What is the cheapest dinner you prepare?

[minnie1928]

i almost feel extravagant w/my hot dogs cut up and boiled w/ramaan noodles... my dh/ds' fave!

I knew Ramen would come up on this thread somewhere!!

My cheapest meal would probably be pancakes. After that, I'd say spaghetti.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

My cheapest meal would probably be pancakes.

I agree. I make pancakes and waffles frequently. I make the mix from scratch (takes 2 minutes and isn't full of trans fats like Bisquik and other baking mixes are), sometimes using just whole wheat flour and sometimes half and half white and wheat. A semi-healthy meal (depending how much butter and/or syrup you use ), takes less than 5 minutes, super cheap, and filling .

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

Ham and cheese omlette:

2 eggs @ $.12 each =$.24
3 tablespoons of chopped ham from package of 1 lb for $4=approx $.25
sprinkle of real shredded cheese on sale and after coupon for $free- $.00
Store brand frozen hashbrowns @ $2/pkg - 1 serving=$25
teapsoon of butter=$.05?


total = less than $.80 per person

 

[charming23]

Probably pancakes and Canadian Bacon. We found canadian bacon on sale at Trader Joes not to long ago and bought a bunch to freeze. Each package gives us 2 meals and we make our pancake mix from scratch so whenever we have that meal it is about $2.50 for both of us. Can't even eat out that cheap.

 

[nunzia]

I knew Ramen would come up on this thread somewhere!!

My cheapest meal would probably be pancakes. After that, I'd say spaghetti.

Heck yea! Our best ramen recipe is a bag of ramen and a couple cans of soup: either tomato, bean and bacon or split pea. You use more water than asked for so you can boil it long enough to cook the ramen. Add the seasoning packet..voila! we ate that variation of ramen and soup during our lean years..and still do!
Another good cheapie we have at least twice a month. Flour tortilla (we have great places here to get fresh ones), butter it, add cheese, salsa and then broil.

 

[usandthem]

Probably would have to say Pulled pork sandwiches. I usually buy pork roast when it's on sale .99/lb, 1 bottle of BBQ sauce ($1 on sale), Mashed potatoes (.99/ 5lbs), a bag of frozen veggies ($1 on sale) & buns ($1 on sale). My family (of 4) thinks it is a great meal, I think it's one of the cheapest (under $10), relatively healthy and so easy & usually left overs that allow for a second meal during the week (it's a free meal the second time)

 

[apnep]

Mine's bean burritos. A 32 oz. bag of dried pinto beans is $1.80. Cooked it provides beans for a week.

Flour tortillas and cheese, or bake corn tortillas and make tostadas.

Quiche is also cheap and filling. I just put some bacon or ham and turkey in it and serve with a salad.

Ang

 

[disneydreamersx4]

Mine's bean burritos. A 32 oz. bag of dried pinto beans is $1.80. Cooked it provides beans for a week.

Flour tortillas and cheese, or bake corn tortillas and make tostadas.

Quiche is also cheap and filling. I just put some bacon or ham and turkey in it and serve with a salad.

Ang

recipe for bean burritos please.

 

[leight]

Once or twice a month I make a big pot of 'sunday sauce'. Growing up in an italian family in NY it was 'gravy'.

I make 2 lbs of meatballs using ground beef, an egg, lots of garlic powder and 1 cup grated locatelli cheese (S & P to taste)

I will sometimes split a pound of sausage to throw a few links into the pot for flavor- dh isn't a big fan & I don't eat it- I usually give it to a guy at work the next day-and he buys me lunch.

I make the sauce by browning a few pork neck bones in evoo. As they are browned- I toss in about 4 cloves of garlic and saute 1 can of tomato paste.

I also add 5 cans of crushed tomatoes (plus two cans of water). This simmers all day.

I buy ronzoni when it is buy one get one free- so about 0.60 a lb. I always make a full pound although we only eat about half because the leftovers proved me a few lunches during the week. I freeze 2/3 of the meatballs in 2-3 containers for weekly servings and the sauce gets split to be used during this week and 2-3 weeks frozen.

All in all the sunday dinner costs about $16 (I buy chopmeat in bulk and the tomatoes cost $1.49 for I think a 30ounce(Lg) can.) with pasta, salad and italian or garlic bread.

But I work late, so DH uses the sauce for pizza, meatball heros, and an additional pasta nite during the week possibly. Since I make chicken cutlets in bulk and freeze it too, I can also make chicken parmagiana. If I have sauce left over after 4 days I'll usually make a very small tray (about 2 servings) of either lasagna or baked ziti. I need to have easy meals prepared so Dh can just pop it in the oven without thinking about it too much- so I prepare ahead of time.

The sauce works out to $0.30 a serving probably and since it is so versatile it helps make other low cost meals.

Other cheap meals are definately breakfast items- pancakes, omeletes, egg whites.

 

[jewjubean]

Mines not so "cheap" but it makes ALOT of food and it's really good!!!
Cheesey Chicken Spaghetti. You need a large pot to make this.

4-5 chicken breasts or whole chicken
1 can of Rotel
1 can of Cream of Mushroom
1 can of Cream of Chicken
1 large package of Velveta cheese
1 package of Noodles


Boil the chicken in water until cooked, then pull apart to make small chunks.
Boil noodles in same water.
I recomend you cube the velveta it will make it easier to melt!
Drain noodles and mix chicken, both soups,rotel,velveta cheese with noodles.
Heat and serve.
If it is too thick play with the ammount of cheese you put in. Also you can add milk to thin it out.
HTH.

At my grocery store this would cost around..10 bucks to make..but it is great to reheat and eat another day or serve to a large group. I havnt tried it but you could also use the baked chickens they sell at the grocery store to make it a bit easier, and some times you can get them cheaper at the end of the night.

 

[Tarheel Tink]

Beans and cornbread!
A pound of dry pinto beans is about .77 and a ham hock for seasoning is about .50. I make my cornbread from scratch so it is very cheap. I can feed six for under $2!

Same here! A bag of dry pinto beans and a ham bone from the freezer along with a pan of cornbread. I freeze the leftovers including slices of cornbread; the beans can be made into bean dip (adding jalapenos) or added to tacos/nachos.

 

[neatokimmo]

I like lentils, rice, onion, eggs and tabasco cooked together like a stir fry.

We also eat salad with mark down organic lettuce. Tonight it was:

1/2 tub arugula - 50 cents
1/2 bag of mozz cheese - 50 cents
a handful of baby carrots - 25 cents
half a pint of tomatoes - $1
1/2 pound of shredded grilled chicken - 80 cents

The arugula is spicy and I toss all of this with a little bit of blue cheese dressing and tabasco for more twang. This was enough for two and truthfully probably 3 based on how miserably full I am right now lol

 

[Evi]

Are their wontons frozen? That sounds yummy.

Yup there in the freezer section. I tend to make this when df isn't home for dinner or if its super late and I haven't had dinner yet since its not high in calories.

 

[crisi]

Chicken soup. Chicken carcass (something most people toss, we throw ours in the freezer for stock), $1 worth of carrots, $.25 for a loaf of sourdough bread (homemade).

 

[maleficentmom]

3 cans store brand tomato soup(condensed,sometimes 3/$1 or so), place in pot with 2 cans water and 1 block cream cheese($1,on sale)...heat then wisk up cream cheese into soup until smooth.....make a batch of Jiffy boxed cornbread muffin mix to go with......yum

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

I like lentils, rice, onion, eggs and tabasco cooked together like a stir fry.

This sounds great. Do you just cook the lentils in water or broth beforehand? I think we are going to try it on Sunday. I thought I'd use Frank's hotsauce with a bit more vinegar. Do you think that would work?

Thanks, Evi for the wonton info!

 

[apnep]

recipe for bean burritos please.

Take a bag of dried pintos and soak them overnight in a big pot. Then drain all the water and rinse them out really well. Cover them with water again and put back on the stove and cook on low. To the pot at a couple of bay leaves, some kosher salt and a small onion (this helps get rid of the stuff that makes you gassy ). If you would like a little more flavor, add a small piece of bacon or ham.

It should only take a couple of hours to cook.

Then I get my steel pan and put a little canola oil, not much, in the bottom and put as many beans (use a slotted spoon, we don't want juice) as I want to mash in there. Mash away, add some cheese and a little milk. That's it.

We like to eat:

• a bowl of beans after they are done cooking.
• bean burritos
• kids love tostadas and I just make my own by laying out a bunch of corn tortillas on a baking pan and spraying both sides with Pam and sometimes sprinkling with salt. Place in a 400 degree oven until they are crisp. You have to turn them. Take them out and top with mashed beans. Sometimes I'll add seasoned ground beef, ground turkey or chicken. Always top with lettuce and tomato.

Hope that helps!

Ang

 

[apnep]

I like lentils, rice, onion, eggs and tabasco cooked together like a stir fry.

Mmmm, that sounds yummy.

Ang

 

[bettymae1121]

Home made pizza. $5 worth of ingrediants, and it's only that much because I use a high quality (ie more expensive) cheese. Depending on how backed up the delivery times are at Pizza hut, I can make a home made pie from scratch (including the dough) in the same time or less than it takes to have one delivered, plus I save money and it's healthier.

I also make pancakes from scratch. I have no idea what it costs exactly, but it has to be less than $1 a batch, I'll serve that along with my cheap-o breafast sausage ($2 for a roll is the average I spend) and some fruit.

 

[gandycat]

`Pancakes made from scratch with some kind of fruit on the side is probably the cheapest.

`Soups are pretty economical too, especially w/o meat. Lentil soup (use water or homemade vegetable broth) is really cheap. I usually add a couple of carrots and a can of diced tomatoes, sometimes some orzo. For ministrone, I use Trader Joe's low sodium chicken broth mixed with water and/or homemade veggie broth, I can of chick peas or white beans, an onion, a couple of carrots, 1 can of tomatoes, and whatever other veggies I have on hand (green beans, zuchinni, cabbage). If I'm feeling ambitious, I make a baguette and then toast slices to add to the soup with some shredded asiago on top. It makes a ton and is pretty cheap per serving and I can freeze it.

`Grilled cheese and tomato soup

`grilled veggies with a side or couscous or rice