can i get some help on me cheap meal ideas?

Question

I am on a budget need some new ideas on food. my kids are getting tried of the same thing. Things that are quick and not long standing over a stove.

Answer 1

Eggplant Parmesan

This is a no fry variation of this popular dish, and is just as delicious!

INGREDIENTS:
3 eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced
2 eggs, beaten
4 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
6 cups spaghetti sauce, divided
1 (16 ounce) package mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried basil

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Dip eggplant slices in egg, then in bread crumbs. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes on each side.
In a 9x13 inch baking dish spread spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom. Place a layer of eggplant slices in the sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with the cheeses. Sprinkle basil on top.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.


Baked Corn

So delicious!

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups whole kernel corn
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
25 g margarine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
1/3 cup cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon butter, melted ( = 15 g )

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large skillet, saute onion and green peppers in the margarine. Using a wooden spoon, stir flour, salt, pepper and milk into the sauteed mixture. Stir corn kernels and egg into the mixture before pouring the entire concoction into an ungreased medium-size casserole dish.
Combine cracker crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over the casserole.
Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 30 to 35 minutes.

Answer 2

I suggest buying cereal for breakfast. You can get it really cheap and if you have a variety on hand you kids will like to choose which one they want. You can also serve eggs. I buy eggs like crazy. They are very cheap and versitile.

Lunch should be light. Fruit and a sandwich.
Try new cheese in the grilled cheese. Different flavors of jelly for PB&J. Also, different types of lunch meat. I make pasta at least once a week. Just mix it with some sauteed veggies.

Try and leave out too many snacks. Just Chees stix and fresh fruit.

Dinner is usually meat, on the grill. It's fast and easy. You can buy the meat that day, depending on your buget, and season it then grill it. It is quick and no clean up.

Cheapest foods are fruits and veggies, especially in the summer at a farmers market. Stay away from prepackeged foods, not good for your kids and are costly.

Answer 3

Easy Chicken Tetrazzini 1 lb boneless chicken breasts or a whole chicken cut up (or a store bought rotisserie chicken) 1 lb spaghetti 1 small box velveeta cheese 1 can rotel tomatoes 1 can cream of chicken soup ¼ cup shredded cheese In a large pot of boiling water seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic power and onion powder place (or use fresh garlic and onion minced) place chicken and cook gently until done (about 20 minutes) Remove chicken from water (reserve the water) and return water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until aldente Cool chicken and cut into bite size pieces In a small pot put soup, cheese and Rotel and melt slowly together Drain pasta and place in a large casserole dish and mix in chicken and cheese mixture. Sprinkle shredded cheese over top. Bake at 350 for about 10-15 minutes til bubbly and serve with some crusty bread. This freezes exceptionally well so make a double batch and freeze one without baking. When cooking later be sure to defrost before baking

Answer 4

One of my kids favorite meals is mac & cheese mixed with peas and tuna fish... I have 3 boys so I find it cheaper to buy a box of elbow noodles for 60 cents at the dollar store and use left over packages of the cheese sauce I have saved from buying cheap mac & cheese.. I don't always 2 pkgs of cheese for 2 boxes of mac and cheese... If your kids like pancakes, it's a little time in the kitchen, but if you premake and freeze pancakes, they make more... also here is something... brown a pound of hamburger or turkey meat is good and cheaper sometimes... here I can buy it for 1.00 a pound in the rolls... put butter on some bread and sprinkle with meat, squeeze some ketchup and mustard on top, maybe some cheese and brown. It's actually good. I am queen of the budget meals... I promise you... soups are not really that cheap, but you can get alot of recipies off of the backs that are good...

Use chicken breast and pour mushroom soup over.. cover and pop it in the oven for 35 minutes or so.. it's good.. and instant potatoes go with it too...

Answer 5

I made this when my husband and I were going through a really hard financial time. We had no money to go buy something for dinner, so I had to dig through the freezer for things I had frozen and use up a bit of leftovers. This was one creation that came out to taste very good. Everything in here is stuff most people keep on hand.

2 pieces kielbasa (6 inch) or 2 hot dogs (I used kielbasa)
1 1/2 cups bow tie pasta
1/4 cup chopped onions
3-4 slices American cheese, torn up
garlic powder
salt & pepper, t o taste
oregano
chives
breadcrumbs, if desired
cooking spray

Spray a small baking dish (I used a small loaf pan) with Cooking spray.
Cook pasta according to directions on the box, drain, and add to baking dish.
If kielbasa isn’t cooked already (mine was cooked and frozen, so I just had to thaw it) cook according to how you like it, and then slice it into thin slices.
Add to bowties.
Add chopped onion and torn cheese slices to bowties, and stir all stuff together.
Add each seasoning, stirring well in between each addition.
Add breadcrumbs on top if you like.
Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.
Enjoy.



Cheap & Easy Taco Bake Recipe

Quick & easy weeknight meal from the side of the Pioneer Baking Mix box.

1 lb ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1 cup baking mix (like Pioneer or Bisquick)
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
1 (4 ounce) can green chilies
1/4 cup water
1 cup salsa
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Farenheit.
Prepare the ground beef& taco seasoning mix according to package directions.
While meat is browning, mix baking mix, beans, green chilies and water.
Spread bean mixture in the bottom of a 2-quart casserole dish.
Top with meat, salsa, then cheese.
Bake for 25 minutes.

Answer 6

Got any left over chicken? (or hamburger from a cook-out) Make Tacos! Use spices that are kid friendly - a little pkg of taco seasoning maybe-(not too spicy) fry up some corn tortilla's - (or buy taco shellsl at the store) add the chicken, put a slice of cheese on top- get the kids to help - then put lettuce and tomato inside the taco-yum.

Answer 7

You can buy a bag of boneless/skinless chicken breasts and make orange chicken very easily. Just take out how many pieces you want to use, defrost them, and put them in a greased pyrex. Then take some frozen orange juice concentrate and spoon it over the chicken (not the entire can just about 1/4 to 1/2 of the can) and add some spices. Then bake in the oven for about an hour at 400 degrees. Comes out crispy and delicious. Spoon sauce over chicken to serve.

Answer 8

Very quick and cheap...take a large can of tuna, 1 bag of egg noodles and one can of cream of mushroom soup. Mix altogether in a large skillet and warm up. I know, it sounds kind of gross, but for some reason, when you put these things together, it actually tastes good! Then, just open a couple of cans of string beans and make some buttered toast and there you go!

Answer 9

BBQ sandwiches.

This is so so easy to make and everyone that has ever had it LOVES it. (this recipie has made me a hit)

buy a beef roast.... the cost depends on what kind of roast that you like.... I have found them for about $4.00 at safeway

put in a crock pot

salt and pepper the roast according to your taste. ( I put more pepper than salt)

then cut up a white onion into rings to cover the top of your roast.

let the roast cook on low for around 24hrs. (you may want to watch it though because if you do a small one it can cook in less time)

once its cooked drain out the juices

shred it and add your fav. BBQ sauce.

its tasty stuff!

Answer 10

chicken paramsan

4 chicken breasts
1 contaner or spagetti sauce
4 cups of provalone or mazzalerla cheese
parmisan to taste ( use around 1 cup total)

pour the sauce into a baking dish set the oven for 375 place the chicken into the sauce. be sure to completely cover the chicken in sauce back until chicken is done and sauce is bubbling and cheese and cook untill cheese is melted sprinkle parmasan on the chicken bake and serve on a bed of pasta with maybe a side salad and there you go