Delicious Cheap Dinners that Fit the Budget
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Happiest New Year friends. I’m so glad you’re still here at the almost 14 years old Spinach Tiger Blog.
I have some great new recipes to bring you this year so please subscribe if you haven’t already done so. My focus is going to mostly be healthy, cheap, easy, approachable and still delicious.
Cheap can be Delicious
We are all short on time and our grocery budget doesn’t go as far as it used to. I used to avoid using that word “cheap,” but no longer does this word offend me.
I have looked back over the years to see where I made over 60 cheap meals and I hope this helps you continue to happily cook without breaking the bank. There are three main roundups of affordable meals. Be sure to check them out.
Cheap Dinners: Chicken Dishes Your Family Will Love
You will find the best way to roast a whole chicken in an hour, how to spatchcock a chicken and how to use the leftover. You will make chicken soup, chicken pie and chicken enchiladas, and so much more.
Ground Chicken – You can also use ground chicken to make ground chicken meatballs, something we don’t think about very often. I also like ground chicken lettuce wraps. White Bean Chicken Soup can be made with leftover chicken in mere minutes.
My Best 18 Cheap Chicken Dishes Here
Round up – Cheap Red Meat Recipes that Fight Inflation
Ground beef doesn’t have to be boring. Taco meat CAN be exciting, but why not make cuban picadillo. Mini meatloafs are easy to freeze for individual quick meals, and you will get my most popular simple ground beef and peas. Crack slaw makes ground beef exciting and ground beef stroganoff can be a real thing. Hamburger steak with onions almost seems gourmet.
My Best 25 Red Meat Cheap Recipes Here
Cheaper cuts of meat like teres major will satisfy steak lovers braciole, an Italian stuffed steak is good enough for company.
Beef cubes are often found on sale and when braised you can make stews, shredded beef ragu, soup and more.
My Best 25 Red Meat Cheap Recipes Here.
Cheap Hearty Soups that are Complete Meals
I’ve never met a person that doesn’t love soup. Serve it up with bread and it’s a whole meal. Vegetable soup can be just as good as vegetable beef soup. Kids love the Italian beef macaroni soup. Find out at this post the everyday staples you need to throw some easy soups together.
My Best Cheap Hearty Soup Recipes Here
My Best Cheap Hearty Soup Recipes Here
Make Your Own Bread
A good loaf of sourdough bread could be as high as $9 a loaf. Sourdough bread is just flour, water and salt and you could easily make a loaf of bread every other day. I have what I believe to be the easiest sourdough recipe (and starter).
Pork Steaks – Cheaper Meals
Braised Pork Steak is very affordable. Made with green beans and tomato sauce, this is a worthy weeknight or weekend dinner.
Consider a Frittata for Dinner
Frittatas are the best idea to use up just a little bit of leftovers. Serve with bread or a side salad and you’re saving money, even if you buy pastured eggs. Use up that last little bit of meat, cheese or veggies and be surprised how delicious eggs can be.
Go to Frittata 101 for recipes.
Tips for Leftovers
Don’t be afraid of leftovers. I know some people don’t like to eat the same meal two days in a row, but there are ways to avoid wasting food and stretching the food budget.
Don’t be Afraid of Repurposing Leftovers
- Roast Beef Leftover ideas.
- Left over roast chicken can do same as above or be a chicken salad.
- Left over meat sauce or bolognese can be stuffed into pasta shells or used for a quick lasagna.
- Left over steak can turn into steak and biscuits. (See my 35 different biscuit recipes).
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Leave YOUR TIPS in the comments below. I would love to hear from you.
