Frugal Dinner Ideas

photo credit: Ken Wilcox.

You shouldn’t have to break the piggy bank just to put food on the table, but sometimes it sure feels that way.  Especially with the price of food going up these days…

Here are some tips on how to have a frugal dinner any night of the week:

1.  Cut down on the meat.  If a recipe calls for a pound of ground beef, use 3/4 or even 1/2 pound instead.  I generally will buy ground beef in bulk (especially when it’s on sale), and then will partition it into 1/2 and 3/4 pound portions.  Thanks to my trusty food saver, the ground beef stays fresh for much longer.

2.  Eat more veggies.  Watch for veggies that are in season, on sale or you can use frozen veggies.  I actually like cooking with frozen vegetables better than fresh veggies for certain recipes.

3.  Cook in bulk and freeze the leftovers.  I can’t tell you how much time and money we have saved since I bought my food saver and started cooking more bulk meals.  My family actually looks forward to leftovers now because they stay much fresher with the food saver.  And it’s much easier to plan meals when I’ve got full meals and several side dishes tucked away in the freezer.

4.  Use more pasta, rice and potatoes in your meals.  These are all cheap ingredients that can go a long way in a recipe.  And you can create countless of your own homemade skillet meals with these ingredients (instead of using a box mix).

5.  Make your own spice mixes.  Those packets of taco, chili and other seasonings can get pretty expensive.  Thankfully, many recipes for taco seasoning and other seasonings can be found online, using spices that you probably already have on hand, so it’s very easy to create your own spice mixes instead of spending a dollar or more on one envelope that will last for just one meal.

These are just a few ideas on how to have a frugal dinner.  Please share your own ways to save money on dinner!

Stuffed Baked Potatoes

We eat a lot of potatoes, so I’m always looking for new ways to cook them.  I saw a recipe for stuffed baked potatoes on MenuPlanningCentral.com recently that looked great.  I modified it a bit to fit my family’s tastes.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

4 large baking potatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
Olive oil
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Bacon bits
Sour cream
Green onion, chopped

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Bake potatoes on rack for 1 hour or until tender.

Saute onions in olive oil until tender. Drain and set into large mixing bowl.

When potatoes are done, cut in half and scoop out the insides. Add potato to mixing bowl with onions. Blend in milk, butter and pepper. Blend in 1/2 cup of the cheese; set remaining 1/4 cup back in refrigerator for later.

Return potatoes by the spoonful to the skins. Place on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes longer.

When done, top with sour cream, extra cheese, bacon bits and green onions.

My Favorite Taco Soup Recipe

Taco soup is one of my favorite comfort foods. It’s great for football or snowy days or even a quick dinner idea.

This recipe is extremely easy to put together with inexpensive ingredients, and my friends and family ask for this dish over and over.

Anyone who knows me knows that I rarely cook from recipes… I may start from a recipe, but I like to tweak and improve recipes to put my own unique stamp on them. Since my family has been asking for this recipe, I’ve decided to write it down and share it with others on my blog.

I created this recipe from a combination of taco soup recipes I found on the web and my favorite chili recipe.  Enjoy! Read more

On a Tight Schedule and Budget? Learn to Cook Without A Recipe

On a tight budget? It doesn’t mean you need to go on a canned-food diet. There are quick and simple home-cooking options that are easy on your budget, but also taste better than fat-laden fast foods. If you crave healthy, fresh, home-cooked meals but don’t have time to follow complicated recipes, read on.

Healthy Meals without a Recipe on a Tight Schedule & Budget

Stir-Frying: Chinese foods get a bad reputation for excessive oil use and fried items. But any of your Chinese friends will tell you that they don’t eat like that at home at all! Stir-frying is the easiest cooking method – it’s fast and it’s tasty. All you need is a non-stick pan (or a wok). Toss sliced meat with cut-up vegetables into your pan. If you are concerned about oil, use broth instead. When the meat and veggies are almost done, add your favorite Chinese sauce into the pan. Most stir-fry dishes can be completed within 10 minutes.

Recommended Tools: A non-stick wok, ready-made Chinese sauces

Click here to continue reading “On a Tight Schedule…”