What are your go-to cheap dinners?

[Deleted]

I'm trying to be a little more mindful of money as we finish Christmas shopping. What are your cheap dinners?

[noodleoo]

Veggie tofu stir fry.
Spaghetti with meat sauce and salad.
Tacos.

[isabel]

Homemade soup, sautéed cabbage and Italian sausage, tuna casserole

[ginap]

Tacos
Spag with meat sauce
Frozen orange chicken from Costco or Trader Joes's with frozen brown rice, also from Costco or Trader Joe's.
Breakfast for dinner - eggs, waffles/pancakes
Stir fry

[luckyval]

salads with grilled chicken
breakfast for dinner
stoffers lasagna
shepherd's pie

[eddy]

scrambled eggs with whatever cheese, veggies, tortillas, bread etc I have laying around

[malibu]

Heh. Kraft Mac & Cheese. The child cannot get enough, even though at least once a week I spend two hours making a lower cal/lower fat delicious version.

[Deleted]

Scrambled eggs with rice and black beans. Salsa, tortillas and sour cream if we're living large.

Italian chicken sausage, jarred sauce and pasta

Tator tots with canned chili (or Tabatchnick veg. chili) on top served with shredded cheddar and diced onion

Hot dog bar (because we usually already have all the toppings) with frozen fries/tator tots

All are usually served with a green salad.

[Jalapeñomel]

Tacos
Meatloaf
Meatballs
nachos

[Deleted]

Baked bone in, skin on chicken thighs with various seasonings

I bake them on a wire rack at 425 for 50 minutes.

[vaportrail]

chicken ranch burgers

quinoa with broccoli and cheese

tortellini in creamy garlic sauce

[venice2007]

Salads with protein:chicken, salmon, beef, etc. I buy a big bag of spinach, lots of veggies and cheese. Lasts all week.

[Alyssa]

This is so good!!!  I highly recommend it. 

All you need are some cherry tomatoes, some boneless chicken, balsamic vinegar and noodles.  If you want to get fancy, add some fresh grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil. You can spread it out to two meals.

[karmasabiotch]

Hamburger Helper. I don't know why they call it that, it works fine on its own. With real tomato Ketchup.

Points for the people who know what movie this is from.

[Deleted]

Dec 16, 2013 16:14:35 GMT -5 pagas said:

spaghetti carbonara, roast chicken with potatoes and carrots, breakfast for dinner, tacos

Do you have a recipe for your carbonara?

[eb777888]

tacos, black-eyed peas and hamhocks (any dry beans will work, chicken drumsticks, and chili are my main go-to's when trying to cut back the budget.

[karmasabiotch]

Dec 16, 2013 18:16:50 GMT -5 jamie.1022 said:

Dec 16, 2013 17:23:37 GMT -5 karmasabiotch said:

Hamburger Helper. I don't know why they call it that, it works fine on its own. With real tomato Ketchup.

Points for the people who know what movie this is from.

How do you like yours?
Oh, medium rare, a little pink on the inside.
No, your bun.

Win!

[Deleted]

Dec 16, 2013 17:19:20 GMT -5 specialk said:

Kielbasa

Yes! And pierogies.

[purrbox]

Tacos

Spaghetti (without meat is even cheaper)

Some sort of chicken dish

[hisno1girl]

Roasted Pork Shoulder. I got one for $1.39/lb and slow cooked it over night. I shredded it and froze it in dinner sized portions and will use it for:

Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches
Pork Hash
Pulled pork quesadillas
Pulled pork tacos w/guac
Pork in a red chile sauce

You can really use it in anything.  The pork shoulder I bought will easily make 10-12 meals.

[spellingbea]

Quiche
Chili
Lemon or barbecue chicken thighs
Beans and rice
Homemade veggie burgers