Cheap Eats

https://cookbooks.leannebrown.com/good-and-cheap.pdf

Hi! The above electronic cookbook is from a fantastic author named Leanne Brown, an avid home cook in NYC by way of Edmonton, Canada.

She is the author of Good and Cheap, a cookbook for people with very tight budgets, particularly those on SNAP/Food Stamps benefits. The PDF is free (ahora en Español!), and has been downloaded more than 1,000,000 times.

Below is an excerpt from the introduction of her book that you might find helpful:

I designed these recipes to fit the budgets of people living on SNAP, the US program that used to be called food stamps. If you’re on SNAP, you already know that the benefit formulas are complicated, but the rule of thumb is that you end up with $4 per person, per day to spend on food.

This book isn’t challenging you to live on so little; it’s a resource in case that’s your reality. In May 2014, there were 46 million Americans on food stamps. Untold millions more—in particular, retirees and students—live under similar constraints.

The costs for each recipe are based on two sources. For the pantry items on the following pages, I collected prices from four grocery stores in Inwood, a relatively low-income neighborhood on the north tip of Manhattan. For specific spices and a wider variety of fruits and vegetables, I looked at online grocery stores or nationwide averages collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The prices for fruits and vegetables assume that they’re roughly in season, when you can get the best deals. This means, unfortunately, that you’ll pay a lot more if you want to make peach coffee cake in February. I talk more about shopping in season on the following pages.

The estimates are, by necessity, a snapshot of place and time. Costs will vary in other cities, other neighborhoods, even just other stores. Please think of the numbers as a guideline, not a guarantee.

More than in most cookbooks, my recipes are flexible and encourage substitution based on availability, price, and personal tastes. A strict budget requires flexibility and a willingness to say, “that’s a good deal this week, so it’s what I’ll be cooking!” Don’t worry, you’ll pick up the tricks quickly.

A few recipes call for fancy kitchen equipment, but in my work with low-income families in New York, I’ve found that items like blenders, food processors, and electric mixers are fairly common. I did not, however, attempt to tackle the very real situation of people who have no kitchen, no equipment, and no space to prepare food. I simply cannot hope to do those issues justice within the bounds of one cookbook. Let’s all agree that we need to keep striving to address those other issues that make it difficult for so many people to eat well.

Local Food Options

Breakfast Tacos: Everywhere and anywhere in Austin. Usually only $1-3 each, these things will feed you and leave you with enough money left over for a Half-Priced Book. Local Favorites include Mi Madre’s, La Mexicana (24-hour tacos!), Taco Deli, Veracruz, and Rosita’s Al Pastor.

Tyson’s Tacos, 4905 Airport Blvd: Open 24 hours. If you play a song on their ukelele (or bring your own instrument) you get your meal for free!

El Pollo Rico, El Regio, etc… Multiple Locations: Have you ever wished you could just pull into a parking lot and have someone hand you a whole roasted chicken with beans, rice, tortillas, a whole onion, and guacamole, all wrapped in greasy waxed paper, with only a plastic spoon to eat it? Wish no more.

Spider House, 2908 Fruth St: Popular, eclectic hang-out spot with a large patio and full bar. They have a large menu along with coffee and pastries. They also host Trivia Night on Wednesdays!

The Buzzmill, 1505 Town Creek Dr. (East Riverside): Coffees, libations, a cheesesteak food truck, a pizza food truck, and a vegan burger truck in the back. Speaking of food trucks…

Food Trucks, Everywhere: Get BBQ, Pizza, Tacos, Bahn Mi, Ramen, Fried Chicken, Donuts, Kebabs, Ceviche, and/ or Grilled Cheese. Whatever your hungry heart desires. Favorites include: Biscuits & Groovy, Rosita’s Al Pastor, Patrizi’s, Gordough’s, Mickelthwait Craft Meats, and Chi’lantro.

Home Slice Pizza, two locations: South Congress and North Loop: Delicious pizzas AND a late-night take-out window.

Juan in a Million, 2300 East Cesar Chavez St: Get the Don Juan. And extra tortillas.

Kerbey Lane Café, multiple locations: Most are open 24-hours a day and they serve breakfast all day.

Magnolia Café, 1920 S. Congress Ave and 2304 Lake Austin Blvd: Breakfast all day, every day. Oh, you’re vegetarian? RELAX. We’ve got you. When “What do I want to eat?” is the 2am question. Mag Mud Queso is the answer. Always.

Mother’s Café and Garden, 4215 Duval Street: One of the best Chili Relleno lives at this neighborhood favorite. It is one of the best vegetarian/ vegan spots in town. You want soup and salad? You got it. Enchiladas? Yep, that too. Oh, spinach lasagna? For sure. Vegan chocolate cake? Sorry, I already ate it.

P. Terry’s Burger Stand, multiple locations: Best fast food burgers in Austin with good fries and great milkshakes. They use all natural meat products and they have a great veggie burger. Bonus: They love giving back to the community!

Torchy’s Tacos, multiple locations: The Dirty Sanchez…The Trailer Park…The Democrat…The Republican…this Austin legend started with a man, a dream, a life savings, and a food truck. Try their Tomatillo salsa.

Farmer’s Markets

They are everywhere. Great local food and most of them take SNAP and give you double points!

  • HOPE Farmer’s Market

  • Downtown SFC Farmer’s Market

  • East SFC Farmer’s Market

  • Burnet Road Market

  • Austin Urban Farmers Market

  • Boggy Creek Farm

  • Texas Farmer’s Market at Mueller

Other (pricier) Restaurants

  • Fresa’s

  • Mr. Natural (vegetarian, vegan, gf)

  • Bouldin Creek Café (vegetarian)

  • Juiceland

  • 888 Pan Asian

  • Elizabeth Street Cafe

  • Irene’s

  • Sawyer and Co

  • Grizzelda’s

  • Teote

  • Snooze

  • Kura Revolving Sushi

  • Chinatown (Various restaurants. sushi, pho, dim sum, etc)

  • Thai Fresh

  • Salt Lick (BBQ)

  • Amy’s Ice Cream

  • Steel City Pops

  • Dolce Neve

  • Sugar Mama’s Bakery

  • Tous Les Jours Bakery (Korean-French)

 

Other Food Trucks

  • Paperboy (Brunch)

  • Abo Youssef  (Mediterranean)

  • Arlo’s (Vegan)

  • Mighty Cone

  • Baton Creole (Cajun)

  • Veracruz All Natural (Mexican)

  • Four Brothers (Venezuelan)

  • Mmmpanadas

  • Bananarchy

Coffee Shops

  • Cosmic Coffee + Beer Garden

  • Houndstooth Coffee

  • Flat Track

  • Jo’s Coffee (famous ‘I love you so much’ sign)

  • Bennu (24 hrs.)

  • Epoch (24 hrs.)

  • Flitch

  • Cenote

  • Sa-Ten

  • Radio Coffee

  • Cherrywood Coffee