Looking for quick, easy, cheap dinner

rissadiane

So I'm about to start college again and I'm possibly accepting a promotion at work, which will put me at 45 hours a week. I'm married and on a budget. I want to get some recipes for easy healthy dinners that don't take forever to cook or can be put together ahead of time. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Fairysoul

May the crock pot be your best friend!!!!!! BBQ chicken, soups, I do roast with veggies, chicken legs, really I could go on... Prepare some meals over the weekend for a quick meal as well!!

rissadiane

I don't have weekends off :sad: . Honestly I'm pretty much going to be doing something everyday. I have class Tuesdays and Thursdays (and one Monday night), then working Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I love my crockpot! I can't wait for summer to end so I can make soups and stuff in it.

RuthSweetTooth

Omelettes

JosieRawr

May the crock pot be your best friend!!!!!! BBQ chicken, soups, I do roast with veggies, chicken legs, really I could go on... Prepare some meals over the weekend for a quick meal as well!!

could we get some recipes with that? I'm very cooking disadvantaged (HA!) I have a crock pot but I've found it's easier for me to stick with skillet cooking chicken breast(cubed/diced) with various seasonings(minced onion, lemon juice, pepper, minced garlic, etc) n quinoa with just a bit of olive oil(2tbs per 2 cups dry which usually makes about 7cups for me) n various frozen veggies which I throw in the microwave or in the quinoa after it's mostly done cooking.(I love frozen veggies, I tend to let fresh ones go bad n frozen doesn't have all that sodium like canned n tastes soo much more like fresh)
I would really love some simple crock pot recipes because I have no idea what to do with it!

sarah6336

I cook a lot. One of the healthiest things to do is roast vegetables in the oven... If you use a higher setting like 425 degrees, they only take about 30 minutes. You can roast root vegetables, which are cheap, by either sparying them with Pam or wetting them with water after you cut them up, then place them on a cookie sheet in the oven. I generally coat mine in herbs and roast them. For protein, either fish in the microwave or boiled eggs.

ArtemisMoon

Casseroles are your best friend as of today! I attend University for 9 semester hours and work full time, so I can sympathize.

Exhibit 1: Recipes for students
http://www.mnsu.edu/shs/healtheducation/bmc/

Exhibit 2: Casserole recipe collections
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/healthy_casserole_recipes
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Healthy-Cooking-Magazine/10-Healthy-Casseroles
http://www.myrecipes.com/healthy-diet/calorie-counts/healthy-casserole-recipes-10000001668794/

Exhibit 3: Cheap and Easy and Healthy
http://www.bhg.com/recipes/healthy/dinner/cheap-heart-healthy-dinner-ideas/
http://busycooks.about.com/od/fiveingredientrecipe1/a/5ingredcasserol.htm
http://www.hearthealthyonline.com/healthy-recipes/main-dish-recipes/cheap-dinner-ideas_ss1.html

khudsoncadm

Stouffer's Lasagna and Grandma's Chicken and Rice with Vegetables; Hormel's Meatloaf and Roast Beef. There are mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and other items already made. Green Giant Frozen Cream Style Corn is very good. Just watch your portion size.

texaricangirasol

Chicken and fish are quick and easy to make. Season and place in the oven or skillet.

Cut up veggies and some potatos (purple ones are fun-purple inside and out) season (can use some dry cherry, jack daniels(great for letting beef marinate, or favorite alcohol to flavor if you like)

all can be done in the oven in about 30-45 minutes. Potatoes take about 20 minutes at 375, chicken can be done at 350 for about 15-20 minutes. Fish varies too, but can be ready in less than 30 in most cases.

Better home and gardens has an old cook book ( i usually find it at half price books for $1) that has quick meals on a budget and for working mom.

Bittersweet82

oh, you poor thing!! It's so hard being a grown up, isn't it? LOL But it sounds like things seem to be going great for you, so don't get discouraged, there are plenty of things you can make ahead of time, in 20 minutes. The key is being organized.

As another poster had commented, CROCKPOT!!! It will be your new best friend.

I do a lot of casseroles, and prepwork so that it is easier when you go to make meals
IE: I pre chop all my veggies and fruits, so they are easy to pick up and throw it on my plate

I also get corn tortilla wraps and keep those on hand. an easy and quick meal is quesadillas, just prepwork before hand and it takes literally 2 minutes to cook one, serve it with salsa and plain yogurt (i miss sour cream so bad, but this is a close second)

mispotatohead

White chicken chili (I make without the chicken...kids and hubby love it)
12 oz chicken breast - chop and cook till done
add:
1 Large can of white northern beans
1 jar salsa
1 can green chillies
1 Chicken boullion
1 cup of water (or 1 cup of broth for the boullion and chillies)

put in a pan and bring to a boil. Or dump in crock pot on low

garnish with sour cream and shredded cheese (I leave this off and it's yummy like that - if you have the calories it's a good variation)

magj0y

May the crock pot be your best friend!!!!!! BBQ chicken, soups, I do roast with veggies, chicken legs, really I could go on... Prepare some meals over the weekend for a quick meal as well!!

I would really love some simple crock pot recipes because I have no idea what to do with it!

1 beef roast. whatever cut you want. 1-2 cans french onion soup 12 oz (or less depending on the size of the cut) add beef broth to the water. 1/4 cup of strong coffee. (I sometimes keep instant coffee on hand when I'm not drinking any) You won't taste the coffee)

when it's done shred it up for a french dip sandwich.

I like EZ sarge's bbq pulled pork recipe on all recipes.com just use a lean cut of pork. You can also cut the meat into portions, so when you shred it up, you easily know how much to put on your bun.

You can make just plain chicken in the crock. I like bone in breasts (skin off) throw in seasonings, small amount of water and let it go.

2hobbit1

bump

texaricangirasol

what kind of things were you looking to cook in the crock pot? Most of the times it is all ingredients go in at once and they cook from 4-8 hours some beef dishes can take double that to cook.

ExplorinLauren

Hit up Pinterest. Seriously... I have SOOO many recipes stashed there. lol Many of them are crockpot or freezer meals (put everything in a bag in your freezer, then throw it in the crockpot day of)
Good luck with everything

lucyford22

Use the slow cooker and cook a whole chicken. You can often find them for under $1 a pound. I cook a fourish pound chicken on high for about four hours and it always comes out perfect. Then you have chicken made for the week for much cheaper than a bag of chicken breasts. I peel the skin off as it's calorically dense but if you like the skin just throw the chicken under the broiler for a few minutes after being in the slow cooker, and it'll get nice and crispy. As I hate waste, I also throw the carcass and some veggies into the slow cooker along with all the juices from cooking (and about 6 cups of water) and after 8 hours you have the best homemade chicken stock. I freeze it in silicone muffin pans then pop them out and keep them in a freezer bag and I have cup portions of homemade stock ready to go!

cramernh

Bulk cooking can also tie into the usage of a crockpot... Matter of fact, I just made 4# of meatballs tonight, about 3 gallons of marinara, and prepped up about 20# worth of vegetables... most of which was frozen for future meals... the remainder for the fridge for salads, munching and sides...

cramernh

. I'm married and on a budget.

No reason why your spouse couldnt pitch in to help also... hint hint, nudge nudge, wink wink?

magj0y

**Before you start college.. a lot of casseroles and main dishes can keep up for a month, more if you have a machine that seals food.

pre-cooked browned beef/pork, seasoned and diced chicken, beef for fajitas, meats for stir fry. just the main dishes so all you have to do is pull veggies out of the freezer and cook. You can even freeze mashed potatoes. 'tatoes are cheap. and not as evil as some think.

1 head of lettuce can go far. shredded for tacos, sandwich lettuce, salads and wraps. 1-2 tomatoes can be sliced for a sandwich, chopped on 1 end, diced on the other. egg fritattas also keep well in the freezer and eggs are cheap.
If you have enough room and freezer bags, you can easily cook up a months worth of food in 2-3 days. Just label it well.

Also if you like rice, buy a rice cooker! They make small ones and they're super simple.

rissadiane

. I'm married and on a budget.

No reason why your spouse couldnt pitch in to help also... hint hint, nudge nudge, wink wink?

Haha he actually cooks a lot too, but I really enjoy doing it and I like to have things planned out, whereas he just does it when he feels like it - the life of a man

rissadiane

Thanks for your suggestions everyone! I'm going to check out some of those links later. I know a lot of people go through this too, so I'm glad to have feedback.

tourettte

grilled chicken breasts (a bit of salt and no sauces) and fresh vegetables - tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, zucchini, carrot...
Tortilla wraps with fresh cheese, vegetables, salmon...
Soups
Rice with grilled chicken and white sauce
Polenta/palenta with yoghurt, steamed vegetables

kimmymayhall

I cook a lot. One of the healthiest things to do is roast vegetables in the oven... If you use a higher setting like 425 degrees, they only take about 30 minutes. You can roast root vegetables, which are cheap, by either sparying them with Pam or wetting them with water after you cut them up, then place them on a cookie sheet in the oven. I generally coat mine in herbs and roast them. For protein, either fish in the microwave or boiled eggs.

Yes! I love roasting vegetables and while they are cooking you can do other things. Clean up, unpack your bags, do whatever just give the pan a stir every 10-15 minutes. Root vegetables are my favorite to roast but summer squash, peppers, onions, greens beans, and other summer vegetables are also great.
And beans are your cheap, easy friend. I cook up a big pot every weekend but if you don't have time canned will certainly work. I add them to everything - salads, stews, above mentioned roasted vegetables.

rissadiane

I cook a lot. One of the healthiest things to do is roast vegetables in the oven... If you use a higher setting like 425 degrees, they only take about 30 minutes. You can roast root vegetables, which are cheap, by either sparying them with Pam or wetting them with water after you cut them up, then place them on a cookie sheet in the oven. I generally coat mine in herbs and roast them. For protein, either fish in the microwave or boiled eggs.

Yes! I love roasting vegetables and while they are cooking you can do other things. Clean up, unpack your bags, do whatever just give the pan a stir every 10-15 minutes. Root vegetables are my favorite to roast but summer squash, peppers, onions, greens beans, and other summer vegetables are also great.
And beans are your cheap, easy friend. I cook up a big pot every weekend but if you don't have time canned will certainly work. I add them to everything - salads, stews, above mentioned roasted vegetables.

I've never tried roasting vegetables, but I'm going to try it out! I hear they're delicious! I can eat vegetables in pretty much any form, but I like trying new things too!

cramernh

. I'm married and on a budget.

No reason why your spouse couldnt pitch in to help also... hint hint, nudge nudge, wink wink?

Haha he actually cooks a lot too, but I really enjoy doing it and I like to have things planned out, whereas he just does it when he feels like it - the life of a man

But that is good - Im sure he would gladly pitch in to help out as well if you discuss with him "you take this night, Ill take that night", yadda yadda yadda.... My husband does his own laundry as I do my own. I do the cooking but he does the cleaning of the dishes. When I know he has had a long day, Ill pitch in to help him. And when its vice versa, he knows Im skilled with the knife........ lets leave it at that if he thinks he can get away with it! BWAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA


BTW, roasting vegetables has got to be the most awesome aroma to smell in the kitchen... I do it all the time...

rissadiane

. I'm married and on a budget.

No reason why your spouse couldnt pitch in to help also... hint hint, nudge nudge, wink wink?

Haha he actually cooks a lot too, but I really enjoy doing it and I like to have things planned out, whereas he just does it when he feels like it - the life of a man

But that is good - Im sure he would gladly pitch in to help out as well if you discuss with him "you take this night, Ill take that night", yadda yadda yadda.... My husband does his own laundry as I do my own. I do the cooking but he does the cleaning of the dishes. When I know he has had a long day, Ill pitch in to help him. And when its vice versa, he knows Im skilled with the knife........ lets leave it at that if he thinks he can get away with it! BWAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA


BTW, roasting vegetables has got to be the most awesome aroma to smell in the kitchen... I do it all the time...

I'm sure he will too. He's becoming quite domesticated haha. But he's kind of in the same boat - starting a new job and doing the college thing too. I know he'll help, so maybe I'll print out some of these suggestions and leave them around hehe.

KPHudson1010

Try emilybites.com. Her blog has great low cal, quick recipes that are super yummy, too!

orapronobis

I LOVE this idea!!