$30 a week

[ggbwg]

If you could only spend $30 a week on groceries what would you buy? And say that you do not have a stocked pantry. Please list your recipes as well.
Price will vary on where you live of course and if there on sale. Some of my items were on sale this week.
MEALS
Spaghetti- $1.66- everything for it was on sale this week.

Chicken & Dumplings
Easy Chicken And Biscuits
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cups milk
2 cups cut cup chicken
2 cans refrigerated biscuits (10 to can)
sm. package of frozen mixed vegetables

Mix soup, milk, chicken, and vegetables in bowl. Set aside. Lay unbaked biscuits in 9x13 pan. Pour soup mixture over biscuits. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

soup-1.25
milk- was on sale this week for .88 1/2 gal
chicken (bag of chicken breasts, 6.00; I used 2; 1.20
biscuits on sale for 5 for 1.00; .40
vegetables on sale for .69
Total cost is $4.04 and this includes your vegetable serving

Potato Hotdish-$3.44
1 lb. hamburger (browned, drain fat)
6-8 med. potatoes (peeled and cut into bite-size pieces)
1 can tomato soup
1 can vegetarian vegetable soup ("ABC" vegetable will work if you can't find vegetarian)
Combine browned hamburger, cut potatoes and soups in a 2 qt. caserole dish. DO NOT ADD WATER - this will thin it out and make it very "soupy". Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender.

Pizza Burgers $3.71

1 lb gr. beef ($1.49)
1 jar any kind pizza sauce (.58 cents)
1 pkg. mozzarella cheese ($.99)
1 8 count hamburger buns (.65 cents)

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) Separate buns in half and place on baking pan, heat for 5 minutes.
3) Brown gr. beef and drain, add pizza sauce.
4) Spoon gr. beef onto buns, and top with mozzarella cheese.
5) Bake for 10 minute or until cheese is melted.
Makes 16 pizza burgers.

This is so easy.....and yummy..
you need 2 to 3 cans of regular biscuits, 2 cans cream of chic. soup...and fill 1 can of milk...
1st, you slice the biscuits in strips, then put soup and milk in pan until boiling then add biscuits...that's it..

Eat leftover spaghetti add a salad .99

Crockpot Porkchops $5.55
4 Pork Chops
Red Potatoes, quarted, no set amount
1 onion, sliced into rings
2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup (sometimes I use roasted garlic soup, instead)
Salt and Pepper, to taste

I put the pork chops on the bottom of crock. Season chops with salt and pepper. Layer the potatoes on top and season. Last layer will be the onions. Pour the soup over all of this.
Cook in crockpot 6-8 hours on low.

Grilled cheese & tomato soup $2.08

LUNCH
Use leftover sauce from chicken and dumplings and make flour dumplings and serve over that.

PB & J 2X that week $2.00

Banquet Frozen Dinners 3 days $1.98

Any other leftovers

BREAKFAST
Eggs in a Basket- $.59
Cereal 3X .98 for a box
French Toast Free because we have all the ingredients for it.
Baked Apples -$1.50
Breakfast Burrito- Use some leftover tortillas, cheese and eggs, ham. $.99

SNACKS
Popcorn .89
cucumber .39
carrots .99
elephant ears Free- use leftover tortillas and deep fry them and add sugar and cinamon

DRINKS- Water-milk and juice .59
TOTAL $30.59 over by 59cents Which is ok as long as your not over by $1

[Tree0164]

Re: $30 a week

You did a good job! How many people are you feeding? I honestly can do not it for $30 a week. I don't breakdown each meal.

We aim for $300 a month (breakdown $75 a week) I do keep a well stocked pantry as well

[ggbwg]

Re: $30 a week

With us we only feed 4 people. 2 adults and 2 kids. Sometimes grandma as well. Thanks.

[jmjj215]

Re: $30 a week

$30/week is definitely on the low end of the norm I would say. My wife, 10-month old son, and I do about $50 / week. We also keep a well-stocked pantry. And we buy fresh foods - which are more expensive.

[ggbwg]

Re: $30 a week

I don;t always get to spend $30 a week it usually runs from $30-$50. Some weeks i get to splurge more than the other week.

[jacquelynrose]

Re: $30 a week

I like the idea...I mean it is doable...I am a Single Mom with a little girl so I am sure it is possible to do...but I also like to buy extras.

Jacquelyn

[Susapalooza]

Re: $30 a week

ggbwg, what outstanding recipes! And what a great job you did staying so accountable with your food bill. The chicken and dumplings and the pizza burgers look deeeelicious.

Here's an old favorite my cousin sent me. I haven't priced the items, but it's good:

Cheeseburger Bake

Takes about 15 minutes.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup ketchup
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 package {7 1/2 oz.} refrigerated biscuits {10 biscuits}


Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Coat an 8-inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large skillet, brown ground beef with onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper over high heat; drain. Add ketchup and cheese; mix well. Pour into baking dish. Place biscuits on top of the beef mixture and bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden and cooked through.

[Tree0164]

Re: $30 a week

That sound very good !!!

[Susapalooza]

Re: $30 a week

Thanks, Theresa Here's another hamburger oldie-but-goodie, this one from a favorite aunt...

POTATO PAN-BURGER

SERVES 8 to 10
BAKE at 425 for 25 to 30 minutes

Brown...1 1/2 pounds ground beef with
1/2 c. chopped onion in large skillet, stirring occa-
sionally. Drain.

Blend in...1/4 c. flour and
1 T. catsup. Add
3/4 c. beef broth
1/2 tsp. salt and
1/4 tsp. pepper. Cook until thick, stirring
constantly.

Stir in...1 can (10 1/2 oz.) cream of mushroom soup and
1 cup sour cream. Reheat. Mixture must be in skillet
or casserole with 2 1/2-quart capacity.

Drop...Topping by rounded teaspoonfuls to cover filling.

Bake...at 425 for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown.

POTATO PUFF FILLING

Heat...1 1/2 c. water
1/4 c. butter and
1 1/2 tsps. salt to boiling in saucepan. Remove from
heat. Add
1/2 c. milk.

Stir in...Instant mashed potato flakes (approx. 3-4 oz.)
When flakes are soft and moist, whip lightly
with fork.

Add...2 unbeaten eggs, beating well after each.

Stir in...1 c. all-purpose flour and
2 tsps. double-acting baking powder. Beat well.

You might need to give it about five more minutes than she says, depending on your oven. The potato filling should be done throughout.

[shawni]

Re: $30 a week

I want to shop where you shop! I always try to shop the sales, go to vegetable markets, and bread thrift stores...your prices still beat mine by a mile. I can't wait to get my herb and veggie garden going this year. That should definately save me on my grocery bill.

[ggbwg]

Re: $30 a week

I shop at 2 grocery stores here. Hy-Vee and Super Saver. They always beat prices at Walmart, at least here they do. Plus Super Saver will match prices and take coupons. I usually only buy pork, or sale items at Hy-Vee. I plan my grocery shopping by making a menu for a week. Then i just get the ingredients the recipes call for unless i already have something of it on hand. I don't have but 2 small kitchen cabinets to use so i don't have much room. My kitchen is small because we rent an apartment. Those other recipes you all had listed looked yummy too. And the cheeseburger one would be pretty cheap where i live because i can get biscuits for .20 a can sometimes on sale for .18 a can.

[zakity]

Re: $30 a week

Another idea is to mix the hamburger with TVP. A friend started mixing it half and half and no one noticed.

[CheaplyClever]

Re: $30 a week

Another idea is to mix the hamburger with TVP. A friend started mixing it half and half and no one noticed.

OK- I'll bite, what's TVP?

[zakity]

Re: $30 a week

TVP=textured vegetable protien

It is also known as TSP (textured soy protien).

[Jenlee]

Re: $30 a week

One of our favorite meals is to boil chicken quarters (regularly 39¢/# and this week only 29¢/#) in some salted water to make the broth and then remove them and boil a bag of egg noodles or other pasta until done. If all 5 of us eat a chicken quarter and the noodles, the cost of the meal is under $2.50. Of course, you could add some green beans or a salad and still come in under $4.