| Money is tight for a lot of us. Thankfully there are | | | | Chicken and Rice |
| plenty of quick and easy meals you can prepare | | | | Get a whole chicken at the grocery store. Put it in |
| at home that don't cost an arm and a leg. In fact, | | | | the crockpot and cook all day until the meat falls |
| you can feed a family of four for under $5 per | | | | off the bone. Make a bag of rice and some |
| dinner with the ideas below. | | | | chicken gravy. You can get the gravy premade in |
| Homemade Soup | | | | a jar, or use a small gravy packet. I prefer the |
| One of our favorite frugal meals is just about any | | | | packets because they are a lot cheaper. Serve |
| type of homemade soup. Get out a large pot. | | | | with a side salad or a can of green beans. |
| Add a little bit of oil to it. Chop up a small onion | | | | You should have plenty of chicken leftover for |
| and sauté it in the oil until it's tender and | | | | another meal as well as some great chicken stock |
| fragrant. Add any leftover meat that's hanging | | | | to make soup out of. I shred the leftover chicken |
| out in the fridge or brown a little bit of ground | | | | and use it for chicken salad sandwiches, as a filling |
| beef or even sausage. If you like garlic, you can | | | | in enchiladas, burritos, lasagna or casseroles. |
| add a little of that too. | | | | Baked Potatoes |
| Fill the pot about 2/3 of the way with water and | | | | Turn your baked potatoes into a full meal. Bake |
| some bouillon cubes, or use some homemade | | | | them as usual, cut them in half. Then dig anything |
| stock. Pick your starch. You can dice a few | | | | and everything out of the fridge that might make |
| potatoes and add them to your soup, pour in | | | | a good topping. This is great for using up leftover |
| some rice, or add some pasta. For noodle soup I | | | | vegetables, spaghetti sauce etc. I like mine topped |
| like to break thin spaghetti noodles in half twice. | | | | with some cottage cheese, my daughter prefers |
| Add your veggies. The sky is the limit here. You | | | | them with cheddar cheese. We've topped them |
| can use leftovers, canned or fresh vegetables. | | | | with leftover taco beef, shredded chicken and |
| Precooked beans add a lot of bulk to your soup | | | | finely diced ham. |
| and make it more filling. | | | | |