Meals on a budget

mammag wrote: We have so much going on right now with Chris & Keegan's birthdays being Sunday, switching the kids (thus more regular clothes and school fees), halloween, etc.......

I would like to limit the amount we have to take from savings and I have decided to hold off getting another kid to babysit because Patrick's mom is at the end of the adoption process so I'll have that kid. SO... I need help coming up with good meals that are cost friendly. I can only take so much chicken and rice or spaghetti.

Also, what other grocery things do you do to save. Coupons don't work for me because I already get the Walmart brand on a lot of things and what I don't there never seems to be coupons. I don't really like buying in bulk because if it's there we seem to just eat it faster. I already am going to cut out beer and soda purchases except on weekend I'll get a two litre. Packing lunches is getting to be expensive too. It was a lot cheaper when I homeschooled and made one lunch meal for us all....

Bring on the cheap and easy meal ideas PLEASE!!!!!!

Kaitlin'smom replied: Do you have an Aldi's near you? they have really good prices on tons of things.

I know you said you dont like buying in bulk, but not everything needs to be bought that way. Start noting what you go though the most of the fastest and start buying that in bulk. Or stuff that does not go bad ie TP, papertowles napkins, caned goods. Also a lot of bulk things can be frozen to use later. My DH and daughter LOVE cheese but it gets very costly so I buy in bulk and when I come home I chop it in 1/2 and freeze 1/2 and cut up the rest it last so much longer and its way cheeper, same with lunch meat I buy in bulk and freeze 1/2. However be aware sometimes its not cheeper in bulk watch your prices if you choose to do some.

Pastas are cheep and easy and not just spagetti, you can get all sorts and experiment with what you do with it, from just adding sauce to adding meats and veggies.

Keep an eye out for deals sometimes its cheeper to use a copon when something is on sale than to buy the generic brand.

Good luck, its not easy but I am just starting to be a better wiser grocery shoper

mckayleesmom replied: Since its getting closer to winter you can make crockpot things that last more then one night.....

Chilli.....buy the dry beans ..its cheaper

Make a roast one night and use the leftover meat for stew the next night

MommyToAshley replied: I am interested in hearing some ideas too. We buy lots of fresh fruits and vegetables (I hate canned veggies), so that gets to be really expensive. It's almost cheaper to eat out than it is to eat healthy at home.

I do make homemade vegetable beef soup in bulk and freeze it for later. It's expensive to make a big pot, but then when you figure out the number of meals you get out of it, it ends up being a pretty cheap meal.

lisar replied: Yea I have cut back on our grocery bill also. We dont eat out alot, but I will admit I am not the healthiest person when it comes to what I eat.
I love pasta so anything with noodles is always a big hit with me.

Chicken Alfredo I do alot. Its cheap. I buy the Alfredo sauce already made.
Spagetti _always cheap
Fish sticks and tater tots: (on the nights I have school)
Salmon patties and a veggie
meatloaf is actually pretty cheap when it comes to cost

and I found this website that has cheap meals on it.
http://www.personalfinanceanalyst.com/six-...nyone-can-make/

mammag replied:
Oh that Chilli Casserole looks really really good! Thanks for the link. I guess I can make it like a little mission (makes it more exciting instead of feeling like I'm sacrificing, ya know?). I'm on a mission to find all cheap meals and expand my choices. Definitely making the Chilli Casserole this week!

The other big problem is that I have so many people to please. I liked the list that site gave to of things to keep on hand.

Mommy2Isabella replied: Im huge on coupons. We do a lot of cheap meals!
Some of DH's favorite as well as Isabella's favorites are
Garlicky Chicken Orzo
Orzo pasta, half a box
1 can chunk chicken
1 clove of garlic or garlic powder

Its a one pot meal and its SUPER cheap and easy. I normally do green beans with it as well.

I used to hate watching grocery ad's but I do now. We have cut our grocery bill from ^$400 a month to $200 or less each month, by using coupons and getting creative with the meals we use.

Pasta Bake is another favorite:
1 box of pasta, and type
1lb ground beef
1 jar of sauce, any flavor
1 8oz package of cheese.

Brown the meat and cook the pasta mix the pasta, meat and sauce together, throw into a casserole dish, cover with cheese, bake in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes.

stella6979 replied: Hmmmm....

Chicken & dumplings, grilled cheese w/tomato soup, kielbasa & sauerkraut, meatloafs, tacos or burritos, salisbury steaks, chicken parmesean.

lisar replied: I also do sausage dogs with mac and cheese sometimes to.

Hillbilly Housewife replied: I make my own hamburger helper mix.. with spices etc... just add 4 cups of pasta and 5 cups of water.. and some ground beef... comes out to something ridiculous like 85cents to feed a family of 5....

I make my own yogurt too... costs me about 4$ to have enough for the month for 5 people, taking into account the cost of powdered milk and water...

cookies, muffins and granola, I make... a lot cheaper than mixes... and more variety..

I buy concentrate juices at about 50 cents a can, and I water it down... so we get almost 3 litres of juice for about 50 cents..

Making your own bread is a lot cheaper, but more time consuming.. if you have the patience, we go through about 4 loaves a week... costs us about 10$ a month instead of 2$ per loaf.

I have a ton more tips, if yo're interested...

lisar replied:
I'm interested.

mammag replied: Definitely interested!!!!!!

I typed out this message and then my internet crashed so this is a shortened version of what I originally said....

Can I get your recipe for the yogurt and granola. The kids love both and it is something I pack store bought in their lunches. The yogurt especially is really expensive.

I'll have to start making my own muffins and stuff too. Don't know why I didn't think of that before.

jcc64 replied: For kids' lunches, you can still make one big meal like you did when you home-schooled, Jeanie, and then just divide it into smaller tupperwares or thermoses. My kids don't like sandwiches, so we do a lot of pastas, dumplings, veggie hot dogs, bagels and lox, hard-boiled eggs, etc...
And ita with Dee Dee, it does seem cheaper to eat out sometimes, with groceries being so expensive all of a sudden. I remember when pasta was 33 cents a box, now it's over $1.50- that's worse than the gas inflation, imo!

luvmykids replied: Lentils with Sausage
1 pkg sausage (brown it with some onion)
Cook 1 bag lentils according to pkg
When lentils are done, crumble sausage into it and add 1 big can diced tomatos.

It makes a ton and is high in fiber and very filling. I usually serve with a salad but you really don't have to.

Another fave is Breakfast Skillet
Brown 1 slice bacon per person and remove from pan. Add 1 pkg frozen hashbrowns, cook according to pkg. Make wells in hashbrowns, crack one egg per person into a well, cover. Cook until whites become solid white. Remove from heat, crumble bacon over it, add shredded cheese.

I've been trying to do a lot with eggs since it's inexpensive for a protein...we probably eat meatless once a week, and an egg meal of some kind once a week too...that has cut down quite a chunk of change.