Budget Friendly Meals

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Dinner for Less

Looking for budget friendly meals that will help you stretch your dwindling dollars? This page is dedicated to helping you find great tasting recipes that won't break the bank along with tips and ideas that will really help you cut your grocery bills while still eating good every night.

Find Money saving recipe links, an entire "shopping list" of money saving tips, reader recommended super saving sites and more.

While here have some interactive fun by sharing your best ideas for saving money at the grocery store. Speak your mind. Add your comments. Take a few polls. Share the links to your favorite money savings sites and recipes.

Help me make this page work better for everyone by sharing your insight. Together we can cut back and save even more on groceries.



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Less Expensive Meat

Using less expensive cuts or better yet cutting back on meat can really help you save money on your grocery bill.

Beside that, cutting back on the amount of meat used in your recipes will both save you money and produce healthier meals for your family.

Budget Friendly Meals from Kraft.com

Cheesy Beef & Veggie Pasta
Cheesy Beef & Veggie Pasta recipe from Kraft.com
America's Favorite Grilled Cheese Sandwich
America's Favorite Grilled Cheese Sandwich recipe from Kraft.com
Fiesta Meatloaf
Fiesta Meatloaf Recipe from Kraft.com

Slow Cooking to Save Money

To Save Money

The Kraft.com site recommends slow cooking to help you save on your gocery bills.

"You'll save money without sacrificing quality by buying less-expensive cuts of meat. Slow-cooking (also called braising) budget cuts in a bit of liquid results in deliciously tender and flavorful meat. To prevent moisture from evaporating, resist the urge to lift the lid during cooking. When a meat fork can be inserted and pulled out of the thickest part without resistance, it's done."
Source

Take a look at one of these slow cookers. Think of it as an investment towards future savings.
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Slow Cooker Recipe Sites

You'll find many fantastic slow cooker recipes at these sites.
Crockpot Recipes - More than 1400 Crockpot Recipes for the Crock Pot or Slow Cooker
The crockpot recipes index has over 1400 recipes for appetizers, beef, ground beef, chicken and turkey, pork, desserts, vegetables. Also dessert and cheesecake recipes for the Crock Pot or slow cooker.
Slow cooker Recipes from Allrecipes.com
Recipes for Slow Cooking Main dishes from Allrecipes.com
Quick-and-Easy-Crock-Pot-Recipes. Easy recipes for crockpot slowcooking
Quick and Easy Crock Pot Recipes for any meal. Find the perfect crock pot recipe. Learn more about CrockPot Recipes, Crock Pots and Crock Pot Cooking.

Already Own One

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Coupons

Coupons are a great way to save money on your family's meals as long as you only clip and use the ones that go to things you normally would buy.

Using coupons to buy things you don't really need will only end up costing you more at the cash register.

Organize Your Coupons

There is no point in clipping them if you can't find the right coupons when you need them.

A handy coupon organizer will pay itself off in a very short time.
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Do You Do It?

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Never Shop Hungry

Eat something before you head out to the grocery store. Shopping hungry is a sure fire way to increase your food bill.

Budget Friendly Recipe Sites

Cooking on a Budget?? Try our FREE quick and easy FRUGAL RECIPES!
BetterBudgeting.com Frugal Recipe List
8 Budget Friendly Recipes
8 Budget Friendly Recipes
Creating meals on a budget doesn't have to be difficult.
CheapCooking.com: Cheap recipes, easy recipes, chicken recipes
Free recipes and money-saving tips to cut your food bill. Chicken recipes, pasta recipes, soup recipes, and many more easy recipes--all cheap recipes to save you money. Read free articles on meal planning, shopping tips, pantry organization, using your freezer to save money, and a cost-per-serving c
Frugal Dinner Recipes - LoveToKnow Save
Frugal Dinner Recipes From LoveToKnow Save Frugal dinner recipes are a great tool for keeping your grocery budget under control. Whether you're cooking for your entire family or making meals for one, having access to a stash of quick and easy meal ideas is an essential part of frug
Cooks.com - Recipes - Cheap Dinner
Cheap Dinner Recipes from Cooks.com
SavingDinner.com
SavingDinner.com - bringing families back to the dinnertable with healthy menu plans, grocery shopping lists and recipes.

Leftovers

The most remarkable thing about my mother is that for thirty years she served the family nothing but leftovers. The original meal has never been found.
Calvin Trillin (1935 - )

Cook Once - Eat Twice

Eating left-overs can help you save money. If your family doesn't like left-overs, disguise them so that they think it's a whole new meal.

Best Recipes for Leftovers

Save money by cooking with your left overs instead of throwing them away.
Leftover Turkey, Leftover Chicken, Leftover Recipes - LeftOverChef.com - Home
Do you have too many leftovers? Turkey Leftovers, Chicken Leftovers and more? We have recipes that use them as ingredients! Search by what you already have in your home.
Recipes for Leftovers
Don't toss your leftovers! Wonderful meals can be made with these recipes for leftover potatoes, ham, turkey, chicken, spaghetti and almost everything else.
Top Picks: Favorite Recipes for Leftovers
Here are some of my favorite recipes for using leftovers.
Barbecue Leftovers - Store and reheat leftover barbecue for a second perfect meal
Piles of barbecue can leave you with piles of leftovers. Don't dry out your hard work in the microwave. Take care and you can find that these wonderful piles of meat in the refrigerator can be used for lots of things, and that you can heat it up almost as good as the day you smoked it.

Be Aware

Before heading out for groceries always check the sale flyers to see which store is offering the best deals.

Due to the high price of gas I feel it's best to pick one store instead of shopping around unless of course the opposing stores are nearby.

Split the Bill

Buying groceries at those warehouse shopping clubs really can save you money but sometimes those packages are just too much to handle.

Shop with a friend and split the bill to reap the big club savings without having to buy a year's worth of canned peas all at once.

How to Save on Groceries and Food

Save Money on Groceries

The following is a list of links to great articles and can't-miss-these websites for you to visit to learn how to save on groceries and food while still feeding your family wonderful meals.
Be sure to visit all of these sites. Each has several ideas and information to help you get the most out of your weekly grocery shopping.
How To Save Money On Food - Coupon tricks, dining out, bulk food discounts...
How To Save Money On Food Coupons, Dining Out, etc.
Ways to Save Money on Monthly Food Bill
Ways to save money on monthly food bill; ways to get out of debt.
Save Money on Food - Kiplinger.com
You gotta eat. The trick is to satisfy the hunger without starving your wallet.According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the average American family of four spends $8,513 per year on groceries -- that's $709 per month! And many of us blow
An Ode to the Inexpensive Bean
A personal finance blog focusing on ordinary people dealing with unprecedented levels of debt.
27 Ways To Save Money On Food | The Frugal Law Student
27 Ways To Save Money On Food
If you're new here, you may want to learn what this site is about or check out the most popular articles. If you like what you see, m
How to Save Money on Groceries | Kitchen Parade
Fresh seasonal recipes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Cooked and written by a home cook in a home kitchen. All recipes tested with tips and nutrition analysis.
25 Ways to Save Money on Food at Milk&Honey Farm
25 or more ways to save money on food while still eating healthy.
How to Save Money on Food - wikiHow
wikiHow article about How to Save Money on Food.
MONEY Magazine: Shave $150 a week off your grocery bill - Jan. 9, 2006
My daughter Julia and her friend Chelsea were eating pancakes at the kitchen counter one recent morning when the doorbell rang. It was the man from Peapod, an online grocery store, with my food for the week.
10 Ways to Save Money on Food Shopping
With the cost of food rising, we're all looking for ways to trim our grocery bills. WebMD asked some experts for tips and strategies on how to save money on food shopping while still eating healthfully.
Save Money on Food with the Sixty Minute Plan %u221E Get Rich Slowly
Save Money on Food with the Sixty Minute PlanWednesday, 30th April 2008 (by J.D.)

Shop Seasonally

Fresh fruits and vegetables are much cheaper when they are in season. Stock up and save by using your freezer.

For out-of-season goodies you can save money by buying frozen or canned items.

Inexpensive Gourmet

Two words that don't usually go together but you can cook gourmet meals for cheap. Check out what Epicurious.com has to offer here.
Cheap Recipes at Epicurious.com
Easy Quick and Cheap Dinner recipes from Epicurious.com

Buy in Bulk

Buying non-perishables in bulk can save you money but you need to plan this and purchase these items slowly, over time. If you try to buy too many items in bulk at one time it will cost you a fortune.

And don't even try this with snack food. Having the same snack every day gets boring quick.

Ramen Noodle Recipes

You can't deny that Ramen Noodles are one of the cheapest food items that you can buy.

Take Ramen Noodles to the next level by trying one of the recipes found at Budget101.com.
Dirt Cheap Ramen Noodle Recipes
Need a dirt cheap meal that will feed a family? Try our delicious Excellent Fast Cheap Easy Ramen Noodle Recipes

How Do You Do It?

Readers great money saving tips

What is your best tip for saving money at the grocery store? How do you save on supper and still feed your family well? Please share your ideas here.

Don't forget to vote for your favorite tip. You'll need to refresh the page to make your vote stick!

Eat Out Less Often

We used to got out to eat at least once a week but more...11 points

Use Coupons with Sales

I try to use coupons with sales items when possibl more...10 points

Plan Leftovers

I cook a little extra then plan it for a leftover. more...7 points

Make dinner menus & grocery lists

Plan a menu for a week and make out a grocery list more...6 points

Make soup!

Use the carcass from the roast chicken to make chi more...5 points

Shop with a list

If I stick with my shopping list, I'm less likely more...5 points

Buy in Bulk

I always buy canned goods, like tomatoes, in bulk. more...4 points

Don't grocery shop when you're hungry.

This is an old chestnut, but true for me. I always more...4 points

Choose Your Grocery Store

Some food items are cheaper at one store than anot more...3 points

Remember to freeze

If there is only a dab of several items after a me more...3 points

Pick what is in season

Watch for specials when they do arrive and can any more...3 points

Do the work yourself!

Buy prepared foods costs more. Even when it comes more...3 points

Grow you own!

Vegetables can be expensive but not if you grow yo more...3 points

Bulk Cook and Freeze

If you find chicken on sale, you can bulk cook it more...3 points

"Roast" My Own Rotisserie Chicken

I love those deli chickens, but instead I buy whol more...2 points

Use The Farmers Market

Your local Farmers Market often has fruit and vege more...1 point

Eat More Pasta

Eating more pasta is an easy way to increase the grocery savings while still feeding your family delicious dinners.

Pasta Every Day for a Year

Pasta Cookbook

The Big Book of Pasta: 365 Quick and Versatile Recipes can save you money while feeding your family a healthy delicious dinner every night for a year.

The Big Book of Pasta: 365 Quick and Versatile Recipes

Amazon Price: $4.19 (as of 02/18/2012)Buy Now

From smooth, creamy pappardelle with salmon and saffron sauce to tangy tagliatelle with chicken, lemon, and basil; from hearty, comforting pancetta and mushroom carbonara to fiery penne with anchovies, olives, and chili, these pasta dishes are absolutely intoxicating. Serving up both traditional and innovative recipes, this superb and expansive collection features 365 easy to make meals, all flavorful and with dozens of tempting variations. See how to whip up your own fresh pasta and an array of basic sauces, as well as pasta-based soups, meat, fish, and vegetarian feasts. There's something wonderful to cover everyday lunches, snacks, and dinners, as well as more elaborate preparations for entertaining and special occasions.

Macaroni and Cheese Recipes

Affordable Comfort Food

Although the cheeses can be a bit pricy, home made macaroni and cheese is still a more economical meal then serving meat. Here's a few great macaroni and cheese recipes to try.
Macaroni and Cheese - Comfort Food for the Soul
Recipes and tips for making a Southern favorite, macaroni and cheese. Several macaroni and cheese recipes include classic mac and cheese and casseroles with meat and other ingredients.
Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe : Alton Brown : Food Network
Baked macaroni and cheese recipe
Macaroni and Cheese recipe
Make macaroni and cheese. Free macaroni and cheese recipe. Fast and easy mac & cheese for the whole family
Macaroni And Cheese - The Web's Largest Macaroni And Cheese Recipes Collection
Got Macaroni And Cheese? You do now. You've just entered the macaroni and cheese place to be on the internet. Here you can find a whole bowl full of great macaroni and cheese recipes. Find regular cheesy mac and cheese recipes, or spicy chili cheese and mac recipes, and loads more great recipes.

Make a List

This is probably the most important tip I will give you and also the hardest one to follow.

Plan your meals.
Make a grocery list.
And then stick to it!

Do not add any extras.

Do not impulse shop!

How to Save on Groceries

Here's a great site I found to help you save on groceries.
How to Save on Groceries Five Ways
How to Save on Groceries Five Ways. With just a few simple suggestions you can easily save hundreds of dollars a year on groceries...

Budget Friendly Cakes

For Any Occasion

Imagine how much you could save if you knew how to make your own wedding cake? Or Sweet Sixteen cake? Or any other big occasion cake, for that matter?

Dream Cakes Made Easy, makes it simple for you to bake on a budget! And, the ingredients and utensils used in these recipes are affordable for all.

You'll feel like a top-notch cake decorator and your guests will never know how little it actually cost you to prepare beautifully designed and decorated cakes for any occasion.

Take a look, you won't be disappointed.
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About the Author - rms

About the Author of Budget Friendly Meals

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rms

I love good food and finding new recipes. Don't you? You'll find more of my favorite recipes at my Squidoo recipe collection blog more »

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