What is your favorite $5-7 dinner?

[TwoMisfits]

Great thread- but you've lost me already. Im assuming Aldi's is a regional store because Ive never heard of it here in MA. But a gallon of milk is a dollar?? And eggs are 60 cents??

Yeah - they get you in the door with low prices on milk, dairy, breads, canned fruits/veg, and produce - other things are closer to regular prices (they have cheap their brand snacks, but I don't love those). They have no fish counter or deli and usually only 5-7 aisles. They also have you do most of the work, bagging your own groceries and putting your own carts back. They have been expanding rapidly across the US (we only got them 2 years ago). They are awesome to have around, even if you don't shop there, b/c they force other grocers to compete...so I can stop at 2 stores (b/c Aldi's is never enough as a one stop) and get produce loss leaders at both and have 10-12 items to choose from for the week...

Like this week, it's $2.29/2lb Honeycrisp apples, $1.29 pineapples, 99cents for 24 oz tomatoes on the vine, 99 cent avocados, 79 cent pomegranites, and $1.29 3 pack caramel apples at Aldi's.

HMart's are also awesome for fresh produce prices, but you have to be ready to be creative...I'm heading tomorrow for the $1.29 strawberries, but I'm also gonna get $.69/lb Jonah gold apples, $.79/avocados (see, competition is awesome), some Wawa Choy or Yu Choy (nope, not exactly sure what this is, but gonna grab it to use like bok choy - pretty sure they are the same family) at $.59/lb and $.79/lb, Enoki Mushrooms at $1.50/pack, and Tofu for 99 cents/lb...(and fresh peanuts for $1.29/lb if I'm really in the mood to go nuts with an Asian dish)...

 

[Hikergirl]

Lentil and brown rice tacos

I love Aldi's, but ours does not have $1 gallons of milk or 60 cent eggs. I pay $2.39 for a gallon which is about 90 cents lower than the grocery store. I don't buy my eggs there, if they were 60 cents I definitely would.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Lentil and brown rice tacos

I love Aldi's, but ours does not have $1 gallons of milk or 60 cent eggs. I pay $2.39 for a gallon which is about 90 cents lower than the grocery store. I don't buy my eggs there, if they were 60 cents I definitely would.

I think different states have different minimum prices, at least on milk. I used to think my state's was high, til Aldi's came to town. Once they got here, what used to be $4 everywhere for a generic whole milk gallon has now dropped under $3 almost everywhere...with Aldi's being the best at $.95 (they now limit you to 6 gallons per shop trip b/c I think restaurants were coming by at that price)...

 

[usnuzuloose]

I don't really do recipes, so I can't say that dinners really run even that much between two people. But I do love the crockpot and it can certainly make many dinners to also freeze for later on in the week.

We do simple taco and burritos. Meat , cheese and simple toppings.
I buy meat in clearance section. So I do find steaks that are semi big enough for us to share.

Simple roasts and cook in the crockpot for pulled pork. And use the rest for a few different different dinners.

You could always buy the chickens , and or ribs the stores have made and get a salad and make a veggie or can of beans and a garlic bread.

Tonight I had a cucumber sandwich and a glass of milk.

Pinterest can always be a good place for different , cheap and easy meals.

Breakfasts are always good. Pancakes, french toast. I love eating breakfast for dinner as well.

 

[MillauFr]

I like the NY Strip steaks at Costco. $6.99 a pound. My son and I split one.

 

[DisMommyTX]

Family favorite cheap pantry recipe is:

1 can chicken
1 can black beans
1/2 package Chicken Taco seasoning mix

Stir together on stove-top, ready in 3 min.

Serve on corn tortillas with cheese, lettuce, tomato, etc;
Kids prefer it on tortilla chips as nachos;
Or, add red kidney beans, corn, and a can of tomatoes to make soup.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Another nice recipe - this one, the veg stars and offsets a really nice protein...the veg works with green or red cabbage, or even the slaw bags...it works with any apple and extra apple and any onion...and even any vinegar...just get the sweet, salty, sour, peppery thing down and cook it down...

Braised Red Cabbage with Apple and Onion https://www.marthastewart.com/317431/braised-red-cabbage-with-apple-and-onion
1 onion $.25
1 small red cabbage bag or small head $1.50
1 Gala apple $.25-.50
1 TB butter $.15
Salt/pepper/apple cider vinegar $.15
Water

Total veg side $2.55

Serve with either a pork chop or a pork loin or a tenderloin...Last time, I did a BBQ glazed pork loin for this dish...
Pork Loin (can make nice medallions or keep whole) 1.25 lb $2.50
1/4 BBQ sauce bottle (Teriyaki or Mustard glaze works, too) $.25-$.50
Salt and Pepper to taste

Pork total $2.75

Serve with a crusty bread loaf ($.99) to soak everything up or any potato (roasted, baked, mashed) for a total of $6.29

Edit - Baked skin on bone in chicken thighs also go really well with this dish - you can just s&p them or you can glaze them in the last 5 minutes with any glaze mentioned...or if you want more work, shnitzel is the classic and would also work great...

 

[mom+3girls]

made this yesterday,
1 lb back beans 1.00 at Dollar tree
2 packages of spicy sausages totaling 4 sausages 1.00 per pack total 2.00 at Dollar Tree
3 tablespoons Cajun Seasoning I have no idea how much that amounts to
1 onion Walmart .25
2 bell peppers free from my garden

soaked beans over night, next morning put every thing in a crock pot except the sausages with 12 cups of water, cook on low for 6-8 hours, last 30 minutes add the sausages.

served with white rice.

this meals total cost around 4 bucks

 

[neatokimmo]

Lentil and brown rice tacos

I love Aldi's, but ours does not have $1 gallons of milk or 60 cent eggs. I pay $2.39 for a gallon which is about 90 cents lower than the grocery store. I don't buy my eggs there, if they were 60 cents I definitely would.

Our milk is about $3 at Aldi but sometimes the eggs are 38 cents.

 

[tarheel618]

Love Aldis but milk and eggs here are cheaper at Sam's club

 

[TwoMisfits]

I have an Hmart meal I made up myself I'm trying tomorrow. It might be a disaster, but it gives an idea of what you can find at stores not named Aldi...this has worked great before with other marinated meats and cabbage-like vegs, but pork belly might have a few challenges...

Crockpot Korean Pork Stew - serves 4+
1 lb Korean Marinated Pork Belly Slices (I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to pour out the stew juices and freeze them to degrease it...I usually used marinated chicken thighs or pork pieces, but this was so cheap today...so it's an experiment to see how this works)...$3.99
1 lb Yu Choy (1st time with this veg, but a cabbagey effect goes great with pork and Korean spices...and this veg looks like a cross between a cabbage and a green) $.79
1 lb Onion $.43 (3lbs were $1.29 today)
3 stalks Celery $.25 (still getting rid of last week's $1.50 medium one)
Salt/Pepper/Cornstarch Slurry $.15
Total Stew Cost $5.61
I'll cook it on low for 6-8 hours til the pork is melting...then I'll shred the pork (hopefully - and dice it if it won't shred) and freeze the juice til it layers (if necessary - it's not necessary with the skinless chicken thighs)...then add it back, use a cornstarch slurry if needed and cook 15-30 minutes more...

I bought a 5 pack of Naan bread to go with this for $1.49 - I thought it would be great for dipping and soaking up and it means I can just do dinner in a 5 minute prep at the end...

Total dinner cost $7.10

At HMart, a different Korean marinated meat is always on sale as is a cabbage/greens product, so it's a meal that will be around this price all year and able to be changed up to taste differently each time...it's pretty much 3 parts veg to 1 part meat and the veg brings down the heat and spice of the marinade to make it a beautiful flavor...

PS - I usually serve this over rice, b/c it's perfect that way, but I won't be home to make rice - thus, the Naan...it's cheaper and even better with rice...

 

[snowwite]

I am going to meal plan for an entire year. I have a big pantry and an extra freezer. I know I won’t be able to stick to it perfectly, but I want a plan.

We just have three in our family. What is your favorite cheap dinner?

1.beef stew in crock pot (1 of diced onion, 1lb diced stew beef browned,6 scrubbed and halfed new potatoes,3 lg peeled chopped carrots and one packet of campbells crock pot sauce for pot roast). This makes enough for several meals and freezes well.
2. Spaghetti or linguini, pesto (I grow basil in pot on patio) and you can also add mint and peas or just make it traditional. Sometimes I add diced cooked chicken breast
3. single pan dinner in 9 x 13 pan(thighs or breast) over 2 cups rice, broccoli or green beans. Cover with can any creamy soup and 1 cup water. Cover with foil and bake 350 until chicken is done. It cooks the rice and veg and makes own sauce.
4. American chop suey-1 lb ground beef scrambled,one sautéed chopped onion and one chopped green pepper,1 box elbow macaroni, 1 large can chopped tomatoes. Mix all together. It's yummy as leftovers and freezes well.
5. Grilled kielbasa with home made macaroni and cheese
6. Quesadilla with grilled peppers, onions and chicken. Served with sliced avocado, cilantro and pico de gallo and canned, rinsed black beans and sour cream
7. Frittata (6 beaten eggs or box eggbeaters),1 lb shredded cheddar, half can rinsed and drained black beans, chopped onion and peppers, sliced zucchini,chopped roma tomato. Cook veggies in oven safe sauté pan or skillet, pour in half cheddar, cover with eggs, top with rest of cheese. Bake 400 degrees x 20-25 mins until top is brown and knife comes out clean. We like this with the rest of the avocado and sour cream

 

[snowwite]

I have an Hmart meal I made up myself I'm trying tomorrow. It might be a disaster, but it gives an idea of what you can find at stores not named Aldi...this has worked great before with other marinated meats and cabbage-like vegs, but pork belly might have a few challenges...

Crockpot Korean Pork Stew - serves 4+
1 lb Korean Marinated Pork Belly Slices (I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to pour out the stew juices and freeze them to degrease it...I usually used marinated chicken thighs or pork pieces, but this was so cheap today...so it's an experiment to see how this works)...$3.99
1 lb Yu Choy (1st time with this veg, but a cabbagey effect goes great with pork and Korean spices...and this veg looks like a cross between a cabbage and a green) $.79
1 lb Onion $.43 (3lbs were $1.29 today)
3 stalks Celery $.25 (still getting rid of last week's $1.50 medium one)
Salt/Pepper/Cornstarch Slurry $.15
Total Stew Cost $5.61
I'll cook it on low for 6-8 hours til the pork is melting...then I'll shred the pork (hopefully - and dice it if it won't shred) and freeze the juice til it layers (if necessary - it's not necessary with the skinless chicken thighs)...then add it back, use a cornstarch slurry if needed and cook 15-30 minutes more...

I bought a 5 pack of Naan bread to go with this for $1.49 - I thought it would be great for dipping and soaking up and it means I can just do dinner in a 5 minute prep at the end...

Total dinner cost $7.10

At HMart, a different Korean marinated meat is always on sale as is a cabbage/greens product, so it's a meal that will be around this price all year and able to be changed up to taste differently each time...it's pretty much 3 parts veg to 1 part meat and the veg brings down the heat and spice of the marinade to make it a beautiful flavor...

I'm definitely trying the stew. I'm always looking for new crockpot recipes.

 

[TwoMisfits]

I'm definitely trying the stew. I'm always looking for new crockpot recipes.

If you can't find the Korean marinated meats (since HMart's aren't everywhere), I'm sure a bottled marinade (in the same vein) would work...

 

[PollyannaMom]

Great thread- but you've lost me already. Im assuming Aldi's is a regional store because Ive never heard of it here in MA. But a gallon of milk is a dollar?? And eggs are 60 cents??

There's one in Raynham that I've been to when I was over that way. Between the distance and the limited stock, it's not my usual grocery store, but I got some good deals on snacks, and I love that you bag your own - I can organize according to how I put away!

 

[PollyannaMom]

I make stuffed peppers pretty cheaply when bell peppers are on sale (or in season at farm stands).

Cut them in half so both sides will lay pretty flat. (I bake mine in a glass pan - either a square one or the size you'd make brownies in, depending on how many you need to fit.) Set your oven to 350 degrees and start them upside down in a little water for about 20 minutes while you get the filling ready.

You need a starch, protein, and sauce. The basic recipe is rice, ground beef, and pasta sauce, but I've done it with whatever leftovers I had - cut up chicken instead of the beef, couscous instead of the rice...whatever you are trying to use up will work. Sometimes I throw in a can of mushrooms too.

Cook the rice and ground beef if they aren't already, and mix all the filling stuff together, reserving a little sauce. Take the peppers out and carefully turn them over. Pack the stuffing in pretty densely, put a little extra sauce on top, add some shredded or grated cheese if you like, and bake for another 20 minutes or so, until they reach the tenderness you prefer.

 

[snowwite]

Great thread- but you've lost me already. Im assuming Aldi's is a regional store because Ive never heard of it here in MA. But a gallon of milk is a dollar?? And eggs are 60 cents??

There are some in MA but I don't have one close to me. My daughter saves a lot going there.

 

[MEM]

There are some in MA but I don't have one close to me. My daughter saves a lot going there.

Raynham, Worcester, Milford, Plymouth, Medford and a bunch in Western MA. I'm closest to Medford but have not been - Aldi is fairly new to the Eastern part of the state.

 

[.landry]

This is a REALLY great budget recipe book. This woman did it as a masters thesis! Meals for $4 a day
it has a lot of fresh ingredients and she tries to keep things simple and as healthy as possible
https://cookbooks.leannebrown.com/good-and-cheap.pdf

 

[DisneyHardin]

Excellent - then here's another really awesome meal...I do this when I find the lamb on 1/2 off sale...works with any cheap cut...

Crockpot Irish Lamb Stew
Lamb Rib/Shoulder/Boney Cheap Cut 1 lb $2.50
...

Where do you find lamb so cheap? My DH loves lamb stew, but the very cheapest I ever find it is about $6 a pound.