With the rising cost of living, eating organic can feel out of reach, but it doesn’t have to be. I’ve managed to create five nourishing meals for under $100 using an organic chicken as the base. These meals are easy to make, nutrient-dense, and perfect for feeding yourself or delivering to a new mama—fresh or frozen.

The Challenge: Organic Meals on a Budget

To keep costs low, I used a whole organic chicken priced at $45 and stretched it across five meals. If you opt for a free-range or cheaper organic chicken, the total cost drops even more. Using pantry staples and veggie scraps from the fridge, I made a Lazy Mum Broth as the base for several recipes. From there, I created meals like Nourishing Chicken Soup and Coconut, Cauliflower & Chicken Stew from the Village for Mama book, and a few new favourites like Tomato & Miso Dahl and Chicken & Avocado Sushi, and you will find the recipes below.

Here’s how I did it…

Lazy Mum Broth Recipe

This simple bone broth recipe is a timesaver and packed with nutrients. From just one chicken, you can make about 3 litres of rich, flavoursome broth. Here’s how:

Ingredients

• 1 whole organic chicken (approx 1.7kg)
• Veggie scraps (onions, carrots, celery, garlic – whatever’s available)
• 1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• Filtered water
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Rinse the chicken under a tap and then place the chicken and veggie scraps in a large pot.
2. Add enough filtered water to cover the chicken, then pour in the apple cider vinegar.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 2 hours.
4. Leave the pot to simmer and remove the chicken. Pull the meat off the chicken bones—this will yield about 3 ½ cups of shredded chicken to use in the upcoming recipes.
5. Return the carcass and all the bits and juice back to the pot. Add another 1.5L of filtered water and leave to simmer for another 3-4 hours with the lid on.
6. Once the broth is ready, strain out the solids. You’ll be left with at least 3L of golden, nutrient-rich broth.

5 Meals Using 1 Organic Chicken

1. Tomato & Miso Dahl
   A comforting, budget-friendly meal with lentils, tomatoes, and a touch of miso. This is a warming dish that’s simple to prepare and great for freezing.
2. Asian Chicken & Corn Noodle Soup
   Light but filling, this soup is perfect for a quick lunch or dinner. It uses the broth and some shredded chicken along with noodles and corn for a delicious family meal.
3. Chicken & Avocado Sushi
   Perfect for a light lunch or to pop into your kids’ lunchboxes, this sushi is easy to make and great for a busy day. While not typical “postpartum recovery” food, it’s a wonderful, fresh option for older kids or for you when you need a quick and healthy bite.
4. Nourishing Chicken Soup (from Village for Mama book)
   This classic, nourishing soup is perfect for postpartum mums. It’s warm, comforting, and rich in nutrients—ideal for freezing and reheating on busy days.
5. Coconut, Cauliflower & Chicken Stew (from Village for Mama book)
   A rich and creamy stew using coconut milk, cauliflower, and the rest of the shredded chicken. This dish is deeply nourishing and perfect for those early postpartum weeks.

Shopping List for 5 Organic Meals Under $100

Here’s a breakdown of the ingredients you’ll need to create all five meals. My budget included the cost of each item based on what you’ll actually use, but note that some are pantry staples. If you need to stock up, the total may go slightly over $100. I also shop locally at my farmers market and find that shopping in season is the best way to source affordable organic and spray free produce.

Fresh Ingredients

• 1 whole organic chicken 
• Ginger (150g)
• Fresh turmeric (30g)
• 1 Large Red Onion
• Bunch Spring Onion
• 3 Leeks
• 1 Sweet Potato
• 1 Zucchini
• 2 large carrots
• 1/2 head cauliflower
• 1/2 avocado
• Bunch of herbs – parsley or other

Pantry & Essentials

• Red Miso
• Tamari
• Sesame Oil
• Ghee
• Spices (Turmeric, coriander, cinnamon)
• Sushi Rice
• Gevity Mayo
• Quinoa
• Red Lentils
• Vermicelli Rice Noodles/Noodles
• Nori (sushi)
• 2 cans coconut milk
• 1 can cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 can corn

(Note: If you’re buying all these items new, the cost might go slightly above $100.)

Where I Shop: I get all of my pantry staples from Part & Parcel, and you can too! Use my affiliate link [here] and enter code ‘VILLAGEFORMAMA‘ at checkout to receive $20 off your first order.

Recipes

Tomato & Miso Dahl

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp ghee or coconut oil
• ½ red onion
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup red lentils (option to soak overnight)
• 1 400g can coconut milk
• 1 400g can cherry tomatoes
• 500ml broth or vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp red miso

Method

1. Heat ghee in a medium saucepan and sauté red onion until soft.

2. Add spices to pot and mix until onion mixture is coated and fragrant. Add lentils, coconut milk, cherry tomatoes and broth and bring to the boil.

3. Once boiling, reduce to a gentle simmer and cook covered for 40 minutes stirring often.

4. Add miso and cook for a further 10 minutes until lentils are soft.

Notes

Can be stored in fridge for up to 4 days. Can be frozen for up to 3 months. Reduce or remove onion if mama is sensitive or baby has colic.

Asian Chicken & Corn Noodle Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 50g ginger, sliced
• 2 spring onions, roughly chopped
• 1L chicken broth
• 2 cups filtered water
• 1 cup shredded chicken
• 200g corn
• 1 tbsp tamari
• 2 tbsp miso
• noodles

Method

1. Add sesame oil, ginger and spring onions to a pot over medium heat. Let cook for a few minutes until fragrant.
2. Add all other ingredients except for the noodles to the pot and bring to the boil.
3. Once boiling, reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes. You can leave this soup to simmer on a really low heat for much longer if you want a deeper flavour.
4. When ready to serve, cook noodles separately as per instructions on packet. Divide noodles between bowls and pour over noodle soup.

Chicken & Avocado Sushi

Ingredients

• 1 cup sushi rice, cooked & cooled
• 3 sheets sushi nori
• 1/2 cup chicken, shredded
• 1/2 avocado, mashed
• 1 tbsp gevity mayo
• Sesame Seeds (optional)
• Carrot or Cucumber, thin slices (optional)

Method

1. Combine chicken, mashed avocado and gevity mayo in a bowl.
2. Lay out your nori sheet and cover 2/3 with sushi rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
3. Place a thin row of chicken and mayo mix along the rice and top with raw veggies.
4. Roll sushi firmly and set aside for seaweed to seal. This should make 3 sheets of sushi so portion chicken mix accordingly.

Delivering These Meals to New Mamas

These meals are perfect for preparing in bulk and delivering to new mums, fresh or frozen. The soups and stews are rich in nutrients, easy to digest, and provide much-needed warmth and comfort—ideal for postpartum recovery.

Chicken & Avocado Sushi, on the other hand, is a great option for a light lunch or to pop into a lunchbox for older children. It’s fresh, simple, and fun to eat, making it a perfect option to deliver to a new mama if she has other little ones to feed. While not typically considered postpartum recovery food, it’s a convenient and nutritious meal for a busy mum who needs a quick bite for herself or her kids.

Eating organic on a budget doesn’t have to be difficult. With a little creativity and some careful planning, you can create five nourishing meals for under $100. Whether you’re cooking for your family or preparing meals for a new mama, these dishes are easy, delicious, and packed with nutrients to support recovery and overall wellbeing.

If you loved these recipes and want more ideas to nourish both yourself and your family, you’ll find even more postpartum-friendly meals in my Village for Mama book. It includes the recipes for Nourishing Chicken Soup and Coconut, Cauliflower & Chicken Stew, along with many others designed to support mums in their postpartum journey. Grab your copy today and discover how easy it is to cook delicious, healing meals that will make you feel cared for in those early months of motherhood.