~$5 Meal Ideas~

[natesgirl]

Originally Posted by mommy2boys0307 New to the form, but I just was wondering if anyone ever visited 5dollermeals.com she was not Rachel Ray and some of her meals are wonderful. Its always a proud thing for a SAHM to save money and cut cost where they can be cut.

oh thank you will go check it out

[Mama_Destiny]

I haven't read through the entire thread(yet!), but here are a few we do:

1 box of mac and cheese
1 can of chili (we use meat and beans)
Mixed frozen veggies

Cook the mac and cheese as directed, add chili
Heat veggies
mix and serve


Loaded "Baked Potato" Soup

1 lb. baking potatoes (about 2), cubed
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup milk
3 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, cooked, crumbled and divided
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided
1 green onion sliced, divided
1/4 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
Salt, pepper to taste

MICROWAVE(we do ours on the stove, just as you would start to make mashed potatoes) potatoes in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 5 min., stirring after 2-1/2 min. Stir in broth and milk. Microwave 10 min., stirring after 5 min. Carefully crush potatoes with potato masher.

RESERVE 2 Tbsp. each bacon and cheese and 1 Tbsp. onions for topping. Stir remaining bacon, cheese and onions into soup.

SERVE topped with reserved bacon, cheese, onions and sour cream.



Chicken Alfredo
2 Chicken breasts
Fettuccine noodles
Jar of Alfredo Sauce
Basil
garlic salt/powder

Cut chicken into thin strips, brown on stove
Add Alfredo sauce, adding in a dash of basil and garlic salt/powder, heat
Cook noodles, drain

Pour sauce over noodles and enjoy.

[allisoninfl]

Shrimp-inetti

Brown some onion flakes in butter in a pan. Add 1 can tomato soup ($.89 if you get the store brand) and 1/3 can water. Rinse and drain frozen shrimp (we use 1/2 bag Contessa large salad shrimp, about $1.75 for 1/2). Add shrimp to sauce and simmer. (You can add more water if it's too thick, or a little cornstarch if too thin). Serve over angel hair pasta ($1-ish). This is quick and easy...and super yummy topped with parmesan cheese! Handed down from my grandmother.

Spaghetti Pie

Whenever we have leftover spaghetti, I mix the pasta and sauce together and put it into a glass pie plate. I cover the top with shredded or sliced mozerella cheese, cover with foil, and refrigerate or freeze to eat later. I bake it for a while covered, then uncover it and bake it until the cheese is melty and starting to get golden. I cut it into slices and serve it like "pie" with salad or bread. DH loves this one!

[mama2jack]

Originally Posted by allisoninfl Shrimp-inetti Brown some onion flakes in butter in a pan. Add 1 can tomato soup ($.89 if you get the store brand) and 1/3 can water. Rinse and drain frozen shrimp (we use 1/2 bag Contessa large salad shrimp, about $1.75 for 1/2). Add shrimp to sauce and simmer. (You can add more water if it's too thick, or a little cornstarch if too thin). Serve over angel hair pasta ($1-ish). This is quick and easy...and super yummy topped with parmesan cheese! Handed down from my grandmother. Spaghetti Pie Whenever we have leftover spaghetti, I mix the pasta and sauce together and put it into a glass pie plate. I cover the top with shredded or sliced mozerella cheese, cover with foil, and refrigerate or freeze to eat later. I bake it for a while covered, then uncover it and bake it until the cheese is melty and starting to get golden. I cut it into slices and serve it like "pie" with salad or bread. DH loves this one!

Good idea, we often have extra spaghetti.

[VioletsMommy]

subbing

[gemuk]

Truthfully, when it's time to cut down on food costs, we turn to breakfast-for-dinner.

homemade pancakes, yogurt and fruit is our basic cheap meal.

But our favourite is an egg bake.
1 package crescent rolls ( I only buy when on sale with coupon - or generic)
8 eggs
1-2 cups cheese
1 cup milk
cooked bulk sausage (but we use frozen spinach, defrosted & drained/squeezed)

Press crescent rolls into 9x13 pan, sealing perforations.
Whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper to taste.
Sprinkle spinach or sausage over crescent rolls.
Sprinkle cheese over top. Then pour egg & milk mixture overtop.
Bake @ 350 for about 25 minutes.
Enjoy!

This also freezes well so I often double in case of an event or guests.

[Julbug]

Has anybody suggested split pea soup? I think it's our cheapest dinner. We use the recipe out of Better Homes & Gardens, but probably any standard recipe would be cheap if you use pork bones or ham hocks for the meat (usually so cheap it's almost free) and make your own stock. All it takes is a bag of dry split peas and a little carrot, celery and onion. It smells so good and is really hearty on a cold day, especially with homemade bread (also cheap and delicious).

[nemawei]

I love this thread! I have tried so many off of here! I especially loved the Tator Tot Hotdish. I used ground turkey (Shady Farms makes ground turkey with Italian seasonings that make it taste like sausage. MMMMM!). I also added frozen peas and green beans.

Here's a contribution:
Spinach Pie
3 eggs
1 package Frozen Spinach
1 lb cottage cheese
1/4 lb cheddar cheese
1/4 c margarine
3 tbsp flour

-Thaw spinach & drain well
-Mix all ingredients together, bake in pie dish @ 325 degrees for 3/4 to 1 hr.

[MeganBeth]

I think it was on here there was a taco soup recipe posted (maybe on the slow cooker thread?!) but it's become a favorite of ours!! I don't even make it in the slow cooker and we add a block of cream cheese if we have the extra fundage that week but it's awesome!

[CaleighAHolic]

This is one of my new favorite CHEAP meals.
1 package of smoked sausage. I LOVE the cheddar sausages, or the hot sausage, but you can use kielbasa too. Cut on an angle so you have 1/2" thick slices.
8-10 medium potatoes ( bag sized ) Cut into wedges or thick slices. toss with olive oil, salt pepper and garlic powder.
Spread potatoes out on a baking sheet place in 450 oven for 10 minutes.
Add sausages. and turn potatoes. Bake another 10-15 minutes (depending on how well done you like the sausage. I like it more crispy)
Serve with good brown mustard horseradish kind if you have it...
I serve it with EASY CHEESY BROCCOLI (works best in a micro.)
1 bag of frozen broccoli. ( or two med/large heads of broccoli)
cook as directed on package ( or cut up and steam 4-5 minutes in micro)
drain cooking water, add 1-2 tbs butter or margarine. add 2-3 slices of american cheese torn up. Nuke 1 minute more, stir... All the broccoli will have a yummy cheesy buttery flavor, for half as much as a package of presauced broccoli. and it tastes better.We go through 1 whole bag of broccoli for 3 adults.( two adults and 1 17 yr old. Plus we are big on veggies, we do almost 1 c servings, none of this one spoonfull)