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Forum
-> Household Management
-> Finances
flmommy
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Wed, May 30 2012, 11:54 am
We have guests almost every shabbat. not a ton but usually atleast another family with a few kids. I need some suggestions of Shabbosdik recipies that won't break the bank. I rarely buy prepared salads but just the cost of chicken etc. adds up. I do use store bought shredded cabbage etc. I always make soup and use a whole chicken (we do use the boiled meat for chicken salad etc). Any suggestions of low cost dishes that are nice enough to serve guests but not gourmet as I have small kids and not a lot of time. Thanks. If this thread already exists maybe somebody can send a link.
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justcallmeima
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Wed, May 30 2012, 12:23 pm
If you want to save money, go heavy on the carbs. Pasta is cheap and you can make some really nice yet easy dishes with different types of pastas, or different grains. Rice is cheap and can be delicious. I make an oven fried rice with onions and mushrooms that is out of this world and very cheap. Potatoes are cheap, and easy to make- roasted in the oven is much easier and healthier than kugel. Cabbage is a cheap vegetable so you can make coleslaw and/or a dish with cabbage that can go a long way. Lentils and beans are very very cheap and very very nutritious. Check out Seraph's blog "Penniless Parenting" for more ideas for inexpensive recipes.
Frozen vegetables are cheaper than fresh where I live and they can be more nutritious because they are frozen when they are fresh, not sitting on a truck or a boat for 6 months losing their precious nutrients. I make stir fried frozen vegetables every week.
I stretch chicken by cutting the breasts in half. When I make shnitzel I slice the breast in half width-wise so it makes double the number of pieces, they're just a little thinner, but noone cares!
I buy just the bones to make soup and it costs about $2.00 to make a huge pot.
I have found that people will eat a set number of pieces of chicken no matter what size they are, so you can save money by buying smaller chickens.
I make egg salad with fried onions for shabbos lunch and it is always a huge hit and costs me about $3.00 to serve a huge bowl of it.
For cholent I use lots of barley and onions and potatoes, again I buy bones which are very cheap and are actually what imparts the most flavour into the cholent, and I buy one very small package of a chuck steak and cut it into small pieces just so people see and eat some actual meat.
I buy only which ever fruits and vegetables are on sale. If avocadoes are cheap I buy them. If eggplant is cheap I buy that. I do not go in with a menu in my head and then buy whatever I need no matter the cost. I see what's on sale and I build my menu around that.
Depending on how much time you have, you can go to different stores for different items if for example produce is cheaper in one store and meat in another.
In the city where I live the fish is outrageously expensive except at one store. If I make it to that store we have fish on Shabbos. if not, we live without fish.
I hope this helps!
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flmommy
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Wed, May 30 2012, 5:15 pm
Thank you for your thoughtful and helpful reply
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elmos
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Sat, Jun 02 2012, 8:38 pm
I make alot of side when I have company to help stretch I make different ones depending on what I have in the house or whats on sale
pasta- seame noodle salad easy and fast looks nice can add veggie if you like , shell shaped pasta with frozen or canned spinach with mayo and spice, macaroni or rotini/rotelle if your kids like and you get cheap the colorful ones with carrot celery peper can add scallion or onion and dress with mayo and spice or italian dressing
noodle kugels can be cheap sweet, salt and pepper, yerushalmi, sweet with canned and or dried fruit(rasin/crasin) not sure what your kids like garlic noodle kugel recent in binah
pineapple kugel from canned crushed pineapple (buy on sale) apple/pear kugel use either for any recipe
potatos can be kugel roasted or scallopped
frozen veggies can make interesting sides like garlic green beans or snap peas stirfrys etc
corn salad is very popular with my kids I make bean salad a variety of canned beans with bottle of italian dressing and a sliced onion
tomato cucumber salad can be dressed with lemon or olive oil and spices or mayo and spices
dips can be cheap and easy to make with a hand blender or food processor and than people fill up on that with challah
The tip to base menu on sales is great for fresh produce and buy basics like canned goods and pasta on sale and plan around whats in the cabinet
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elmos
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Sat, Jun 02 2012, 8:38 pm
I make alot of side when I have company to help stretch I make different ones depending on what I have in the house or whats on sale
pasta- seame noodle salad easy and fast looks nice can add veggie if you like , shell shaped pasta with frozen or canned spinach with mayo and spice, macaroni or rotini/rotelle if your kids like and you get cheap the colorful ones with carrot celery peper can add scallion or onion and dress with mayo and spice or italian dressing
noodle kugels can be cheap sweet, salt and pepper, yerushalmi, sweet with canned and or dried fruit(rasin/crasin) not sure what your kids like garlic noodle kugel recent in binah
pineapple kugel from canned crushed pineapple (buy on sale) apple/pear kugel use either for any recipe
potatos can be kugel roasted or scallopped
frozen veggies can make interesting sides like garlic green beans or snap peas stirfrys etc
corn salad is very popular with my kids I make bean salad a variety of canned beans with bottle of italian dressing and a sliced onion
tomato cucumber salad can be dressed with lemon or olive oil and spices or mayo and spices
dips can be cheap and easy to make with a hand blender or food processor and than people fill up on that with challah
The tip to base menu on sales is great for fresh produce and buy basics like canned goods and pasta on sale and plan around whats in the cabinet
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Mrs Bissli
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Mon, Jun 04 2012, 2:53 pm
Some more tips:
* Warm up challah in foil. Guests love to have warmed up challah which means they aren't too hungry
when the main course arrives.
* On similar token, prepare lots of dips/salatim that are ready to be served to stave off meat-hunger.
Make sure to include not just carbs but some protein--lentil salad, chickpea salad, tuna salad, fish salad
(cook frozen cod, mix wtih cubed cooked potato, chopped salad onion, beetroot, mayo), egg salad.
* For mains, use cheaper cuts of red meat (they'll need long slow braising with liquid).
Chicken lomein, chicken salad (use poaching liquid for soup). Also chopped meat is less expensive--
meatloaf, lasagna.
* Find out what fruits/veggies are in season, as they're more nutritious and cheaper.
For us, we'd rather not eat meat/chicken during the week but instead splurge somewhat for shabbat by having both chicken and red meat main dishes.
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