Want to share ideas for relatively inexpensive homemade meals? The cost of groceries just blows me away, so I've been trying hard to be more frugal at the supermarket. I'd love to share ideas!

I love sharing recipes in general...

There are so many ways to cut costs with meals... the biggest one would be to use meat as a side dish or even as a flavoring agent rather than as the main part of the meal.

My husband won't eat casseroles -- well, he would if there's no other option, but he doens't like them, so we rarely have them -- but they can be a major money saver, too.

There just happened to be an article on this very topic in our local Food section of the newspaper today. They recommended buying store brands (have to be careful with this one, taste and see); buying uncut veggies ( I have to admit, I'm guilty of buying the precut baby carrots); buying cheese in blocks and shredding it yourself, buying apples in 3 lb. bags instead of by the pound, and watching the price per ounce of cereal, pancake mix and OJ. I also think that lots of Americans eat too much meat, treating it as a side dish is a great idea. We love beans at our house, and they are inexpensive. I also try to plan meals around the grocery store sales and my coupons every week.

I buy ground turkey instead of beef and use beans or sauces (or something) to extend it so that we get several meals out of one package. I also buy cuts of chicken other than breasts (I made an awesome meal out of organic chicken thighs that still had bones and skin and it was $3.50 as opposed to over $9 for boneless/skinless breasts), or buy whole chickens. You pay more the more it's processed. If you're willing to eat pork, it's actually a very cheap meat. We eat it maybe once a month. We never eat beef anymore, but if you do you can often buy larger pieces that haven't been cut up into filets and the cost is drastically reduced (for instance- my mother bought the piece that filet mingon is cut out of and it was $17/pound- way too expensive already! But if she had purchased the already-cut filets, it would have been $32/pound! Disgusting!!)

I've saved us a LOT of money just making things from scratch. It normally doesn't take THAT much more time, it tastes better, it's cheaper, and it's healthier on average. At least I know what's gone into it! Like pancake mix- seriously, it's SOOO easy to make that stuff from scratch and it tastes so much better (at least, I think it does). You can buy WAY more of the raw ingredients for the price of a box of mix. Plus, I looked at a box of mix in the store the other day and noticed that it had partially-hydrogenated oil AND high-fructose corn-syrup. The stuff I make at home has none of that garbage.

One thing that I'm doing (and it is a very small thing) is making my own beans. I have to plan in advance, but I'll soak beans one day, cook them the next day, and make soup the third day. It saves a few bucks.

Here's a really cheap, delicious meal nearly everyone would like (unless you're vegetarian, but perhaps you could use a meat substitute for the steak)
One package of "cheap steak" as I call it - that package of thin-cut little steaks.
One can cream of mushroom soup
One cup sour cream
One can mushrooms
garlic and onion to taste
pasta or rice (I prefer linguine)

Start water boiling for the pasta. Slice beef into thin strips and fry in oil with some minced onion. I like a little; someone else might like a bit more. Add minced garlic and finish cooking. When meat is done an garlic and onion are tender I add 1 can cream of mushroom soup and one cup of sour cream, along with the mushrooms. Stir everything in, salt and pepper to taste. Pour on top of the pasta or rice. This is delicious and inexpensive, and the only way my 6-year-old will eat a mushroom. He normally gives me a look of disdain when I make something with mushrooms, but with this recipe he consumes them greedily.

Bow Tie Pasta with Beef and Tomatoes

5 oz box of uncooked bow tie pasta
1 T olive oli
1 cup of onions
1lb beef strips sliced thin(I use a cheap piece of steak)
1 can stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 tsp garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste

Cook and drain pasta per package directions

In large skillet heat olive oil. Cook onions and beef strips until no the beef is no longer pink.

Stir in tomatoes, garlic salt and salt and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer. Break up tomatoes in needed. Stir in pasta. Cook 1 or 2 minutes longer. Until pasta is coated and hot.


This is quick and easy. My family really likes it.