Unilever, the company that offers brands like Bertolli, Country Crock, Hellman’s, Knorr, Lipton, Wish Bone, and Ragu, publishes budget recipes on its Making Life Better website. The website lists numerous low-cost main courses plus a few sides and desserts.
Most family meals (a main course, one side, and dessert) in the budget category can be made for less than $3.50 per serving. According to the website, prices are based on average retail prices at national supermarkets (presumably in the United States). For a family of four, $3.50 per serving equates to a total meal cost of $14. Compare that to an average meal at a casual dining restaurant that might cost on average $15 per person, and a four-person family can save $46 by simply making one low-cost meal per week.
Free Chicken Recipes: Low Cost Options for Family Meals
Following are budget chicken recipes that typically meant to serve between two and four people. Listed beside each one is the cost per serving according to Unilever.
- Chicken Cacciatore – $1.02
- Country-Italian Chicken & Potatoes – $1.41
- Harvest Chicken Salad – $1.62
- Souper Roasted Chicken – $1.64
- Chicken Satay Fried Rice – $1.79
- Parmesan Crusted Chicken – $1.79
- Weekday Skillet Chicken – $1.88
- Savory Roast Chicken – $1.96
- Cheddar Chicken & Vegetable Skillet Dinner – $2.00
- Wish-Bone Marinade Italiano (Chicken) – $2.01
- Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo - $2.03
- Chicken Salad Panini – $2.15
- California Wrap – $2.20
- Ragu No Frying Chicken Parmesan – $2.37
Low Cost Beef, Tuna, Turkey, and Soup Recipes
These budget recipes from Unilever incorporate anything but chicken and are listed in order of price per serving (lowest to highest).
- Quick Tuna & Vegetable Casserole – $0.84
- Souperior Meat Loaf – $0.98
- Mama's Easy Awesome Meat Sauce – $1.35
- Lipton Onion Burgers with Creamy Salsa – $1.35
- Ragu Pizza Burgers – $1.42
- Toasted Tuna 'n Bacon Melts – $1.45
- Cheeseburger Pasta 'n Vegetables Dinner – $1.53
- Mama's Best Ever Spaghetti & Meatballs – $1.71
- Slow Cooker Pot Roast – $1.83
- Skillet Pasta & Beef Dinner – $1.97
- Chili-Stuffed Baked Potatoes – $2.24
- Turkey Waldorf Pitas – $2.28
- Rigatoni Bolognese – $3.11
Low-Cost Sides and Desserts
The Making Life Better website also suggests low-cost sides and desserts to accompany the above meals. Combine one main course from above with one of these low-cost sides for a fairly cheap dinner.
- Parmesan French Bread – $0.17
- Herbed Garlic Bread – $0.33
- Ricotta Bruschetta – $0.50
- Onion-Roasted Potatoes – $0.57
- Best Ever Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Cookies – $0.10
- Crispy Peanut Butter Cookies – $0.64
These Unilever budget recipes list ingredients, as well as preparation and cooking instructions. Of course, the recipes call for Unilever brand ingredients (like Ragu pasta sauce or Wish Bone dressing), but these can easily be substituted for comparable products. A comparable product that is purchased on sale will no doubt increased the savings touted in these recipes; using coupons will also serve the same purpose.
Resource: Making Life Better Budget Recipes
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