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

[Sorsha]

OK, let's share some ideas for healthy, delicious meals that are budget-friendly! I just priced out a Land/Sea Disney Cruise (would LOVE to take one in 2009), and BOY! Do I ever need to save money for it! So let's share some budget-friendly dinner ideas, and let's see how long we can keep this thread going!

Today I am cooking a beef roast in the crockpot. My grocery store was having a meat sale and I got a 3 lb roast for about $6. It is definitely a "cheaper" cut of meat, so I went with crockpot prep to tender it up. I mixed up a couple of cans of cream of mushroom soup with some minced garlic and some herbs and some organic beef broth and poured that all over the top of it. I will let it crock for 7-8 hours. This makes the meat SO flavorful and creates a bee-yoo-tiful gravy as well! I think I will make mashed potatoes to go with it (and to pour all that lovely gravy on top of). I will take some veggies out of the freezer to have with it, I think I am in the mood for broccoli. This is a very budget conscious meal for me, cause the meat was on sale, the broccoli was like $1.50 a bag, and everything else I keep stocked in my pantry.

So what's everyone else having?

 

[McDuck]

We're finishing up a family pack of steaks I bought a couple months ago (just 2 of us and I'm a new bride who's also new to buying in bulk, so I hadn't broken it apart and rewrapped it BEFORE freezing ). I'm trying a Stir Fry recipe from the Disney cookbook, using all stuff we have in the pantry, including a big bag of frozen broccoli from Sam's and making rice to go with it.

Once we use up the bread we bought at Sam's (probably mid-next week) I'm going to make some more in our bread machine.

 

[Sorsha]

Once we use up the bread we bought at Sam's (probably mid-next week) I'm going to make some more in our bread machine.

Ooooooooooooohhhh... bread machine... GREAT idea! I haven't used my bread machine in a while, and some warm, fresh bread sounds REALLY good! I wonder if I have have everything on hand to make some warm, crusty bread to go with supper.....

Its a cold, nasty, snowy day here in MT, and just about ANYTHING warm sounds good about now! LOL
Off to make a fresh pot of coffee...

 

[ToTLaugher]

Thanks for the thread! I will look forward to other people's ideas.

We had red beans/rice/cornbread last night. Very cheap.

Tonight I am making broccoli cheese soup. Don't know how healthy it is (I do use fat free milk, but still has processed cheese that can undo any healthy aspect to a meal!) We will have homemade bread and carrots to go with it.

Guess I had better run to put it in the crock pot before I need to leave in a little bit.

 

[Sorsha]

Tonight I am making broccoli cheese soup. Don't know how healthy it is (I do use fat free milk, but still has processed cheese that can undo any healthy aspect to a meal!) We will have homemade bread and carrots to go with it.

Guess I had better run to put it in the crock pot before I need to leave in a little bit.

So, how do you make your soup?? It sounds REALLY good, processed cheese or not! LOL I love broccoli cheese soup, but have never tried making it at home...

 

[RadioFanatic]

two cheap meals for me this week that end up lasting five days total:

mac n cheese:

1 box elbow- (50 cents)
1 can mushroom soup (50 cents)
1 can tuna (50 cents)
1 bag cheese (2.50)
1/2 velveeta box (2.00)
milk to pour over (50 cents)

cook elbow and then layer each layer in a bowl you can use in the stove. This lasts two nights for two people so 3.25 per night.

Split pea soup:

1 bag split peas (60 cents)
1/2 cooked ham bought in chunk at deli (1.25)
2 cans chicken broth (1.00)
2 cups water
6 rolls for $2.00

place all but rolls in crockpot (after cutting up ham in small pieces) for 8 hours. then serve with roll. as this lasts three meals for the two of us, it's only 1.62 per meal!

 

[ceecee]

Vegetable soup...no meat. Made it in the crock pot Tuesday and had it with fresh bread, tonight I will put Pillsbury bisquits on top (like dumplings) and it's meal #2. I used to make this when I dieted, it was called "skinny soup"! Probably about $8.00 for 2 dinners and a few lunches and snacks, makes a lot.
Cabbage $1.00
Celery .89
Carrots .79
soup mix 1.19
tomatoes .99
mix veg 1.00
biscuits 4/1.00 (leftovers)
bread .89 (night 1)

 

[vegasnative]

Its a cold, nasty, snowy day here in MT, and just about ANYTHING warm sounds good about now! LOL

Where abouts are you?? I get excited when I see people near me!

 

[jstbcuz]

We're having roast, but I think I will cook the carrots and potatoes in with the meat since everyone is on a different schedule tonight. I might add some biscuits and a salad for me too it.

Then tomorrow, I will make beef and noodles. That's what started it all to begin with. I was craving the BN.

 

[cruizie]

We are a family of 3, myself, dh & dd6. I bought a half ham, bone in, spiral sliced the other day ($10). We cooked that for dinner one night w/ baked beans & scalloped potatoes. Sliced up the remaining ham, had the ham & leftover sides one more night. Divided the rest of the ham into 2 packages. Put 1 in freezer as well as the ham bone in freezer. Used 1 package of ham for sandwiches for lunches & as a breakfast meat. Halfway through the week, the 1st pkg of ham was gone & took other package out. Continued to use for sandwiches for lunches & breakfast meat rest of week. Made a big pot of beans with ham bone & used those as a side for fajitas. Made burritos with the rest of the beans by smashing them up (like refried beans) and sprinkling some cheese in a flour tortilla. Wrapped these individually in foil & it made about 20 burritos. We had burritos for dinner 1 night & will also have burritos for lunches next week. Soa minimum of 3 dinners, 5 lunches (x3 people) and 6 breakfasts. Much cheaper than eating lunch out everyday!

 

[MSSANDRA]

Two cheep meals are feeding us all week too. Also had a good buy on a roast this week. cook Monday in croc pot with potatoes and carrots. After dinner chopped up rest of meat and stired into the veggies and the potatoes thickened it into a nice stew for tonight.

Also got a great deal on a pack of boneless country pork ribs. They cooked all day Tuesday in the crock pot. Served that night with a few stewed potatoes (huge 10 lb bag at aldi for 2.99) and a can of on sale baked beans. Lots of meat left over for pulled pork sandwiches last night and tomorrow night.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

I have both my crock-pots working today..

In #1 - Pepper Steak

Bottom Round Steak
One package beef gravy
2 small cans of tomato sauce
worcheshire sauce
dribble of molasses
one whole onion
one pepper (actually 1/3 green, red, and yellow) I froze the rest for another meal.
Will serve over brown rice, applesauce for a side.

Cost for pepper steak $6.00 - 2 meals
Rice 50cents
Applesauce $1.00

Applesauce - Homemade

1 1/2 pounds apples, peeled, cut in to chunks.

Put 1/4 cup lemon juice in bottom of pan
Add apples as you cut them
Put 1/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
cinnamon to taste
Put over medium-low heat, simmer, use potato masher to the consistency that you enjoy. I serve warm.

In the other crock-pot

Easy Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breast cut in half
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use less sodium/fat version)
1 can cream of chicken soup (same)
1/4 onion chopped fine
2 cloves garlic chopped fine

Serve with mashed potato's and applesauce

Cost for Easy Chicken $5.50
Cost mashed potato's $1.00
applesauce from above

This will also serve 2 meals.

I will have this tonight and reheat on Sunday. Sides will differ on Sunday and I may make enchilada's style meal instead.

 

[spalady]

Tonight we are having french toast and sausage for our cheap meal.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Tonight we are having french toast and sausage for our cheap meal.

We had that yesterday.

 

[Our 2 Princesses]

We had that yesterday.

So did we!!
Tonight I am making chili with macaroni and cheddar cheese on top. That should last for a couple dinners and a couple lunches.

 

[HeatherC]

I can tell...a lot of people love their crockpot as much as I do mine.

This week we had:

Monday - Roast Chicken - love those large Perdue ones.
Tuesday - Leftover Roast Chicken in Crockpot with 2 cans cream of chicken soup, a little chicken broth, fresh thyme and lots of veggies. Kids loved it!

Tonight: Crockpot again (Basketball game) Sliced up a large onion, boneless country style pork ribs and one jar Sweet Baby Ray's B'bq Sauce. Smells so good. Will serve with baked potatoes.

I'll probably use the rest of that leftover chicken tomorrow in the crock pot and make a big pot of chicken noodle for the weekend. Love getting 3 meals out of one!

Heather

 

[Deffenm]

Chili sounds so good right now. I am going to make a big pot of it over the weekend. I am the only one that likes chili so it will make for a lot of lunches and dinners for me. I don't put meat in mine or beans so is it really chili. I use morning star crumbles, mushrooms, chili powder, diced tomatoes, and tomatoe sauce.

Last night we had tequilla lime turkey loin, baked potato, and salad. Today for lunch I had a turkey sandwich with left over turkey loin and dh chopped it up and put it on a salad. The turkey loin was BOGOF - $9.99 for 2 of them. One turkey loin feeds our family of 5 plus enough for me and dh to have lunch.

 

[Skatermom23]

A chicken from Costco $4.99, a few scoops of rice $0.50 in the rice cooker, one bag frozen veggies $0.99! Unfortunately, this is only enough for one meal.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I think I'm going to try that Easy Chicken recipe to use up some chicken breasts I have in the freezer .

Last night we had eggs, turkey bacon, and orange slices.

Tonight we're having tacos, my kids like their food pretty simple so all we need is:
browned beef with taco seasoning (keep seasoning on hand)
1 tomato
some lettuce
Mexican cheese
salsa (keep on hand)
soft and hard shells

I'm making roast tomorrow night, too. Then the next night I will use the leftovers to make an easy recipe, the actual recipe calls for:

2 packages beef or pork flavored ramen noodles (which I use depends on what leftover meat I'm using).
1 1/2 cups water
1 medium red bell pepper cut up (I don't use this)
1 cup broccoli flowerets
4 med. green onions cut up (I don't use this)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons parsley flakes
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Then all you do is heat up the oil and add the meat (cut up) and stir fry for about 5 minutes.
Gently break apart noodles. Stir noodles, seasons from flavor packets and remaining ingredients into the meat. Heat to boiling. Boil 3 to 4 minutes stirring occasionally, until noodles are completely softened.

I actually double the recipe since I'm cooking for 6 people, it says it makes 4 servings.

 

[Minnesota!]

Tonight DH is working so its really cheap - hot dogs and flavored rice for DS#1. I will probably have a salad.

I make a menu out for 16 days at a time - doubling up meals as often as possible.

For example:

Monday - chili in crockpot.
Tuesday - chili spaghetti
Wednesday - roast in CP with veggies/taters
Thursday - hot beef sandwiches with salad
Friday - turkey breast in CP with rice/veggies
Saturday - turkey pot pie (home made)
Sunday - hot turkey sandwiches
Monday - spaghetti and garlic bread
Tuesday - spaghetti bake and salad
Wednesday - hot dogs/macaroni
Thursday - mac-n-stewed tomato hot dish/garlic bread
Friday - tacos
Saturday - enchiladas

We usually get 2 dinners and 2 lunches out of meals. We have 4 people - me, DH, DS age 3 and DS age 10 months. Younger DS is just starting to eat the "people food", but he does a good job - at least 1/4 of a serving that DH or I take.

I spend less than $225 a month on groceries.