What are some cheap easy meals for a family of four?

Question

I would like some easy to make recipes for a family of four.

Answer 1

Here are a bunch of 5 ingredient or less recipes

http://busycooks.about.com/library/recipes/blfiveingred.htm

Answer 2

My family loves this casserole-- only 4 ingredients in it!

French Fry Casserole

2 # ground beef
1 can cream of mushroon soup
1 can cheddar cheese soup
Frozen crinkle cut french fries


Brown the ground beef, drain. Add the soups. Put in a greased 9 X 13 baking dish, top with french fries. Bake at 350 degrees until warmed through and french fries are browned. You may broil for a bit to crisp the fries.


We have a nice salad with this meal-- very good!

Answer 3

Fried Rice - this is a rather "free form" recipe. Use the ingredients your family likes.
Stir fry until tender approx 6 cups of veggies your family likes(carrots, zucchini, onions, mushrooms, broccoli, celery, peppers etc) Stir in and heat 4 cups (cold) cooked rice - season to taste with stir fry sauce or soy sauce. If desired - stir in some cooked meat (I get small bags of frozen salad shrimp for just over a dollar or use chicken or pork or whatever) Beat eggs in a bowl - push the rice mixture to side of pan. Add eggs and scramble - when they are almost cooked blend with rice mixture. Check seasoning - serve.

Answer 4

Spagetti I brown 1 pound of hambuger, drain the grease off and add the sauce. While the hambuger is cooking I boil the water for my noodles. I only use half a package of noodles for my family of 4. Two of the 4 are small children.


Hamburger Gravy Buy the hambuger with the most fat in it like 80%. Brown the hamburger. Remove the hamburger from the pan, but keep the grease. Add flour to the grease, usually 2-3 Tablespoons. Brown the flour. Add some milk, it usually takes about a half a gallon ( we like lots of gravy). Stir this constantly. It scorches very easily. When it starts to thicken up add the hamburger back. You now have your gravy. Peel and cut up potatoes. Boil the potatoes until they are cooked. Drain. Put potatoes on plate and smash. Add gravy and salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!! I usually make pork and beans with it. My family loves this and it is very cheap!


Hobo Meals Lay out tin foil. Spray with Pam. Make hamburger patties, place one patty in each foil. Peel and slice potatoes. Add on top of the hamburger. I add carrots, onions, green peppers and broccoli to mine. Use whatever veggies your family likes. Season with whatever seasonings you like. Slice butter on top of the whole thing. Wrap up tightly in tin foil. You may need to double wrap each one. Cook in the oven at 350 degrees or grill. If you are cooking them in the oven you should place them on a cookie sheet. Flip often so they don't burn. They take about one hour to cook fully. If you squeeze them the will be soft.
I like these the best on the grill! Enjoy!!

Answer 5

I don't know if this is an official recipe anywhere, but I just put it together one day. This is one dish that is a hit with my entire family


1 can cr of mushroom or chicken (whatever you prefer)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 box of stovetop
1/2 stick of butter or margarine
1 bag mixed veggies (optional)

pour soup and 3/4 can soup in baking dish ( I use 13x9). Put veggies in. Place chicken on soup and veggies. If you don't want the veggies in it just leave them out.

Soak stove top with melted butter or margarine and water (however much the package says to use). Cover chicken and soup with stove top.

Cover casserole with foil. Put in 350-400 degree preheated oven for about an hour (or when chicken looks done).

Answer 6

http://www.campbellkitchen.com/mealideas.aspx?rc=474

These are easy recipes. I used variations of these recipes a lot when I had to cook for the family. Most also require very few ingredients.

Answer 7

I usually make potatoes with Italian sausage or escrige sausage (excuse the spelling) cut up in it. Then I serve it with garlic bread. It is cooked all in one skillet! Easy clean up!! Just saute some onions and the potatoes until they began to brown slightly. Then add the sausage. Cover. Cook until the potatoes are soft. Season to you liking at the beginning. Cheap and filling.....Enjoy!!

Answer 8

I make a simple ghoulash, its good, nutrious and quick.

1 lb. ground chuck or ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
salt and pepper
1 can tomato sauce
1 cup macaroni

Put beef, onion, pepper and seasonings in skillet, cook until done, then add 1 can of tomato sauce, (you might have to add more). Boil your macaroni till tender. Add macaroni to beef mixture. Add more tomato sauce. Mix well and cook a little longer. Turn off heat. Then put slices of cheese ( I use Velveeta) on top of it and let it sit covered until it melts.This is good and there is never any left over either!!

Answer 9

Check out the chicken, beef, and vegetarian section of the recipes link in my profile. Stuff based with chicken, ground beef, or beans is usually cheap. :) Actually, there are some inexpensive pasta dishes in there too.

Here's a sample recipe:

Salsa Meatloaf
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rushinrecipes/message/67

Answer 10

CROCK POT PORK CHOPS
The flavors blend together so good and the pork is so tender you don't need a knife.

4-6 pork chops
4 large baking potatoes
2 large yellow onions
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk

Slice the onions into rings
Slice potatoes

layer onions, potatoes, pork chops, onions, potatoes, pork chops & the remainer of potatoes & onions on top

Mix together soup and milk and pour on top in crock pot

Cook in Crock Pot 6-8 hours & serve with nice green salad