What is the cheapest meal you make that isn't breakfast food?

wishesuponastar · Oct 10, 2015

I would say it is pasta then pasta with meatballs. I would like to say soup with grilled cheese but not everyone in my family eats that.

Jankam · Oct 10, 2015

Red beans & rice. Delicious, filling, nutritious (add canned tomatoes and whatever leftover veggies you have around), flavorful.

wishesuponastar · Oct 10, 2015

Jankam said:
Red beans & rice. Delicious, filling, nutritious (add canned tomatoes and whatever leftover veggies you have around), flavorful.

Thank you! I will have to see if family likes that. Do you cook the beans for a long time?

bababear_50 · Oct 10, 2015

I would have to say for cheapest:
Quiche and Caesar salad.
It also takes very little prep time.

A bit more expensive would be
Whole cooked chicken at Costco 7.99
I just add a couple of baked potatoes and some mixed veggies.
We use leftover chicken for the next day's lunch.

My local giant Tiger store also sells St. Huberts Family size chicken pot pie for $9.99
I just add a side of rice or a green salad.

Hugs Mel

wishesuponastar · Oct 10, 2015

I forgot about the rotisserie chicken at Costco for $4.99 then just make potatoes and veggie

Albort · Oct 10, 2015

ramen noodles. $.49 a pack!

joannamet · Oct 10, 2015

Albort said:
ramen noodles. $.49 a pack!

Add a handful of frozen peas or broccoli and some leftover chicken. Great for kids.

TheDisneyDoll · Oct 10, 2015

I would say something like chili. It might initially be more than other things, but it's easy to make a huge quantity and it can last several meals.

Thing 1 · Oct 10, 2015

It would have to be my "free" soup. During the fall and winter, I keep small amounts of leftovers of veggies, bits of roast, pork trimming, extra bits of tomato based things etc and freeze them. I then make a big pot of soup. I often add a can or two of tomato and sometimes a handful of pasta or rice and cook together. So yummy and free or almost free. For a meat based meal, whole pork loins at Sams is a cheap meal. A 12.00 piece can make like four meals for us. grill or fry. Add rice or potato and a veggie for not much at all.

Eureka · Oct 10, 2015

Frittata with whatever meat and veggies you have left over in the fridge. The recipe I use is only 1/4 cup milk and 1 cup filling for every four eggs. I do a double recipe for my family of four and serve it with rolls and salad or fruit.

Not sure if you count this as breakfast food, since depending on what you put in the frittata, could be heavier than what you'd eat at breakfast. I actually never serve it for breakfast.

Gumbo4x4 · Oct 10, 2015

Ramen with hamburger & peas.

havaneselover · Oct 10, 2015

Homemade pizza using Bobby Flay's pizza dough recipe. Or spaghetti and meat sauce.

loves to dive · Oct 10, 2015

Chicken and Rice. Two boneless chicken breasts, 2 cups of rice and a little chicken broth. Lasts at least 2 meals for 2 people, sometimes 5 meals.

worm761 · Oct 10, 2015

That's a really hard question. I don't usually break my meals down by cost but I think I will start. I know tomorrow's meal will be cheap. I'm making perogies. A bag of russet potatoes was $1.99 for 5 pounds. I'll flavor them with with bacon, sour cream, white cheddar (an amazing deal at $3.50 a pound!) and green onions. Pasta sheets are just eggs, olive oil, and flour bought in bulk at Sam's. Toss in some kielbasa and sauteed onions and salad. This batch of perogies should make at least 3 meals for my family of 5. I plan to freeze them in meal portions.

abcboys · Oct 10, 2015

For us probably chili or potato soup> Maybe a PB sandwich to go with it.
Macaroni and cheese (box or homemade) with a can of tuna and some frozen peas.
Box of long grain and wild rice with some browned hamburger and cheddar cheese.
Homemade chicken and noodles. Boiling a whole chicken will leave enough chicken for another meal or 2.

jsmla · Oct 11, 2015

We eat a LOT of dried beans!

Red Beans and Rice
Ingredients
1 lb dried red beans
2 tbs olive oil
8 oz tasso (You can sub smoked ham, pork hocks or turkey wings)
1 large onion
1 large bell pepper
3 ribs celery
3 cloves garlic minced
Bay leaf
Salt/pepper/cayenne to taste (I use Tony Chachere's)

Cooking Directions
Soak red beans overnight.

Place large heavy (I use cast iron) pot over medium-low heat.

Dice tasso, onion, bell pepper, celery and celery.

Add olive oil to pot, then add diced tasso and vegetables. Sauté until vegetables are wilted and cooked down.

Add minced garlic and sauté 30 seconds.

Drain and rinse red beans. Add beans and bay leaf to pot and cover with water. Cook over medium heat until beans are very soft and some have begun to break down and become creamy, 2-3 hours. Add more water as needed.

Season with salt, pepper, cayenne. Simmer while rice cooks.

Serve over hot rice. Greens are the traditional side.

(This is a healthier version. They're even better when you use bacon drippings for the sauté and add rendered andouille sausage with the salt/pepper.)

Hopping John
Substitute 1 pound dried black-eyed peas for red beans.
Substitute two jalapeños for bell pepper.
Serve with hot rice.

White Beans
Substitute 1 pound dried large white lima beans.
After beans soften add 1 can undrained Rotel tomatoes with the add salt/pepper.
Serve over hot rice.

Pinto Beans
Substitute 1 pound pinto beans
Substitute two jalapeños for bell pepper.
Substitute ham for the tasso.
After the water boils down the first time add chicken stock as needed instead of more water, you want these to be soupy.
Serve in bowl (omit rice) and top with diced sweet onion. Goes well with hot cornbread.

(For Mexican-style pintos I omit the bay leaf, add a handful of minced cilantro and replace the red/black pepper with chili powder to taste. We use these to make bean burritos or as a side with tacos. The are also good for nachos or served alone topped with pico.)

ronandannette · Oct 11, 2015

Kraft Dinner with wieners - less than $5 for the 3 of us. We have it about twice a year...

jsmla · Oct 11, 2015

If you have a garden pasta with veggies makes a cheap meal.

Ingredients (I don't measure.)
Garden veggies, depending on the season:
Squash, zucchini, tomatoes (1 inch dice) basil chiffonade, parmesan (summer)
or
Spinach, mushrooms, feta (cool weather)
Olive oil
Minced garlic (to taste)
Pasta, cooked al dente
Salt/pepper

Cooking instructions

Heat heavy skillet over medium/high heat.

For summer veggies
-add olive oil and heat
-add squash/zucchini to skillet and sauté unti they begin to develop a char
-lower heat to medium
-add garlic and basil sauté 30 seconds
-add tomatoes and heat
-add cooked pasta, seasonings and Parmesan, mix well and heat through

For spring/fall veggies
-add olive oil and heat
-add garlic, spinach and mushrooms, sauté one minute
-add cooked pasta and feta, mix well and heat through

davper · Oct 12, 2015

Albort said:
ramen noodles. $.49 a pack!

That is more than twice what I pay

scrapquitler · Oct 12, 2015

Refrigerator Soup. Lots of times I'll take the leftover bones and what meat is left on the $5 rotisserie chicken from BJs and add whatever fresh or frozen veggies I find in my kitchen with some broth or bullion and make a delicious pot of soup. You can add beans or rice/pasta/potatoes, a can of tomatoes, sub other meats and it's almost free because you might have otherwise thrown away that not-so good looking carrot or celery stalk, etc.

What is the cheapest meal you make that isn't breakfast food?

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