I like to eat, I like to cook and I like saving money. Even better is combining all three loves into one delicious and inexpensive dinner. There are many options when it comes to fast, frugal dinners and here are a few of my favorites.
Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
This childhood staple is still one of my favorite comfort foods. It’s easy to make a more grown up version, I buy Trader Joe’s creamy tomato soup and use a blend of cheeses on multigrain bread. You could add a slice of meat to make it a melt or pair the soup and sandwich with a salad. Approximate cost for 2 people (this is based on what I pay in Los Angeles), $3 or $5 with a salad.
Breakfast for Dinner
What’s even better than breakfast for breakfast? Breakfast for dinner! Plus as an added bonus breakfast is the cheapest meal. The old frugal standby is the pancake dinner, but it isn’t exactly a balanced meal. Pair that pancake with some fruit and a scrambled egg and you’ve covered the important bases. Just eating pancakes will only cost a dollar or two but for under $4 you can have a rounded meal for two.
The Frugal Frittata
Frittatas go well with almost any meal. They are easy to whip up with ingredients you already have on hand, like vegetables, meat, pasta or potatoes and eggs. They are also a great way to use up bits of leftovers, so don’t throw away that half breast of chicken or last spoonful of pasta. You can whip up a frittata for two for $2-$3 depending on the ingredients you use.
Mexican Rice Bowls
A complete meal all in one bowl, what’s not to love! I layer Spanish rice, beans and sautéed vegetables in a bowl and then top it with salsa, grilled chicken (for Mr. M) and a little cheese. Rice and beans provide a complete protein source for very little money - this recipe is a variation on that frugal staple. The vegetarian version clocks in at around $4, adding chicken will cost a few dollars more.
Pasta and Peas
Pasta is another favorite frugal food, but plain old spaghetti and sauce is boring. There are infinite variations to create instead, try adding vegetables, meat and creating your own sauces. Dry pasta is inexpensive and keeps well in the pantry, and have some parmesan cheese on hand. I buy frozen vegetables to use for cooking, fresh is nice but tends to cost more. In the summer I have a garden and grow my own. This last weekend I mixed pasta with sautéed mushrooms, red bell pepper and peas along with veggie sausage. Even carnivores like Mr. M think it tastes great, even better it only costs $4.
Add Your Own
What do you do to save money in the kitchen? Care to share any favorite frugal recipes?
Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this post consider subscribing for updates.
Feed: pfblogs.org
PF Blogroll
Posts
7 comments:
Great tips and you're making me hungry. The only tip I have to share is if you have left over rice from your Chinese take out, don't throw it out. Stir fry it with peas, carrots, onions, green onions, zucchini, egg and any meat (ham, chicken, etc.) and make fried rice! :-D You should also check out my lasagna florentine recipe that can be made completely in the microwave! :-D
Grilled cheese is quite possibly one of my favorite dinenrs. I always tend to enjoy comfort food far more than gourmet meals.
Am definitely going to try the Mexican bowls. We always buy ingredients for tortillas but forget the tortillas themselves! This seems like the perfect solution.
I like making a couple packets of ramen and then adding my own vegetables and spices!
Those all sound great! I have such a hard time coming up with vegetarian meals sometimes. I love the breakfast for dinner idea!
@Kat - great tip! It's always good to have recipes that use up leftovers, I hadn't thought of fried rice. Plus making your own means controlling the fat and sodium, most take out is way too salty.
@PA - I often use the chimichurri (sp?) rice from Trader Joes, but it's a little more expensive. Use lots of veggies if you want to keep the calories down. Hope you like it!
@Baker - sounds like the perfect recipe for the bachelors out there, ramen is a popular staple. The vegetables definitely make it a little healthier.
@Mrs Money - the breakfast for dinner is common frugal advice, but just eating pancakes isn't a great idea. You should add a little protein and plenty of fruit (or veggies) to make it both frugal and good for you.
This is so funny! I just wrote a post along this same lines (it will be up tomorrow morning) then here I am catching up on last week's reading and I see this by you! My frugal dish - risotto. The rice is a little pricey, but then you can throw whatever you have on hand into it. It's a great "catch all" for fridge leftovers.
An old old standby (that I had totally forgotten about until now): frozen pierogies, boiled 'til done, then sauteed with frozen peas, mushrooms and onions in butter.
Lentil soup - super cheap with veggies like potato, celery root, carrot, and onion. Throw in some greens (spinach works great), maybe a little diced canned tomato and bacon if you need the meat (I never do). Serve with crusty artisan bread and butter.
Mmmm, I never was much for tomato soup, but now I want a grilled cheese.
Post a Comment