Let's Have A Contest 4 The Frugalites!

[AndersonGal]

I was thinking: (no snickering now)

But, my family thinks it's hmmmm....looking for right word here.....
cute/funny/amazing when I fix a tasty & healthy meal and figure what it costs for each of us. Okay, I don't include the drinks.

SO:

Thought maybe we could have a contest to see who can feed a family of four a healty dinner for the least amount.

*Make it a meal you really do eat.
*Give recipe if you feel like sharing.
*Deadline: July 1st

Now, we'll have to come up with a prize.
I don't know what.
Large envie of coupons?lol


How about we post any frugal meal tips here too?

[lauseng]

Can we double the cost of my meal for a family of two? Or should I just make enough for four and post that?

'Cause you know I'm gonna win.

Jackie

Currently working on a frugal cookbook.

[Corganiacs]

lol. why didnt u post this in the contest section?
we eat too much. - i doubt ill have anything by 070102

[jskarp]

Bumping....this is a great idea! Count me in! ~Joy

[GypsyLady]

I can do this.Let us know the details.

[Darster]

4 rice cakes with gravy poured over 'em.

Yum yum!

Did I win? Did I win huh? LOL!!!

[cata5]

How do you determine the cost? I mean, if I get a really great deal on chicken do I use that low never to be seen again price? Or is the idea to make something that is cheap no matter when you make/buy it??

[3tbear]

Spaghetti of course, very inexpensive, you can add so much to it, sausage, even hot dogs, feeds large families, use tomato paste instead of the pricey sauces they sell, add your own spices and fresh garlic, and olive oil. You can substitue ziti, any other pasta. Don't forget the salad!

[Dyllan]

If we can use things on whatever sale we got them on, I think I've got a shot at this. A meal for four for about $4.00.

A package of shredded cheese - around $2.00 (I'm guessing here on what kind of sale I'll find - don't have this yet).

Pasta (ziti I think) which I got on sale for $0.49.

A can of green beans (also cost somewhere around $0.50)

And a loaf of baguette bread - I know where I can get it for $1.00 without a sale.

Then a can of Pasta Bake - I got a bunch of these for free (actually, made $0.25 on each of them) a few months ago.

And to drink, we just got four 2 liters of Minute Maid Light Lemonaid for free with double coupons.

I suppose I should add the cost of the butter and garlic salt for the bread.

But still, that should get me in at just about $4.00 for the entire meal. Less if I can get a good sale on the cheese or the bread.

-Dyllan

[freesurfer]

$4?????

Man, I can't even start now!!!!!

[lauseng]

I can post actual recipes for other stuff later, but I do a lot of burrito style meals.

For example.

bag of flour tortillas .99
can of black beans .50
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (we buy the 3 lb bag for about $5 on sale, so 2 breasts probably isn't more than $1.
sour cream (half of a .99 carton) .50
seasonings if desired, to taste .25

Mash up the beans, mix in shredded chicken, add seasonings if you like (I'm happy with mine plain), and wrap up in tortillas.

If your family is full of big eaters you can double the black beans or add a can of corn for another .25 or .50.

Meals here are served with water.

Even with the big eaters, the total for this meal is $3.50-3.75

You can do it cheaper if you use dark meat from a sale on drumsticks. Just boil the chicken and pick the meat off the bones. My husband really prefers white meat and it's better for us, so I indulge a bit.

OR

can of refried beans (on sale) .44
shredded cheese, about 4 oz .75 (8 oz pkg on sale for 1.50)
sour cream (half of .99 carton) .50
bag of flour tortillas .99

total: 1.68

OR

breakfast:

bag of flour tortillas .99
eggs (1.5 per burrito and here they're cheap...a dozen for .49) .49
a tablespoon of salsa per burrito (dunno how much, but we'll call it .99) .99
sour cream (just a touch) .50
cheese .75

total: 3.75 (and i think that's a generous estimate, i bet it's a lot cheaper when you look at true amounts of salsa and such.) for even cheaper, just season with taco seasoning and do away with the salsa and sour cream.

Jackie

[kat]

Hmmm... how about a real meal? Sorry Jackie - but if I served my DH dinner without meat, I think he'd ask where the rest of the food was!

Chicken legs & thighs (.29/lb - 2 lbs worth): $.48
1 can manwhich (store brand): $.49
1 can corn: $.49

Toss it all in the slow cooker & let cook on low for 6 hours or so.

Steamed white rice: $ .33

Total: $1.79 and this serves either 4 really hungry people or 6 normal people (I have really hungry people usually )

Here are the prices I normally see for the same ingredients on sale (which is when I usually buy it in bulk - I love my chest freezer!):

Chicken (.09/lb - 2 lbs worth) $ 0.18
Manwhich & corn are 12 cans/2.50 or .21/ea $ 0.42
Rice (approx) $ .25.

That would make my total $ 0.85 for a family of 4.

Yep.. we do eat a LOT of this during the winter. It's perfect for nights when there is hockey practice for one kid & basketball practice for another, so no one eats at the same time. Cheap dinners are a good thing at my house - it means we can go out to eat at least once a week.

[lauseng]

Hmph, mine had chicken too. :P

Yours sounds really good though kat. I think I'm going to have to try that. One question though. Where the heck do you get chicken parts for 9 cents a pound????? The cheapest I've seen around here is 29 cents a pound.

So, would you prefer a ground beef soup recipe?

Oh, and believe it or not, my husband was a die-hard meat and potatoes guy less than two years ago. I got him to start eating more bean dishes by making them spicy. Now he asks for them.

Jackie

[whitequeen96]

Yum! These recipes sound great! Any others? I just found this thread, and I'm disappointed there were only a few recipes.

[kat]

Here's another easy & cheap dinner for you, Whitequeen

Leftover chicken or turkey meat - remove from bone & cut/tear into bite size pieces.

2 cans black beans

Salsa (I have homemade... I think 6-8 oz would work if you're using store bought)

White rice

Cheese (we like cheddar with this).


Open the beans & pour into a pot. Add the salsa & chicken - stir until heated. Pour this over steamed white rice & top with cheese.

It's a fast & easy way to use up leftovers chicken (we always have those strange pieces left over after I do a whole chicken on the rotisserie & this uses them up).

My kid who HATES spicy food likes this one because the cheese & rice both tend to cut the heat, so if you like it spicy - go easy on the cheese.