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15 Easy Pantry Dinner Ideas

January 21, 2021 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Check out these kid friendly easy cheap dinner ideas!

This month I have been participating in a January Pantry Challenge.  My goal has been to save some extra money by eating the food I already have at home and spending less at the store.  This is not always an easy task, but I love the challenge and pushing myself out of my comfort zone!  As I’ve been trying to cut my grocery expenses I’ve found a few pantry dinner ideas that I am so excited to share with you!

How To Stock A Frugal Pantry

I love having my pantry, freezer, and cupboards stocked with a few of our every day staples.  Having a well stocked pantry makes it much easier to throw together a few easy pantry dinner ideas, without having to go to the store.

The best way to stock up your pantry is to buy a few extra of the items you would normally be buying anyways.  For example, when I need ketchup, I’ll buy 3 bottles of ketchup, rather than just 1.  This gives me the extra food on hand, that I know I buy and use regularly.

When stocking your frugal pantry, try to focus on buying frugal friendly food items.  A few of my favorites are:

  • Flour
  • Sugar
  • Pasta
  • Oatmeal
  • Vinegar
  • Beans
  • Eggs
  • Potatoes
  • Popcorn

Related:  Cheap Foods to Buy For a Well Stocked Pantry

pantry dinner ideas - easy dinner ideas for picky eaters

Easy Pantry Dinner Ideas

Alright!  Let’s get to it!  Here are a few of my easy pantry dinner ideas.  I hope they will inspire you to use food that you already have at home to put together a few easy dinner ideas.

Most of these dinner ideas are kid friendly and easy to customize and change to your personal eating preference.

1.  Taco Soup

Taco soup is the perfect pantry dinner to throw together using ingredients you already have at home.  It’s really easy to throw together whatever you happen to have in your fridge to make this soup.

Use chicken, beef, or beans (or a combination of all three!) as the base for your soup.  Then, add in onions, tomatoes, corn, taco seasoning, and whatever else sounds good to you for a nice, warm, and hearty taco soup.

*My favorite taco soup recipe is included in my Mel’s Home Cooking recipe ebook!

2.  Pasta Bake

Looking for an incredibly easy-impossible to fail-quick to fix pantry dinner idea????  This easy pasta bake is just what you need!  You only need 4 ingredients to throw it together, and one of them is water (seriously.)!  You can find this easy Pasta Bake Recipe here!

3.  Chili With Cornbread Waffles

Have a can of chili sitting in a cupboard and some cornmeal?  Make chili with cornbread waffles!  This is my kids favorite cheap and easy dinner!

To make chili with cornbread waffles, you will first need to heat up a can of chili over the stove on medium-high heat.

While the chili is warming up, make your cornbread waffles using the recipe below.

 

Cornbread Waffles

Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 1/3 cup oil
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 cup buttermilk if you do not have buttermilk just mix 1 Tbsp vinegar into 1 cup milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions
 

  • In large mixer cream together the sugar and oil.
  • Add eggs and milk and mix well.
  • In separate bowl stir together the baking soda, flour, cornmeal, and salt.
  • Add all at once to egg mixture and mix until smooth.
  • Pour batter onto waffle iron and cook until lightly golden brown.
  • Serve with chili and cheese on top.

Serve the chili on top of the cornbread waffles and sprinkle with cheese.  You will now be your kids favorite person, seriously.

4.  Spaghetti With Garlic Toast

Spaghetti is one of the easiest pantry dinners around!  Have a box of spaghetti noodles and a jar of spaghetti sauce???  All it takes is a few minutes to warm them up on the stove and, boom dinner is ready!

I like to serve spaghetti with a side of garlic toast, which is so easy to make!  Get out a few bread slices from a loaf of bread and spread butter on top and then sprinkle it with garlic salt.  Cook the bread slices on a cookie sheet, under the broiler for 3-5 minutes until brown and toasty.  That’s it!  Garlic toast is a great side for a family friendly dinner.

5.  Burrito Bowl

Burrito bowls are a perfect way to use up ingredients you have sitting in your fridge and pantry.  Layer your burrito bowl with rice on the bottom, and layering with beans, cheese, seasonings.  Top your burrito bowl with your favorite toppings.

A few topping suggestions are:  tomato’s, salsa, sour cream, tortilla chips, lettuce, corn, avocado, cilantro, ranch dressing, and anything else that sounds good to you!

6.  Sloppy Joes

Another great pantry dinner idea is to make sloppy joes.  Sloppy joes can easily be made with some ground beef and a few other pantry staples.  This is a very freezer friendly meal, so I will double the recipe and then freeze half for another day.

  • Related:  19 Foods You Didn’t Know You Could Freeze

These are best served on hamburger buns, but we have used a regular loaf of bread when in a pinch.  All about pantry friendly here!

*My favorite Sloppy Joes recipe is available in the Mel’s Home Cooking ebook.

7.  Tomato Soup With Cheese Toast

We always keep a can of tomato soup stocked in our pantry for nights when I’m to tired, or busy, to make a big dinner.  It only takes a few minutes (and hardly any effort!) to heat up some tomato soup over the stove

I love to serve tomato soup with a side of cheese toast.  Make cheese toast by placing some cheese onto slices of bread and then cooking them on a cookie sheet under the broiler for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

8.  Tacos

Tacos is another quick and easy dinner you can throw together using pantry ingredients.  Make your tacos using any meat you happen to have at home, such as chicken, pork, or beef.

To make tacos just cook your meat over the stove.  Once cooked add 1/2 cup water and a packet of taco seasoning.

If you don’t have a packet of taco seasoning in your pantry, that’s ok!  You can make it yourself!  Check out my favorite taco seasoning recipe below!

Easy Taco Seasoning Mix

Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Tbsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions
 

  • In small bowl mix all ingredients together.
  • Use 2 Tbsp taco seasoning mix in replace of 1 packet of taco seasoning.
  • Store seasoning in a tupperware container or jar in your pantry.

 

Cook and stir your meat with taco seasoning and water until the water has cooked off, about 5 minutes.

Serve in tortillas with your favorite toppings.  We love cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, salsa, sour cream and guacamole.

9.   Homemade Pizza

We love homemade pizza at our house!  Use this homemade pizza dough recipe to make the crust, and then top it with your favorite toppings, or whatever you have in your pantry.  

Get creative!  You can use barbecue sauce, marinara sauce, alfredo sauce, or even Thai sauce.  For toppings try different kinds of cheeses, vegetables and meats. 

If you don’t feel like making homemade pizza dough, you can even use French bread, biscuits or tortillas to make your pizzas.  Find out how here:  Easy Pizza Alternatives.

10.  Bean Burritos

Another great pantry dinner idea is to make bean burritos!  This is a very quick and easy meal to prepare, and they are freezer friendly!  (yay, I love freezer friendly!) 

To make bean burritos just mix beans (we use black or pinto beans), cheese, rice, and taco seasoning together.  Place mixture on tortillas and gently roll up.

Heat your burrito in the microwave or oven and serve!  Easy peasy!

11.  Stir Fry

Stir fry is another dinner staple at our house!  It’s the perfect meal to make on busy days.  The three steps to a good stir fry are vegetables, protein, and sauce.

Choose whichever protein and vegetables you have in your home already.  A few protein suggestions are:  chicken, beef and shrimp.  There are so many vegetables that make a great stir fry, such as:  peppers, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, mushrooms and peas.

Sauté your protein in a large frying pan.  Add vegetables and continue to sauté until cooked.  Next, add sauce and stir together.  Cook and stir for a few more minutes until sauce has thickened.

Serve your stir fry over rice or noodles, whichever is in your pantry.

My favorite stir fry sauce is included in my Mel’s Home Cooking eCookbook, but I also really like this 3 ingredient stir fry sauce.

12.  Stroganoff

Stroganoff is another simple and pantry friendly dinner.  You can whip up some stroganoff with ground beef, sour cream, cream of chicken soup mix and some seasonings.  Serve it over noodles or eat it Idaho style, served over a baked potato!  Yum!

13.  Breakfast for Dinner

My kids love when I make breakfast for dinner.  It’s such an easy, fun dinner to make when your pantry is feeling bare.  We love to make waffles, pancakes, eggs and a smoothie for Saturday night dinners once or twice a month.

14.  Twice Baked Potatoes

I grew up on an Idaho potato farm, so potatoes are always a staple at my house.  They are so cheap, easy and filling!

Twice baked potatoes are a great way to make a filling meal out of ingredients you probably already have at home.  I love this recipe from Ree Drummond.

15.  Quesadillas

Have some tortillas and cheese???  Make quesadillas for dinner!  You can customize your quesadilla in whichever way you want!  We use salsa, beans, chicken, onions, peppers and green chilis.

A fun way to serve quesadillas is to set out all of the ingredients you have to make them for a quesadilla bar.  Let everyone fill, and customize their own tortilla and cook on the griddle.

Save Money and Cook At Home

I hope these pantry meal ideas gave you some inspiration for cooking without having to go to the store.  Cooking dinner using your pantry ingredients is a great way to save extra money on groceries. 

Remember, to try to use the foods that you already have at home.  If a recipe calls for something you don’t already have, be creative and find a good substitute, do not run to the grocery store!  Because we all know if we go to the grocery store for “just one thing” we always leave with more (is that just me????).

Related Articles:

How a Pantry Challenge Will Save You Money

Best Ways To Store Produce To Keep It Fresh Longer

15 Products You Should Always Buy Generic

Pin this article for future reference:

easy dinners to make from the pantry ingredients - easy dinner ideas for homemade cooking

easy dinner ideas when cupboard is bare - quick to fix family dinners

I hope you enjoyed these easy pantry dinner ideas!

Freezer Chicken Recipes and How to Freeze Bulk Chicken

November 20, 2020 By: Sweet Frugal Life4 Comments

This Check out these easy freezer chicken recipes.

One of my favorite ways to save money on groceries is to buy my chicken in bulk.  Bulk chicken is usually priced much lower than buying smaller amounts.  This is also a great way to save time in the kitchen!  When I buy my bulk chicken, I like to prep some of them for the freezer for quick to fix dinners.  Today I am going to show you how to prep bulk chicken for the freezer and 6 of my favorite easy freezer chicken recipes.

how to freeze bulk chicken - chicken freezer recipes

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I will receive compensation from purchases made through links in this post.  Thank you!

Where To Buy Bulk Chicken

There are many different places you can buy your chicken in bulk.  Watch for sales at your local grocery store.  Bulk chicken will go on sale multiple times throughout the year and is usually an excellent deal.

I have also bought bulk chicken at Savory Butcher and Butcher Box, and honestly was so happy with both!

Savory Butcher

Savory Butcher is a meat coop community offering discounted meats to multiple areas around the United States.  Their meat are all humanely raised, antibiotic free and no added hormones.

They are currently delivering meat to areas in Texas, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Oregon and more!  Products include beef, pork, seafood, and chicken.

I just tried out Savory Butcher for the first time, and I was SO impressed!  The customer service was incredible and the meat was high quality and delicious!  Plus, the price is right which is so important to me.

I chose to purchase the 40 lb case of chicken, which was only $1.99/lb.  This is a smoking deal!  Their chicken comes fresh from the farm and already trimmed (this makes life easier, trust me!).

Butcher Box

Another great place to buy meat and get it shipped right to your door is Butcher Box!  Be sure to click here for my full Butcher Box review.

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How To Freeze Bulk Chicken

I just spent a couple of hours prepping my bulk chicken.  It makes me happy to stock my freezer full of chicken for quick, easy dinners.  I prepped 8 ready to cook dinners; and 6 bags of plain chicken.  It does take a little bit of effort to prepare your bulk chicken, but the amount of money you save is SO worth it!

 


  • Related:  How to freeze Pancakes for a Quick Frugal Breakfast

If your chicken comes trimmed (like mine did) you can start putting them into freezer safe packaging, right out of the box.  

Sometimes bulk chicken is sold still needing trimmed.  Take a few minute trimming off the fat and then you can begin packaging.

When preparing chicken for the freezer I highly recommend using a vacuum sealer.  This one simple purchase will make freezing bulk chicken much easier and does a great job of preventing freezer burn.

My sealer was not working (resulting in quite a bit of frustration on my part!).  So, I used freezer bags instead.  These don’t work quite as well as a vacuum sealer does, but they can get the job done.

To prep your chicken for the freezer you will need to separate your chicken into dinner sized portions.  For my family I put about 2-3 chicken breasts per bag for my family.  Place each portioned chicken into freezer bag, remove all of the air and seal tightly.

Your chicken is now ready for the freezer!  Yay!  Your chicken will stay fresh in the freezer for 6-12 months.

 


Easy Freezer Chicken Recipes

While you are preparing your chicken for the freezer, you can whip up a few of these easy recipes at the same time.  I love these recipes because I can pull the chicken out of the freezer in the morning, and half of the work for dinner is already done!  They are perfect for busy days, or when you just don’t feel like cooking!

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Slow Cooker Honey Chicken

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs. chicken breasts
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 4 Tbsp diced onion
  • 4 Tbsp ketchup
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 4 tsp cornstarch
  • 6 Tbsp water

Instructions
 

  • Combine chicken, salt, pepper, honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup and garlic powder in a freezer bag.
  • Let all air out of bag.  Seal tight and freeze.
  • When ready to prepare take it out of freezer and allow to thaw.
  • Dump entire bag of chicken and sauce into slow cooker.  Cook on low for 3-4 hours.
  • When finished cooking take chicken out of slow cooker and leave the sauce.
  • Combine cornstarch with water, stir well.
  • Add it into slow cooker with sauce.  Cook sauce on high until it begins to thicken (5-10 minutes).
  • Slice chicken into small chunks.  Return to slow cooker and stir with sauce.
  • Serve over rice.

 

Barbecue Chicken

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs. chicken breasts
  • 1 container of barbecue sauce

Instructions
 

  • Put chicken in a freezer bag.  Pour entire container of barbecue sauce on top.
  • Let all air out of bag.  Seal tight and freeze.
  • When ready to prepare take it out of freezer and allow to thaw.
  • Cook on grill.  Top with barbecue sauce to serve.

 

Lemon Garlic Chicken

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb. chicken breasts sliced thin
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Combine chicken, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper in freezer bag.
  • Put chicken in a freezer bag.  Pour entire container of barbecue sauce on top.
  • Let all air out of bag.  Seal tight and freeze.
  • When ready to prepare take it out of freezer and allow to thaw.
  • Cook chicken on grill.
  • Serve with rice and veggies.

Balsamic Chicken

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This balsamic chicken recipe is available as part of my Free 5 Days to Frugal ecourse.  You can sign up below and my 5 favorite frugal recipes will be emailed to you on day 3 of the challenge!

 

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Tacos

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb. chicken breasts
  • 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Instructions
 

  • Combine chicken, tomatoes, brown sugar and red pepper flakes in freezer bag.
  • Let all air out of bag.  Seal tight and freeze.
  • When ready to prepare take it out of freezer and allow to thaw.
  • Pour chicken and sauce into slow cooker.
  • Cook in slow cooker on high for 5 hours.
  • When done cooking shred chicken in sauce.
  • Serve in flour tortillas with your favorite toppings.

Grilled (or baked!) Island Chicken

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This grilled island chicken recipe is available as part of my Free 5 Days to Frugal ecourse.

You can sign up below and my 5 favorite frugal recipes will be emailed to you on day 3 of the challenge!

Favorite Baked Chicken

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb. chicken breasts
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp garlic powder

Instructions
 

  • Combine all ingredients in freezer bag.
  • Let all air out of bag.  Seal tight and freeze.
  • When ready to prepare take it out of freezer and allow to thaw.
  • Bake in 375 degree oven for 30 minutes.
  • Serve with baked potatoes and veggies.
  • Related:  Mel’s Home Cooking Recipe Book

Honey Lime Enchiladas

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb. chicken
  • 6 Tbsp honey
  • 4.5 Tbsp lime juice
  • 1 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 10 oz. can green enchilada sauce
  • flour tortillas
  • shredded monterey jack cheese

Instructions
 

  • Combine chicken, honey, lime juice, chili powder, and garlic powder in freezer bag.
  • Let all air out of bag.  Seal tight and freeze.
  • When ready to prepare take it out of freezer and allow to thaw.
  • Pour chicken and sauce into slow cooker.
  • Cook on low for 8 hours.
  • Shred chicken in sauce.
  • Pour a small amount of green enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 pan.
  • Fill tortillas with shredded chicken and cheese.  Place in pan.
  • Pour the rest of the green enchilada sauce over the tortillas.  Sprinkle with cheese.
  • Bake uncovered in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

In Conclusion

I love buying my chicken in bulk.  It has proven time and time again to be a money and time saver for me.  Feel free to try any of these recipes for any chicken, it doesn’t have to be in bulk.  Let me know which one is your favorite!

If you are looking for more easy recipes be sure to check out my very own recipe book!  Mel’s Home Cooking offers 65 simple, delicious and easy recipes for one low price.  You are sure to find a new family favorite!

Related Articles:

How to Freeze Raspberries

8 Foods You Should Freeze in an Ice Cube Tray

Mel’s Home Cooking Recipe Book

Pin For Later:

Love these freezer chicken recipes for the busy mom

 

Enjoy these easy freezer chicken recipes!

Easy Tin Foil Dinner Recipe

August 4, 2020 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

The best campfire dinner recipe.

A few years ago I stumbled upon the best tin foil dinner recipe ever, for reals though…..I’ve tried a lot of tin foil dinners!  I found it originally on Melyssa Saves Instagram Story Highlights.  I’ve since adapted it to our own personal liking, but I still give her credit for introducing me to this amazing campfire dinner recipe.

This recipe has become our favorite camping dinner recipe.  It’s easy to cook over the fire, and perfect for customizing to everyone’s preferences.  We also use it regularly for backyard fires.  When I don’t feel like cooking, or cleaning up a messy kitchen….I whip up these easy tin foil dinners and we eat outside.  The kids think it’s a fun family activity, and I think it was the best way to keep my house clean…..

tin foil dinner recipe - how to make tin foil dinners

Ingredients

Like I mentioned earlier, this recipe is very easy to customize to your own specific taste preferences.  So, don’t be afraid to take my suggestions and add a few of your own!

  • Little Smokies
  • Shredded Cheese (we like mozzarella, but you can also use cheddar)
  • Diced onions 
  • Green Beans
  • Peas
  • Corn
  • Seasoning Salt
  • Shredded hash browns
  • Carrots
  • Jalapeno peppers
  • Butter
  • Salt and Pepper

You will also need:

  • Cooking spray
  • Tin foil

Putting it All Together

Pull out two strips of tin foil and lay them one on top of the other on your counter top.  Spray generously with cooking spray.

Layer hash browns on the top tin foil.  You can add as much or as little as you want.  I always put less on the kids dinners and much more in my husbands (he likes to eat!).

Next add the little smokies.  Again, there is no set recipe.  Just add as many or as little as you want to eat.

Now it’s time for the vegetables.  I try to use whatever veggie is in my garden at the time.  We have used carrots, corn, green beans, diced onion, peas, and jalapeno peppers.  All were good and delicious!

Sprinkle your veggies with your favorite cheese.  We enjoy mozzarella cheese, but cheddar is also delicious!

Next add salt, pepper and seasoning salt to taste.

Add a few pats of butter on top.

And it’s all done!  Look how yummy!  Can you believe it even tastes better than it looks?!?!

All that’s left to do is roll your tin foil packet up and refrigerate until ready to be cooked.

Cook your tin foil dinner over hot coals until thoroughly heated through and cheese is melted.  It usually only takes about 10 minutes, depending on the heat of your fire.

Pull a packet out and peek inside to test for doneness.

I promise you will love this delicious, easy tin foil dinner recipe.

Easy Tin Foil Dinner

Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • Shredded Hash Browns
  • Little Smokies
  • Favorite Veggies We like green beans, peas, carrots, corn, onion and jalapenos.
  • Mozzarella or cheddar Cheese
  • Seasoning Salt
  • Butter

Instructions
 

  • Lay two pieces of tin foil on counter top. Spray with cooking spray.
  • Layer hash browns on top of tin foil.
  • Add little smokies on top.
  • Put your favorite veggies over little smokies and hash browns.
  • Sprinkle with cheese.
  • Salt, pepper and seasoning salt to taste.
  • Add 2-3 pats of butter.
  • Wrap tin foil up tightly.
  • Cook over hot coals in camp fire until done.

Related Recipes:

Light and Fluffy Pancake Recipe

Easy Hot Chocolate Mix Recipe

Easy Pasta Dinner Recipe

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easy camping recipe - campfire dinner recipe

What is your favorite tin foil dinner recipe?

How To Make A Meal Plan For Beginners

November 21, 2019 By: Sweet Frugal Life2 Comments

Easy tips to start meal planning.

“How do I make a meal plan?” is a question I receive regularly.  Meal planning is something I have been doing for over 15 years, and it has become second nature to me.  I meal plan every single week, without fail.  But…

I actually hate meal planning.  There, I said it!  I really don’t like to meal plan.  I feel like I plan the same things every week.  It feels impossible to ever find something that everyone in the family will be happy with (there is always a complaint from someone).  Meal planning feels like a chore, trying to come up with quick meals for the nights we are busy, cheap meals to help our pocketbook, and everything else in between.  It’s a hassle. 

But, I continue to plan our meals regularly, and I will keep doing so probably until the day I die.

So, if you are new to meal planning or feel like it is stressful, you are not alone!  I get it!  Let me teach you the tricks I have learned to help make meal planning a little easier.

how to make meal planning easier - how to start making a meal plan

This article contains affiliate links.  I will be compensated for purchases made through links in this post.

How Does Meal Planning Save Money?

It’s no secret that if you want to save money on food, cooking at home is the way to do it. 

However, cooking at home does not mean you randomly put food in your grocery cart and then come up with a new recipe each day.  Cooking at home takes thought, planning and some prep work.  When you meal plan correctly you will find you save money in multiple ways.

  • Need more at home recipes?  Grab my easy, frugal, family friendly cook book here!

1.  Meal Planning Prevents Impulse Shopping at the Grocery Store

When you plan ahead each week you are able to know exactly what you need to buy at the grocery store.  This prevents buying “this” or “that” completely on impulse….just because it looks good in the moment.

2.  Meal Planning Prevents Stops for Take Out Food

If you have already planned your meals for the week and you know that you have ingredients at home waiting to be cooked you will be much less likely to stop on your way home from work to grab quick take out food.  Cooking at home is much cheaper than eating out and the less you stop at a restaurant the more money you will save.

3.  Meal Planning Reduces Waste

A good meal plan will help you eat up the food you already have in your home to prevent any food going to waste.  When food is thrown out, it’s the equivalent of throwing money out and meal planning will help you reduce this waste.

  • Related:  10 Quick Ways to Lower your Grocery Bill

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How Do I Begin Planning Meals?

When you are new to meal planning, it might feel a little stressful or confusing.  Don’t worry!  This is normal!  Follow these simple steps for a successful meal plan.

Step #1:  Shop Your Pantry First

Before you sit down to plan out your weekly menu, take a quick inventory of your pantry, your fridge, your freezer and your cupboards.  Take note of what foods you already have in your house.  Figure out a few meals you can make with the foods you already own.

For example:  If I see chicken, rice and beans in my freezer and pantry than I might plan chicken and rice casserole one night and chicken and bean burritos the other night.

  • Related:  How a Pantry Challenge Will Save You Money

Step #2:  Look Through Weekly Ads To Find the Best Deals

Use the free Flipp App to browse the weekly ads in your area.  Plan a few meals based on what is on sale for the week.  For example:  if I find Zucchini on sale than I might plan to make zoodles sometime during the week.

This might require you to stop by a few different stores, which I once avoided because it felt to time consuming.  Now that I take the time to shop sales at multiple stores I have found a huge decrease in the amount of money I spend on groceries.

Step #3:  Make The Plan

Now that you have a few meals based on your own food inventory and the current sales, it’s time to fill in the blanks.  Look through pinterest or your favorite cook books to plan the rest of your meals for the week.  To decrease your weekly expenses even more try to choose recipes needing ingredients that you already have at home.

If you are struggling finding the time or motivation to begin meal planning consider subscribing to Emeals.  With a very affordable small fee Emeals will do all of your weekly meal planning for you! 

I’m serious!  Their service is complete with shopping lists, recipes and instructions.  They offer a variety of plans so you can choose the diet and taste preference that works best for you!  Subscribers have been able to save over $100 each month and at least an hour weekly in not having to sit down and plan.  Try the Free 14 Day Trial to see if Emeals is right for you!


eMeals

Step #4:  Make The Grocery List

The next step is to make your grocery list.  Look through what you planned for each day and make a grocery shopping list based on the meals you will be cooking throughout the week.  Don’t forget to include any snacks your family will want!

I personally do my grocery shopping at the same time that I make my shopping list.  This is done by using Walmarts Free Grocery Pickup.  I simply open the app, type in what I need for the week and then press check out!  All that’s left is to pick it up the next day.  It is a huge time saver! 

  • BONUS:  Sign up through this link for $10 off your first purchase of $50 or more.

Step #5:  Grocery Shop While Sticking To Your List

If you choose not to use Walmart’s Free Grocery Pickup your next step will be to go shopping at the grocery store.  This is an important part of meal planning. 

As you shop make sure you are sticking to the shopping list that you made in step #4.  Do not buy items just because they look good or are on sale.  You have made your meal plan and only need to buy the items that fit into the plan.

Step #6:  Implement Your Meal Plan

Now it’s time to put your plan into action!  When you are new to meal planning you might feel tempted to stray from your original plan.  As life gets busy, you get tired, it’s easy to fall into old habits.  I encourage you not to do this!  Especially not when you are new to planning your meals.  This is an important time to form a new habit!

You will find some trial and error as you are adjusting to meal planning, this is normal, don’t let it discourage you!  Maybe you forget to buy a few important ingredients, perhaps you are to busy to fix what you planned.  This happens to us all!  Be willing to learn from each mistake, adjust each week and through time you will find what works best for you, and what doesn’t work.

  • Related:  5 Ways to Earn CASHBACK on Purchases

Meal Planning Struggles and Solutions

I asked Instagram today what a few of their Meal Planning struggles were.  Below are a few of those problems and my tips for overcoming them.

Struggle #1:  “Too Much Repetitiveness”

It is normal to feel like you are making the same thing over and over again in your meal plan.  We have all felt this way from time to time!  Here are a few ways to keep variety in your meal plan:

  • Daily Theme Nights

Choose a theme for each day of the week.  This ensures you are making something different every night and keeping a variety in your menu.  Your themes could be:

Meatless Monday:  A lot of times this might revolve around pasta.

Taco Tuesday:  It doesn’t have to be tacos, fajitas, enchiladas or a big taco salad works too!

Soup Wednesday:  Try a new soup recipe until you find a few favorites.

Rice Thursday:  Make something with rice today.  Perhaps a chicken and rice casserole, sweet and sour chicken with rice….you get the idea!

Pizza Friday:  Make a homemade pizza using this recipe or try a few different pizza hacks.

Easy Saturday:  Plan an easy meal for Saturday; such as breakfast for dinner, a can of soup or a frozen lasagna.

Slow Cooker Sunday:  Put your slow cooker to use on Sundays, or maybe try a few instant pot recipes.

  • Try a New Recipe Regularly

Pick one day each week to try a new recipe.  Perhaps Monday will be your New Recipe Day.  Some of these recipes you will probably dislike, but over time you will find a few new favorites to add to your regular rotation.

I have a couple of different pinterest boards dedicated to helping me find new recipes.  One board is called “Food To Try” and the other board labeled “Food We Loved.”  When I want to try a new recipe I simply look through my Food to Try board and pick one for the week.  If we love it I will move it over to the Food We Loved board until I am ready to print it out and add it to my recipe binder.


 

  • Plan Meals Well in Advance

Plan your meals 4-6 weeks in advance to guarantee you won’t have any duplicates dinners during that time.  A 6 week rotation should give you plenty of variety.

Struggle #2:  Sticking to the Plan

Some days you might plan to make a big and fancy dinner, and then the day comes and you just don’t feel like making it anymore.  Been there…so many many times I have been there!  Here are a few solutions that have helped me to stick to the plan.

  • Meal Prep in Advance

Do as much meal prep in advance as you can.  If you have a day off from work or a free evening, spend time chopping veggies and cook your meat ahead of time.  You can keep these already prepped foods in the fridge until it’s time to prepare the meal.  This saves a lot of time and will make cooking so much easier after a long day.

  • Be Flexible

It’s ok to change up the plan every now and then.  If you are having a hard day and just don’t feel like cooking what you planned, feel free to cook something else!  If you planned sandwiches for Friday, make sandwiches on the day you are feeling tired and make the more involved meal on Friday.

It’s helpful to have a few staples in your home at all times so if you need to cook something different that night, you can.  Breakfast for dinner is one that I do regularly when I don’t feel like cooking.  I am able to make pancakes using the ingredients I already have at home and call it a meal.

  • Related:  25 Items You Must Have In A Frugal Pantry

Struggle #3:  Planning for Different Tastes/Diets

It’s hard planning a menu for people who all have different palates and taste preferences.  I get it!  Maybe he doesn’t eat gluten, she hates red meat, and the little one refuses to eat anything healthy.  This makes meal planning even more stressful than it already was!  Here are a few suggestions to help this struggle:

  • Provide a Variety of Sides

Instead of trying to find a dinner that everyone in your family will like, provide a variety of sides so that there is something for everyone.  If you make chicken and you know your daughter won’t eat it, make a few healthy foods to go along with the chicken so that you know she will be filling up on something good.

  • Rotate The Meals

Rotate the meals that you cook throughout the week so that everyone will get a favorite at least once or twice during the week.  I usually ask each of my kids for one dinner request for the week.  They are always excited for the night when I cook their specific request.  This ensures everyone is always looking forward to something!

You Can Meal Plan!

You can read as many articles as you want, but honestly the best way to learn how to meal plan and to find what works best for you is to just begin and never quit.  Keep trying, keep planning, keep staying focused on the goal of saving money on food and you will find a way to make it work!  Feel free to reach out in the comments or my inbox with any questions!  I am always happy to help!

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I hope this article helped you learn how to make a meal plan!

 

Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup Mix Recipe

March 12, 2019 By: Sweet Frugal Life21 Comments

How to make Cream of Chicken Soup Mix from scratch!

Did you know that you can make your very own Cream of Chicken Soup Mix?  Yep!  You can!  And guess what, it’s also incredibly easy, quick and frugal to whip up.  (hooray!)  I am so excited to share my tried and true cream of chicken soup mix recipe with you today.

Truthfully, I really don’t like buying the canned soup in the store, but sometimes I just want a good old fashioned recipe with Cream of Chicken Soup in it, ya know???

I came across this recipe years ago and have been using it regularly ever since.  It tastes so much better than the cans, and is a lot less processed.  I use it in soups, stews, casseroles, etc.  All you need is a little water added to the mix and you’re ready to cook!

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This cream of chicken soup mix recipe only takes a few minutes to mix together.  You can even skip a step by just mixing it all together right in the jar rather than a separate bowl.

All it takes is four simple ingredients….and you probably already have these sitting in your pantry!  I love when that happens.


I hope you enjoy this recipe!  Let me know if you try it, I would love to hear if you like it or not!

Cream of Chicken Soup Mix Recipe

5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 1 3/4 Cups Flour
  • 1 1/2 Cups Dry Milk Powder
  • 3 Tablespoons Chicken Bouillon
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons Dried Chopped Onion

Instructions
 

  • Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
  • And you are done!  I like to store my mix in a quart sized mason jar.

To Use

  • When ready to use, just mix 1/2 cup of soup mix with 1 1/4 cups water and substitute in any recipe calling for a can of Cream of Chicken Soup.  Be sure to write the instructions on the jar lid, so you'll always remember!  😉

 

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Make this Cream of Chicken Soup Mix Recipe today!

Easy Pizza Recipes You Must Try!

April 9, 2018 By: Sweet Frugal Life6 Comments

Quick and Easy Pizza Recipes for Family Pizza Night!

One of our favorite family traditions is our monthly Friday Night Pizza and Movie Night.  The first Friday of each month I make a homemade pizza and we watch a movie together as a family.  We started this traditions years ago and our kids STILL love it!  Now that I have a teenager, I rejoice at every minute she wants to spend time with me!  I usually make the pizza, but some nights I just don’t have the time or energy to make, so I have found a few alternative easy pizza recipes.

Here are two of our favorite easy, simple pizza ideas for your next pizza night.  The kids love helping me make these easy pizza night ideas.

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French Bread Pizza

One easy pizza night idea is French Bread Pizza!  This is a super quick and simple pizza alternative.

First, you need to slice a loaf of french bread in half.

Place both slices on a baking sheet and cook in 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes.  You do not want the bread to get golden, you just want to harden it up a bit (it tastes much better this way, promise!).

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After a few minutes in the oven take out the french bread and it’s now time to put all of your toppings on.

Last, bake your french bread pizza in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted.  Slice and serve!


 

Pizza on Rolls

Pizza rolls are a really fun hands on way to get kids cooking.

You can make these easy mini pizzas using Pillsbury Biscuits or Rhodes Freezer Rolls.  This time I used Rhodes frozen rolls.

Take the Rhodes Freezer Rolls out of the freezer three hours before you will need to eat.  Place them on a baking sheet to thaw.

Once they are all thawed and had a little time to rise you are ready to make your pizzas!


Gently smoosh, flatten and pull the rolls to form flat pizza circles.  This is the step your kids will really want to help with.

Place your pizza dough circles on a greased pan.  Add your toppings, let everyone top their own individual pizza just the way they want it.  Encourage your kids to be creative!


Bake in 400 degree oven for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is slightly browned.

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They are all ready to eat!  Enjoy your own little personal pizza!

In Conclusion

I hope these gives you a few more ideas for a fun Family Pizza Night in your home!

 

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Pin These Pizza Ideas for Future Reference:

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Enjoy these Easy Pizza Recipes during your next family night!

Easy Pasta Dinner Recipe

February 2, 2018 By: Sweet Frugal Life4 Comments

Try this quick pasta bake recipe for a cheap dinner for kids.

 

Sometimes I love making a fancy dinner with all the fixings….and other nights…well, I just don’t feel like cooking at all!  I got this easy dinner pasta recipe from my sister years and years ago and it soon became an instant hit in my house.  This is the perfect recipe for the nights when you just do not want to cook dinner.

It is full of yummy noodles and cheesy goodness, it also happens to be one of the quickest and easiest dinners I make.  So if you are needing a simple, budget friendly dinner idea, this is for you!  It is perfect for those busy evenings you need to throw something together quick!  I am pretty sure it is impossible to mess this recipe up!

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Easy Pasta Bake Recipe

The first thing you will need to do to make this easy pasta bake recipe is to gather your ingredients.  You will need:

  • 1 box pasta (16 0z.)
  • 1 jar spaghetti sauce (24 oz.)
  • 1 jar water (about 12 oz.)
  • Grated cheese (about 1 cup)

Grab your box of pasta and pour it into a casserole dish.  I usually use rotini or penne, but occasionally I will use macaroni pasta.  It just depends on what I have on hand.

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Pour a jar of spaghetti sauce and water over the pasta.  You can also add olives or mushrooms.  Stir it all up and put it in the oven.

  • Related:  Easy Homemade Pizza Crust Recipe

After the pasta bakes in the oven for 20 minutes, take it out of the oven and sprinkle cheese evenly on top.  Bake for another 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

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Take it out of the oven and ENJOY!  My entire family loves this meal!  And I especially love that it doesn’t time any effort!

 

 

Easy Pasta Bake

3 from 1 vote
Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 1 box pasta
  • 24 oz. spaghetti sauce
  • 12 oz. water
  • olive or mushrooms optional
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese

Instructions
 

  • Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Stir pasta, spaghetti sauce, water and olives and mushrooms in 9X13 casserole dish.  Bake in oven for 20 minutes.  Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.  Bake another 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Want More Easy Recipes?

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Easy Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe

January 19, 2018 By: Sweet Frugal Life6 Comments

You can make your own pizza with this easy homemade pizza crust recipe!

Over a decade ago we started our Friday Pizza and Movie Night tradition with our little family.  The tradition is to eat pizza and watch a movie together as a family on the first Friday of every month.  We started out watching Barbie movies and now as the kids have grown, so has our choice in movies.  However, the one thing that hasn’t changed is we still eat pizza!  Sometimes I make my own using this easy homemade pizza crust recipe, and other times we order some…either way the pizza always happens!

I thought we would grow out of this tradition as the kids grew, but we didn’t.  The kids still look forward to our monthly pizza and movie night!  Today I am sharing my favorite pizza dough recipe.  I have tried many recipes, and this one is by far the best!

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  • Related:  Easy Pizza Night ideas

How To Make Homemade Pizza

First, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Next, mix 2 1/4 tsp. of yeast with 1 cup warm water.  Let it sit until it becomes bubbly and frothy.

Add 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt and 2 1/4 cups flour to the yeast mixture and mix well.  You might need to add a little flour.  The dough should be able to bounce back when you poke it, but still slightly sticky.

Put your dough into a greased bowl and cover with a dishcloth.  Let it rise for 30-60 minutes or until doubled.

Once risen punch down dough and place it on a lightly floured surface.  Roll it out into a pizza shape.

Place dough on a grease pizza pan.  I prefer to use a pizza pan similar to this one.  The holes in the bottom helps the crust to cook evenly.  If you don’t have a pizza pan you can use a cookie sheet!  It will work great!

Top your pizza with your favorite toppings.  Bake for 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Easy Homemade Pizza Crust Recipe

Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ¼ tsp yeast
  • 1 cup warm water baby bath temp
  • 2 TBSP olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 ¼   cups flour

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  • In mixer lightly mix water and yeast together.  Let sit for 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
  • Add the oil, salt, sugar and flour to the yeast mixture.  Mix well.  You may need a little less or little more flour.  You want the dough to bounce back if you poke it.  I also usually keep the dough slightly sticky.
  • Put dough into greased bowl and cover with a dishcloth.  Let rise for 30-60 minutes until doubled.  I will usually put it next to the flour or in the sun to speed up the rising process.
  • Place dough on lightly floured surface.  Roll out into a pizza shape.  (If you don’t have a pizza pan, just use a cookie sheet.  It works great!)  Place on greased pan.  Poke all over with a fork.  Cover with your favorite toppings.
  • Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown.

The fun thing about homemade pizza is all of the easy ways to customize.  My kids love pepperoni, so that’s what I make most days.  You can make it Hawaiian, cheese stuffed, thick crust, thin crust, and so on.

Encourage your kids to help with making the pizza.  They will love rolling out the dough and covering it with all the toppings!

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Homemade pizza dough recipe - make your own easy pizza

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Easy homemade pizza dough recipe.

Hello! I’m Melanie!

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