You’re going to be my meal planner for 2024! We need money in the bank and I’m fed up with our out of control food spending. We are a family of five and home 24/7. That’s lots of meals and snacks. Got my Aroma multi cooker and I’m ready to go! 😂
Good for you! Not that it really matters, but I wanted you to know how proud I am that you were willing to admit your challenges. I raised 4 children without the benefits of a RU-vid Rebecca; it would really have helped me. In fat, at 69yo it is STILL really helping me. Congrats❣️
Salmon Patties is one of my fav meals on the cheap. A can of salmon, an egg, seasoned bread crumbs or crushed crackers or even oatmeal, some parsley ( fresh or dried ). I was a single Mother, had a job and was going to school and I had no other choice but to eat on the cheap.
Same! I love my little salmon cakes! Cheap, easy, and delicious! Saltine crackers work perfectly fine if you don't have breadcrumbs, I've never tried oatmeal! I'll have to give that a go! Sometimes I like to put tiny bell peppers in them as well, if I've got some leftover. Adds a nice fresh little crunch. Mmm now I want some lol! Gotta pick up some salmon cans. ✌🏽🖤
I grew up with 5 siblings and salmon patties were on our meal rotation frequently. With some mashed potatoes and green beans on the side. Nutritious and inexpensive.
I used to make what I called ‘Crash Cart’ tuna casserole: 1 package each of store brand versions of Mac and cheese, shells and cheese, and Alfredo noodles. Make per package directions and mix all three together with a can of tuna. I’d add peas if I had them. Great way to feed a bunch of people on the cheap
I just shared your channel with a co-worker who is in a tough spot. Hopefully she will get some good ideas from the channel to help stretch that food dollar. Thanks again for the videos. Please remind folks that Dollar tree is now in BBQ Season (at least in FLA). Lots of good outdoor cooking utensils and supplies can be picked up now on the cheap. Not sure if you have done a video like that, but it could be fun.
I plan on making a dollar tree version of shrimp fettucine alfredo tomoorow. My local dt has peeled, deviened "salad" shrimp for $5 a bag. I'll use that with some knorr alfredo pasta. I bought some texas toast garlic bread there to go with.
Tuna casserole was a regular meal when I was growing up. With 7 kids, so 9 at each meal this could be doubled and fed everyone. Add a can or two of drained peas and too with crushed potato chips. Great. Still make it.
i made the tuna casserole thingie for dinner tonight because i already had all those things on hand. ..my old man loved it!! i'm from ontario canada...and our big chain here is dollarama..although we do also have dollar trees...and both sell lots of dry grocery items...but neither chain sells refrigerated or frozen food...but i love the recipes and meal ideas..i just buy the ingredients at one of our many discount grocery chains like no frills, freshco or food basics instead...you have given me great ideas and i really enjoy your videos!! 🍽😊
That brand of beef stew isn't bad it's good for Sheppard pie and as a filler for your own beef stew and that's good gravy mix if it's from Denton Texas I'm ten minutes from the factory good stuff and we use those mashed potatoes mixes a lot especially for potato soup.. good stuff and I like your videos very helpful especially since we're disabled and on a fixed income especially with food
3:40 The Broccoli Cheese soup! I just started watching because of your latest video, the one about cooking the recipes on packages, so this was a fun surprise to see!
I’ve heard of that and cream of mushroom, I love getting variations of meals because then it helps people to see the potential of what they already have in their pantry rather than thinking they have to go buy something specific for a recipe 🥰
My favorite budget meal is red beans and rice. I just add my soaked and rinsed red beans to my slow cooker with chicken broth or bouillon, vegetable seasoning blend and cajun seasoning. Let it cook all day long and about an hour or so before I'm ready to eat add smoked sausage that's been browned up in a skillet. Serve over rice with some corn bread. It is absolutely delicious and feeds at least six with leftovers depending on your appetite. Love your videos and I'm currently binge watching them 👍
The food pantries in our town give out the bag of beef stew, so an idea also. I try to show how to cook food pantry food. My family likes it over mashed potatoes, and I add other veggies and some rosemary/thyme/parsley, whatever I have on hand. Really perks it up! Ps, love those noodles; this is where dried milk powder would come in handy. You have such great ideas!
When my children were little i use to make the canned beef stew casserole but with canister biscuits on top, back then you could get 4 canisters for 1 dollar.
You're so creative with such simple recipes 🙂. Another hearty meal could be a can of soup or stew like that, but spooned over bowls of rice. And maybe a side salad or fresh veggie?
Made the tuna noodle with alfeedo the other night, it was delicious and im never cook tuna noodle any other way from now on! Making this beef stew tonight! I cant wait. This channel has helped me so much as a single mother with two boys! ❤
You can also use 3 small cans of drained tuna in place of salmon or mackerel to make patties. Here in southern Indiana, a 14.75oz can of salmon is nearly $4; 3 (5 1/2oz) cans of tuna, a bit less than $3. Not enough difference in the weight to affect the texture. (Aldi prices)
A friend of mine would would mix a box of macaroni and cheese and a can of tuna as his go-to college dorm meal. I've always wanted to try it since I liked tuna casserole too but never have.
Sometimes I simply make some Easy Mac in the micro and mix a single-serve packet of tuna. Add a dollop of sour cream or cream cheese to make it creamier. So good!
With the Knorr pasta sides, I actually add a bit more liquid because I like my pasta cooked softer. I use half water and half half and half to make it creamier.
I am loving you content. I have made the same noodle dish using chicken with chicken flavored pasta sides and peas. I used the microwave and it came out well. Thanks for sharing 😊
we have that beef stew in the food pantry I work at right now! they also make a red beans and rice that would be great with the smoked sausage dollar tree sells ☺
I love adding tuna to those and even Mac and cheese with sriracha! Thanks for showing us an easy quick and of course affordable meal 😊. Everything looks great. I’ll bet that biscuit meal would be good with the chicken ala king from dollar tree too.
I love your videos. I really appreciate how u use the Dollar Tree, and love the simple (but interesting)meals you choose to make. You are becoming my favorite channel!! x
Cheddar cheese and canned veggies and your mashed potatoes and a biscuit or cornbread top br good with that casserole too😊..and for your tuna casserole if you don't have a fridge a can of Prego alfredo sauce would work too..and Dollar tree has it😊
I love savory pies, Shepards pie is a staple in my home! I would highly recommend doing a layer of biscuit on the bottom of the pan as well. That way the filling is sandwiched between crusts like a pie would be. But honestly the way you made it will taste the exact same so this is not anywhere near required!
My garlic biscuit recipe calls for a few tbs melted butter and 1/2 tsp garlic salt. You add it on top of the hot baked biscuits. It really takes blah biscuits to amazing!
Tuna and peas added to box Mac n cheese is also an amazing shortcut. And if you’re making a “large” amount (2+ boxes of Mac n cheese) adding a can of cream of mushroom is yummy also.
I served my tuna casserole into mu bowl and the crushed about 1/4 a sleeve of Ritz crackers on top. It gave it a buttery crunch. I didn't add anything to th crackers. It was amazing.
I find this brand of beef stew to be way too mushy. It's like it was processed to pieces. I wonder if my can was just a fluke or if others have the same experience. Making it like this might make it more appealing. Thank you for always delivering great content in a judgment-free way.
I would say it may have been a fluke because the cans I got were pretty chunky, not mashed up but I can see how that would be unappealing. I have had some mushy cans in the past 🥰
All of them are TVP which is soy - sometimes it will say soy protein They put some beef with them so they do they can label it beef stew It’s Soy Stew, beef flavored Blechhhh
Add 1 can of cream of mushroom soup...salt and pepper. Chuck roast Lipton onion soup mix dry sprinkled potatoes carrots chunked in crockpot...use the left over roast potatoes carrots place all into casserole dish add 2 small cans of Heinz brown gravy cook 1/2 hour 350° take out oven mix Bisquick biscuit mix drop by spoonful on top of casserole place in oven until golden brown(2 dinners out of 1 chuck roast) Yummy.
Have to try the tuna dish out. But I would add definitely some diced carrots. Was thinking maybe even a can of cream of mushroom soup. Or cream of celery.
You could do a cornbread biscuit topping on the beef stew, or do a chili with it on top or chili mac with the cornbread. Banquet used to have boxed meals (like hamburger helper but with more stuff) and their chili mac with cornbread was a staple growing up.
I use coffee mate or store brand non dairy powdered creamer, or powdered milk. For the creamer if you put 5 Tablespoons of the creamer and 1 cup of water you can use this for recipes calling for milk. I even use to make Mac and cheese or any milk need. Works great. Be sure to mix well.
I love that Splenda coffee creamer. I usually use a splash of milk but I've switched to the sweet cream creamer. I love your videos! I'm going thru some financial hard times right now and am forced to do almost all of my grocery shopping at dollar tree. Thanks for the ideas!
I think your beef stew dish would be great with some beans added and topeped with corn meal added to the biscuit mix. Additional spices as desired in the stew to give it a southwest flair.
I made a shortcut Shepherd's Pie last night and I was going to send it to you as it would be a good Dollar Tree option, though for someone who has a stove/oven combo. Thanks for these ideas. It would serve 3-4.
@@DollarTreeDinners A lot like your beef stew thing but here ya go. All items at Dollar Tree but might be cheaper somewhere else 1 pkg sausage 1 pkg beef patties 1-2 cans mixed veggies - I like 2 for more veggies 1 bottle DT Worcester Sauce 1 cup water (broth is a bonus) 1 pkg instant mashed potatoes - my DT has flavored ones which is great - 2 pkgs gives more top but 1 works. Does need 4 TBSP flour, salt & pepper, opt is onion and garlic power - can buy these at DT. Cook sausage and beef patties in med high skillet. Season with s&p and spices (again option but better for it) Add drained canned veggies, heat through. Add 1 cup water (broth) and 4 tbsp W sauce Stir Slowly add 4 tbsp flour, stirring. Hoping folks have it. (I have tried without flour, sauce is just thin) Reduce to low and allow to bubble while you make potatoes to package directions. Pour in baking dish, spread potatoes over top. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes until golden brown. IF folks have it, can sprinkle with cheese but that is why the flavored potatoes are good for flavor without cheese. I get 4 servings out of these.
My Great-Granny Parker did a $.49 bag of potato chips (regular size bag today) and a can of Mushroom soup rather than noodles. Confused the heck out of me when I went to a friend's and there were noodles in the tuna casserole. Full Recipe: bag of chip crushed, can of peas, can of cream of mushroom, 1/2 can of water or milk, large can of tuna (or 2 small), 2 cups of shredded cheese. Put crushed chips on bottom of 2qt casserole dish (save about 1/2 cup), mix soup, tuna and peas and pour over chips, sprinkle cheese on top, add the extra chips on top for crunch. Bake at 350* for 45 min.
YUM. You could save back about 1/4 cup of the peas when you make the tuna casserole. And don't throw that juice from the peas away, make it part of your liquid for the biscuit topping on the beef pot pie.
I love your videos. It is so nice that you share ways for people to eat cheaply even at dollar stores. Do you ever come to the Indianapolis Comic Con? My niece is very involved in it.
