Have you joined the challenge to eat from your freezer and pantry for a week? Those of us who have been doing this have not only saved money, but also stretched our creative cooking skills as we’ve swapped out ingredients for what we had on hand.
I’m wrapping up this money-saving series with a list of very low-cost meals. Most of these meals come in at under $1 per person. Some cost well under that.
Tips for keeping meals cheap
1. In general, meals that are based on rice, pasta, beans or eggs tend to be inexpensive.
2. Substitute ingredients for what you have on hand. Running into the grocery only tempts you into spending more money.
3. Soups tend to be cheap because one recipe will feed so many people.
4. Stretch your meals with Depression Era Bread, Corn Bread, Biscuits or Graham Muffins.
Cheap Meals
Pasta with Matriciana Sauce – Thanks Jen @ Hey Ya’ll
Pasta with Red Sauce DiPaola
Shaker Village Tomato Soup with grilled cheese sandwiches
Chipped Beef Gravy over Cornbread or Biscuits
Asian Noodles with Stir Fry Veggies and Chicken
Calico Bean Soup with Smoked Sausage
More inexpensive meals can be found at $5 Dinners. What are your favorite cheap meals?
This list is a great resource! We use a few of those cheap meals, but I’d never thought of this many!
Thanks so much for these – I’m definitely bookmarking this page for later!
What a great blog! Can’t wait to try out some recipes. Off to snoop around some more…
Your blog is exactly what I needed to come across. I plan on coming up with about 14 different meal ideas and just rotating them every two weeks. That way I will always know exactly what to get at the grocery store and can stockpile these items when they go on sale at the store. Thanks. Stopping by from SITS!
I have 6 little ones and 1 big one (the hubby) these recipes are very helpful. It is so expensive to eat out with our large family.
Low cost? I’m in! Thanks for the suggestions
Love the cheesy eggs and ham!!!
Congrats on your big day Tiffany!
What awesome tips!
Happy SITS day!
What great ideas! Occasionally I challenge myself to live out of my pantry – it’s fun and I have to really get creative. I agree 100% with all your tips to eat cheaper. Also making a dish that can morph into others later in the week (not straight up left overs) is a great way to stretch a dollar.
You have some awesome tips- a few of the recipes I’ve never tried/thought of/heard of so I am bookmarking this page for sure.
Great meal ideas! I will be copying down some of these! Happy SITS day!
Great ideas! I really need this!
What a great list of food!!! I’m going to try some of these. I find when I make a menu I spend far LESS than when I don’t.
all great ideas – but what to do when you have extremely picky eaters in the house!!
Most definitely will be book marking this page!
I’m going to have to come back and try some of these recipes. I’m all about coupons and saving money these days so I’m excited to find your site. Stopping by from SITS to say hi!
I detest cooking, but will eat anything you make! Happy SITS day!
Great list of ideas! I really need to start planning my meals more! Happy SITS day!
Wow- I will totally be back to this blog- great ideas, great post!
Happy Sits day!!
Thank you for this great list of tips!!!
Yum! And yayy for being inexpensive. I totally am trying to clean out our freezer/pantry. It is helping me to lower my weekly grocery bill.
Okay, I’m in love. This blog has not only been added to my favorites, I will check it out daily. Thanks SITS for showing it to us!
I try to cook from my freezer and pantry as much as possible. And now I have more recipes in which to do it. We’re all getting tired of the ones I have.
Bless you!
Great post and great recipes!
Happy SITS Day!
I love Taco Soup!!
Great meal ideas!
My favorite cheap meal is Hawaiian Meatballs over rice. Yummy.
Clearly I am not a foodie…lentil huh? and what exactly is a calico bean anyway? Sorry your awesome blog is wasted on such a non-foodie as I.
Happy SITS day though!
Happy SITS Day! I stop by here all the time
I live by rule #1!
I definitely need help with this, thanks for the advice!
I cook everyday! Always looking for something new and cost effective
Visiting from SITS!
What a great post. I have been trying to clean out my pantry, unfortunately I am not very creative.
Glad to know all my favorite things make cheap meals!! YEAH!
I am so happy to be here. I am always looking for meal ideas, and low cost is paramount. Thanks!!!
my husband loves the depression bread!
happy sits day.
Thanks for the tips!
Happy SITS day!
Don’t forget this money saving tip: eat smaller portions! Most of us eat more at a sitting than we should anyway.
Happy SITS day!
Wow, I love this! I will definitely be using this list, and I’m thinking I may join the freezer/pantry challenge, since we desperately need to clean out our freezer anyway….make good use of all that food just sitting in there. I’d have to say a favorite cheap meal would have to be potato veggie chowder. It’s mainly vegetables and potatoes with a little chicken bullion thrown in for flavor and some turkey sausage links….and we always have leftovers.
Yummy recipes! I can’t wait to try out Super Simple Asian Noodles with Stir Fry Veggies and Chicken! Happy SITS day!
Seriously, you are a genius! Thank you thank you thank you!
Love all of these low cost meal ideas! Thanks, Happy SITS Day1
Great blog. Wonderful ideas.
I grew up in a family who made every dollar stretch – including when it came to meals. Sometimes I felt as if I was sitting down to a meal of pennies and nickles because my mom used to remind us how much each item cost. Very smart of her.
The only downside I find to these meals is the lack of vegetables. I usually like to have two servings of veg and a salad for most meals. Anyone have any ideas on great veggie dishes that don’t include lots of rice or pasta?
Happy SITS day!
I need to learn how to cook. When I do, this will come in handy!
what great ideas, i have to say i am not a huge fan of cooking, but i am inspired!
thanks
Thanks for all of the tips, I am always looking for ways to save money. My blog is http://www.thethriftyhome.com so I will have to try a few of these recipes and tips out.
Thanks for the tips.
cool!! i need all the cooking help i can get!
Great resource!
Wow – thanks for all of the tips and inexpensive recipes! I will definitely give some of these a try!