Everyone is looking for cheap eats options and this single mom is no exception. When I was growing up, my mother (a single mom also) was the queen of stretching a meal. She would coax three meals out of one humble roaster chicken each and every week. Yes, we ate Chicken A’la King and Chicken Pot Pie until it was coming out of our ears. It was the 70’s after all.
I may be tightening the old food belt just like everyone else, but I refuse to succumb to the Cream of Mushroom soup siren. I also cannot bring myself to loading up on empty pasta carbs just because it’s cheap. There are healthier and more imaginative options to cheap cooking and I have scoured my inventory here on Jersey Bites as well as the world wide web, to bring you my recommendations for Cheap Recipe ideas.
I used this week’s Shoprite circular as my guide. I realize this is something I should probably do every Sunday to give you more lead time for the week. I will try to do this from now on. Everything on the list except for the fish is on sale this week for $1.99 per pound or under.
One of the best ways to save money is leftovers, right? We all know this. Buy one cut of meat on sale and stretch it to make two meals even three if you’re like my Mother. The only problem is, no one likes to eat the same meal two days in a row. So, I’ve included some leftover menu ideas here with very different flavors that I hope you will enjoy.
If you have any special requests on what you would like to see covered on future “Cheap Recipe Lists” please leave a comment below. If you find this article interesting, I have some more money saving tips here.
Frugal Menu Ideas
Family pack of sausage ($1.99 per pound)
Sausage with Peppers Serve on rolls or with a side of whole wheat pasta.
Leftover Meal: Sausage with Cannelini Beans and Spinach. Cook all the sausage with your peppers and onions in the previous recipe. Use leftovers, including peppers and onions. Add one can of diced tomatoes, 1 can rinsed Cannolini Beans, a couple of handfulls of chopped frozen spinach and a half a teaspoon of oregano. Simmer for 10 minutes and serve with some crusty garlic bread.
Ground Turkey ($1.99 per pound)
Turkey Chili
Barbecue Turkey Meatloaf
Boneless Chicken Breasts ($1.99 a pound)
Herbed Sweet and Sour Chicken
Chicken Piccata
Roasting Chicken ($1.41 per pound)
Salt Baked Chicken
Leftover Meal: Chicken, Spinach and Butternut squash Lasagna
Leftover Meal: Warm Curry Chicken Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes This is only inexpensive if you already have the walnuts and cranberries on hand. I keep a bag of walnuts pieces in my freezer and usually have dried cranberries on hand.
Dark Chicken ($1.41 per pound)
Chicken Stew with Tomatoes and Escarole
Bottom Round Roast ($1.79 per pound)
Bottom Round Roast with Onion Gravy
Leftover Meal: Pot Roast Enchiladas
Flounder ($2.99 per pound)
Panko encrusted Flounder with Tomato and Spinach
