If you only had $5.00 what would you fix for a family of 4?

[SizzlininIN]

Just curious what you could come up with for a meal for 4 if you only had $5.00 and had rely on what you had in your pantry (staples only....flour, sugar, spices, etc...).


An old standby....cheap meal I grew up on and fix maybe twice a year is Soup Beans and Cornbread.

I'd just have to buy the beans, hamhocks, and cornbread mix as I'd have the rest of the items needed.

Another one is Meatloaf, Green Beans, Mac & Cheese. I'd just need to buy the hamburger, green beans and Mac & Cheese.....I'd have the other stuff needed to make this meal.

 

[kitchenelf]

From the pantry only I guess I could make some sort of spaghetti sauce out of tomato sauce and herbs and tomato paste.

Or a soup out of canned tomatoes chopped up, a white bean, and chicken broth - then herbs to taste.

But if I was going to buy something in the meat department I would buy 4 chicken leg/thigh quarters for around $3.00, season it with different herbs/spices or make a gravy out of cream of soup and then fix some rice or egg noodles and whatever veggie was in there.

 

[crewsk]

Spaghetti...I always have a can of spaghetti sauce & noodles in the cabinet. I also always have ground beef in the freezer. All I would have to by would be a loaf of French bread for garlic bread.

Pinto beans & cornbread...I keep everything I ned for that around all the time.

I know I have more but I can't think of them right now. :?

 

[masteraznchefjr]

Thats a hard one. Hmm soup noodle? lol just add water 1 carrot 1 onion, 1 tomatoe, can of chicken broth. herb it up and spice 1 package of noodles.

 

[pdswife]

Breakfast....
Soft boiled eggs on toast, served with
sliced fruit. OR... French toast


Lunch....
A can of soup
and some cucumber slices and sliced tomato

Dinner...
Kraft Mac and cheese with sliced mushrooms.
Green beans, steamed
and a loaf of French Bread

 

[SizzlininIN]

Another one I thought of would be homemade Chicken Noodles served over Mashed Potatoes. I'd just have to buy the whole chicken.

 

[Michael in FtW]

Slum Gullion - like Mom used to make

1+ pound hambuger (browned) and drain all but about 2 Tablespoons fat.

A large onion diced, 2-3 cloves garlic minced, large green bell pepper small diced - sauted until tender.

Add 1 large (about 28 oz) can diced tomatoes, and salt and black pepper to taste. Simmer for about 5-10 minutes, uncovered, to reduce juices.

Combine with 1 pound cooked pasta - mac or egg noodles.


Of course, a hearty vege soup, or a big pot of beans and rice, and some cornbread, would probably be cheaper.

 

[luvs]

tuna casserole. bean soup and bread and butter. spaghetti and marinara
sauce. grilled cheeses and canned tomato soup. American cheese omelets, toast, and sausage. egg salad sandwiches or tuna salad sandwiches and canned chicken noodle soup. drinks would be anything that was already in my kitchen.
for lunch, Stouffer's macaroni and cheese; there are two servings per/pkg., and they are $2.50 each, so i'd stock up when they were buy one, get one free, and assuming the family was 2 adults, 2 tots, i'd buy one to split between them, and one each for the adults when they were buy one, get one free. thiis would come to $3.75, plus 2 44-cent cans of tomato soup, & fruit for dessert. i would probably already have milk at home to drink.
breakfast is rather easy:
eggs and toast, cereal and milk and juice, pop-tarts and milk, sausage and eggs and toast, leftovers, anything, really.

 

[JohnL]

I'd go with the chicken leg quarters also,
Usually .49 to 59 cents a pound in my area.
Rice as a starch and whatever frozen veg thats on sale, again usually .99 cents for a 1 pound bag.
Red beans and rice with a loaf of crusty bread could also be made for less than $5.
John.

 

[Paint]

Mushroom Stroganoff:

Any sort of pasta I had in the larder (or around 50c from Walmart),
1 small tub of light sour cream (around $1 from Walmart)
8oz of button mushrooms, sliced, (around $1 if you buy them loose)
4oz of Portabello mushrooms, sliced (around $2 if you buy them loose)
1 onion (around 50c if you buy loose).
Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, 1/2 cup medium sherry, S&P and mushroom ketchup from the larder. (mushroom ketchup optional but really good, and YES - alcohol IS considered a staple in our house LOL!)

Sautee the onion until lightly browned and cooked, add the mushrooms and saute, add the sherry and simmer for a couple of minutes. Add the sour cream, S&P, a shake of each sauce (worcestershire, soy & mushroom if you've got it). Serve tossed into cooked pasta.

Paint.

 

[Darkstream]

CHILLI BEANS

I believe, and American staple.

 

[norgeskog]

A whole roasted chicken (usually not more than $3.00) and vegies, mashed potatoes. What is left of the chicken can be chicken salad sandwiches with added chopped onion, celery, apple and walnuts.

 

[kitchenelf]

A whole roasted chicken (usually not more than $3.00) and vegies, mashed potatoes. What is left of the chicken can be chicken salad sandwiches with added chopped onion, celery, apple and walnuts.

...or in keeping with the "broke" theme - a good chicken salad to me just has a little celery, hardboiled egg, and a bit of onion - not even much mayo - ground in processor (before adding all the other ingredients).

 

[wasabi]

I'd give each of them a dollar and take them to McDs to order from the value menu and still have a dollar left......Only kidding

 

[SizzlininIN]

Your so bad Wasabi

$5.00 isn't that much when considering feeding a family of 4 but I think we've proven with a little planning and having some staples in your pantry it is possible to fix some really good things.

Paint ......... what the heck is a larder?

Mushroom Stroganoff:

Any sort of pasta I had in the larder (or around 50c from Walmart),

 

[kitchenelf]

Sizzlin' - it's a pantry.

 

[crewsk]

I just thought of another one! Hamburger steaks, mashed taters, & what ever veggie I have in the cabinet at the time(i keep a wide variety). All I may need to buy is potatoes & a 5lb bag of Idaho's are only about $2 at the grocery store. I could also pick up some button mushrooms, an onion, & maybe a bell pepper & sautee those in some butter to go on top of the hb steaks.

 

[SizzlininIN]

Crewsk.......is hamburger steak .........cube steak? If so, I love this dredged in flour w/ paprika, s & p and fried till golden brown and then finished off in the oven to finish cooking. I love covering it with a peppery white gravy along with mashed potatoes and green beans. Think I'll be making this one the coming week..........thanks for the reminder and I'll I'm out is the cost of the meat . Maybe I'll just sit here and think this whole $5.00 thing a little more. Heck maybe I'll save enough and have some extra for a manicure

 

[kitchenelf]

Sizzlin' - we could almost do a "challenge" so to speak - a whole week of $5.00 dinners - see how everyone does - Let me eat my steak first

Start out on a Sunday - end on Friday with a manicure? 8)

 

[crewsk]

Sizz, around here cubed steak like that is considered country fried steak. Hamburger steak is a made with ground beef, seasoned with your favorite stuff(s&p, paprika, etc.)& made into large patties & then just cooked in the oven or in a pan.