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Hi redlipstick!

I feel your pain.  I have several cheap meals I use a go-to meals. 

Cheesy Tuna Hotdish

1 can chunk light tuna (5-7 oz), drained

1 15 oz can peas, drained

1 can condenced cream of mushroom soup

1 box mac & cheese, prepared according to box directions

Combine prepared mac & cheese and other ingredients, folding in peas last to prevent crushing peas.  Bake 30 minutes at 350 until bubbly.  May add buttered bread crumbs or crushed potato chips to top before baking.  Use store brand ingredients to save extra money. 

Cheesy Hamburger hotdish

1 pound ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

1 can condensed tomato soup

1 15-16 oz can chopped or stewed tomatoes

1 can kidney beans, drained

1 box Mac & Cheese, prepared according to box directions

Chili powder to taste

Brown ground beef and onion, drain any fat.  Add the rest of the ingredients in order listed.  Season to taste with chili powder and anything else you like.  I normally use 93% lean ground beef as there is nothing to drain when browned.

I hope this helps out. 

Hi redlipstick!

We have a whole page that can help and inspire!

http://www.bettycrocker.com/cooking/BudgetMeals/

Also, check out this category for recipes others have posted on a budget.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/CommunityForums/forums.aspx/30

Sincerely, Cate

For a cheap comfort food meal, and have thrown the healthy diet out the window for one night, try beanie/weinies and fried potatoes and onions.  You can add a vegetable or a salad to soothe the guilt.  BLT, I  like the tuna dish.  Thanks, will give it a try.  Hugs,

BEANIE/WIENIES

1 pkg. hot dogs

1 chopped onion

A sprinkle of garlic powder

2 cans pork & beans

4 Tbls. ketchup

1 Tbls. mustard

4 Tbls. pan cake syrup

Slice dogs into 1/4 inch pieces.  Spray a non-stick skillet.  Sauté the dogs till slightly brown.  Add onions and stir and sauté for another 2 or 3 minutes.  Add the rest of the ingredients, mixing well.  Cover and simmer 5-10 minutes, stirring as needed

hi redlipstick, i can really understand, there is 12,000,000. more people going to food pantries since the begining of 2009 then the year before, so i'am told?!? I was reminded of a time years when we had "very little" money and two teenagers. My main food staple was biscuits & gravy, beans, and potatoes.Honest!! I made sausage/plain gravy & biscuits at least once a day. Breakfast foods are another way to stretch ones budget. these aren't recipe but maybe the ideals will help you. Another time,At our poorest time we ate "cubed steak & french fries" all the time, I bought the steaks marked 1/2 price and potatoes were cheap. Watch your store for maked down meat and damaged or close to expireing foods. They are always cheaper.  My husband was at the sean of a deer accident ( no one was hurt) and got/took the deer, that was what we had for meat! I felt that God had really Blessed us!  Thank God, we're not there yet, but I fear all of us may be there soon. Granna2

heya redlipstick,

when i was in college and shortly after that i got very good at the whole i'm busted and i'm hungry meals give these a try and let me know what ya think.

Eggy Soup

3 cushed packages of top ramon or similar (chicken flavored)

3 egss scrambled and beaten into the boiling water

frozen veg of your choice

cook and serve in under 5 minutes and if ya got bread and butter your all set

1 Skillet Mess

1 lbs of ya favorite sausage

1 huge bag of mixed veggies

2 boxes of betty crocker julien potatoes or pasta & cheese (like kraft mac and cheese)

just cooked the sausage as you like it add the starch you want when just about done (5 min before) add the veggies and cover with lid and turn off the heat by the time the sauce is thick your veggies are just done

good luck hope this gives ya a few more ideas to try out and all these can be done for aroun $12.00 or less and you can use coupons.

Money is ALWAYS tight at my home due to being a single mom and only having one income now!  I buy up cans of biscuits, pouches of the betty crocker mashed potatoes, hamburger helper, and the boxes of spaghetti kit by Kraft.  I then buy the tubes of ground turkey that are only $1 for a whole pound (and healthier).  I then buy a head of lettuce and I do get the canned veggies and canned fruits as they are cheaper.  All of this and you can have very cheap meals for the week if you are running tight on a budget, but put out a healthy meal on the table. 

Hello Redlipstick,

I am also on the look for simple and cheap meals. What is difficult is to find healthy meals that are underprocessed and are filling. I have 3 boys and they demand lots of meat and potatoes! Here is a simple recipe I call Managers Special. My kids love it, and request it often.

I can of beef stew (armour), onion powder, pepper to taste.    I package of egg noodles.

Fix noodles according to package directions, heat up beef stew with spices untill bubbly. Pour beef mixture over noodles and enjoy!