Low Cost Dinner Ideas

jmessina205
jmessina205 Posts: 190 Member
in Recipes
I just accepted a new job for a different company. I traded my 12 hour shifts, weekends and holidays of the medical field for a relaxing 8-4 bank job :smile: So now I'll be home and need to make dinner every night for my boyfriend and I, plus I took a pay cut with the new job.

Looking for low cost dinner ideas!!! We're not picky, other then I don't eat mushrooms lol. No outdoor grill since were in an apartment but other then that anything goes. Thanks!!

Replies

  • Snip8241
    Snip8241 Posts: 767 Member
    Go meatless once or twice a week.
    Or have eggs as your protein at dinner. We have omelets or frittatas.

    Buy your chicken in family packs and freeze.
    Portion control can save money.
    Leftovers are always lunch the next day.

    Soups and stews are economical and can be made ahead.
  • salbunnylettuceleafyexley
    salbunnylettuceleafyexley Posts: 19 Member
    pasta is always a winner, perhaps u can make a sauce with tinned tomato or passata, add garlic and dried origano, if u don't like mushrooms, u can always add peppers or something like that, maybe a bit of chicken,
    or what about rice, thats quite cheap, u could make a sauce yet again with tinned tomato, maybe add some cooked sausage or chicken and beans, garlic and chilli power, add to cooked white rice, both dishes quite healthy, if watchin weight sausages ares still ok as long as u drain all fat off sausages and never fry them
  • helpimfalling
    helpimfalling Posts: 53
    Congrats on the job change! Sounds much less stressful!

    What I do is plans meals for Sun-Fri on Saturday and then shop on Saturday for everything I need so that I don't end up going to the store a lot or going and not knowing what I need and buying too much.

    I also like to buy a big bag of frozen chicken breasts at Sam's to save money (my mom has a membership-I definitely don't want to pay for one!) and then make chicken a bunch of different ways w/ different sides. We eat mostly chicken and some times pork chops when they're on sale or a meal surrounding black beans, since they're pretty cheap.

    -Baked Chicken w/ Mrs. Dash's sodium free marinades. There are a bunch of different kinds.
    -Slow Cooker Pepperoni and Chicken: I use this recipe a lot w/o the added salt: http://www.skinnymom.com/2012/07/13/slow-cooker-pepperoni-and-chicken/
    -Mexican Chicken Black Bean Pizza: I also make this a lot with low sodium black beans, less cheese, less salsa, and low carb tortillas: http://shewearsmanyhats.com/mexican-black-bean-pizza/#_a5y_p=1185330
    -Chicken and Avocado Salad with Lime & Cilantro: This is delicious and is good with whatever. On tortillas, on bread, on rice, or just by itself on a bed of spinach. http://www.redstarrecipe.com/2013/10/chicken-and-avocado-salad-with-lime-and.html

    I don't have specific numbers on how expensive any of these are, but these are my go-to easy and pretty cheap dinners. My husband is extremely picky and he loves all of those. Hope that helps!
  • sistrsprkl
    sistrsprkl Posts: 1,010 Member
    Rice and beans (dried not canned). Soak the beans overnight in salt water and they won't take forever to cook, I like to cook mine in a slow cooker.
  • jmessina205
    jmessina205 Posts: 190 Member
    We do love chicken, rice and pasta. My friend just added me to her Sams club account so i think I'll be starting to shop there for the things that we use more often and see how much I can save that way. Thanks for the great ideas :)
  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
    congrats on your new job!

    A few suggestions- eating at home is always cheaper than eating out, So keep some "back up" food for when you just do NOT feel like cooking. I keep canned soup, frozen pizza, canned beans around for those nights.

    A head of lettuce is cheaper than bags of pre shredded salad, so buy a head and cut it up, store in the fridge for quick salads.

    Take your lunch to work.

    Try meatless a few nights a week. We do alot of baked potatoes and salad, pinto beans (soaked over night and cooked in a crockpot) topped with salsa, spaghetti with marinara sauce, hummus and corn tortillas/bell pepper strips.
  • jmessina205
    jmessina205 Posts: 190 Member
    Thanks!!! I think the pay difference in this new job may even itself out due to the fact I will be pretty much forced to take my lunch to work. I find thinking back that I visited the cafeteria at the hospital on a pretty regular basis, and it was def not cheap!!! I wouldn't mind going meatless a few nights, my boyfriend however may not enjoy that as much lol. Right now were trying to finish up our venison from last year(mostly sausage). With any luck he'll be able to get a few deer this year, it def helps the grocery bill!!
  • JenniDaisy
    JenniDaisy Posts: 526 Member
    Lentils/dried beans are your friend.

    I often make lentil curry and you can have it with rice or rotis( I make rotis just self-raising flour, salt water and knead. brush with butter when cooked if you have the calories) and add chicken/spinach/chickpeas/whatever veg you have. It is particularly delicious with ground beef, but I've been known to add tins of tuna or sardines.

    PLUS if you make extra and extra roti dough, you can roll the roti dough out put a couple of spoonfuls of curry in the middle, fold in half and press or fold edges to seal, bake in the oven (you'll see when they're done, they'll be golden brown) and you can take them cold to work for lunch :smile:
  • Cardio4Cupcakes
    Cardio4Cupcakes Posts: 289 Member
    Congrats! I could never not have a M-F job again (well I could but it wouldn't be ideal lol).

    My favorite things to make are frozen chicken breasts ($9 for about 8-10 breasts) in a crockpot, a packet of italian dressing mix ($.70) and a can of condensed soup (cream of chicken, celerey, etc...about $1.25 a can). Cook it all down and pull the chickens out and make a veggie, a big bag of frozen veggies is like $2-$3. So you have a full week of food for about $15 which is like, half of one order at a fast food place.
  • jmessina205
    jmessina205 Posts: 190 Member
    My favorite things to make are frozen chicken breasts ($9 for about 8-10 breasts) in a crockpot, a packet of italian dressing mix ($.70) and a can of condensed soup (cream of chicken, celerey, etc...about $1.25 a can). Cook it all down and pull the chickens out and make a veggie, a big bag of frozen veggies is like $2-$3. So you have a full week of food for about $15 which is like, half of one order at a fast food place.

    I'm happy that fast food won't be an easy option at this job either :) will have to park a couple blocks away so it should be way easier to pack!! This sounds really yummy and could probably work for lunch for me

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