My goal is to provide dinner for my family for an average of $5 except on special occasions. We don’t have to eat beans and rice to accomplish this goal! We typically only cook a main dish 4 or 5 times a week. each main dish cooked will serve 4-6, and the leftovers will be for easy dinners on the weekend, or to freeze for another week. This cuts down on cleaning, cooking, and meal planning- saving us lots of time!
Left over Ziti Pasta with green beans, cinnamon toast and pineapples
leftover ziti pasta @ free
1 can green beans @ .25
1 can pineapple @ free (brookshire’s $1/1 Food Club Q)
3 slices of toast @ .18
Total Cost: $0.43
Chick-fil-A carry out on Tuesday night.
Adult Meal @ around $5.50
3 piece chicken strips @ free with Q
Kids Meal @ free because it’s kids’ night
Total Cost: around $5.50
Dairy Queen Carry Out with grapes at home
2 kids meals (chicken strips, fries, soda, dilly bar) @ 6.38
1 jr. buster @ 1.29
1/4 lb. grapes @ .38
Total Cost: $8.05
Breaded Shrimp, Pineapple, green beans
1/2 box of Seapak Butterfly Shrimp @ 2.34
1 can of green beans @ .25
pineapple left over from ziti leftover night @ free
Total Cost: $2.59
Little Caesar’s Pizza, Grapes
1 pizza @ 5.00
1/2 lb. grapes @.77
Total Cost: $5.77
McDonald’s and apples
2 Double Cheeseburgers @ 2.00
1 small fries @ 1.00
1apple at home @ .40
Total Cost: $3.40 (I have other plans for dinner)
Tomato Soup, cheese crackers, and baked potatoes
2 cans of tomato soup @ 1.04
1/2 box cheese crackers @ .62
2 medium potatoes @ .40
baked potato toppings @ .20
Total Cost: $2.26
Total Cost for 7 meals is $28.11. I could cook one night, but I don’t think it’s worth saving $3.11 on a hectic week just for the sake of keeping it under $25.