches with less than $10.

    • -1

      Sometimes life gets in the way or they dont feel like cooking. Nothing wrong with eating out for lunch once in a while. No one is saying buy lunch every day in the office…

      • -1

        OP stated they "need" to buy lunch

    • Depends on how you cook tbh. I’ve seen people cooking up a meal that costs more than eating out because they follow recipes to the letter. That or roast a tiny something for hours because you are cooking for one. I buy roasted chicken now instead of doing it myself. Buying groceries is something you also have to do a fair bit to get better at. Then there’s the cleaning part.

      If your hourly pay is above average, unless cooking is something that makes you happy, it can really be cheaper eating out. Strictly not talking about the nutrition part.

    • for me it's not the need to buy, rather the walk to get out of the office. the local place does $12 lunches, which have meat, rice and salad, and are reasonably health. It's a 10 min walk, which a couple of us usually take to get out of the office, chat and just refresh. Plus it gets me an extra 2000 odd steps

    • $2,600 isn't a lot if it's something you enjoy though. The bit of random adventure in procuring your lunch, maybe the thrill of getting a bit of a deal. The reason to save money on Ozbargain is so you can have the things you enjoy I reckon. Even if it is things others view as unnecessary like a personal trainer or outsourcing your lawns or getting food delivered.

  • +1

    Lower your standards and you can get meals down a lot.
    - Buy carbs in bulk, like brown rice in 25kg bags.
    - buy your protein source in bulk, prep, freeze.
    - vegetables, depends if fresh or frozen is cheaper.

    The higher your standards and the more flavour you want, then the more it'll start to cost. But if you disregard sauces, herbs, marinades etc, then your meals will be pretty cheap.

    • +1

      Sauces herbs marinades are cheap per meal.

    • +2

      But if you disregard sauces, herbs, marinades etc, then your meals will be pretty cheap.

      At this rate you might as well eat some sort of tasteless beige mush, then you can really save money.

      • +1

        Beige mush? Luxury!

    • Spices are not very expensive

  • +9

    Lately been eating a lot of things with rice.

    Coles is my go to because $2 delivery.

    Some stuff I have been eating which to me is good value and all available from Coles (each meal is under $10 total):

    • kransky (they hover around $3 per sausage and I usually eat 2 with a large bowl of rice is usually enough to fill me up)
    • the chicken breast crumb rosemary and sage schnitzels are around $9 or $4.50 each and they go very nice with rice
    • Mash potato with maggi instant mix gravy with frozen peas is pretty nice add in some frozen pies at under $1.50 each I usually eat 2 usually total meal is under $9
    • cheap coles sausages always a winner
    • frozen veggies with rice and silken tofu and a bit of soy sauce usually under $7 and probably my only healthy meal lol
    • pork belly roast made in an air fryer then add rice (this is probably the only one that reaches $10 depending on how I divide up the roasts)
    • katoomba roti paratha with a bit of butter and chili oil (a 20 pack used to be $9 so 45 cents a roti and usually 5 is enough to fill you up plenty so like $2.50 for the roti breads and however much butter and spicy sauce you use probably $5 max)
    • ultimate cheap meal is just bread with cheese toasted in an air fryer (a slice of bread is like 10-20 cents and if you use a third of a block of tasty cheese with 4 slices of breadthat is like $5.50 max)
    • hard "boiled" eggs (50 cents an egg add salt pepper to taste I also make this in the air fryer)
    • silken tofu with literally anything you can find (it is like $2.30 per tofu tray don't even need to cook it can just warm it up to your liking add soy sauce or any sauce and eat it raw)
    • $1.90 can of 500g pumpkin soup with 150g (1/3) $4.20 500g of sour cream and some croutons $4 max
    • porridge with powdered milk full cream and milo/honey/etc depends really how much you want my serving is probably around $6-7 max
    • oh yeah forgot the other ultimate cheap meal but it kinda gets boring fast.. pasta with bolognese sauce literally $1 pasta and like $3-5 for a jar of sauce honestly the cheapest stuff taste better imho I have tried a bit of the expensive stuff and could not tell the difference I just like to add kraft grated parmesan cheese (coles parmesan cheese for me taste really really bad even for the savings I don't recommend it anymore get kraft) and if you are organized the la famiglia garlic bread slices yeah if that does not fill you up i dunno drink some milk

    yeah I figure if I can get full under $10 that is a deal since pretty much everything outside is now nearly $20+ for a full meal probably closer to $30-$35 if eating out if im being honest but i am still in denial over how expensive it is to eat out

    looking at my cheap meals there is not much nutrition in there I really need to find some sort of wonder food that has all the nutrition I need I am not sure if frozen vegetables has it all but they are probably my healthiest meals

    these are just the cheap meals i am not embarrassed to share publicly online haha lol well some

    every week I wish and don't wish that I lived or worked near a Maccas or HJs but man honestly HJs has some crazy cheap killer deals I could save some money if they were near.. Maccas kind of fell off for me.. only their ice cream and dessert is good still to me.. and the fries but the burgers if you can even call it that have all lost value and taste for me

    • "looking at my cheap meals there is not much nutrition in there" do you need to take blood pressure/cholesterol/insulin for that diet?
      "porridge with powdered milk full cream and milo/honey/etc depends really how much you want my serving is probably around $6-7 max" my mourning oats with nuts, fruit, yoghurt, soy milk, protein power is under half that price. How much are you eating?

      • I think I overestimated the porridge value I think you can take $2-3 off but it really depends on how much milo and if you put milk or water in it.

        But I do like to make a big bowl of porridge and eat it slowly over a whole day.

      • +1

        I feel your sorrow for eating oats.

    • Nice list.

      I really need healthy snack options.

      Higher protein, less carbs/fats.

      • +1

        Thanks.

        Yeah every time I look for options for better protein it keeps coming back to legumes for some reason.

        Also looking for higher protein and less carbs/fats but I don't think it exists always have to make a sacrifice or compromise somewhere.

        Popcorn is semi healthy.. a bit too salty but the rest of it pretty low fat and healthy compared to other snacks.

        • Yeah, I love salt.

          I do it in the microwave.

          Add 50g popcorn, salt & 1/4 cup of water and rakes anywhere from 3-9 mins.

          • @[Deactivated]: I gotta try that I have some leftover popping corns somewhere around.

  • +10

    I buy a loaf of bread, some tuna, cucumber, mayonnaise. Costs about the same as you spend in one day but feeds me for the week.

    • -1

      🤮

    • +1

      Don't you get sick of eating the same food day after day?

      • +4

        I do change the fillings often.

        The point was that OP thinks that $10 or $11 is a cheap feed when it's really not.

  • +4

    Grow my own veggies and fruit, tough weeks that is what I live on every 2nd day. Free food certainly makes my income stretchable.. started growing in empty milk containers.

    • +1

      Well done. What do you grow?

      I grow my own veg too, and gradually extending that for the family. I used to get a lot of oranges and grapefruits and blueberries are starting to produce but fruits are hard to grow where I am because I'm competing with a lot of wildlife.

      I make my own compost as well so it takes time to get to where I need to be. I'm switching most of my growing to Vegepods.

      • +23

        In smaller yards, the most economic (financially beneficial) things to grow are veggies like spinach, rocket, etc. which keep on growing and growing no matter how much you pick. They grow very fast too. Considering the price of spinach/rocket per kg at the supermarket, these are definitely worth growing at home.

        Fresh herbs are worth growing too considering how much they cost fresh in the supermarket. Especially basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme.

        Pumpkins are not really worth it unless you have an enormous yard. They're so cheap at the supermarket anyway. In a small yard, they take up too much space, and they take bloody ages to grow. On the other hand, if you have heaps of land, pumpkins are easy because they're very hardy and once they're fertilised, you're virtually guaranteed a pumpkin. Need a lot of sun, like most veggies.

        Zucchinis are not as reliable as pumpkins, but they grow much much faster. Like, you can get a big zucchini within 2 or 3 days after fertilisation (pumpkins take about 2 months after fertilisation).

        Tomatoes are good if you have ideal conditions, with full sun all day, otherwise they take up space, look ugly, and you don't get many kg per plant. Usually better off buying at the supermarket. It is nice to have a few tiny tomato plants around the place though. Definitely nice to add to salads. They don't like being too moist, so not good in warm, humid areas/seasons and soggy wet gardens.

        In warmer climates, eggplants go crazy, and will give you many many kg. Economical considering the price at the supermarket, which can go as high as $10/kg. In colder climates, they don't grow well.

        Potatoes are good, in cooler climates/seasons. Very easy to grow. Not so easy to grow in hot, humid areas/seasons.

        Spring onions are economical and easy to grow, as long as you don't water them too much.

        Capsicums are difficult to grow to a decent size. Better off buying at the supermarket in my opinion.

        I've had fairly good luck with beans, but not much luck with peas, they're usually too small to worry about. Also, only good in Winter or cooler climates.

        Ultimately, it really depends on how much land you have, and what kind of climate/garden you have. Fruit trees are good if you have the space, but they can take a few years to become established.

        This is my limited knowledge from a few years growing. I'm sure others will have more detailed knowledge.

  • Learn to cook and enjoy the tastes of the amazing array of foods available to us.
    It’s quick, it’s healthy, you know where it came from and it matches your taste.

  • +10

    Dumpster diving.

  • +3

    Call up my mom, she'll always buy me lunch.

    • +5

      Yeah she's a great cook.

    • -1

      Don't know why the negs. It's not like they ask questions.

      • Cause you're taking advantage of some for the homeless🤔🤔🤔

        • -1

          This site is all about taking advantage.

  • +1

    A cheap work lunch for me is breadtop - a savoury and a sweet is $6 to $8, and that’ll get me through

    The biggest saving for me though, is wfh. Food in the fridge

    • Since they dropped their pizza thing, dead to me

    • Really? I can easily devour 3 breadtop breads and I'm a small guy. 5'5" 57kgs. Bread top is more like a luxury item once in a blue moon. Make my own sandwiches for about $2.50 a serve which is about 4 sandwiches which fills me up.

  • +6

    My current go to cheap & easy home prepared meal is to grab a roast chook from supermarket, spend like 15mins pulling every bit of flesh off of it at home, soft boil some eggs, smush those two together in several bowls of 250-300gms each, then add in rice, bit of shredded cheese & pinch of salt n pepper. Can add some curry powder or whatever sauce or marinade to taste to change it up a bit. Will add avo to the bowl when I eat it, find the avo doesn't keep too well mixed in prior.

    Can substitute the chicken for tuna, also tastes great with the same ingredients.

    For me, it's delicious, cheap, and high in protein. I'll take to work a few times that week, also will freeze a couple bowls usually for the next week.

    • +1

      Sounds delicious. Love a whole chicken for value.

      My strategy is to cook off a bag of noodles, then use 1/2 the chicken meat to 3/4 of the pasta for pesto; then make broth from the bones/carcass and make chicken noodle soup with the other 1/4 of the noodles and 1/4 of the chicken meat.

      The final 1/4 of the chicken meat (and the skin) pays the dog tax.

      • +1

        Username does not check out 🍟

  • I can usually do baked salmon and roast vege for 2 for lunch for around $8, $4 each. Electricity is free at lunchtime (solar) bargains at Coles on food. My time is apparently worthless, unemployed. Awesome. Healthy. Bargain.
    That's just one example. We wouldn't spend $10pd on food for 2.

  • +1

    maccas, hjs really poor value these days
    KFC usually decent subject to app offerings
    However one is usually left feeling ill and full of regret

    meal
    1x aldi chipotle chicken burrito bowl
    1x aldi chorizo
    1x microwave frozen veg serving bag
    cheese to taste

  • +2

    100g dry cous cous: ~$0.50
    420g can of 4 bean mix (drained): $1.50
    420g can of corn kernels (drained): $2
    185g can of Sirena tuna in chilli oil: $4.50

    Boil kettle, pour in enough water to cover cous cous, cover and leave for a few minutes.
    Stir through other ingredients.
    Squirt in some Kewpie mayo or sriracha (or both) to taste.

    Can eat all in one go if famished or split between two meals.

    70g protein / 130g carbs / 20g fat.

    Dollar cost around $10, time cost around 5 minutes.

  • two raw chicken eggs will post-satisfy any hunger

    edit - hunger over within 1 min including rinse cup

    • +6

      I missed the part where you said chicken and now a very angry cassowary is chasing me. Send help please.

  • -5

    if you work in large office, just grab a mystery tupperware from the communal fridge at tumbleweeds - around 11.45am - just before the peak hour rush…best to eat in your car or take it down to a local park ;)

    do the right thing and put the empty container back in the fridge at the next tumbleweeds opportunity, around 4.30pm.

  • +1

    If I don't have leftovers I find just two sushi rolls is actually quite filling. For $2.80-3.30 per roll it's good value and with a bit of soy sauce and a side of pickled ginger, tastes good too.

    • I'm surprised it's that cheap still per hand roll. The Sushi Sushi place near my work has gone to $3.50 minimum for their hand rolls, a salmon avocado hand roll costs $4.40 I think. Not worth it for a single hand roll IMO.

  • I always pack my own lunch and drinks once a month i might treat myself but dont have many options as i generally workbout of town.

  • +2

    2x ways of cheap feeds for me …

    1.) lately have been going out to cafes/etc with workmates for lunch/dinner - I wait to see what they order first … often I only get a drink … far too often, when ppl are in groups they over-order … and they only eat 1/2 of meal.

    or I pre-empt it … and say "hey want to go halfs" in a meal.

    2.) my local IGA+Coles both have a proper deli section … around 6pm they mark down meals (eg. roast lamb/veg meal for $4.99) == great if live on own. I often buy 2 and have 1 for the next day as well.

    • +5

      True OzBargainer… I couldn’t imagine asking a work colleague for their leftovers…

    • +7

      I bet your co-workers have noticed that and u have a reputation for being a cheap stake.

  • +4

    I head to the nearby national park and hunt down a Sambar deer, then chuck it on the work weber.

  • +2

    ~100% cashback Pizza Hut / Dominos

  • If I’m buying lunch I go to coke and look at the ready meals, sushi or salads for specials. Usually get something for around $5 for lunch once it’s been marked down.
    If nothing is on special I’ll by a hall white loaf for $1.30 & an avocado for $1.80.

  • +2

    When Kangaroo steaks go on special at Coles, they often do not update the label on the product to reflect the correct price. I buy a pack, take it to the service desk, explain that the ticketed price is different to what I was charged, and then get it for free. Usually a pack is about $15.

  • +1
  • +8

    Rice cooker meals. Rice, water, sliced onion, mushrooms, ginger, salmon fillet on top (thawed from frozen), mirin, soy sauce. Cook, stir it all up, put into containers. Lunch done for the week. Can do with chicken instead and it will be cheaper, or can add tofu at the end and cheaper again.

    Rice: 80c
    Salmon $10
    Onion: 70c
    Mushrooms 2.50
    Ginger: 80c
    Mirin + soy sauce - too lazy to work that out but say 5c per serve
    (Note: cost determined by how much I use, so may be a few bucks more)

    Around $15 for the lot, roughly works out to $3-4 per meal. I might have a boiled egg too but we have chickens so I don't pay for those unless you count chook feed.

    • +2

      chook feed.

      You can get scraps for free, from fruit/veg grocer, grocery shops, etc.

    • Can this be done in a slow cooker? all in-in-one pot type of meals

  • +4

    I pay a visit to the coles/woolies refrigerated ready meal section to see what’s on discount. There’s always a few options in varying degrees of decay. At least it adds some variety to my very dull life: usually it’s a salad, sushi, sandwich, protein meal or if I’m lucky a bout of food poisoning.

  • to see what’s on discount.

    All those pretend-meat items.

  • 1 piece of dark rye toast, 1 can of (mediterranean) piquant sardines & 1 green apple. Rinse and repeat.

  • +1

    My go to meal at home

    • 2 packs Mi goreng noodles (Indomie brand)
    • 1 tin tuna (Aldi Italian style in chili oil, similar to Sirena but much cheaper)
    • handful of baby spinach leaves (from the garden)
    • generous dose of fried shallots (buy a big bag from Asian supermarket)
    • big squirt siracha
    • if I can be bothered a couple of fried eggs on top
  • breakfast - 30gm rolled oats - I get the expensive organic ones from Coles - https://www.coles.com.au/product/coles-organic-rolled-oats-5… at $5.50/kg so say 16.5 cents, milk more expensive at like 20 cents, homebrew coffee maybe 60 cents (incl Lavazza coffee grounds, milk, filter paper) - so maybe $1.10 total for breakfast.

    last night we went for a stroll and I got my favourites from McDonald's - large fries and a vanilla icecream cone - maybe $5 - that satisfied me for dinner.

  • Put my profile on Tinder and wait for people to buy me dinner. Even the drinks are free. It's great.

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