Budget-friendly meals for large families
Feeding a large family doesn't have to cost a fortune. With a weak economy and an unemployment rate of 9.6% in 2010, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics website, many families have had to reduce their household grocery bill. With some planning and preparation, you can maximize your recipes while minimizing your food costs.
Chicken Pot Pie
Cooking a whole chicken in a crock pot will give you the meat you need for three meals. Use two cups of cut-up chicken, pre-made pie crusts and frozen vegetables for an easy dinner that serves eight. Save any broth from the crock pot and store in a covered container in the fridge.
Chicken Noodle Soup
Use two cups of chicken, the broth from the crock pot, cut up carrots and celery and bow tie pasta. Serve with a loaf of crusty bread. This soup will serve six to eight people.
Skillet Chicken
Use the last of the chicken, canned tomatoes, onion and rice for this skillet meal. The skillet serves six.
Pot Roast with Veggies
Use a crock pot to prepare a roast beef. Throw in cut up potatoes, onion and carrots. You can buy larger and cheaper cuts of beef--just cook them in the crock pot longer. Set aside two cups of roast beef to be refrigerated.
Shredded Beef Enchilada Bake
Replace ground beef with shredded beef from pot roast. Shred beef by pulling apart with fingers or scraping with a fork. Serve with boxed Mexican rice to feed six.
Chili and Cornbread
Canned beans can be used with or without ground beef to make chili. Use ground beef or turkey for meat. Add a pan of warm cornbread to feed six to eight people.
Pasta
Use any style of noodle with any type of sauce to create a mix and match pasta meal. Add canned tomato sauce and Italian spices to a canned spaghetti sauce to make a gourmet-tasting sauce for less. Serve over spaghetti or ziti noodles. This meal will serve between six and eight people.
Tags: eight people, ground beef, broth from, broth from crock, from crock, roast beef