Not much money? Need to make it really stretch? Today we are going to talk about how pasta can stretch your money. These meals can easily cost you under $5 per meal. Shop smart and you can still eat healthy on a tight budget.
1. Pasta is on sale for $1 at Giant ending February 24. STOCK UP! I know, you don’t NEED 5 boxes this week but get it now while it isn’t $1.50 each. You will save $0.50 a box. Oh, and grab a few boxes of egg noodles for $1.00 each.
2. Buy burger, chicken, or sausage, whatever is on sale.
3. Buy diced tomatoes or tomato sauce. Again, whichever is on sale.
4. Cook a box of pasta and then use an option below.
Option 1:
Mix in 1 jar of sauce.
Fry a pound of burger or sausage or boil a few chicken legs or breasts. If you cooked chicken, after the chicken is cooked, shred it.
Mix the meat with the sauce and pasta.
Option 2:
Cook 1/2 bottle italian dressing and shredded chicken.
Throw in some peas, carrots, tomato, green pepper, onion, or broccoli – whatever you have. Cook them with the chicken and italian dressing.
Toss with the pasta.
Add parmesan or shredded cheddar if you have it.
Option 3:
Add a few tablespoons cream or half and half to a can of diced tomatoes. Cook together until the liquid is cooked down.
Toss with pasta.
Option 4:
Put 1 Tablespoon oil in a pan and heat. Add 1 T. parsley, diced garlic or garlic powder, 1 teaspoon chili powder and tuna. Heat together until tuna is heated through. Toss with pasta.
Add some fresh or frozen veggies to the ones that don’t have veggies added and you have a meal. (Wegman’s has frozen veggies for $0.99) Actually, depending on your family size you will have several meals. My advice is portion out the extras and freeze them. Then you have a pasta dish for next week – super easy supper.
Next up….using egg noodles.