Thanks for these suggestions! Good and Cheap: How to eat on $4 a Day is SO good filled with truly great tips and riffable recipes. Plus you can download it for free from the author’s website as it was her master’s thesis! https://leannebrown.com/good-and-cheap-2/
I've had this bookmarked for a few days and finally got the chance to read it! Some of these are on my radar (I LOVE Ready, Set, Cook, and I agree it didn't get the attention it desreved!), and I've got all of Julia Turshen's books, except for her newest! Make the Bread, Buy the Butter sounds like one I'd love, and I just downloaded the Good and Cheap PDF.
Another one I'd add to this list is I Dream of Dinner by Ali Slagle. I turn to it time and time again for quick, delicous, reliable, and very substitutable recipes!
Yes, good thought! I love what Ali Slagle can do with a bean. I haven’t cooked as much from I Dream of Dinner I think because of when in my life I acquired it. You have inspired me to pick it back up and give it another look, though!
Thank you for this list of frugal cookbooks, I shall try them!
"Desperation Dinners" was a cooking newspaper column and then a book (in the 90s). But I only ever make one recipe from that, from a clipping my mother sent me: Pumpkin Raisin Biscuits. Recommend it!
If you like ATK, their Family Cookbook from 2005 has some good recipes, like Potato Leek Soup and Emergency Chocolate Cake. The later edition is not as accesible, IMO.
Thank you for the recommendations! I own the Desperation Dinners book, but I have yet to try anything else. I’ll have to take a peek through it again. I love the concept and it seems really well executed.
I checked one of the editions of Family Dinners out of the library, but it was so big I didn’t know where to start. Maybe I’ll give it another pass, too.
That must be why they did a smaller “favorites” version of that ATK family cookbook. The 2005 one is in a 3-ring binder. The later edition is a heavy doorstopper (and the recipes are fussified).
So many books! I end up just reading ‘em and not cooking from them most of the time 🤣
So glad to see Ready, Set, Cook on your list— it doesn’t get nearly enough attention. The recipes are easy, tasty, interesting, and — as you mentioned— affordable. It’s my go-to gift for newbie cooks (e.g. college grads heading out on their own.). :)
I agree! I think it really fell under the radar somehow. I read about it in Jenny Rosenstrach’s newsletter, but I think I otherwise might have missed it.
It would definitely be a great book for starting out!
Bare Minimum Dinners is such a great book. Mainly I use it when I cannot bear to cook and always find something in it that I can pull from the cupboards that is quick and easy. I also use all of Julia Turshen’s cookbooks often.
I am so happy to see Bare Minimum Dinners on this list! I agree that it’s helpful for frugal cooking. I go back to it again and again when I need a reset in terms of time and expense. Simply Julia and Meal Prep Magic are also two of my go-tos.
I absolutely love Simply Julia, and her first book Small Victories. Have relied so heavily on both of these in cooking for my family. Definitely my two most used books!!
Check out Julia’s latest book What Goes With What. It’s built around charts she’s developed for virtually every type of meal: salads, braises, pastas, one pot rice meals, etc.
Yes, What Goes With What also seems awesome! I have yet to cook from it as much as Simply Julia just because I haven’t had it as long, but I am definitely starting to get in there.
Also this one is great for plant-based Plant You: Scrappy Cooking, really helps with ideas for reducing food waster and using up all the bits and bobs!
Great read! I love and use many of these cookbook and am excited to try a few of your favorites from them. I don’t have Melissa D’Arrabian’s cookbook, but the Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Sundae alone makes me want to check it out!
Thanks! I don’t want to get you too excited. It’s vanilla ice cream with a peanut butter-chocolate sauce. But it is good for kids and cheap as promised!
Thanks for these suggestions! Good and Cheap: How to eat on $4 a Day is SO good filled with truly great tips and riffable recipes. Plus you can download it for free from the author’s website as it was her master’s thesis! https://leannebrown.com/good-and-cheap-2/
This was the one that came to mind for me!
Thank you for the recommendation! I love that it’s a free download. Any favorite recipes from it you’ve tried?
Baklava oatmeal is a game changer! 🍊
Thanks!
Bare minimum dinners is one of the best cookbooks I've ever owned.
Yes, it’s excellent!
Thanks Samantha! So glad to hear it has been useful for you.
I've had this bookmarked for a few days and finally got the chance to read it! Some of these are on my radar (I LOVE Ready, Set, Cook, and I agree it didn't get the attention it desreved!), and I've got all of Julia Turshen's books, except for her newest! Make the Bread, Buy the Butter sounds like one I'd love, and I just downloaded the Good and Cheap PDF.
Another one I'd add to this list is I Dream of Dinner by Ali Slagle. I turn to it time and time again for quick, delicous, reliable, and very substitutable recipes!
Yes, good thought! I love what Ali Slagle can do with a bean. I haven’t cooked as much from I Dream of Dinner I think because of when in my life I acquired it. You have inspired me to pick it back up and give it another look, though!
🩷🩷🩷🩷
Thank you for this list of frugal cookbooks, I shall try them!
"Desperation Dinners" was a cooking newspaper column and then a book (in the 90s). But I only ever make one recipe from that, from a clipping my mother sent me: Pumpkin Raisin Biscuits. Recommend it!
If you like ATK, their Family Cookbook from 2005 has some good recipes, like Potato Leek Soup and Emergency Chocolate Cake. The later edition is not as accesible, IMO.
Thank you for the recommendations! I own the Desperation Dinners book, but I have yet to try anything else. I’ll have to take a peek through it again. I love the concept and it seems really well executed.
I checked one of the editions of Family Dinners out of the library, but it was so big I didn’t know where to start. Maybe I’ll give it another pass, too.
That must be why they did a smaller “favorites” version of that ATK family cookbook. The 2005 one is in a 3-ring binder. The later edition is a heavy doorstopper (and the recipes are fussified).
So many books! I end up just reading ‘em and not cooking from them most of the time 🤣
Lol! I like to think that there’s some benefit conferred by just reading them.
ATK is really skilled at fussifying things, which often makes me turn the page. Good to know the earlier version is simpler.
So glad to see Ready, Set, Cook on your list— it doesn’t get nearly enough attention. The recipes are easy, tasty, interesting, and — as you mentioned— affordable. It’s my go-to gift for newbie cooks (e.g. college grads heading out on their own.). :)
I agree! I think it really fell under the radar somehow. I read about it in Jenny Rosenstrach’s newsletter, but I think I otherwise might have missed it.
It would definitely be a great book for starting out!
Bare Minimum Dinners is such a great book. Mainly I use it when I cannot bear to cook and always find something in it that I can pull from the cupboards that is quick and easy. I also use all of Julia Turshen’s cookbooks often.
Yes, good point. It’s a great pantry book, too! A lot of these are, in fact.
I am so happy to see Bare Minimum Dinners on this list! I agree that it’s helpful for frugal cooking. I go back to it again and again when I need a reset in terms of time and expense. Simply Julia and Meal Prep Magic are also two of my go-tos.
It is such a well thought out book and has been so endlessly helpful for me!
I absolutely love Simply Julia, and her first book Small Victories. Have relied so heavily on both of these in cooking for my family. Definitely my two most used books!!
Yes, Small Victories is so wonderful, too!
Check out Julia’s latest book What Goes With What. It’s built around charts she’s developed for virtually every type of meal: salads, braises, pastas, one pot rice meals, etc.
Yes, What Goes With What also seems awesome! I have yet to cook from it as much as Simply Julia just because I haven’t had it as long, but I am definitely starting to get in there.
I love Jennifer Reese and wish she still blogged — she is so smart and funny. I loved Make the Bread, Buy the Butter.
Same! I still miss her blog very much.
Also this one is great for plant-based Plant You: Scrappy Cooking, really helps with ideas for reducing food waster and using up all the bits and bobs!
Thank you for another recommendation! I am always on the lookout for good options.
Great read! I love and use many of these cookbook and am excited to try a few of your favorites from them. I don’t have Melissa D’Arrabian’s cookbook, but the Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Sundae alone makes me want to check it out!
Thanks! I don’t want to get you too excited. It’s vanilla ice cream with a peanut butter-chocolate sauce. But it is good for kids and cheap as promised!
Nice! Maybe I will try to recreate it as I envisioned when I saw the recipe name. 😊
Oh I love that idea!
Added it to my wish list!