Frugal Food Ideas

[Indiana Rose Lee]

I found some great cookbooks at the library, one in particular was meat-free dishes for the slow cooker. My vegetable Curry is in the crockpot now and smells great! I also love Vegetarian Times magazine. They always have lots of healthy meat free dishes.

I'd love this recipe. Can you give me the name of the cookbook?

 

[disneyjunkie]

Really 2 meals we are a family of 4, are we the only ones eating 2nd's?

No, you're not alone. I always cook enough for everyone to have seconds.

 

[Priorityonecb]

We too can always get three meals from a roasted chicken. The first night I roast the chicken with potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots and serve with a salad. I always have enough leftover for at least two more chicken meals...chicken tettrazini, chicken and dumplings, chicken salad, chicken ceasar salads, barbecued chicken pizza etc. We all have fairly small appetites here, and we eat more veggies than we do the protein.

 

[fakereadhed]

Just a tip for those wondering how a family of 4 would have chicken leftovers. I fill my kids plates before the meal starts to get them used to what a healthy plate looks like. It will usually be main dish, salad, and a veggie. They are welcome to seconds after that. If I left it up to them, they would fill up on anything but veggies. Now that the older ones are teens, they actually take seconds of salad sometimes! Sometimes we don't have leftovers, but often we do.

 

[MandM-Mom]

No, you're not alone. I always cook enough for everyone to have seconds.

Me too!

We always cook enough for seconds and a little more just in case anyone stops in before dinner or while we are eating, we never know when my oldest dd's friends are popping in and I never turn away the kids if they ask to stay for dinner, especially when I know they have a bowl of cereal or frozen pizzas for there dinner options, which is what 2 of the girls are usually getting since there moms work late! I just figure I can freeze it or make a dinner the next night with whatever is left but wow even if I cooked for just us 1 chicken would not be anything more than a bit of chicken salad for lunch the next day not a whole meal, if that

 

[Minnie]

I'm not much of a cook .... and we eat way more "freezer" type meals than I care to admit

I would love an easy recipe for the "roast chicken" that has been posted

Unfortunately I can't just buy the ready made ones from the market due to food allergies

Thanks!

 

[lukenick1]

I'm not much of a cook .... and we eat way more "freezer" type meals than I care to admit

I would love an easy recipe for the "roast chicken" that has been posted

Unfortunately I can't just buy the ready made ones from the market due to food allergies

Thanks!

Easiest recipe ever is.......
Salt and pepper your bird then place empty cavity of bird upright over an open beer can filled with beer of your choice. Bake in a pan with rack on lowest setting at 375 til juices run clear. About 1 hour or so. This will result in the most moist chicken ever and just as good as store bought rotisserie ones You may need to prop up chicken on side of deep pan as the weight may cause the chicken to fall over.

 

[mhsjax]

Just a tip for those wondering how a family of 4 would have chicken leftovers. I fill my kids plates before the meal starts to get them used to what a healthy plate looks like. It will usually be main dish, salad, and a veggie. They are welcome to seconds after that. If I left it up to them, they would fill up on anything but veggies. Now that the older ones are teens, they actually take seconds of salad sometimes! Sometimes we don't have leftovers, but often we do.

I do the same thing, I make them eat their veggies before they get seconds on meat. Problem is with my kids is that they eat it all. EVERYTHING. They want seconds on meat and veggies, heck my kidsdon't even want cheese on their broccoli, they want it steamed and plain, and they have all developed a taste for asperagus. but those darn kids are eating me out of house and home, and they are all skinny. (those little rats)

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

Easiest chicken. Turn oven to 400 degrees with a cast iron skillet in it. When oven is at temp take chicken minus any extras inside, slap him I'm the skillet breast up. Cook about an hour and check temp. Go fro 165 degrees. Pull him out and let h rest for 15 to 20 minutes. He looks beautiful, and stays tender.

 

[Tarheel Tink]

I quesadilla a good amount of leftover meats. I also, like mentioned earlier, make a 4 pound pork tenderloin for the two of us and serve it the first night with potatoes and veggies, sliced thin for Cuban sandwiches, barbeque another meal, freeze for later use and will also throw some cubed into a mainly veggie stir fry. I buy when on sale so it is a great value.

Tonight we had a "free" meal; leftover chili from the freezer turned into chili-mac with frozen elbow macaroni I had leftover from a cooking a full bag of the stuff. I too, keep cooked chicken and hamburger frozen for quick meals. I also buy frozen key lime pie (or other similiar pies), slice it and then freeze the slices individually for savings since we are a family of 2.

I crockpot a lot and DH tells me if he wants me to save him some for leftovers for lunch the next day or to freeze all for future meals.

 

[fakereadhed]

I do the same thing, I make them eat their veggies before they get seconds on meat. Problem is with my kids is that they eat it all. EVERYTHING. They want seconds on meat and veggies, heck my kidsdon't even want cheese on their broccoli, they want it steamed and plain, and they have all developed a taste for asperagus. but those darn kids are eating me out of house and home, and they are all skinny. (those little rats)

Seconds on broccoli AND asparagus! Wish we had that problem at my house...

 

[disneymom3]

Frugal meals equal pasta or ground meat dishes at my house:

Spaghetti with homemade sauce; diced tomatoes, tomato paste and tomato sauce. If I have leftover meat or chicken I add it. I tried it with leftover meatloaf broken apart one time and it was good also.

Enchiladas: I use leftover chicken or ground beef or turkey from tacos. I go light on the cheese to decrease some of the cost and fat.

Taquitos: Fill corn shells with a small amount of filling, roll and fry, don't use too much oil and they wont be greasy.

Pasta with jarred alfredo sauce: (Not the best for a body, but cheaper than buying take out! I add leftover chicken if I have it. Have also added leftover shrimp I got on sale.

Crockpot soup with tomato juice as the base, mixed with chicken broth.

There are tons of others, let me know if you are interested. We are a family of 5 and we get two meals from a Sams chicken. One main meal and soup or a pasta dish.

Great suggestions, thank you!! About the sauce...do you know how easy white sauce is to make? Check your basic cook book and add a bit of mozzarella and parmesan. Easy, quick and practically free.

I have a list of recipes for low-cost meals on my site. We don't usually plan for leftovers. We're a family of 6 and eat up the little bit of leftovers for lunch. But I do love to freeze cooked chicken. I can usually get 2 meals from a large chicken. I just freeze the meat to use in enchiladas, casseroles, soups etc.

Tiffany, I LOVE your site. I knew it was someone on here but I didn't remember who. I book marked it some time ago and read it often!

I really liked the pork-stretching suggestion. Must try that!

To answer some of the pps' question, here's how the chicken worked out for our family. Please remember we are a family of 3 - 2 adults and one child. (but the child LOVES chicken).

Roast chicken: 2 thighs for DH, 1 drumstick for DD, 1 drumstick for Mum (and I also get to pick all the meat off the carcass - cook's privilege). We served this meal with lots of: mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, gravy, and a bit of bread & butter (to soak up the extra gravy with).

Chicken salad sandwiches : used 1 chicken breast, diced, mixed with celery, onion, grated carrot, sweet pickle relish, mustard and mayo. We tend to make our sandwiches fully loaded with a good 12-grain bread, lettuce and tomatoes, cheese slice for DH and pickle slices and hot peppers for me, so we don't load on the chicken-salad part.

Chicken leftover lunch (this was only for DH to take to work): 1 chicken breast with leftover mashed potatoes, gravy and corn, to heat up in the zapper.

Chicken noodle soup : I always boil up the bones and scraps with spices and aromatic veggies to make up a nice rich broth. Then I drop in egg noodles or leftover rice, some peas and carrots, and voila it's the chicken's last supper for us...

Thanks for these ideas. And I agree with the roast.....never come up with something creative it seems.

I do the same thing, I make them eat their veggies before they get seconds on meat. Problem is with my kids is that they eat it all. EVERYTHING. They want seconds on meat and veggies, heck my kidsdon't even want cheese on their broccoli, they want it steamed and plain, and they have all developed a taste for asperagus. but those darn kids are eating me out of house and home, and they are all skinny. (those little rats)

Yep, my son is famous for saying "Can I have more?" We ask more what and his response is...."Food." His plate is empty.

Easiest chicken. Turn oven to 400 degrees with a cast iron skillet in it. When oven is at temp take chicken minus any extras inside, slap him I'm the skillet breast up. Cook about an hour and check temp. Go fro 165 degrees. Pull him out and let h rest for 15 to 20 minutes. He looks beautiful, and stays tender.

Chickens are she's.

 

[mhsjax]

Seconds on broccoli AND asparagus! Wish we had that problem at my house...

Well daughter won't have 2nds on broccoli, but will asparagus. I just cover everything with garlic and they eat it. Don't get me wrong they aren't perfect eaters, they love their sweets and their junk food but for dinner I make them eat the good stuff. Oldest son will eat anything that isn't tied down, including your dinner, so you had better hold onto it. lol

 

[disneymom3]

Well daughter won't have 2nds on broccoli, but will asparagus. I just cover everything with garlic and they eat it. Don't get me wrong they aren't perfect eaters, they love their sweets and their junk food but for dinner I make them eat the good stuff. Oldest son will eat anything that isn't tied down, including your dinner, so you had better hold onto it. lol

We should get our sons together and they could have an eat off!

 

[Robindianne]

I have a list of recipes for low-cost meals on my site. We don't usually plan for leftovers. We're a family of 6 and eat up the little bit of leftovers for lunch. But I do love to freeze cooked chicken. I can usually get 2 meals from a large chicken. I just freeze the meat to use in enchiladas, casseroles, soups etc.

I also like to brown out a package of hamburger and freeze it in about 1 lb. quantities or sometimes less. It's great to have it already cooked for Nachos, tacos, spaghetti, etc.

OMG Tiffany. I went to your site and it's terrific! There is just DH and me and we eat way too much, way too expensively. YOur recipes are like what I ate as a kid (one of 10 in a blended fam w/tons of teens)! I've printed the first 2 weeks plus the cheap week and will do the cheap week recipes this week. I even have some frozen veggies and chicken I can use in the Vietnam rice. Yummmmm.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

Chickens are male or female. Hens are female and males are roosters.

ps, had to look it up to be sure!

 

[jennyopenny]

If you have marinaria sauce left, and are sick of it...mix in a litttle heavy cream, or homemade white sauce. "Pink" sauce is YUMMY!

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

If you have marinaria sauce left, and are sick of it...mix in a litttle heavy cream, or homemade white sauce. "Pink" sauce is YUMMY!

We'll use marinara or pizza sauce on eggs, like salsa.

 

[TiffanyK]

OMG Tiffany. I went to your site and it's terrific! There is just DH and me and we eat way too much, way too expensively. YOur recipes are like what I ate as a kid (one of 10 in a blended fam w/tons of teens)! I've printed the first 2 weeks plus the cheap week and will do the cheap week recipes this week. I even have some frozen veggies and chicken I can use in the Vietnam rice. Yummmmm.

Thanks! I'm glad you like it!

 

[mhsjax]

We should get our sons together and they could have an eat off!

Funny, but I need a little notice, I would have to get a short term loan to afford that amount of food.