Low-Budget Meal Ideas: $40 and Under!

[ChefSandi]

Hi! I'm doing a Low-Budget Meal show for a friend in a couple of weeks and was wondering if anyone had ideas of what recipes would be good...I had thought about the Mandarin Pasta Salad or the Family-Sized Burrito...I might make two things (a dessert, too?) because there are co-hosts and they are willing to spend $40 total on ingredients/drinks/etc. Any ideas??

Thanks in advance!

 

[soonerchef]

The salad is kind of expensive but the taco ring and pineapple upside down cake combined might be $10.

 

[gilliandanielle]

Anything with pasta is pretty cheap, like baked ziti or this recipe I stole from here somewhere:
CHEESY MOSTACCIOLI


1 package (16 oz) mostaccioli pasta, uncooked
1 ½ pounds ground beef
1 jar (28 oz) spaghetti sauce
1 can (11oz) condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
3 cups (12oz) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. In medium nonstick skillet, cook and stir beef over medium-high heat until browned. Remove from heat; pour off drippings. Stir in spaghetti sauce, soup, pepper and seasonings. In greased 13x9 baking pan, combine pasta, sauce mixture and 2 cups of the cheese. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese on top. Bake 40 minutes or until heated through.
Yeild: 10-12 servings

 

[dannyzmom]

How about the Italian Pasta Stir Fry?

 

[jdavis]

Cheap dessert could be either a microwave cake or the 2-step fudge.

 

[Sk8Mom209]

What about doing part of the power cooking demo and show how you can make multiple meals at once for pennies a serving!

 

[gilliandanielle]

Wouldn't doing power cooking defeat the point of it being an inexpensive show if you have to buy tons of food to make a ton of dinners? Can you make only a little bit of a power cooking recipe?

 

[jdavis]

Does she mean that she wants low budget meal ideas for the guests since they are on tight budgets or just something cheap to show off? I am assuming that it is that the hosts don't want to spend a ton, but with the suggestion of power cooking it wouldn't be less than $40 including drinks and everything I wouldn't think.

 

[Sk8Mom209]

Isn't the point of power cooking to save time and money? Buy in bulk cook prep several meals at once for pennies a serving? For a quicker less expensive demo you could do 3 meals instead of a whole week. I think power cooking a the perfect demo for a low budget show.

 

[jdavis]

I know that, I was just saying that I think she is referring to it meaning that the hosts don't want to spend too much, but Yes it would depend on which power cooking recipes you used for the demo to stay under $40 with drinks and all.

 

[ChefSandi]

Well, originally I think that my friend was thinking of doing a low budget theme for the guests -- like, here are some yummy, low-cost recipes and some tips for saving money....but since she's talked with her co-host it seems to have turned to just them saving money as hosts, so I'm not really sure, actually -- I've passed on several ideas, including the Power Cooking idea, but I haven't heard back from them yet...I'm still open to ideas! Thank you for your input!

 

[jdavis]

So it could be benefit both to have a low budget meal show. A micro-cake or the 2-step fudge would be a great dessert and doesn't have to cost more than a couple dollars, or the profiterole puffs since they are mostly what you already have in your fridge, the family sized baked burritto can't cost too much, I was told you could use just refried beans instead of a can of bean dip since it is cheaper and some of the stuff for that you would probably already have on hand also.

 

[kat29]

Anything with pasta is pretty cheap, like baked ziti or this recipe I stole from here somewhere:
CHEESY MOSTACCIOLI


1 package (16 oz) mostaccioli pasta, uncooked
1 ½ pounds ground beef
1 jar (28 oz) spaghetti sauce
1 can (11oz) condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
3 cups (12oz) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. In medium nonstick skillet, cook and stir beef over medium-high heat until browned. Remove from heat; pour off drippings. Stir in spaghetti sauce, soup, pepper and seasonings. In greased 13x9 baking pan, combine pasta, sauce mixture and 2 cups of the cheese. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese on top. Bake 40 minutes or until heated through.
Yeild: 10-12 servings

I'm going to have to try this...It sounds so good and easy! I love pasta!!!

 

[gilliandanielle]

I haven't tried it yet, but I am excited to!