What are your favorite cheap and easy meals?

**corgee** · 10-13-2009, 04:15 PM

What are your quick meals you make for your kids all the time? My kids get sick of the same thing so I would like to hear some of your quick meals so I can cycle through them for my kids.

**jennordhavn** · 10-13-2009, 04:21 PM

Chili: Pound of lean ground beef or turkey, 2 cans low sodium beans, 1 can tomato sauce, spices. Served over rice. Sometimes we make corn bread to go with it.

Chicken Thighs: Baked chicken thighs, rice and steamed veggies.

Turkey Kielbasa: Sliced turkey kielbasa, onions, can of corn, rice, spices. Stir fry it all together. Kids love this for some reason!

**joyofsix** · 10-13-2009, 04:34 PM

pasta or rice and anything! I sort of use the universal casserole recipe from TWG.

**sueh** · 10-13-2009, 05:00 PM

I have to agree Pasta is always a cheap meal here.
Also ham steak, instant mashed potatoes & veggie
l/o chicken I mix it in with alfredo noodles (lipton packet) & frozen broccoli.

**Maine Girl** · 10-13-2009, 05:23 PM

quesadilla's Torilla's with a little bit of salsa and cheese and i serve it with sourcream. Now you can fill these with whatever you have. I always have salsa and cheese on hand.

**Trishagirl** · 10-13-2009, 05:45 PM

Pulled chicken bbq sandwiches in the crockpot.

**ravenmaniac** · 10-13-2009, 05:46 PM

My son is picky for some reason. He doesn't like vegetables so I try to have fruit around, for some reason he loves fruit.

Grilled ham or turkey and cheese on whole wheat with a bowl of soup.

Chicken or catfish nuggets that are very good quality, ie white meat, not processed. I read the labels for bad oils.

Chicken wings or thighs with mac. and cheese.

Hebrew National hot dogs. Hamburgers no more than 20% fat, usually less.

Salmon or Tilapia fillets. We also eat shrimp, crab, blue fish, scallops.

And his favorite standby... Pizza!

The seafood is not available all the time. I buy it on sale. I used to feel like a short order cook. But now I make pasta or rice dishes and keep his meat on the side. There are meals we share together but he's not home all the time so he'll fend for himself.

**marjorie** · 10-13-2009, 06:06 PM

My kids like hamburger strogonoff. Brown burger with onions and mushrooms, add a can of cream of mushroom soup, add 1 sm container of sour cream. Serve over rice, pasta, whatever you have handy.

**sunshine** · 10-13-2009, 06:52 PM

grilled cheese and homemade soup

anything they can dip - veggies in dip, fruit in dip, chicken fingers in dip

kabobs - meat, veggies, cheese and fruit on sticks or toothpicks

make things in muffin tins - meatloaf, quiche, bologna slices with eggs and cheese, twice baked potatoes with carrots/cheese, etc.

**Contrary Housewife** · 10-14-2009, 12:02 AM

Soup, usually some kind of vegetable, whatever is on hand.

Sandwiches. BLTs, egg salad, grilled cheese. Club sandwiches.

Salad. Lettuce and whatever... tomato, cucumber, cheese, eggs, carrots, chopped deli meat, nuts, dried fruit...

I like couscous as an instant side with meat. It takes 5 minutes and comes in flavors like rice and noodles do. It's great for soaking up juices and gravy, too.

**tigo** · 10-14-2009, 07:04 AM

Beans and weiners
Potato Soup
Veggie Soup
Chicken Noodle Soup
Stir Fry
Fried Rice (uses up leftover rice, meats and veg)
Fish Sticks with Mac and Cheese
Cheeseburger Mac (mac and cheese with gr beef)
Cheese and Mac with Ham cubes
Spaghetti
Sailor Spaghetti (pasta tossed with butter, scrambled egg and crumbled bacon. Add parm if you like it)

**Grainlady** · 10-14-2009, 07:28 AM

You might find some new ideas at this web site...

Kids A Cookin'
http://www.kidsacookin.ksu.edu/

**WV_mom_of2** · 10-14-2009, 07:49 AM

Breakfast for dinner- you can do eggs or pancakes, bacon, sausage or ham and we like fried potatoes or hash browns too!

Sometimes I make a breakfast skillet- cube and fry your potatoes until almost done. Throw in some already cooked meat like sausage, bacon or ham and heat until the meat is warm. Beat some eggs and add to the mix and stir and cook until the eggs are done.

Fried potatoes with hamburger gravy and apple slices on the side

We like hamburger helpers with a salad, cut up veggies or fruit on the side

Chef salads

Homemade chili, veggie soup or potato soup

**sommersa** · 10-14-2009, 08:45 AM

Oatmeal. If your kids like oatmeal. I buy the walmart brand, add some plain oats from a bulk container, and it works for a meal. Have been doing this for lunch at work when I cant come to make up my mind about what to bring