Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Frugal dinners!!!

I just had to share with you a few of our frugal meals lately!! I am working very hard to prepare meals from what is in our pantry rather than spend more money at the grocery store when we already have more than plenty! So, here is what we have been eating:

Last Wednesday:
pork chops - 1.5 lbs. $3.50
New potatoes and green beans
in a rosemary butter sauce
(Green Giant Steamers) $0.00
Rice and gravy (for picky kiddo) $0.50
TOTAL $4.00
(I had a coupon for the pork chops as well as for the Steamers which made them FREE!!!)
(ALSO, I made dinner by browning the pork chops and then adding the contents of the Steamers bag to the top of the pork chops. As the butter chunks melted they cooked with the pork chops; it was super yummy!! I will definitely do that again!!)

Last Thursday:
chicken thighs in the crockpot w/seasoning - 2.5 lbs. $2.50
Cheesy broccoli rice (Green Giant Steamers) - 2 bags $0.00
corn (Green Giant Steamers) $0.00
Rice and gravy (for picky kiddo) $0.50
Stuffing mix $0.70
TOTAL $3.70
(I had coupons for the Steamers which made them FREE, and I bought the stuffing mixes when they were on sale at Thanksgiving and used a coupon. I may have also had a coupon for the chicken which would have made this meal even more frugal but I cannot say for sure, so I will go with what I know the price was on the package.)

Tonight:
Baked chicken alfredo
chicken - approx. 1 lb. $2.00
penne - 1/2 lb. $0.50
alfredo sauce $0.00
mozzerella cheese $0.50
Broccoli w/cheese (Green Giant Steamers) $0.00
Garlic cheese bread
hot dog buns $0.50
4-cheese blend $0.50
TOTAL $4.00
(I purchased the chicken through Angel Food Ministries a while back and needed to use it up before it got freezer burned. I had a catalina coupon for the alfredo sauce which made it FREE, and I used coupons on the pasta, cheese, buns and broccoli.)

Monday night we had a beef roast with mashed potatoes and gravy, buttermilk biscuits, corn, and rice. I am not sure what I paid for the roast or the potatoes so I cannot price this meal out, but it does split into 2 meals as I will use my leftovers for a shepherd's pie to put in the freezer for dinner another night.

I have been teased by many for hoarding Steamers coupons, but through them I was able to purchase LOTS of FREE veggies!!!

Blessings!