I have a recipe for feeding a family of 4 for $11.34 (i.e. all 4 meals total 11.34). It is a low carb soup I adapted. I uses chopped tomatoes, LOTS OF CHOPPED MUSHROOMS, onions, garlic, spinach (get the big bags at BJs), navy beans (if you want) and a fried/poached egg on top for protein.

The egg should have a runny yolk. It gives it a creamy texture without the flour carbs and cream calories.

I love this recipe.

Unfortunately beans of any kind are not on my diet. Not allowed at this time...(severe IBS-C) . and even small qty of onions can make my gut cramp.  But I still can make a healthy soup with vegetables I can tolerate... And I also use eggs to either extend volume of the food or to make it thicker and more creamy. 

If you have coconut flour - mix some eggs with a small amount of coconut flour - not too much - maybe a 1/2 -1 tsp per 2 eggs...let it thicken just so ..and you can slowly pour that over boiling stock..makes type of "noodles"..

Or make a thicker (pancake type batter - adding a pinch of salt and baking powder and drop that on top of simmering soup , cover and they make almost like "dumplings"...high fiber - low carb.. Very filling.. You can mix some cheese in that bater also..  I love experimenting with my food. 

For soup with  "dumplings" - I use rather shallow pan.. Or even deep skillet.. With glass cover.. 

Thank you for these tips.  Especially the dumpling ones!  I miss dumplings at times...

I make a simple soup with ground beef and diced mushrooms.  I brown them with garlic and other spices I want at the time.  I add beef stock to get the liquid level I want.  You can toss in kale or other dark greens at the last moment.  It's very simple, very low carb, and surprisingly tasty and savory.

This sounds delicious.

Another trick with soups that have turned out too runny for me (since I had RNY I got no valve in teh bottom to hold soup in my pouch) is to use riced caulflower. It doesnt quite absorb the liquid like real rice, but it is once more "structured" food that pouch with and counteract too much broth.

Yum. I think it would be good ON TOP of roasted raddish (which I use as a low carb potato substitute).

I used to spend between 600-1000/month on food in my very bad binge eating days maybe 7-8 years ago.  I spend maybe 200/month now for just me, and that's eating high quality protein powder, meat, and organic crap.  It can definitely be cheaper, too.  That includes my meds for the month and vitamins so maybe it is?

Frozen veggies are fabulous!  They make things so much cheaper and easier.  They are often healthier than some fresh, too, so they say. Frittatas are great.  I also look for ground beef on sale.  

I also find that eating higher fat keeps me full much longer than fat-free.  So I get ground beef and chicken thighs instead of ground turkey and chicken breasts, unless the breasts are on sale.  Sometimes I do eat more carby veggies, but I try to not have more than 10g/meal.

I buy plain yogurt and flavor it with Mio then portion it out - someone suggested this here.  It is way lower carb then.

I make "granola" out of unsweetened coconut, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds all shelled and toasted and mixed together.  Great low carb substitute.

Eating out, I often order things a la carte, or I will substitute like crazy.  I get sliced tomatoes instead of potatoes, and just don't order toast, for instance.  I have never had issues eating out after surgery.

You can make mini frittatas in muffin pans that are bariatric sized servings!  I stole that idea from Eggface's page I think (thanks, Eggface!)

I love berries...but organic ones are pricy...but most berries are better for us afterbthry have been frozen - I.e bluberries...and Costco sells organic blueberries - or wild blueberries... I use that often and buy a small serving of fresh organic berries once a week as a "treat" for me...I limit fruits because of sugar...but I do it at least 2 -4 servings of fruits a week. 

I almost never buy fresh fruit.  I always get frozen, too.  It always goes bad by the time I can fini****  I would love to eat 1/4 of an apple sometimes, but I just wind up never finishing the rest in time.

I have been chopping up 1 ounce of strawberries and freezing it in portions to toss in yogurt in the morning, but I got way too lazy and now just don't even bother, heh.

When I was at my surgeon's group session last time, I was surprised that almost everyone was saying how much more expensive it is to eat now.  After cutting out expensive fast food, takeout, restaurants, and pop (sorry, soda.  Midwesterner here), I'm spending much less now.  I also eat so much more less now, and I bring leftovers to work for lunch the next day rather than make/pack something else.  

I also love that link.  That's not a menu I'd want to follow every single week, but it shows that with care, it can be done on the cheap

It's soda, darn it!  Even though I've lived near Chicago since 1998 still drives me nuts ;)

It is cheaper for sure.  I only spend $30 at most a week and eat whatever organic is on sale.  If you shop sales too you can eat much better than the link above - especially if you don't care too much for variety.  I'm fine with eating the same thing every day.  I know some people are not, though!