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

[kath1210]

After a beautiful day yesterday - 75 and sunny - it's in the 40's today. So I am making taco soup. It smells wonderful! We'll add crushed tortilla chips, cheese and sour cream - yum!!

 

[labgeek]

I am getting ready to go to 4 ten hour day work weeks so I have been reading, cutting and pasting crockpot recipes like crazy yesterday and today. Embarrased to say how many hours I have spent on the computer. I also have an hour commute each way so it makes for a 12 hour day essentially. I decided to try two recipes today in the crockpots.

I made taco soup and chili. Never made them in the crock pot before so I wanted to test it today while I was here to watch them.

2lbs ground chuck 4.50
1/4 lb spaghetti .25
1 big can diced tomatoes 1.19
1 little can .67
1 can rotel 1.19
1 can tomato soup .65
1 can tomato sauce .50
refried beans and black beans (counting as free as they have been in panty forever and a day)
Corn .50
Tortilla chips 2.50 (I hate the price, but I only buy baked chips)
Cheese (.20)
Pimento Cheese 2.50
Bread .25
Chicken broth .75
Seasoning packets 2.00

So it comes out to 17.65 for everything. But we ate supper, and will have this for at least 2 more meals, plus I took some of the taco soup and put it into a couple containers and froze it. Both ended up really good and will definetely do again.

 

[Sorsha]

London Broil on the BBQ grill, sliced really thin; with mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy. A veggie of some kind, and garlic toast. YUM!

 

[chocovrdmicears]

Pasta $ 1.00
Garlic, olive oil, mushrooms, broccoli, white wine ...$4.00 ???
salad with veggies $5.00

 

[beckanoah]

Tonight I just took 3 medium sized potatoes and diced them in chunks. I put them in the microwave for about 6 minutes. Then I threw some EVOO in a skillet and "fried" the potatoes in the skillet. When they got brown and crispyI put a pkg of dried Hidden Valley Ranch on them. I also heated up a Morningstar Black Bean Burger (needed eaten) and a tortilla. MMMMMM~

 

[marcyinPA]

We had some friends over for dinner, so we grilled 2 pork tenderloins, and I made oven roasted potatoes and corn (for the kids, mostly!) My friend brought apple pie and ice cream for dessert.

 

[SnowWhite607]

My book club hostess is making dinner so I am eating there. I am bringing a cake though so I guess I can count that.

DH and DD are having beanie weenies (they like it so whatever )

Hot dogs - 1.50
Beans - 1.00

total 2.50

My cake will be about $8 to make but I'm sure I will have some left to bring home.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

I was a little hurt a while back when someone said they'd move out if they had to eat the meals I served. But I'm over it!

We've chosen to be vegan so we do eat tofu and beans quite a lot. But even when we were not vegan, we were trying to reach the recommended standards and eat plenty of vegetables and fruit. I try to get five vegetable servings a day plus two fruit servings a day as a minimum, and while they don't have to be five different things I try to get variety because I believe you get more of the micro-nutrients that way. I don't count corn or potatoes as vegetables because they are (nutritionally) really starches. So, in terms of meal planning, I plan for a fruit with breakfast, two vegetables with lunch (although a big serving of salad can easily be two vegetable servings) and three vegetables with supper. A second fruit could be a snack or a dessert.

I think that not eating meat and dairy saves us money and makes it easier to affort vegetables and fruits. Beans and lentils are cheap, especially if you buy them dry. Tofu is also inexpensive especially when you consider that there is no waste (no bones or skin or gristle to throw away or fat to drain off). And it can be very tasty if it is cooked properly. It doesn't have a lot of flavour on its own so you need to marinate it or season it well.

I think it is especially important for children to get lots of fruits and vegetables, because this is the age when they are growing and also when they are learning to like the tastes of foods. My own kids have always been used to eating a lot of vegetables, and now I have three grandchildren who also eat the same way. (If you ask my 3-year-old granddaughter what her very favourite food is, she'll tell you "rice and beans!" and my grandson at six loves black bean enchiladas with plenty of salsa.)

Anyway, last night we had whole wheat bow-tie pasta ($1.50 for half a big box), with roasted garlic tomato sauce from a jar (store brand, $2), with added chopped onion, chopped spinach, chopped green peppers and canellini beans (drained) from a can. Served with a big salad. Took about 15 minutes in total to prepare and it was very good.

Teresa

 

[Sorsha]

I was a little hurt a while back when someone said they'd move out if they had to eat the meals I served. But I'm over it!

Teresa,
If I hurt you, I am so very sorry... it was not my intention to do so.
I believe the meals you serve are extremely healthy, and to your family I am sure they are extremely tasty. As I posted, I respect and admire you for raising children who enjoy eating this way!
HOWEVER, I was simply expressing that myself and my family are not used to eating this way (to our detriment, I am sure ) so if I suddenly plonked a plate of tofu, beans, and veggies in front of them, they would rebel!
Facts of life in my house, and certainly no reflection on you!
Hugs,
Tanya

 

[Sorsha]

Let's see, tonight's dinner... I am still semi-planning... LOL
Grocery store had a HUGE 12-hour produce sale on Thursday last week and I made out like a bandit! Fresh strawberries ($3 for a big box), bananas (38 cents a lb), grapes (98 cents a lb), tomatoes ($1.28 a lb), asparagus (1.69 a lb), broccoli (96 cents a lb)... all kinds of fresh yummies! We ate most of them this weekend, but I still have 4 huge beautiful artichokes (96 cents each!) which I think we will eat tonight. I think I will grill some lemon-pepper chicken breasts along with them, and maybe make some rice. I might use some leftover mashed potatos to make potato pancakes instead of the rice... not quite sure on that one yet...
Have a great day, all!

 

[Adi12982]

Friday I made makeshift Mexican pizza's

6 tortilla's - $1
refried beans - $0.25
salsa - $1
ground beef/onion/taco seasoning - $3
sour cream - $0.25
leftover rice (free, accounted for all of cost with original meal)
drinks - $0.25
lettuce (for salad) - $0.25
Total - $6 ($1.50 a serving)


Saturday -

Leftover Mexican pizza's - $0
drinks - $0.25
salad - $0.25
Total - $0.50


Sunday -

WAYYYY not budget - we got take out chicken and plantains, yum yum. . . almost like home We were a little sad that we didn't find this place before!! We got enough for our lunches today too.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

Thank you, Sorsha. I was a bit hurt at first, but then when I went back and re-read what you wrote I realized that I had over-reacted and that you were not criticizing me. I do really enjoy this thread as I think it is so interesting to see what people are eating and it's a great source of ideas.

Teresa

 

[OceanAnnie]

I think we are going to have Mexican tostados for dinner. We'll have these sides: refried beans, chicken, lettuce, tomato, black olives, salsa, and sour cream.

 

[beckanoah]

Tonight is tacos~

 

[marcyinPA]

Tonight is cheese steaks. I'm going to make a salad too. I don't think I'll have the cheese steak, and stick with the salad. I start a yoga/pilates class tonight, and I don't think a cheese steak would settle well!

 

[Adi12982]

I'm going to make

ham steaks ($1.50)
au grautin potatoes ($1.50)
green beans ($0.25)
drinks ($0.25)

$3.50 Total ($1.17 a serving)

 

[dreaming3]

Grocery store had a HUGE 12-hour produce sale on Thursday last week and I made out like a bandit! Fresh strawberries ($3 for a big box), bananas (38 cents a lb), grapes (98 cents a lb), tomatoes ($1.28 a lb), asparagus (1.69 a lb), broccoli (96 cents a lb)... all kinds of fresh yummies! We ate most of them this weekend, but I still have 4 huge beautiful artichokes (96 cents each!) which I think we will eat tonight.

Jealous! I wish I could shop where you shop. Those are some great prices!

I have school tonight, so it's a quick & easy supper:
hot dogs (1/2 pkg) $1.50
buns $.69
frozen ears of corn $1.50

 

[OceanAnnie]

I think we are going to have Mexican tostados for dinner. We'll have these sides: refried beans, chicken, lettuce, tomato, black olives, salsa, and sour cream.

I changed my mind. I used the rest of the chicken I baked for a Calif. chicken salad. (That's what we call it.) Just shred the chicken, add (lite) mayo, walnuts, grapes or cranraisins. I'm setting that aside for lunches.

For dinner I'm making a huge salad and will add in breaded chicken strips. For the kids I'm going to give them some goldfish to add to their salads. We ordered a child's salad at some restaurant (Bob Evans?) a long time ago and the kids ate it all! Without the goldfish, not so much. It's magic!

 

[babytrees]

Well, since my hubby started a second job I just haven't been motivated to cook (not that I was very motivated before )

I got an artichoke yesterday for $1 so 1 daughter and I will eat it.

More than likely I will do cheeseburgers, baked beans and fruit (apples, oranges, bananas).

 

[KELSTER]

Hi ladies!

Okay tonight my dd is eating at my ex's house so I'm on my own.

Here's the rest of the week:

Tuesday: spaghetti
meat: $1.39/lb
angel hair pasta: .99
Prego sauce: .99
Cole's mini garlic bread loaf: .99

Wednesday: kielbasa (not sure of the price, they were buy 1 get one)
Mac n Cheese: .59
salad: .99

Thursday: leftover spaghetti
Friday: left over kielbasa

Saturday: crockpot cheesy chicken
4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 can cream mush soup
1 tsp garlic powder
slowcook for 7-8 hours. 20 minutes before serving stir in 1/2 cup sour cream. Serve with noodles or rice.
corn on the cob.

Sunday: leftovers.