Costs are going up while paychecks are going down. Finding cheap meal ideas the family will love can ease the adjustment period.
Pasta dishes are popular family meals which are easy on the budget. When meal planning, pasta menus provide for filling meals as well as being pleasing. A warm macaroni casserole can provide a winter meal which satisfies hunger while being frugal enough to allow grocery savings to help make paying other bills possible. These easy pasta meals make good additions to the weekly meal plan.
Mexican Macaroni Casserole
- 1 pound of hamburger or ground turkey
- 1 pack taco seasoning mix
- 1 box of elbow macaroni
- 1 can of mexicorn
- 1 can of ranch style beans
- 1 8 oz can of rotel
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese
- Cook noodles according to directions
- Brown meat and add taco seasoning.
- Mix all ingredients together.
- Pour in 9X13 dish
- Top with cheese and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees
To increase grocery savings and make an even more economical pasta meal, try any of these changes:
- Cut hamburger to 1/2 pound
- Add one can of beans to stretch the number of servings
- Substitute tomato sauce for rotel and add a pepper or pepper sauce for extra spice.
- Replace shredded cheese with cheese slices.
Easy Italian Macaroni Beef Casserole Recipe
Double this frugal pasta meal and freeze half for a later meal.
- 2 boxes Macaroni and Cheese
- 1 lb hamburger
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 16oz can spaghetti sauce
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese
- Make macaroni and cheese according to package directions
- Brown hamburger and onion. Add Italian seasoning to taste.
- Drain and add spaghetti sauce.
- In a 9x13 baking dish layer meat mixture, then noodles, then mozzarella.
- Bake at 350 until cheese is as melted
Macaroni Beef Casserole can be made less expensive by making the following changes:
- Cut hamburger to 1/2 pound
- Substitute tomato sauce and Italian seasonings for the spaghetti sauce.
- Top with packaged parmesan instead of mozzarella
Easy Pasta Meal: Spaghetti Pizza
- 1/2 pound spaghetti noodles
- 1 can of jar of spaghetti sauce (or homemade if you have some on hand or frozen)
- 2 eggs
- 1 package meatballs
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- Break noodles in half and cook.
- Beat 2 eggs and add to the cooked and drained noodles.
- Mix well, and pour into a greased cake pan. Spread evenly.
- Pour sauce on top and spread evenly.
- Cut meatballs into fourths and put on top of the sauce.
- Sprinkle on the cheese and bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until cheese starts to brown around the edge.
The copyright of the article Family Meals on a Budget in Menu Planning is owned by Kathy Jackson. Permission to republish Family Meals on a Budget in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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