Cut Your Food Budget with These Cheap Meal Ideas

In this time of record oil (and therefore gasoline) prices, rising interest rates, and record setting personal debt levels, many people are feeling the pinch in their wallet. Below are a few meals that I make regularly for my family of three, and they all cost less than $5.00. By using them a few times a week, I am able to save a significant amount.

Pancakes. A box of batter, butter and syrup can make many meals and costs about three dollars, or less than a dollar per mal. Add some canned fruits as a side and this normally breakfast food makes a great meal any time of the day. Waffles can also be made from the batter for variety.

Soup Beans and Cornbread. A stable in rural West Virginia, and most of the south, this is a meal that costs very little and is very filling. At the high end, a box of cornbread mix is still under a dollar. Most mixes use oil and egg. Follow the directions on the box. Canned great northern beans are my preference, but any bean can be used and is very inexpensive. Traditionally this is served with ham in the beans but that is optional. Pour the beans over the buttered cornbread, top off with ketchup and this meal will stay well below five dollars.

Macaroni and Cheese with Meat. A one pound box of macaroni elbows is my most common meal starter. Cook the macaroni per instructions on the box. Once drained, add cheese, milk and butter to taste. A package of pepperoni, a half pound of hamburger or crumbled bacon can be added and keep this meal in the three dollar range. Spaghetti can of course be made very cheaply.

Soup and Grilled Cheese. Standard condensed tomato, vegetable and chicken noodle soup can usually be found on sale for less than a dollar. Combine the soup with a couple of grilled cheese sandwiches.

Tuna or Lunchmeat Sandwiches with Canned or Frozen Vegetables. Perhaps the quickest to prepare, this is also an extremely inexpensive meal.

Toast and Eggs. This is another breakfast food that can be great any time of the day. A small family can dine on this for a couple of dollars. Some canned fruit can also be added inexpensively.