When I was young Mom used to be able to make $5 go where most people would spend $25. We ate a lot of imaginative meals using hot dogs and ground beef (the cheapest meats at the time). At one point we had a weekly meal of New England Boiled Dinner made with a few beef soup bones and various root vegetables. It actually was a favorite. We'd mash the potatoes and carrots, put in a dollop of margarine, and pour the stock over the mess and were happy. One thing: There was NO room for fussy eaters. I have one sister who got over being a fussy eater, but to this day hates anything made with ground beef.