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I don’t  know about you all but these days, for me, every dollar counts! I’m all about stretching my meals to go further while maintaining a tight grocery budget. I don’t want to sacrifice healthy eating or taste though!  I hit upon adding thrifty meal extenders that boost protien intake.

I start by picking up club packs of meat and dividing them up to freeze in individual servings. These packages have become smaller as I learn thrifty ways to extend them in order to still have good size portions.

Thrifty meal extenders:

Lentils

I buy dried lentils because they are so inexpensive and quick to use. They are incredibly healthy being that they are low in fat, cholesterol and calories. 100g yields 9 grams of protein and 8 grams of dietary fibre. Lentils are a fabulous source of iron too!

A few minutes is all it takes to boil up just what you need.  I add them to pasta sauce, sloppy joes, chilli, taco meat, quesadillas, burritos and lunch bowls. I’ve even been known to sprinkle them on a salad! I use a smaller portion of meat than I would usually for these dishes and just fill them out with yummy lentils. I like that they add a peppery taste and have a texture similar to the meat they are supplementing.

Beans

Beans are another quick alternative to make your meals more cost effective. I add a can of brown beans to my sloppy joes. I add white cannelini beans to my tuna salad. Black beans are a natural addition to any mexican dish or bowl. I add chickpeas to all my indian curries, like butter chicken. Beans can be blended and added to thicken cream soups and add protein. I love to whip up some hummus and use it as a sandwich filler.

Quinoa Flakes

I use quinoa flakes instead of breadcrumbs in all of my meatball, burger and meatloaf recipes. Quinoa is a good source of protein and I find I can add quite a bit to stretch my meat use. It also works great when making salmon burgers with canned salmon.

Textured Vegetable Protein

 also known as textured soy protein. This is a virtually tasteless dried product that rehydrates when added into the dish that’s being cooked. It can be added into meats in sauces, soups, stews, burgers and chilli. It is a good source of fibre, an excellent source of protein and a powerhouse of iron.

Protein Powder

this one is a little more pricey than the previous but still makes an inexpensive meal when I just want a quick smoothie for breakfast.  We also put it in pancakes, oatmeal and homemade protein bars. It contains a high percentage of protein and helps maintain lean muscle mass. It’s also thought to be good for suppressing appetite.  My favorite thing to do is whip up a smoothie with protein powder, almond milk, a dash of matcha and some honey. Blend with a little ice, yum!

If you want to see how we plan and prep our weekly meals check this link Here for tips, tricks, and more money saving ideas!