Inexpensive dinner ideas?

Question

I'm looking for some inexpensive quick dinner ideas. Our family budget has changed so we're trying to stretch our dollar. I also work late and have a 5 and 1/2 month old, so quick meals are also good. Any suggestions would be GREAT!

Answer 1

This is exactly why God created the crockpot!!! You can find inexpensive cuts of meat, season them, add onion, garlic, and veges and within 8 hours you have a delicious meal that you simply serve! Here are some thoughts:

1. Pork Roast: Mix 1 jar saurkraut with 1 diced apple and 3 T brown sugar. Put seasoned Pork Roast in crockpot, top with saurkraut mixture, cover and cook. Serve with mashed potatoes and glazed carrots.
2. Chuck Roast: Season roast with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and place in crock pot. Add 1 can diced tomatos, 1 onion, sliced, 4 carrots and 4 potatos. Add a little wine, cover and cook.
3. Spaghetti Sauce: Saute ground beef and turkey italian sausage, drain and place in crockpot with 1 yellow onion, diced, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 1 28 oz can tomato sauce, 1 15 oz can diced tomatos, 3 T Italian dried herbs, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper, 1/2 cup olive oil. Place on low and cook for several hours. Add 1 tsp brown sugar and 1/2 cup red wine. Serve with your favorite pasta and parmesan cheese.

You can also create some great tasting casseroles using chicken, soup, and rice. Throw in some cheese and diced green chilis and you have a filling meal.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Being a Full Time worker and having a 7 month year old and a three year old. I understand! Me and the Husband dont get home until 6:30p so I know how you feel, Its not like the baby can eat REAL food yet but surly you and the rest of the family has too. :-)

Try these... They are some of my favorites (Besides the Crock Pot bags from Walmart)

Chicken Broc Cassrole:

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups cooked rice
frozen broccoli
1 can of chicken (like swanson)
1 can of cream soup
Cubed Velvetta cheese
PREPARATION:
Mix all ingredients; bake 20 minutes or so at 350


Shepherd's Pie
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 HORMEL® Fully Cooked Meat Loaf with Tomato Sauce (17-ounce) package
1 (10-ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables thawed
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
3 cups prepared instant mashed potatoes (6 servings)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese


Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. In large bowl, crumble meat loaf. Add vegetables and soup. Meanwhile, prepare mashed potatoes as package directs. Stir in cheese into prepared potatoes. Place meat mixture into a 10-inch deep pie dish. Top with prepared mashed potatoes. Place pie plate onto baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until hot and potatoes are golden brown. If desired, sprinkle pie with fresh chopped parsley.

Answer 3

Spagheti-Lasagna
Homeade Soups-Chili
Chicken or Beef n Noodles over Mashed Potatoes
Scalloped Ham and Potatoes
Hot Dogs and Mac N Cheese
Hamburger Helper
Tuna Noodle Casserole
Ramen Noodles with Grilled Cheese
Breakfast food...Eggs, Toast, Pancakes etc.
Chicken and Rice casserole
Hope some of these help! Good Luck :)

Answer 4

A potluck might not be the best idea since you will have to spend some time at the rehersal first, the food could get cold and people may just forget. Pizza is a great idea or order chinese! If you really want to go to a restaurant, many places can offer a "set menu" for guests to choose from. You can pick a few entrees, salads, sides, drinks and thats what they have to pick from. Good luck

Answer 5

not sure if you're looking to cook the dinner yourself or if would be willing to try the boxed dinners like hamburger helper, tuna helper, betty crocker dinners. they run about $3 maybe a little more some of the boxed dinners are already put together no need to add meat of course with the tuna/hamburger helper you do.
spaghetti, frozen fish you can get whatever size you need and just add sides bake in oven for about 20 mins. so, I'm not sure if you're wanting to find a quick fix to cook or just a quick fix in general. They're also fairly inexpensive. hope this helped. good luck.

Answer 6

Make Over 200 Juicy, Mouth-Watering Paleo Recipes You've NEVER Seen or Tasted Before?

Answer 7

Keep broccoli, chicken and pasta in the house. I steam the broccoli in the micro, cook extra pasta when you cook it, buy perdue shot cuts it can make a couple of different meals. Chicken, broc. and pasta salad. I use a rasphberry vinegarette serve it cold with grated cheese and fresh black pepper. Use multi colored spirals, chicken and broccoli and cover with ranch dressing eat it hot.

Answer 8

Salvation army - Red Cross popular soup

Answer 9

Pan-sear ham steaks

Serve with big baked sweet potatoes with cinnamon and butter.

Answer 10

soup