What's for dinner? Was it "budget"?

[Sorsha]

Ok, sorry guys, from now on I'll include the total for all ingredients. But since they have been lurking in the pantry and/or fridge, chances are I really don't know the price I paid for them anyway.

Don't even worry about it! As the OP I hereby declare that posting costs at all is completely up to the poster! I don't worry about costs a lot of the time in my posts, because frankly I don't usually care. I try to shop as "budget" as I know how, but it is more important to me to have yummy well-balanced meals, and if I pay more for it then so be it. If you want to include the total for all ingredients - go for it. If you only want to include your current out of pocket and not worry about the pantry stuff - go for it. If you only want to estimate - got for it! This thread is not about seeing how we low we can possibly get out meal cost totals, nor is it about enumerating every penny spent on a meal. Its about having fun and sharing recipes, and enjoying eachother's company.

Which I do! Love ya all, and love the thread!
Ok, carry on...

 

[chocovrdmicears]

tonight

2 chicken breasts diced and sauted($3.00?) tossed with..
garlic, red pepper flakes, lemon zest in olive oil & fresh grated cheese (maybe $2.00)
1/2 box of whole wheat pasta (.50)
1/2 bag of frozen broccoli (.50)
Pillsbury frozen crusty rolls ($2.49)

 

[TifffanyD]

Tonight I am making turkey lasagna. I was just at the store so I picked up:

1 lb ground turkey - $3
1 tub of ricotta cheese - $2.20

SO spent $5.20 today. The rest I had (well sort of). I had 2 packages of cheese that I got on sale ($2 each... they were $2.50 each but there was an instant $2 off if you bought 4)... the eggs I had... the noodles I got ages ago for 73 cents a package. And the sauce I got at the wholesale club... 3 jars I believe was around $6. So all in all it costs around $10 and will feed us for a few days - not too bad!

 

[stacy347]

chocovrdmicears ~ I just wanted to say that I love your signature pic! My DD9 is in the spectrum and she LOVES Stitch so that just really tickled me to see that, thank you.

 

[njsweetP]

Don't even worry about it! As the OP I hereby declare that posting costs at all is completely up to the poster! I don't worry about costs a lot of the time in my posts, because frankly I don't usually care. I try to shop as "budget" as I know how, but it is more important to me to have yummy well-balanced meals, and if I pay more for it then so be it. If you want to include the total for all ingredients - go for it. If you only want to include your current out of pocket and not worry about the pantry stuff - go for it. If you only want to estimate - got for it! This thread is not about seeing how we low we can possibly get out meal cost totals, nor is it about enumerating every penny spent on a meal. Its about having fun and sharing recipes, and enjoying eachother's company.

Which I do! Love ya all, and love the thread!
Ok, carry on...

My thoughts exactly!!!

 

[babytrees]

guesstimating is your friend!!


I've got a humdinger of a headache.....don't feel like cooking....trying to think of an inexpensive but healthy way to get food to go.

hee hee I get to quote myself

ended up getting a deli pizza....$9

but found some great deals for later on in the week!!

 

[Grendalynn]

Pork chops from freezer - from a Family pack size - about $4.50 +/-
Bag of mixed veggies - $1.29
Can of Cranberry sauce $0.99

Total: $6.50 or so... Not too bad!

 

[Msslaydbug]

Tonight is quasadilla night here. Flour tortillas with grilled chicken, red peppers, onions and cheese. All of which was on sale !

 

[luv2nascar]

tonight we had Johnny Marzetti
I had everything on hand but elbow noodles
$.55 for Ronzoni Smart start pasta lb
$2.88 lb for ground beef previously was in my freezer
$.33 can tomato paste
free can of Muir Glen tomato sauce
$.70 for 2 cans of diced tomatoes
onions I had on hand?? I got 3lbs for $.99 and only used 1 onion
DH had romaine salad probably $.50 (1/2 bag on sale $.99)
so total probably $5.00 for a meal for family of 4 with enough leftovers for 3 lunches besides.

** oh I forgot I made enough sauce for two meals -used 1/2 tonight and froze a container full for another dinner.

 

[beckanoah]

Changed my mind and we had nachos.

Tortillas (40 cents)
Cheese 1.00

Divided by 2

YUMMY!

 

[BethR]

$.55 for Ronzoni Smart start pasta lb

Wow! Where did you find the Ronzoni Smart Taste for 55 cents a pound? I am guessing that there was a sale and you had a coupon? Because it is $2 or more a pound around here. (I haven't checked WalMart yet though.)

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Late post but we had the following dinner today

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches $2.00
Tomato Soup .75
Cream of Mushroom Soup $1.00

That was it, so it was budget but I guess not so healthy. But hey everyone deserves an easy dinner night once in a while.

 

[pumpkinfish]

Last night DH had leftover pasta, sauce, and meatballs.
I gave up meat (and alcohol) for Lent so it was a frozen tilapia filet for me. I made a blood orange sauce to go over it and YUM! This will be a good thing since I have 3 boxes of tilapias in the freezer and 2 packages of frozen salmon filets to eat up that I've had in there from Trader Joes foe awhile.

Tonight is hamburgers for DH and ??? for me. Probably a baked potato with some frozen spinach cooked up.

 

[carissanboys]

I think I'm going to make homemade mac and cheese for supper. It'll be the first time in a long time since my kids don't like it (they do like the box stuff though). My oldest is still recovering from the flu and doesn't have much of an appetite and I'm hoping my middle son will like it now (he loves cheese). My youngest never eats what we're having for supper anyway.

I'll cook up some veggie to go with it. Total for the meal will be under $5.

 

[mom2my3kids]

I have no idea for tonight, I bought 8 packs of boneless skinless chicken from Kroger last night. They had a really good sale so it may be chicken again..

 

[Sorsha]

Tonight will be beef stew in the crock pot. It is snowing sideways out there... cold gusty wind, snow, drifting.... ICK! I am SOOOO tired of winter. Anyhow, something warm and comforting sounded good.

My method for stew in the crock pot is to make a soup base out of beef broth and some packaged au jus mixes. Then add beef stew meat, a bag of baby carrots, and several peeled, chopped potatoes. Crock it all day long, then about 1/2 hour before serving, use a cornstarch slurry to thicken it up. My friend, who makes her stew the same way, also adds a bag of frozen peas with baby pearl onions towards the end of the cooking time too. I sometimes add the peas, but not the ones with the onions mixed in, as everyone in my house abhors onions in any form.

I have a nice crusty loaf of French bread to serve with this. Easy meal, very yummy and pretty healthy. And easy clean up too! I love one-pot things.

So, I will be full and happy and snuggled down on my cozy couch after dinner.... waiting for... SURVIVOR! YAY! Ozzie's back, baybeeeee!!!! Ok, calming down now... deeeep breaths....

 

[carissanboys]

Tonight will be beef stew in the crock pot. It is snowing sideways out there... cold gusty wind, snow, drifting.... ICK! I am SOOOO tired of winter. Anyhow, something warm and comforting sounded good.

My method for stew in the crock pot is to make a soup base out of beef broth and some packaged au jus mixes. Then add beef stew meat, a bag of baby carrots, and several peeled, chopped potatoes. Crock it all day long, then about 1/2 hour before serving, use a cornstarch slurry to thicken it up. My friend, who makes her stew the same way, also adds a bag of frozen peas with baby pearl onions towards the end of the cooking time too. I sometimes add the peas, but not the ones with the onions mixed in, as everyone in my house abhors onions in any form.

I have a nice crusty loaf of French bread to serve with this. Easy meal, very yummy and pretty healthy. And easy clean up too! I love one-pot things.

So, I will be full and happy and snuggled down on my cozy couch after dinner.... waiting for... SURVIVOR! YAY! Ozzie's back, baybeeeee!!!! Ok, calming down now... deeeep breaths....

Sounds yummy

I did end up making my pot roast yesterday on the stove. First I browned the roast in some oil on both sides (seasoned it was a steak seasoning I had). Then I added an onion chopped. In went a bunch of potatoes and carrots cut into big chunks. For the liquid I used a jar of spaghetti sauce (ragu was on sale this week at Super Fresh), a can of Progresso Barley Vegetable Soup I had that no one was going to eat, a bit of water, a few splashes of worstershire sauce, a splash of vinegar. I then put in a small box of raisins (Alton Brown tip). I let it simmer for 3-4 hours and it was one of the best pot roasts I've ever made.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I'm getting some good tips from this thread! Thanks to everyone!

I have a double batch of frozen chicken drummets (I guess that's what you call it) in the crockpot on low. The kids like them plain. Just before it's time to serve, for my DH and I, I'll probably pour some hot wing sauce over a batch and run it in the oven. With a little blue cheese dressing it will be great. We'll have corn on the cob, and something green with it. Maybe green beans for the kids and a small salad for us.

 

[stacy347]

Garlic Herb chicken breasts $4.99
Mashed potatoes w/ cream cheese and roasted garlic approx. $2.00
Canned corn $0.33

Total $7.32

 

[momx2]

Tonight is left over night.

sirloin roast $0 leftovers
veggies $0 leftovers
mushroom gravy $0 leftovers
mashed potatoes $1
Green beans $1

Total = $2!