Great list idea! Please add me.
Currently a single father raising two daughters, and one of them’s a teenager, on a food budget of $200/month. I’m a decent (daughters say, “great!) cook, so I make nearly all of our meals from scratch. I even bake bread on occasion, though I’m not sure it’s much cheaper to make it as it is to buy it, lol!
Salad is a staple at suppertime in our home. I don’t buy the pre-cut “bag-o’-salad”, as it goes bad too quickly. I cut up romaine myself, along with the other tasty’s that go in it. And I make my own salad dressings (it’s really easy, and they taste sooo much fresher).
Okay, a quick, easy recipe:
Pasta Primavera
4 - 6 cups water
1 Cup shaped pasta (it really doesn’t matter what shape)
1/2 bag frozen mixed vegetables (store-brand is fine)
2 - 3 tsp olive oil
1 TLB salt, plus additional for seasoning
pepper for seasoning
Grated Parmesan cheese
Bring water to a boil in a large sauce pan or dutch oven.
Add 1 tablespoon of salt to boiling water, then add pasta.
Boil pasta for 7 - 8 minutes, until al dente.
Add frozen veggies and allow to return to a boil.
Turn off heat, and then drain pasta and veggies in a colander.
Move pasta and veggies to a serving bowl.
Drizzle olive oil over pasta, then salt and pepper to taste.
Toss and serve with a side salad with balsamic vinegar and olive oil for dressing, and a piece of garlic toast.
Server grated parmesan on the side for sprinkling onto pasta primavera.
Total cost to feed three people: $3.00, at the most. That’s $1 per person!
And it’s a fairly balanced meal, to boot.
There’s veggies, carbohydrates, “good” fat, dairy...
And my kids love it!
Thumbs up, single dad! I was a single dad raising 1 daughter - I finally met the right woman...although it took me a couple years to realize it...and we got married last year. Now a married dad with a 15 year old and a 10 month old. Life is good, God is Great!