Meals on the Cheap: $7 and under!

It's been a long time since I've blogged, and that's primarily because we've significantly revamped the way that we eat. I've simplified our shopping, minimized ingredients, and streamlined our budget. As of lately, meals at our house consist of a basic meat, a starch, and a veggie. I've opted out of the more complex recipes because that just inflates our grocery bill.

Although I tend to be picky about variation, I've come across several fool proof meals that are not only easy, but affordable!

Naturally, food costs will vary depending on where you live and where you shop, but Aldi has been a very reliable go-to when it comes to creating a wholesome meal without spending a fortune. Here are some of our family's favorite meals that cost around $7 or even less!

- Lasagna ($3) with steamed veggies ($1.25). Aldi has a decent frozen lasagna that comes with 4 servings. It's not the fanciest dish, but it's sufficient and the kids like it.

- Hot dogs ($2), buns ($1.50), fries/tater tots ($1.50), canned fruit or green beans ($1)

- Cheese ($1.50) quesadillas ($1.75) with rice ($1) and black beans ($0.50)

- Pizzadillas (see cheese quesadillas above + pepperonis ($1.50)) with steamed veggies ($1.25)

- Frozen pizza ($3) with steamed or canned veggies ($1-1.25)

- Skillet meals - Aldi usually has a variety of frozen skillet meals that run ~$3 per bag. Our family of four usually eats most of 2 bags, with 1 or two servings left over for lunch the next day.

- Spaghetti: pasta ($1), sauce ($1.25), frozen or steamed veggies ($1-1.25), 1 lb. frozen turkey meat ($2) or 1 lb 80% lean ground beef ($3)

- Asian stir fry with chicken: sweet & sour or honey sesame chicken ($2.50), stir fry veggies with noodles ($2), egg rolls ($2).

- Breakfast for dinner - there are so many different options here because Aldi's prices on breakfast items are unbeatable. I'll just name a few of our favorites:

-frozen pancakes $1.50
-bacon $2.50
-frozen biscuits $2
-sausage links $2
-eggs ($2)

I could probably keep going on and on with prices and such, but at this point, you get the drift. There are SO many ways to create a simple, yet delicious and balanced meal at Aldi without spending a ton of money. Not to mention, it's really cut back on the time that I'm spending in the kitchen!

If you haven't already, go check it out for yourself!