What's your favorite super cheap meal?

[Liberty Belle]

The next two months are extremely tight for us because I'm still unemployed and we're having to pay for DS's fifth grade trip to DC.

Thought I could get some ideas for a few days a week.

Thanks!

 

[dminnie]

Grilled cheese sandwiches with sliced tomatoes. Sliced apples on the side.

Homemade mac & cheese.

 

[wishesuponastar]

Lentils and rice, broccoli or string beans on side

 

[tcherjen]

BLT sandwiches

 

[midwestdee]

make do it yourself mini pizzas using toasted bagels - set out tomato sauce, chopped veggies, cheese - don't take long in the oven and the kids usually think it is a treat.

 

[Soulsearching]

Super cheap:

A pound of macaroni - $1.00
A bag of frozen vegetables - $1.00

Powered or fresh garlic, grated cheese and oil which you may have on hand

Cook Macaroni, add frozen vegetables 2 minutes before the macaroni is done, strain

Add garlic and oil and top with grated cheese

 

[Magic2000]

Ramen Noodle Dish

Brown 1/2 to 1 lb of ground meat (or ground turkey); drain grease.

Add 2 cans corn, 1 can rotel tomatoes; mix well and simmer for a few minutes.

Add 2 pkgs of ramen noodles, broken up. Stir well. Cook until noodles are tender.

I serve with a salad or cornbread.

This makes at least two meals for my family; plus there is usually enough for a lunch or two!

 

[Soulsearching]

Also super cheap, think breakfast for dinner.

Eggs, pancakes, waffles, add fruit to any of these meals and your done.

Also:
Egg noodles with butter and cut up hot dogs.

Ramen Noodles Soup, add frozen pease

Baked potato, with cheese and frozen vegetable.

 

[wiigirl]

Grilled cheese sandwiches with sliced tomatoes. Sliced apples on the side.

Homemade mac & cheese.

 

[Marsheliz]

Tater Tot Casserole

Grilled cheese

Breakfast for dinner ( usually have most on Hand)

Hot Dogs

Hamburger helper/vegetable/fruit

Fried Bologna Sandwiches

 

[TLuvsD]

Lentil Soup

Check the mark down meats at the grocery store...generally they have a day or so for the sell by date, but you can freeze them. Soup can stretch any meat...

 

[Tinknalli]

Beef noodle bowl.
Slice and onion or two depending on how many you are feeding. Add two cups of water and seasoning packet for each package of Ramen. Add a bit of sesame oil and teriyaki sauce to taste. Add the sliced onion and bring to boil. Add protein (we like the minute steaks made by Steak Eze. I get them at Aldis for 4.99 per box and use half the box) and bring to boil. Add Ramen and boil until Ramen is done.

 

[MSSANDRA]

We had one last night..super cheap and super quick and easy but not super healthy so it does not get made often. Brown 1/2-1 lb bulk sausage (i buy in bulk at Sam's and freeze in small packages), beat up 6 or so eggs and add to the browned sausage. Toss in a handful of whatever sort of cheese you have and cook until done. We served with toast and canned peaches. Dinner in 10 minutes and only a few dollars.

 

[brennicksmom]

Gonna sub to get some ideas. My hubby just got a "promotion" that came with a nice, big pay cut and my job is inconsistent. I have two teenage boys that are huge eaters and very active.
A few of my go to meals:
French bread pizza-everyone adds their own toppings
Potato skins

 

[mamasuf]

Heat a large can of crushed tomatoes with some oil, garlic and spices, add a large can of minced clams, serve over a pound of spaghetti. Dinner for 4 for under 5 dollars. Add a salad for another maybe $2.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Ground beef, ramen noodles, and peas.

Pancakes and/or eggs

 

[goingtowdwwithkiddos]

ground beef seasoned with steak seasoning, season salt, and worsteshire sauce, add cream of mushroom soup serve over rice.

edit to add fried rice , I am making it with the leftover rice from above dinner, bacon egg and soy sauce, of course it is also perfect for any leftover meats vegies etc

 

[mistysue]

Noodles with a jar of sauce. ($1 can of sauce if things are really tight) I usually add some oil and Italian seasoning so the sauce is more exciting. If it's too boring you can put it in the oven with some cheese on top. My daughter is a HUGE fan of mixing the lower half of the noodles with white sauce and the top half with red sauce.

You can make pretty good soup with a chicken breast, bullion cubes and misc. veggies and seasonings. If you have an onion or garlic, I always pan fry those in the bottom of the soup pan before adding water and other ingredients- it adds a lot to it. Being mostly water you really can throw in a little bit of a few things and it seems like more food than it is. I keep barley, noodles and a few types of rice around for this type of thing.

Last night we had a cut up cauliflower in a jar of masala simmer sauce with white rice. (~$5, but you have to like Indian food)

 

[Eureka]

make do it yourself mini pizzas using toasted bagels - set out tomato sauce, chopped veggies, cheese - don't take long in the oven and the kids usually think it is a treat.

I do this with pita bread. Trader joes has it for I think $1.29 for a four-pack.

 

[MOpGrad2013]

Rice and gravy! The kids go back and forth rather it's better chicken gravy or hamburger brown gravy, but no matter, it's a staple in our house with green beans.

Rice and beans! Red beans w/ cajun spice, pinto beans w chili spice, pinto beans with barbecue sauce. Any served with white rice.

And finally...cabbage, hamburger and rice. Fry the hamburger (you can add chopped onion), Drain fat. Add shredded cabbage until it wilts.

See the pattern? My kids eat RICE!

check the following discount grocery stores for their recipes: https://www.aldi.us/en/recipes/main/ http://save-a-lot.com/recipes