Good Eats on $45 a Week (Really!)
How we made seven delicious and easy dinners, each for less than the cost of a takeout pizza.
By Lynn Andriani
The New Budget Meals
Wallet-friendly food and modern, creative cooking don't have to be mutually exclusive. Need proof? Here's a week's worth of suppers you can make for less than $45 (not counting staples such as oil, salt and pepper). They call for raw ingredients, including fresh, frozen and canned vegetables; eggs; canned beans; pasta; rice; and meat. And while they're essentially classic American fare, there are hints of Italian, Chinese and Latin cuisines, with every dish featuring an unexpected ingredient or technique.
Shopping list2 white or yellow onions
4 Idaho or russet potatoes
1 large bunch of kale
1 head of garlic
3 carrots
1 red bell pepper
1 10-ounce package of frozen peas
1 dozen eggs
1 15.5-ounce can of cannellini beans
1 15.5-ounce can of black beans
1 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes
1 pound of small shell pasta
1 pound of rice
7 ounces Virginia ham, sliced
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1.25 pounds)
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
1 1/2 pounds beef chuck
Dried thyme
Bay leaf
Small bottle of soy sauce
Small bottle of oyster sauce
You'll also need (and may already have): Vegetable oil
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Flour
Red wine vinegar (optional)
Grated Parmesan (optional)
Sesame oil (optional)
Printable Shopping List
Shopping list
You'll also need (and may already have):
Printable Shopping List
Published 07/20/2016