7 Meals for $7 or Less – The Breakdown, Part 2

Several days ago, I posted my list of 7 meals I could feed my family of 5 for $7 or less per meal and started a breakdown, by meal, of cost with recipes. Now to finish this list…..

To view the original list and read my ground rules, click here. I’ll split the list into two posts to avoid information overload. For part 1, click here.

1. Spaghetti with Salad- This is an easy recipe. Cost Analysis:
   1. One box of Spaghetti Noodles (We use Ronzoni Smart Taste or Barilla Plus) – $1.50
   2. Either, one can of spaghetti sauce at $1.25 or 1 can of crushed tomatoes and 1 can of tomato sauce at $2 for both
   3. Olive oil – don’t consider it because it is a pantry item
   4. Salt and other spices- also a pantry item
   5. 1/2 onion – 33 cents
   6. Salad is very basic mix of lettuce of your choice($1.49), 1 tomato and 1 cucumber. This salad will last us two meals so I divide the cost of the entire salad($3.28) by 2 to get the final price of $1.64 per meal. This brings the entire cost of the meal to $4.72. If you must add meat to this dish, find meat at less than $2 per lb and only use half! In most dishes where meat is ground up and browned, like spaghetti or casseroles, you can get by with only using 1/2 lb. Even then, the meal is only $5.72 in total
2. Red Beans and Rice with Cornbread 
   1. You can buy 1 bag of dry red kidney beans for less than $1 OR buy 2 cans of kidney beans at $1 per can
   2. One onion- 66 cents
   3. One bell pepper – $1
   4. 2 cloves of garlic – 50 cents
   5. Two celery stalks – If you estimate that one bunch of celery has six stalks (it usually has more, but for the sake of argument…) two stalks will run you 66 cents.
   6. Cajun Seasoning   – for me this is a staple. I use it in many dishes, however, for many people it might not be. Tony Chachares or Zatarains are great brands and will cost about $3. It’s a good investment. I didn’t include it in the price, but even with an extra $3 to buy it initially, you still have a cheap meal. Plus – you can use it to spice up tons of dishes. And cajun cooking, at it’s heart, is frugal cooking. View the recipe.
3. Chicken Pot Pie with Salad
   1. Frozen Pie Crust – $2.50
   2. 1/2 lb of Chicken at 2.50 per pound – $1.25
   3. 1 can Vegall – 77 cents
   4. 1 can Cream of Chicken- 77 cents
   5. Salad – see point #4 – $1.64 Total Cost for this meal – $6.93. View the recipe.
4. Curried Chicken with Rice
   1. 1 lb Chicken – $2.50
   2. 1/4 cup diced onion - 33 cents
   3. 1 clove of garlic – 33 cents
   4. Sour Cream  8 oz – 1.25
   5. Rice – 30 cents – I buy whole grain brown rice (not instant) at 1.13 for a 16 oz bag.
   6. Salad – $1.64 – Total cost to make – $6.35. View the recipe.
5. Pancakes
   1. Flour is the only serious ingredient you have. A 2 lb bag is $1.99.
   2. Bacon. I bought a medium priced package for $3.99 and estimate that I will used half of the package. – $2
   3. 1 egg – 23 cents
   4. The total cost for this meal is $4.23. View the recipe.

Just remember – have fun with being frugal! Consider it a game and spending less, they way to win. If you find any inconsistencies in my calculations, let me know. I’ve been writing this while 3 little boys were whirling around like Tazmanian Devils, laughing, yelling and fighting. Plus, I’m a little sleep-deprived.

Being frugal takes just a little planning and a little effort, but you’ll be proud of yourself when you spend less. If you enjoyed this, you might also appreciate 10 Meals for Under $10 and a post about how I shaved $200 off my grocery bill.