Meatless dinner 1xs a week challenge

**khaski** · 01-01-2012, 10:24 AM

With grocery prices ever-rising, in 2012 I am challenging myself to do one meatless dinner at least once a week. We can do eggs or cheeses, just looking to cut out the expensive meat! Let's see how I do with it, and if it makes any kind difference in the budget. If I stick with it, that's at least 52 dinners without meat- can't help but think that will help the budget! Anyone esle want to give it a whirl?

**mystypooh** · 01-01-2012, 11:53 AM

I've been doing this a while but would like to increase it a bit. I'm not a vegetarian, I will eat chicken and once in a long while turkey but my DH LOVES red meat. That's just too expensive if you ask me. I spent $14 for a few lbs of it to make burgers and I swore I wouldn't pay that much again. I will be making more meatless meals, normally I do 3 nights without meat of any kind but I'd like to move it up to 4 or 5....if possible. He may not like it though, lol, and if he doesn't I'll tell him to go grocery shopping and let him get shocked by the prices. I bet he'd change his mind. Well, maybe not, but I can hope. :-)

**khaski** · 01-02-2012, 06:32 PM

Brocc + cheese quiche tonight- no meat involved, my 5 yo actually wanted 2nds! I haven't told hubby about my new plan yet, he's a 'meat' man. Let's see how long it takes him to notice we're having one meatless meal a week....we do sometimes but not nearly that often.

**MakeADollarHollar** · 01-02-2012, 06:55 PM

I think DH and I can handle this. We already eat a fair amount of meatless meals but I think being purposeful about it will help. I'll have to start next week though because our menu for this week has already been planned but I'm sure I can make up for it so I'm in for 52 meals this year.

**Darlene** · 01-03-2012, 03:15 PM

Maybe by joining this challenge and keeping track of it in my siggy I'd do better job about making more of my weekly meals meatless. Would be nice to share recipes, if keepers, in the community cookbook so we & others can give them a try too.
OK, I'm in!

**dinah** · 01-03-2012, 03:37 PM

we do this already. i have been aiming for 2 meatless meals a week. i don't even miss the meat on those meals.

some of our favourites are:

cawliflower cheese soup
homemade cream of mushroom soup
veggie stirfry with cashews
grilled cheese sandwiches

**MakeADollarHollar** · 01-09-2012, 06:29 PM

First meatless meal of the year. Bean and Cheese Enchilada's using home cooked pinto's that I turned in to refried beans.

**Ramona** · 01-10-2012, 12:34 AM

We don't eat meat at every dinner, tonight we had sausages but tomorrow it's roasted red peppers, steamed kale and Italian bread.

Our favorite meatless meals are:

Spaghetti with clam sauce
Toasted cheese & tomato sandwiches
Macaroni with marinara sauce
Lentil soup
Cheese ravioli with marinara sauce
Tuna salad sandwiches
Pasta shells with asparagus or broccoli

**khaski** · 01-11-2012, 07:06 AM

Did a bean mix in the crockpot last night, it was just ok, but it was meatless and as they wereall 'marked down' cans it was CHEAP!

**MakeADollarHollar** · 01-12-2012, 06:34 PM

Another one for us...sort of. It was a total experiment that failed but I made White Bean Enchilada's and smothered them in Cream of Broccoli Soup. We ate what we could and ditched the rest.

**MakeADollarHollar** · 01-14-2012, 09:07 PM

Another one for us. Another creation of my own but this one is tried and true.

Veggie Quesadilla's with Smoked Gouda and Cheddar. Also made Oven Baked Zucchini Fries with homemade marinara.

**MakeADollarHollar** · 01-16-2012, 05:50 PM

#4 for us...Portobella Pizza's. Caps stuffed with veggies, topped with homemade pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese then baked. Garlic Bread and a small salad on the side.

**khaski** · 01-16-2012, 07:23 PM

Yummy! Your posts are giving me inspiration for more variety for us the night we go meatless!

Green pepper and cheese omellettes with toast tonight, no meat involved.

**pollypurebred39** · 01-16-2012, 07:34 PM

We do meatless a lot, so if I see this post up and it's a meatless meal in that day I'll post it.

I'm afraid tonight's meatless meal is incredibly boring. I stir fried cabbage and made spicy oven "fried" potatoes. Served with ketchup.

Last night was peanut butter and homemade peach jelly sandwiches.

The night before was peanut butter sandwiches with homemade strawberry jelly.

And before that I had pasta, sauce & grated cheese for either breakfast,lunch, or supper. Weird huh? I got made a box of pasta, put it in glass serving bowls and ate it when I felt like it.

**Herbolina** · 01-17-2012, 06:49 AM

We are on on this one!
I do try to eat primal, but it is so darn hard on this budget, so I could just as grate do a one day a week meatless.

Tomorow I have planned for hot chilli with beans. Meaning I have to remember to soak the beans tonigth.