Inexpensive meal advice needed (meals for church family)

[kkwis2]

Our church provides meals to families when the need arises. There are three right now. I'd love to put something together all at one time that can be divided up, frozen, and given to each family (already fozen) after church on Sunday (I can put the meals in the freezer during the service). I don't consider myself a very good cook, so the easier the better.

There are no specific dietary that I am aware of. Here is who needs to be fed:

Family 1: An older couple

Family 2: A couple with a teenage son

Family 3: A couple with a 3 yr. old (and a new baby)


Any budget and time friendly advice you can give would be greatly appreciated!

 

[luvsJack]

I would do some variation of chicken spaghetti. Most people seem to like it, its easy to cook a bunch, it can be frozen, and its fairly cheap.

 

[dogodisney]

Beef Stew, Chicken soup, chicken casserole, Shepherd's pie, lasagna, baked ziti, to name a few.

 

[AntePrincess]

Any sort of casserole ought to fit the bill. Try layering up very al dente cooked pasta (whatever sort is on sale), with tomato paste, cheese of your choice, and a meat of your choice. The ingredients are all affordable, season appropriately for the meat and cheese you chose. Alternative casseroles that'd fit the bill would be any variation of the Depression one pot meals. The one that comes to mind came entirely out of cans back in the day and was called "autumn dish" in our family: can of beans, can of sliced potatoes, layer of vienna sausages (we use bacon these days), and cheese (apparently something velveeta like used to come in a can). The beauty of casseroles is that they can be so simple.

 

[HelloChum]

I make this for our family and freeze. The cheese sauce does take a while to make (about 30 minutes of stirring)--but I usually make a few pounds of elbow pasta and make about 4 pans to freeze--so it is definitely worth the time. My family loves it...

I stock up on cheeses, pasta and croutons when they are on sale--so I always seem to have the makings on hand.

It is always a hit--now I make it as an extra dish for get togethers...it is that comfort food that everyone just seems to go for...

Good luck!

 

[Justsyd2]

Honestly, if it were me, I'd just purchase some frozen seasoned Chicken Breasts, a frozen Green Bean or similar casserole, Frozen Mashed Potatoes, and some type of bread, make up a gift box, and be done with it. Cooking for three families is a lot of work!

 

[NotUrsula]

Hearty soups. Gumbo, especially (or the "dry" equivalent, Jambalaya.) Another Louisiana favorite, though it didn't originate there, the Tamale Pie, is also really good. (A lot like lasagna in texture, but the starch is corn, and there is much less cheese.) I'll point out that Cajun food in general is often cheap and filling -- Lousiana has been a poor state for a long time. It may seem exotic to folks elsewhere, though.

With Gumbo, you can stretch 5 lbs of sausage and 10 lbs. of cheap dark meat chicken (plus a few pounds of rice) into at least a dozen meals big enough for 4 people. I like to stockpile Gumbo right before Thanksgiving, when I can get a big turkey for $.15/lb, chop it up and boil it, and make several gallons. Just for the record, the best sausage to complement turkey is andouille.

When it comes to stretching, think starch. It's cheap and it is filling. Rice, corn, and pasta freeze better than potatoes. Depending on where you live, fresh corn may still be plentiful right now; strip and freeze it for a really yummy addition to soups.

 

[MollyAnna]

What a blessing you are to these families! I would suggest baked spaghetti (just cook the spaghetti, add the meat and sauce to it and throw in a bunch of mozzarella cheese. Pour into a casserole dish and bake. Sometimes I add pepperoni as well as hamburger and italian sausage and call it Pizza Bake.) One other easy recipe that really feeds a crowd is Mexican Chicken. Layer in a large crock pot 2-3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 2 cans black beans (drained), 2 cans corn, 1 large can diced tomatoes, and 2 pkgs. taco seasoning. I set my crock pot on low in the morning and it's ready to eat at supper. Just shred the chicken and serve over rice or use it to fill soft tacos. Serve with salsa and sour cream. Sometimes I use salsa in place of the tomatoes. And it is always easy to make a large pot of chili. Good luck with your project!

 

[irisesareblue]

I buy a bulk pack of chicken thighs & legs. I split the pack up into 3 or 4 dishes of 4-6 pieces of meat each. I then add chopped celery and onion to them and over each dish (I usually use disposable tin dishes), I pour a can of diced tomatoes over the chicken and celery/onion. I pop them into the oven for 1 hour each at 350 degrees. Once cooked, they can be frozen and thawed then reheated. When reheating, I usually add some shredded cheese and serve it with minute rice.

Cheap and easy. Remember when you're doing 3 meals to add a 4th for your own!

 

[Bearshouse]

What a very nice thing to do. Here are two extremely easy recipes I love to use.

In a crockpot: small pot roast, 1 can cream of mushroom, 1/2 package of lipton onion soup mix and 1/2 can of water. Cook on high for 4-5 hours. We have added carrots and potatoes as well to this.

or

Chicken chow mein: 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1/2 cup of minute rice, 5oz evaporated milk, 2 cups cubed chicken and chow mein noodles.

Mix all soups and milk in a bowl, stir in chicken, bake at 350 degrees in a 8 in square baking dish. Sprinkle chow mein noodles for the last 5-10 minutes of baking. (or if freezing add noodles when reheating.)

hope this helps.

Bearshouse

 

[mrsklamc]

This doesn't help tonight but maybe for the future....

A group of women at my church gather once every other month to batch cook freezer meals. (Search for 'freezer meals.') Some ingredients are purchased in bulk, while each woman brings her own meats or other special ingredients, and a large cooler, as well as disposable aluminum casserole pans w/ lids.

The group assembles freezer meals together, and part of the ''cost' to participate is donating one or more of the items back to the church so they can be pulled out of the freezer and given to a family in need, in a pinch.

 

[jacksmom]

I freeze chili and spagetti sauce that I prepare in large batches for nights when I am to tired to cook! They are both very easy to make, even in large batches and easy on the budget also!

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

This doesn't help tonight but maybe for the future....

A group of women at my church gather once every other month to batch cook freezer meals. (Search for 'freezer meals.') Some ingredients are purchased in bulk, while each woman brings her own meats or other special ingredients, and a large cooler, as well as disposable aluminum casserole pans w/ lids.

The group assembles freezer meals together, and part of the ''cost' to participate is donating one or more of the items back to the church so they can be pulled out of the freezer and given to a family in need, in a pinch.

What a great idea.

 

[lisam427]

have you ever checked into angel food ministries. they have food packages already done up. they even have a senior meal package where all someone has to do is heat the food up. there is also a holiday package. i think the packages run about $30 and feed a family of 4 for a week. the food in it is very high quality. i order them for myself and save myself quit a bit of money on the grocery bill each month.

 

[minniebeth]

I cook for families a lot and get a lot of feedback...as easy and yummy and budget friendly as we all know the baked pastas, lasagnas, etc. to be, pretty much everyone does them and not that families aren't greatful, but they get pasta'd out. Soups can be inexpensive to make, like a taco soup, potato soup and paired with some homemade rolls or bread (frozen bread dough) are always a hit. For families with kids, I make tacos and fixins a lot and get such positive feedback from that and can be made in larger quantities to split up.
I do the taco meat, taco shells and sometimes flour tortillas, shredded cheese, lettuce, tomato, rice and chips and salsa. Sometimes if it is a bigger family, I do refried beans to stretch the meal. You can even put rice in the meat to stretch that too, just add another 1/2 envelope of seasoning with it. I buy store brand items and use ziplock bags for the fixins and plastic containers or foil pans for the meat, beans and rice.

Just an idea for something different!

 

[englishteacha]

This might totally be cheating, but I did a "pizza night" for a family I work with whose son had died. I bought a couple frozen pizzas, a bottle of soda, and I think I got a salad or chips to go with it. The family was tired of casseroles (though appreciative), as mentioned above, so the pizza was something different. They had a teen girl who had been in my class and she ran up to me and hugged me the day after I'd delivered their dinner. After all they'd been through, pizza seemed so "normal".

 

[AntePrincess]

Oh! I forgot my favorite freezer meal, which ought to be especially cheap this time of year: ratatouille!

1. Buy lots of summer squash (zucchini and/or marrow/courgette), tomatoes (I like to use both red and green, but not the low acid yellow), eggplant, onions, and peppers. You can get these pretty cheap these days as farmer's markets start to shut up shop.
2. Slice thin (a mandolin is great for this job).
3. Choose your sauce. I've used tomato sauce, lemon-butter, herb butter, and garlic in oil. Pestos would probably be good too. I find that tomato sauce is best put in as a layer on the bottom of the tin before you add the veggies, and the others are best poured over the veggies.
4. Arrange your sliced veggies in the pan in alternating layers, sort of laying flat, like a tipped over stack.
5. Lid and freeze.
6. Cooking is fool proof, just pop it in the oven and heat until the veggies are cooked to your preference of doneness.

This is a great main dish served with either a loaf of bread or a pot of linguine or both.

Parmigiana is also pretty cheap and easy to make up a big batch of and freeze:

1. Buy up a bunch of cheap eggplant, zucchini, green tomatoes, or mushrooms. Also buy up a cheap source of bread crumbs.
2. Slice up your eggplant, zucchini, green tomatoes, or mushrooms. Dip them in stirred up eggs and then coat them in your bread crumbs.
3. Bake your slices up or pan fry them in batches, whatever's easiest for you.
4. Layer your slices in a lasagna tin with tomato sauce, then top with lots of cheese. For a special touch, you can add layers of ricotta or ricotta and spinach.

Naturally, you can do the above with the prepared frozen vegetable or chicken cutlets. It's also great with meatballs, meat substitutes (if you have a vegetarian family to cater for once in a while) or sausage.

 

[BoogasMom]

I use this recipe to make a big batch and take to families after a death in the family, birth of a baby, etc. It's always a big hit with all ages.....

3-4 frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can of light red kidney beans
1 can of black beans
1 can of great northern beans
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 can of yellow corn
1 small can of tomato sauce
1 package of taco seasoning mix
1 package of powdered Ranch dressing mix

Place the chicken breasts on the bottom of the crock pot. Dump in each can of beans, the diced tomatoes, and the corn. Add the tomato sauce. Stir in the taco seasoning mix and the Ranch dressing mix. Cook on low for up to 8 hrs or high for up to 5 hours. (I usually cook it for 8 hours on low as it tastes better that way). During the last 30 mins of cooking, I shred up the cooked chicken and stir back into the soup.

I usually take a package of shredded cheddar cheese, a container of sour cream as toppings for the soup and a box of Ritz crackers (along with some cookies or ice cream for dessert).

 

[PatsGirl]

Swedish meatballs ~ they freeze well in ziploc bags and can be served with something as simple as french bread and a veggie...

 

[mykidsand_i]

Try a 'breakfast for dinner' meal...There are always sausages on sale at the store. You could get loaves of texas toast and make french toast, make the toast all up and put it in a large freezable ziplock bag, they can eat 1/2 now and save 1/2 for another meal. Buy some fresh fruit (or canned to top french toast with) and a large bag of frozen hashbrowns (could be used for two or three meals) to go with it- buy a thing of syrup and there you go...

also could work with pancakes...

On average my 'breakfast for dinner meal' costs between $4.70-$7.00 for a family of 4 (two adults, and two healthy eatting kid-os who are 7 and 5).
This meal works well for all ages.

We have breakfast for dinner once or twice a month and it goes over very well with my family- plus the same casseroles and pasta bakes (while they are great and I'm sure are appreciated) get repetitive...