3 Cheap Dinner Ideas for Entertaining

There are 3 things I know to be true about eating for weight loss.

1. Eating less calories isn’t as difficult as you think, and doesn’t have to be tasteless.
2. Eating junk is way more expensive than eating healthy, and
3. Finding cheap dinner ideas to entertain your friends is much easier than you’d imagine!

Eating healthy and cheap isn’t rocket science; it’s common sense!

So far your weight loss efforts have been going great. You’ve been cutting back on your danger food for weeks and have finally learned to appreciate the taste of fruits and vegetables… eggplant what!?  You’ve dropped a few pounds and think you’ve finally got a fix on this weight loss thing…until the phone rings:  UH OH! Party Guests…

Now you have to find a way to make a meal your pals will love without stepping on all of your hard work. What to do?

THINK CHEAPLY

I know it’s contrary to the American way, but cheap dinner ideas start with, well “cheap”. Cheap (and healthy) starts with whole grains like whole wheat pasta or brown rice. Items like these are very inexpensive (less than $3 a box!) and they go a long way when you need healthy party food on a budget!

FRESH FOOD IS YOUR FRIEND

If you want a healthy and cheap dinner, hit up your local produce aisle instead of the frozen or pre-packaged food section. A pound of fresh earthy potatoes is much cheaper than a box of dehydrated potato-ish pellets (especially if you buy local!) and trust me, they taste like….potatoes! The trick here is to grocery shop for weight loss, a novel idea but one that works!

It’s true that pre-packaged food will save you some time, but processed pre-made food “products” are jam packed with sodium (more sodium than any human needs) and fats and other things that neither you nor I can pronounce.

Fresh produce is a staple in any healthy diet, and the price gives you tons of cheapdinner ideas for any night of the week!

With pre-made food you’re paying the price for someone else to do the dirty work and at the end of the day your body is the one NOT looking how you want it to. Fresh ingredients allow you to determine how much bad stuff goes in your dish and your body.

$AVE GREEN by GOING GREEN!

It’s fashionable now, whether you’re a Hollywood starlet or a former Vice President, to tout the advantages of being “green”. But finding cheap dinner ideas is much easier when you’re green.

Go green by adding a little green to your meals. Salad is healthy, tasty, and in case you missed the segment on fresh food…incredibly cheap! A nice green salad (think spinach or arugula NOT iceberg) is a great way to start any party. It’s light and tasty, and provides a little pre-filling so you don’t go overboard on your entree.

Another cheap yet healthy option that is fantastically green? Fish is packed full of the right kinds of proteins, and sustainable fish is cheap too. In a nutshell, sustainable fish allows use to eat fish without worrying that there will be no more fish left to eat later. Think fish (or seafood) such as, anchovies, tilapia, farmed catfish, Pacific cod, salmon, Pacific albacore tuna and Pacific squid.

CHEAP DINNER FOR 6 = Salsa and Tacos

SALSA

1 lb. tomatoes
1 bunch of scallions, rough chopped
1 lemon, zest & juice
1 jalapeno, finely chopped (for less heat remove seeds)
2 garlic cloves, gratedentertain your friends is much easier than you’d imagine!

Combine all ingredients in food processor. Chop until salsa reaches desired consistency. Serve with chips or veggie chips.

1/2 onion, chopped
2 lbs. tilapia, salmon or other sustainable fish
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. minced garlic
Juice of 2 limes
1.5 cups brown rice
1 cup black beans
1 head butter or romaine lettuce

Combine chili powder, garlic, and lime juice with tilapia. Bake or grill for 6 minutes total. Cook rice as instructed. Brown onions until almost caramelized and stir in beans. Combine beans, onion, and rice. Serve fish in lettuce instead of tortillas with desired toppings, enjoy the beans & rice on the side. Use salsa and/or guacamole to complete dish.

Cheap Dessert: MARGARITA POPTAILS

“Poptails” are a popsicle-cocktail hybrid that’s a cheap & easy alternative to high calorie desserts and alcoholic drinks.

When it comes to dessert, it’s best to err on the side of caution. Sugar once in awhile is perfectly acceptable, but difficult not to indulge in a party setting. Instead try my favorite technique: mixing dessert and cocktails for one cheap and oh-so-delicious dish. Make these first so they have time to freeze!

Popsicle molds

1 cup sugar
1 cup fresh lime juice (zest of 2 limes)
1 lemon, juiced
4 tbsp. tequila
2 tbsp. fresh orange juice
2 tbsp. orange liqueur (if you have it, no point breaking the bank now)

Combine sugar and juices in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool about 5 minutes. Stir in tequila, orange liqueur, and lime zest. Pour into molds, freeze for at least 3 hours. Enjoy!

You’ve fed your friends, had a wonderful time, got slightly buzzed and you did it all without breaking the bank or your weight loss efforts. Who said losing weight is all hard work?

For you perfectionists out there looking for a way to maximize your weight loss and end those naughty eating habits, check out our review of the Diet Solution Program.