Cheap Dinner Ideas (No Beans)

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Forum -> Household Management -> Kosher Kitchen

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View latest: 24h 48h 72h

Blue jay

Thu, Aug 27 2015, 8:30 pm

Chicken soup with lots of noodles and matzo balls. something for everyone!

Home made pizzas with thicker crusts, (make in lasagna tin) this helps you stretch the pack of cheese which goes for about 5$.

Mac and cheese, with rue made from shredded cheese and milk and flour and mustard powder ( a dash). Again, another way to stretch the cheese.

Keep frozen peas handy, when you cant bargain shop for produce.

Fancy veggie omlets and pancakes for dinner. With hashbrowns ( I make a potatoe zuccini kugel from the spice and spirit cookbook) on the side.

Blue jay

Thu, Aug 27 2015, 8:32 pm

Oh! And fried rice!

mha3484

Thu, Aug 27 2015, 8:36 pm

For three eaters I find a lb of cutlets (white and dark) or ground meat to be enough for seconds. I usually mix with a grain and veggie. Tonight I made a one pan dish with 3/4 lb salmon, quinoa and feta. Original recipe was for chicken thighs and orzo.

Hashem_Yaazor

Thu, Aug 27 2015, 8:37 pm

amother wrote:

Thank you, all!! Do people really stretch 2 chicken thighs to feed their whole family?!

Sometimes...I've made stir fries with chickpeas in it (not sure if that's good for a no bean clause) which adds protein, some veggies have protein too, or brown rice can be added for a more complete protein...
Not every night, but it does happen.

Another idea is a split pea soup if legumes are ok with homemade crusty rolls.

Hashem_Yaazor

Thu, Aug 27 2015, 8:38 pm

I used 1 lb chicken cutlets today for a family of 8 ($5, so more expensive than eggs)...but that was white meat.

abs

Thu, Aug 27 2015, 8:47 pm

if you cut chicken cutlets in thin strips and add it to a green salad, you can stretch a small amount a lot! My kids like to add dressing and croutons for a great supper!

gmgv

Thu, Aug 27 2015, 11:29 pm

Canned fish is a great cheap protein to add nutrition to any meal. And idk about everyone else, but where I live cheese is pretty expensive. However I do make an imitation alfredo sauce with cream cheese which is very good and not too expensive. I can post a link to the recipe if anyone is interested.

MagentaYenta

Thu, Aug 27 2015, 11:41 pm

There is nothing wrong with being frugal,but make sure that your kids are getting sufficient protein for their age.

amother

Seagreen

Thu, Aug 27 2015, 11:52 pm

Don't laugh, but this is my favorite.
White rice with a fried egg on top.
I love popping the creamy yolk all over the rice
Yum

cbg

Fri, Aug 28 2015, 12:01 am

Also, when you have a little of this and a little of that left over, especially veggies, or grains, I chop it in the food processor and add it to ground beef, ground chicken or tuna, and make loaves or patties. Usually I can double without compromising taste, ie. 1 cup of tuna to 1 cup of leftover carrots.
Leftover veggies make a great frittata

sequoia

Fri, Aug 28 2015, 12:06 am

Make buckwheat kasha or cous-cous in a parve pot.

Now, for breakfast you can have kasha with lots of butter or cous-cous with milk and cinnamom. And for dinner you have them as a side with stew.

ra_mom

Fri, Aug 28 2015, 12:11 am

Potatoes and franks dish, with cucumber salad
Egg drop potato soup (2 eggs per bowl), with tomato salad
Homemade pizza with seasoned tomato sauce and minimal cheese
Eggs and peppers, tomato and garlic scrambled eggs, with onion rolls
Pancakes, French toast, with cut up fruit
Vegetable frittata, French omelets, with homemade bread
Mock chopped liver over fried eggplant slices, with carrot salad
Twice baked potatoes with minimal cheese and vegetable soup
Tuna patties with mashed potatoes and Israeli salad
Seared tilapia (from frozen package), sweet potatoes, zucchini/carrot/red onion dish

Last edited by ra_mom on Fri, Aug 28 2015, 12:16 am; edited 1 time in total

seeker

Fri, Aug 28 2015, 12:13 am

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

I used 1 lb chicken cutlets today for a family of 8 ($5, so more expensive than eggs)...but that was white meat.

Please tell me how you fed 8 people with 1lb of chicken cutlets. Either we're big eaters or I'm not serving enough sides, but here 1 lb of chicken cutlets can feed the 4 of us with maybe 1 1/2 portions left over for some lucky people's lunch.

Hashem_Yaazor

Fri, Aug 28 2015, 9:00 am

seeker wrote:

Are you serving them whole? I cut them up into small pieces, and use them in stir fries over rice (like last night) or in wraps with other veggies.
I will admit I have one child who won't touch chicken, but his brothers more than make up for it.

It's about 13 grams of protein per serving (if you divide by 8) https://www.fatsecret.com/calo.....1.000

1-3 year olds need about that much a day http://healthyeating.sfgate.co......html
4-8 yo about 19 grams (average weights, my kids are under that though, but I still don't skimp)
9-13 yo (one of my kids) goes up to 34 if he was that big, but he's not, and even 20 grams is supposedly more than sufficient for his weight.

But either way they get more. If 13 grams is from supper chicken alone (never mind any protein from whole grain starch with veggies), it's not too hard to assume they are surpassing their goals with even a minimal, frugal breakfast of oatmeal (4 grams) and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch (3 grams from PB and 7 from whole wheat bread). And if they drink any milk that day or have any cheese for a snack or eat a yogurt, it just piles on.

So, no, I am not worried they are getting cheated out of necessary protein.

sky

Fri, Aug 28 2015, 9:49 am

for stretching chicken cutlets - I have one pot dishes were you cook it with orzo or pasta and I find the chicken goes very far (and its fast to put together).

amother

Chartreuse

Fri, Aug 28 2015, 1:27 pm

im always interested in this topic. we do baked potatoes with tuna and salad. works out fairly cheap. shakshuka is also a good one with homemade rolls to dip in sauce. kids wont need more than one egg each as its super filling.
where we live cheese is v expensive so I dont find pizza a cheap dinner at all.
as people have said choppe meat mixed with chopped turkey (cheaper) in a tomatoe bases veg sauce over pasta is probably a good bet.
and im all for breakfast for dinner. ...pancakes or waffles made with full fat milk. and served with fruit.
last eve I wasnt feeling well and told the kids dinner was cereal....they were ecstatic. (they couldnt remember me ever sayinf that before so maybe thats why they were so excited! ) but it worked!

amother

Floralwhite

Fri, Aug 28 2015, 1:45 pm

Thanks again, everyone, who has taken the time to reply. I really appreciate it and am filing th ideas away!

tichellady

Fri, Aug 28 2015, 6:49 pm

Cottage cheese pancakes with applesauce

Baked sweet potato fries, roasted broccoli, baked tofu strips

Moroccan style couscous- onions, zucchini, turnip, sweet potato, carrot over mix of quinoa and couscous

Dutch baby pancake and yogurt fruit smoothies

Tofu stir fry with brown rice and lots of veggies or with canned or frozen pineapple, red pepper and snow peas.

Turkey teriyaki burgers with whole wheat buns and broiled pineapple

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