Would love to see the hybrid Walmart/Dollar Tree meal plans. Would also like to see more slow cooker recipes when you want dinner done when you get home after a long day out of the house! You don't know what an indispensable aid your meal planning videos are for some people, especially me. 😉
This would be a great idea! I'm always curious too whether the Dollar store or Walmart have the better prices per portion too. There will be some things that are better at one then the other
My mom would come home and have meals on the table within 30 minutes or less using her pressure cooker. I shipped hers from Germany so now I am making her recipes.
If you wet your knife or take a piece of wet paper towel and set it on the corner of the cutting board, the acid in the onion will be drawn to either of those moisture sources instead of your eyes. I’ve been doing this for the last few years and haven’t cried from an onion burn since. Just a tip to help.
I think a mixed-market video is a great idea. Some things are cheaper at WalMart and some are cheaper at Dollar Tree, so it would be cool to get the cheapest price total. That's how I like to shop, and I would assume that the majority of people are like me; get the items where they're the least expensive. There are always going to be people who aren't able to do that, but I feel like most people are able to.
I love the idea of mixing Dollar Tree items with grocery store items. That's how we shop. I see what DT has, then hit the sales at the grocery store! Last night we had ham and bean soup over rice, as you suggested in a previous video. Hubby and I both loved it and plan to have it again. We added some carving board ham since we had it. Great job, Rebecca! Keep these awesome videos coming! We appreciate you!
Wahoo!!! I can watch this and tweak my grocery delivery for tomorrow!! Maybe. I really want to make the black bean tacos from Day 2. You are a rock star Rebecca!! Thank you for all of our hard work on this channel. I don't think you truly appreciate how many lives you have touched and how many people you have helped!!!
I feel like a shake of sage would turn that strata into a thanksgiving-style meal with how close it is to homemade stuffing! I'm floored at the variety of meals you've been able to get out of this $50 series. Keep it up, Rebecca!
Yes if she had made double of the bread and veggies half could be saved for stuffing, just add chicken seasoning and broth. To make it. Complete meal, add apples and sausage, mushrooms and ham, or chicken and either apples or mushrooms.
I grew up basically poor, but never went hungry. My grandmother was the one pot meal queen. She would start with a cheap cut of beef or pork chops, add rice or pasta, or even vegetables and it was delicious. Cabbage and pork chops was the bomb. We didn't always have meat, but we always had something tasty to eat. She made homemade tortillas nearly every day and we always had beans and rice. Seasonings are important and they're fairly inexpensive at the Dollar Tree and Walmart. Don't have onion? Keep a jar of chopped onions from the seasoning section and just rehydrate those. It works out great in recipes. Dried herbs and seasonings are great when you don't have fresh. I love your videos. You've given me so many great ideas. Keep em coming. :)
these meals are so accessible! she doesn't "assume" the person knows how to cook, and explains everything beautifully. this would be perfect for the young person just starting out, maybe sharing with a roommate like $25 and $25 per person and budgeting that way.
I love these videos more than the Dollar Tree videos! The DT ones have a lot of great ideas but not the healthiest of meals to eat regularly lol. With fresh meats and vegetables from Walmart your budget friendly meals are much healthier.
15:30 I learned this tip from the movie "The Help", if you take a match, strike it, blow it out, then hold the non burnt end between your front top and bottom teeth, you won't cry. It works for me. Try with an unlit match, too, I've had both work. Just don't wear glasses!! You may think they'll keep you safe but all they'll do is swirl the gasses around in your eyes.
Oh my. I browned a tortilla in a skillet, put skillet stuffed pepper mixture on the tortilla like a individual pizza, top with hot sauce and cheese and it was so good!!
A fantastic easy budget meal is curry! Especially vegetarian curry. I feel like a lot of ppl are intimidated by curry, but it's simple if you use curry powder instead of buying all the separate spices (less cost effective though). We made veggie curry last night using potatoes, carrots, onion, curry powder, salt, a can of chickpeas, a small can of crushed tomatoes, some chicken broth that I made from bouillon, and a can of coconut milk (but using some plain yogurt would be cheaper!!). Served over white rice. If you thinned it with more broth you could probably just eat it as a soup instead of over rice. It makes a TON of food.
This is such a great video, love seeing all of your ideas! Speaking as someone who knows a lot of potato farmers (from Idaho lol), I would try to avoid green potatoes when you can, I know there’s not always great options, but green doesn’t mean underripe for potatoes, it’s where’s the solanine (toxin) is concentrated. Even just peeling away or cutting that part off is better for you! Said with love 💕
I think my husband and I goofed and used green potatoes in our curry last night. We've both been in the bathroom a lot today lmfao. Definitely going to have to pay better attention next time 😅
Yes, and this is extra hard on people with immune issues... Like arthritis, those with allergies and food sensitivities, anyone with even very mild nightshade sensitivity or allergies and those with the MTHR gene variant because of reduced ability to eliminate toxins.
I am a budget meal video junkie and you made very creative meals! I also loved that you included coffee, creamer, dessert, butter and seasonings into your budget! I always feel like it is cheating to use seasoning and butter from your pantry since these are such expensive ingredients and they add so much flavor. I loved this challenge.
i don’t watch this to save money on groceries. i have really bad ADD and i will buy groceries for a dinner and the remaining ingredients go to waste because i can’t think of anything to make with it. this channel has really helped me get creative and think outside the box. it’s a challenge for me but thank you for that
If you want your brownies to last longer, you could wrap several of them individually on the day you cut them and pop them in the freezer in a a ziplock bag. They stay fresh and defrost quickly, then maybe the next week you could buy ice cream for your treat and have brownie a la mode. Yum 😋
So thankful for this channel. Due to recent health issues, I am unable to drive (and live out in the country, so no delivery) and your recipes with limited ingredients makes it so much easier to put together meals from my pantry/freezer. Even if I don't make the recipes exact, it helps to spark some creativity lol
Just a side note as I’m British, Shepherd’s Pie is made with lamb mince, hence the Shepherd in the name. When made with beef, we call it Cottage Pie. I have to say it looked pretty good what you made. What I use to do when I was on government assistance was to bulk it out with lentils, another thing we Brits do, which I highly recommend is to top it with grated cheddar cheese, 10 minutes before it finishes cooking 😋
Tip for chopping onion!! If you wet a dish towel or paper towel and sit it on or right next to your cutting board while you're chopping onions, it'll stop the eye burning!
When I make tuna casserole, I use tuna packed in oil, and I don’t drain it. It gives a delicious tuna flavor that you just can’t get from water packed. The oil coats the noodles and gives so much more flavor to the dish. Delicious!
One thing I love to do on a tight budget on cold days is make vege chili. Can be done stovetop or crockpot. A can of black beans, some other bean of choice, canned diced tomatoes and canned corn, and whatever chili spice I have on hand. Can add onion/pepper/garlic if you want. Add some jiffy mix cornbread on the side. Put it over rice or serve on its own. Another lunch dish is rice with skillet roasted canned chick peas (garbanzos). Sometimes I put cabbage slaw with it.
The ability to use only 1/2 or 3/4 pound of beef is one of the reasons I buy the frozen formed patties at Walmart. There is, more or less, little to no price difference. The other two reasons are I don't have to worry about how quickly I use it up or have to remember to freeze it if I don't use it; and I don't have to remember to pre-thaw it prior to a meal (as they thaw quickly in the pan).
I do this with chicken breasts. I remove the chicken tenders of each breast and set them aside for a meal of their own. Nobody notices the tenders are missing. It's a great way to get another meal from the chicken breasts without spending more money!
I always look forward to your videos, no matter what your plan for the week is. I love watching you cook and all the creative things you come up with. I don't think anyone would feel deprived of a good meal, even tho you have kept it on a budget. You really inspire us.
The upside down shepherds pie idea would be great for us. My son doesn’t like potatoes (I know) but I do and then he could have it over rice or pasta or bread (his favorite). 😊
I think you should do a shopping trip just to stock your pantry. Sugar, flour, a few spices like cinnamon, powdered milk or canned milk, shelf stable milk, pasta and canned vegs, fruit, gravy mixes, and canned meat. With a well stocked pantry one could spend less each week for groceries. This would help young people just starting out.
This could honestly make a really good semi-long term series: a 4 week "starter pack" for home cooking on a budget, where the first week goes towards stocking up as well as making meals, and then weeks 2, 3, and 4 have maybe a smaller budget but use the stocked pantry from week 1.
I was waiting for the movie night nachos using your tortillas crisped in the oven. Topped with the left over turkey, salsa, and cheese. Thank you for inspiring many ideas from your meal plan. 🎉❤ 🏆
One of my favorite versions of cottage/shephard's pie using leftover Thanksgiving turkey - an idea I saw on the Rachel Ray show many years ago. The bottom layer is turkey with gravy (and any veg you want in there) topped with squash/sweet potatoes. So tasty! The ground turkey reminded me of it, especially since I have a bag of yams to use right now. Thank you for these inspiring recipes!
Rebecca..It’s fine to have a “chill evening”! Sometimes we all need a well-needed rest from daily responsibilities, and especially from stressful times at work, with family, or etc.! That being said, I love watching your creativity with the different budget meals, you are providing a great service to many people!!!
Loved this series! I can only imagine the amount of work, research and planning that goes into your videos but I know a LOT of people appreciate it! With the cost of groceries nowadays, there are so many people who are needing to shop and cook on a budget. Grateful for the helpful content you put out!
I put my potatoes in the microwave for about 6 minutes. When they’re cool enough to handle I dice/cube them and finish cooking them with in a skillet with olive oil and butter. I season with salt and pepper! They come out so good! I add eggs as the potatoes are cooking and scramble them! Add salsa
I have enjoyed this series very much much. It’s obvious that you put a lot of thought into planning these meals. Thank you for sharing with all of us. 😊
🙏💜 Rebecca, thank you so much! I was inspired by one of your videos earlier this week to make the black bean salsa, but I added 1 pound of ground turkey that I prepared, like "taco meat," with taco seasoning first. If you do this...brown the meat, drain it, bloom the seasoning packet like Rebecca says while the meat is draining (it really works!), add the meat back to the pan, add the can of Ro-tel (store brand works great) and the liquid from that is probably enough that you don't need to add water (or as much), add your can of drained corn, add your can of rinsed black beans, and heat through until beans are tender--likely less than 10 minutes with stirring and covered. I've been eating this "salsa and meat base" on small tortillas, in a bowl on top of rice with refried beans and cheese (if you can have cheese), etc. You could also eat it like a dip with chips or use other toppings you may have. It is SO full of flavor (I forget it's ground turkey), protein, and fiber that I look forward to thinking of new ways of using it. I may try it on top of a baked potato later today, hmm...LOL! Thanks again for the inspiration, Rebecca! 🙏💜
I have to tell you I’ve been binge watching your videos. I don’t necessarily need to live on such a limited budget but you are still giving me plenty ideas to save money with these recipes. You talk about finding a balance of creativity and accessibility and I think you nail it. Thank you for your content and dedication to the channel - it shows!
Back in the day when I worked for PBS we had a chef come in to film a pledge drive segment for her cooking pledge program. I remember she made a strada like baked brunch dish, she used brioche or french bread slices, a lot of butter, heavy cream, eggs and fake lobster. I forget what seasonings she used, I do remember it was not Old Bay. I remember people in studio saying it might be good with lump bluefin crab meat and Old Bay. I've had a sweet version of that with the bread soaked in a mixture of the eggs and heavy cream with vanilla and sugar and topped with dried cherries, pineapple and raisins and dollops of cream cheese. It was dusted with powdered sugar after baking, it made a really nice brunch dish. Yum!
I think it would be great to see a Walmart/Dollar Tree combo. You could show how to stretch a certain budget by getting items cheaper at either store to get the best of both worlds. This series was great as well. You do a terrific job.
One of the things that is great about you is your authentic approach. You keep it real. And there was nothing more real today than your reaction to the onions. So relatable. The stuff pepper skillet was my favorite of all your recipes.
My meal plan was decided this week when I found a pork roast for 99¢/lb. All our dinners came from this $5 of meat. (And it was plenty of meat for the two of us!) I tried to make a variety of flavors with the same meat. Cut some off to make chow mein, cooked the rest as a traditional roast and potatoes meal, and then made pork noodles with the leftover roast and gravy. Each of these made enough for two nights.
We grab pork shoulder when it is that price and cook in the crock pot with BBQ dry rub over a rough chopped onion and a few chopped apples. Add BBQ seasoning and beans to make tacos, nachos, or burritos. Add over beans and rice. Add to a stir fry. Leftover cooked pork goes into a gallon zip, smashed thin and frozen flat so that I can break off a piece to add to other weeks. We even like it over noodles or rice with a creamy or cheesy sauce with mushrooms and onions, broccoli or spinach.
A hybrid meal plan would be awesome! You could really show the best of 2 stores to make the absolute most out of a budget and have a lot more variety for meals.
You really do a great job with budgeting and maximizing the use of all your ingredients for the week and creatively making multiple meals using the budget ingredients….Well Done🥰💕❤️💯 and I’m not even a person that usually comments❤️
If you change out the tuna for chicken. You might want to do a can of cream of celery with a can of cream of mushroom soup. Add some onion powder and garlic powder to taste.
whenever a pepper or two is looking a bit old [I buy them in bags], I stab it a couple times and throw it in the oven to roast til the skin puffs up, then skin and core it, slice it into batons, and spoon the slurpy pile into an ice cube tray to make toss-it-in cubes of roasted pepper that go in late in the cooking process [rather than at the beginning to sauté with the raw onion]
If you can stock these items it's worth it. They really play a large role in giving affordable budget friendly items such as pasta, rice and potatoes much needed variety.
Not the same plaza for me, but the same intersection across from each other. I wouldn't be surprised to find that's intentional (like Taco Bell are always close to a McDonalds).
So many different varieties of meals in this week! I really appreciated the different textures of each and every ingredient. I appreicate all the work that went into this.
Im not someone who comments about health and safety things (I’m a food safety inspector for my province) but becuase I care about you and your family…please know this ❤Putting shells into the carton where there is still intact eggs causes bacteria from the opened shells to seep into your uncracked eggs, and all over your hands.Pasteurized commercials eggs don’t have the protective vernix farm fresh eggs have and that’s why we refrigerate them. Please throw away or compost your shells immediately after cracking. This would def cause diarrhea and vomiting without you knowing why because salmonella is invisible but nasty!
Stupid question then @mamastyles, does it really matter then cuz the eggs are getting cooked, and will cook off any bacteria? (Honest question, trying to learn....)
I can't even type a reply because of all the ads... Anyway, if shells could contaminate other eggs in a carton then contaminated whole eggs should as well because of the lack of protective coating. If you use a contaminated egg you are contaminating other foods that come in contact with it. But cooking to the proper temp for long enough reduces salmonella to undetectable levels. If you eat undercooked eggs there's a risk anyway because you never know if one is contaminated. If you always fully cook eggs and foods that touch raw egg then you are good. If the egg was already in the carton, and shells are porous and don't stop the spread, then nothing changes when you throw that egg shell back in. Eggs not touching may reduce the spread, but I know I touch multiple eggs when I grab one.
I love the idea of cutting back on the amount of meat to make it stretch further! Great idea! Most times I just add more veggies and no one knows the difference!
I definitely think you should do dollar tree/walmart videos. Also I would love it if you could do timestamps on each recipe so we can easily find our favorites. Thank you for doing what you do it helps so many people! 😁
I really enjoy your videos, especially these Walmart budget videos. I am disabled and on a fixed income and unable to drive, so I am always looking for budget friendly ideas that wil work for someone like me that I can order for grocery delivery, and also be healthy ( I'm type 2 diabetic and also have CKD).Great stuff, and great ideas.
I love tuna casseroles!!!! Thanks for stating we could switch out chicken for the proteins and beef also!!! This is a hit! I can spend more than this but this helps me to use my ingredients better than just picking this or that for breakfast lunch or supper. Thanks a lot for making these videos!!
I would love to see a $50 startup video - maybe for someone that has just come into being able to access a kitchen but doesn’t have any kitchen tools or food yet. Could you buy a weeks worth of food (for 1, let’s say) and all of the equipment you need to make it (knife, cutting board, pot/pan dishes, utensils, etc) from the dollar tree or a combo of stores?
In the town of Meadville Pennsylvania, the dollar tree it’s up that was in the Walmart plaza moved outside of the Walmart plaza cause somehow Walmart controlled what foods they could and could not sell in their dollar tree. Once they went over across the road across from Walmart, they can sell more food.
My daughter loves shepherds pie but I’ve started doing a kind of deconstructed shepherds pie in the skillet with hash browns. Either way…there’s never leftovers😊
Another great way to stretch ground meat is to add a can of green lentils. I make my bolognese this way - it's delicious, goes a lot further, adds more protein and is pretty cheap.
These looked delicious and as always, so well thought out. Thank you for the hard work, effort and consideration of all of us. Yes PLEASE Dollar Tree & Walmart! That’d be FANTASTIC! You’re a joy and a delight, Rebecca! God Bless!
Thinking beef bouillon and water would be cheaper than buying a can of beef bouillon. Sometimes even investing in Better than Bouillion is worth it….you get so much more quantity for the money, even though the upfront cost initially is more. There are a million ways to do things and that’s why I am enjoying your channel. You show other ways to get things done! I’m more of a traditionalist in the way I make things, although I do like to save money when I can. Love the shortcuts and learning different ways to get the desired result. I shared your channel on my FB group From Pantry to Table. Keep up the great work and the unique ideas. I like being able to look at things in a different way…..this is fun!
I’m a brand new subscriber but I discovered your channel this morning and have been binge watching all day. I would love to see a combination video of Dollar tree and Walmart. I am currently trying to figure out how to feed me and my husband on a lower grocery budget and I feel like that would be really helpful.
I will watch your wisdom regardless of stores shopped you know your stuff and never make a bad decision in other recipes that I have seen you make food fun
I would LOVE to see you do some meal plans, or even full weeks with a certain dollar amount budget, using both Walmart and Dollar Tree, or any 2 stores, really! I think it would be a great chance for you to talk about why you bought which ingredients from each store rather than the other, in order to make the most of your dollar. Shopping at different stores is something that I've always found very important for helping with a grocery budget.
I am really enjoying these $50 walmart dinner plans. I do most of my shopping at walmart and have 2 adults and a teen to feed. So these ideas would work well for my family as we are also on a tight budget. Thank you for your hard work. Love your channel. Also even though I did not get around to commenting on the other video you mentioned it in, I think you should keep your channel name the same. It is established and people know who you are. I love that you are adding in more content of a different variety too. I also love the idea of the dollar tree/ walmart dinner plan combo you mentioned. Looking forward to all your new ideas. Keep up the great work!
I really liked the two weeks back-to-back meal plans. As usual, you've inspired me to carefully plan out what interesting combos I can throw together. I looked at the canned chicken options (for your chicken pot pie pasta suggestion) but I've never bought canned chicken before since it isn't as cost efficient as buying chicken and cooking it. But maybe that's because I'm comparing the cost of the uncooked chicken to cooked? I'm sure there's weight lost during cooking, but I wouldn't have thought it was that much? At my grocer, cooked canned chicken breast sells for 1.79 a 5 oz can (or $5.73/lb), and raw boneless/skinless chicken boobs are $2.99/lb. Or thighs for 99 cents/lb. I feel like I must be overlooking something here, beyond the convenience and raw/cooked weight.
Also, be aware that the labeled weight on a can of chicken is not all meat, the liquid counts toward it as well, so a "12 oz" can of chicken might only have about 7 oz of actual chicken meat inside, once you drain it. (I was using canned chicken quite a bit, until I actually weighed it once for calorie-counting purposes. I was shocked at how little actual chicken I was getting for the money!)
Canned chicken is more expensive that buying a whole chicken or just legs or thighs. If you have already cooked chicken in your freezer you can use that. She is trying to show younger people how to budget. Us old cooks know to buy a whole chicken and cut it up, boil the bones for broth, package up the meat to use for casseroles. Due to my extremely tight budget right now I'm not grocery shopping and using the canned chicken I bought 2 years ago is coming in handy.
It is usually cheaper per pound to get the raw chicken then cook and shred it. But usually you have to buy a multi pound package of chicken so if you only need it for the one meal a can of chicken can be more practical sometimes
Amen to the comment section. It rocks. I tend to get into a rut and don't mind it most of the time. But there are those days when you just cannot face yet another same old same old. The variations and tweaks folks mention are priceless! The same old basic ingredients become something totally different. I even enjoy the tweaks that are not perfectly tasty because they change things up enough to hit reset on my same old humdrums. Question: On an upcoming severe limitation video (equipment, etc) could you consider doing a how-to-basic cleanup safely in situations where you have limited water or room to wash up, etc? Once, an Army cook showed me some tricks to ensure clean up left dishes sanitized and clean without any hot water. Would love to know some more such tips.
I will say that when my husband and I were raising our 3 boys, I made mostly one pot meals! They are easy usually and cheaper than trying to feed a family on a meat, starch and veggies. I think that this week of meals was wonderful! thanks for sharing xoxo. I think the combo of dollar tree and walmart would be great!
You have the smoothest and most peaceful voice ever... I feel my blood pressure go down to the sound of your voice... Oh, and you have amazing cooking ideas!
My brother and I love your channel and what you are trying to do for so many with nothing and I do not believe you do not keep everything clean this goes to the comment below❤
You just commented on Walmart and Dollar Tree being in the same parking lot sometimes, and I never even thought of it until I just thought about the one Walmart that I have shopped at and there is a dollar tree right across in the same plaza lol it would be a great idea for you to do a combo of both stores Because seasoning packets at Walmart are extremely inexpensive compared to Dollar Tree but then again, there are so many ingredients at dollar tree that are much more inexpensive than Walmart, you could probably get a really great meal plan out of that, looking forward to all of your future videos
Pam here….someone has probably already told you this, but when you think you can’t use up an onion or pepper, you can chop and freeze without blanching. I freeze extra from my garden on cookie sheet and can grab a handful to cook with when I need it.
Love watching these. Always enjoy the options given as well. So many ideas and it goes to show you really can manage a good weekly menu with a super tight budget (said as I just spent $530 for stocking the pantry and freezer). Look forward to each future video as your content is always fun and helpful!
I use 1/2 lb of ground beef for most recipes that call for a lb. I add extra veggies instead. My family doesn’t notice the difference. It works with anything like Shepard’s Pie or pastas, etc. Obviously not if you were making burgers or something. Mushrooms are a great way to make up for less meat too and they go with everything. My HEB puts them on sale often too.
I thought maybe panko? I know there are midwesterners who crush potato chips over their casseroles for a crunchy finished top, my ma just wasn’t one of them.
Another great video with some great ideas. I just had a discussion with my mom about you and your channel. She recently got of rehabilitation for a fracture in her pelvis. I have been taking care of her and she was making a list of some things from the grocery flyer. You came up because she noticed some chips and snack foods were on sale. Party size bags 3/$10. I mentioned going to Dollar Tree and getting some smaller bags. Her response was that they are more expensive and smaller sizes. I pointed out the several bags of stale snacks we had just thrown away after going through everything because she was not home for 8 weeks. I pointed out even if she was home she would never eat 3 party size bags because she would open all 3 for variety and they would definitely go stale. Instead i got her 4 bags of different things for $5 and although it was probably less than half the volume she saved $5 that wont end up in trash. Eureka was one of my favorite shows. Very sad when it ended. Warehouse 13 and The Librarians are some other good ones if you haven't seen them.
I am a super fan! Love love love your content every video. As a vegetarian I have used many of your ideas and techniques and wonder if you would do an episode strictly vegetarian. Vegetarian food is cost effective too!!
Great tip on using a bit less meat/protein per meal. There is only 2 of us and that’s not only a good financial tip, but probably healthier for us too.
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Would love to see the hybrid Walmart/Dollar Tree meal plans. Would also like to see more slow cooker recipes when you want dinner done when you get home after a long day out of the house! You don't know what an indispensable aid your meal planning videos are for some people, especially me. 😉
Good idea!
This would be a great idea! I'm always curious too whether the Dollar store or Walmart have the better prices per portion too. There will be some things that are better at one then the other
My mom would come home and have meals on the table within 30 minutes or less using her pressure cooker. I shipped hers from Germany so now I am making her recipes.
DITTO TO THIS
I also think that would be an awesome idea to see a Dollar tree and Walmart combo show.
If you wet your knife or take a piece of wet paper towel and set it on the corner of the cutting board, the acid in the onion will be drawn to either of those moisture sources instead of your eyes. I’ve been doing this for the last few years and haven’t cried from an onion burn since. Just a tip to help.
Or just have a damp dish cloth nearby on the counter
.... you are a hero
I think a mixed-market video is a great idea. Some things are cheaper at WalMart and some are cheaper at Dollar Tree, so it would be cool to get the cheapest price total. That's how I like to shop, and I would assume that the majority of people are like me; get the items where they're the least expensive. There are always going to be people who aren't able to do that, but I feel like most people are able to.
I would enjoy the Dollar Tree and Walmart combination store list and menu
I love the idea of mixing Dollar Tree items with grocery store items. That's how we shop. I see what DT has, then hit the sales at the grocery store! Last night we had ham and bean soup over rice, as you suggested in a previous video. Hubby and I both loved it and plan to have it again. We added some carving board ham since we had it. Great job, Rebecca! Keep these awesome videos coming! We appreciate you!
I always mix groc store and dollar tree
That recipe works with potatoes in the soup too, I grew up eating that.
Wahoo!!! I can watch this and tweak my grocery delivery for tomorrow!! Maybe. I really want to make the black bean tacos from Day 2. You are a rock star Rebecca!! Thank you for all of our hard work on this channel. I don't think you truly appreciate how many lives you have touched and how many people you have helped!!!
I know you will love it!!
I feel like a shake of sage would turn that strata into a thanksgiving-style meal with how close it is to homemade stuffing! I'm floored at the variety of meals you've been able to get out of this $50 series. Keep it up, Rebecca!
Yes if she had made double of the bread and veggies half could be saved for stuffing, just add chicken seasoning and broth. To make it. Complete meal, add apples and sausage, mushrooms and ham, or chicken and either apples or mushrooms.
I grew up basically poor, but never went hungry. My grandmother was the one pot meal queen. She would start with a cheap cut of beef or pork chops, add rice or pasta, or even vegetables and it was delicious. Cabbage and pork chops was the bomb. We didn't always have meat, but we always had something tasty to eat. She made homemade tortillas nearly every day and we always had beans and rice. Seasonings are important and they're fairly inexpensive at the Dollar Tree and Walmart. Don't have onion? Keep a jar of chopped onions from the seasoning section and just rehydrate those. It works out great in recipes. Dried herbs and seasonings are great when you don't have fresh. I love your videos. You've given me so many great ideas. Keep em coming. :)
And me.
My mom was the same. Bought cheap meat at the commissary and pressure cooked it and dinner was on the table in minutes
these meals are so accessible! she doesn't "assume" the person knows how to cook, and explains everything beautifully. this would be perfect for the young person just starting out, maybe sharing with a roommate like $25 and $25 per person and budgeting that way.
I love the Great Depression meals btw! And the dollar tree/Walmart combo idea sounds great. Let’s be honest, we’ll watch anything you great.
I love these videos more than the Dollar Tree videos! The DT ones have a lot of great ideas but not the healthiest of meals to eat regularly lol. With fresh meats and vegetables from Walmart your budget friendly meals are much healthier.
Those egg tacos with the corn/black bean salsa literally made my mouth water.
15:30 I learned this tip from the movie "The Help", if you take a match, strike it, blow it out, then hold the non burnt end between your front top and bottom teeth, you won't cry. It works for me. Try with an unlit match, too, I've had both work. Just don't wear glasses!! You may think they'll keep you safe but all they'll do is swirl the gasses around in your eyes.
I Appreciate that your servings are generous and would actually fill up the average person.😊
I patiently wait for your videos. I love them. I enjoy watching them on snowy days.
Oh my. I browned a tortilla in a skillet, put skillet stuffed pepper mixture on the tortilla like a individual pizza, top with hot sauce and cheese and it was so good!!
Put some worcestershire sauce in your ground turkey, and it will give the taste of beef
Good tip!
🤔 worth trying
A fantastic easy budget meal is curry! Especially vegetarian curry. I feel like a lot of ppl are intimidated by curry, but it's simple if you use curry powder instead of buying all the separate spices (less cost effective though).
We made veggie curry last night using potatoes, carrots, onion, curry powder, salt, a can of chickpeas, a small can of crushed tomatoes, some chicken broth that I made from bouillon, and a can of coconut milk (but using some plain yogurt would be cheaper!!). Served over white rice. If you thinned it with more broth you could probably just eat it as a soup instead of over rice. It makes a TON of food.
I made an fantastic chickpea and potato curry the other night. It was amazing. :)
Veg Curry tonight. Thanks
I've watched you for a long time, I'm still amazed at how many different meals you come up with. Thank you for sharing with everyone!
This is such a great video, love seeing all of your ideas! Speaking as someone who knows a lot of potato farmers (from Idaho lol), I would try to avoid green potatoes when you can, I know there’s not always great options, but green doesn’t mean underripe for potatoes, it’s where’s the solanine (toxin) is concentrated. Even just peeling away or cutting that part off is better for you! Said with love 💕
I think my husband and I goofed and used green potatoes in our curry last night. We've both been in the bathroom a lot today lmfao. Definitely going to have to pay better attention next time 😅
Yes that’s true, no green potato parts they’re poisonous!
Yes, and this is extra hard on people with immune issues... Like arthritis, those with allergies and food sensitivities, anyone with even very mild nightshade sensitivity or allergies and those with the MTHR gene variant because of reduced ability to eliminate toxins.
I am a budget meal video junkie and you made very creative meals! I also loved that you included coffee, creamer, dessert, butter and seasonings into your budget! I always feel like it is cheating to use seasoning and butter from your pantry since these are such expensive ingredients and they add so much flavor. I loved this challenge.
I think a video showing dinner ideas combining Walmart and Dollar Tree foods would be great, because as you said a lot of people shop both stores.
i don’t watch this to save money on groceries. i have really bad ADD and i will buy groceries for a dinner and the remaining ingredients go to waste because i can’t think of anything to make with it. this channel has really helped me get creative and think outside the box. it’s a challenge for me but thank you for that
😊 Best luck to you
If you want your brownies to last longer, you could wrap several of them individually on the day you cut them and pop them in the freezer in a a ziplock bag. They stay fresh and defrost quickly, then maybe the next week you could buy ice cream for your treat and have brownie a la mode. Yum 😋
So thankful for this channel. Due to recent health issues, I am unable to drive (and live out in the country, so no delivery) and your recipes with limited ingredients makes it so much easier to put together meals from my pantry/freezer. Even if I don't make the recipes exact, it helps to spark some creativity lol
i hope your health issues get better soon...
Just a side note as I’m British, Shepherd’s Pie is made with lamb mince, hence the Shepherd in the name. When made with beef, we call it Cottage Pie. I have to say it looked pretty good what you made. What I use to do when I was on government assistance was to bulk it out with lentils, another thing we Brits do, which I highly recommend is to top it with grated cheddar cheese, 10 minutes before it finishes cooking 😋
Maybe mince pie?
Tip for chopping onion!! If you wet a dish towel or paper towel and sit it on or right next to your cutting board while you're chopping onions, it'll stop the eye burning!
When I make tuna casserole, I use tuna packed in oil, and I don’t drain it. It gives a delicious tuna flavor that you just can’t get from water packed. The oil coats the noodles and gives so much more flavor to the dish. Delicious!
Great idea!! I never buy tuna in oil so I’ll have to try that
One thing I love to do on a tight budget on cold days is make vege chili. Can be done stovetop or crockpot. A can of black beans, some other bean of choice, canned diced tomatoes and canned corn, and whatever chili spice I have on hand. Can add onion/pepper/garlic if you want. Add some jiffy mix cornbread on the side. Put it over rice or serve on its own. Another lunch dish is rice with skillet roasted canned chick peas (garbanzos). Sometimes I put cabbage slaw with it.
The ability to use only 1/2 or 3/4 pound of beef is one of the reasons I buy the frozen formed patties at Walmart. There is, more or less, little to no price difference. The other two reasons are I don't have to worry about how quickly I use it up or have to remember to freeze it if I don't use it; and I don't have to remember to pre-thaw it prior to a meal (as they thaw quickly in the pan).
That is really clever, I hadn't thought of that!
I do this with chicken breasts. I remove the chicken tenders of each breast and set them aside for a meal of their own. Nobody notices the tenders are missing. It's a great way to get another meal from the chicken breasts without spending more money!
Very clever!
I always look forward to your videos, no matter what your plan for the week is. I love watching you cook and all the creative things you come up with. I don't think anyone would feel deprived of a good meal, even tho you have kept it on a budget. You really inspire us.
The upside down shepherds pie idea would be great for us. My son doesn’t like potatoes (I know) but I do and then he could have it over rice or pasta or bread (his favorite). 😊
I call that a Shephard's pie bowl and do it when I'm lazy. Potatoes are my favorite, so I've never thought of varying it, but that's a great idea.
I think you should do a shopping trip just to stock your pantry. Sugar, flour, a few spices like cinnamon, powdered milk or canned milk, shelf stable milk, pasta and canned vegs, fruit, gravy mixes, and canned meat. With a well stocked pantry one could spend less each week for groceries. This would help young people just starting out.
That's a good idea
This could honestly make a really good semi-long term series: a 4 week "starter pack" for home cooking on a budget, where the first week goes towards stocking up as well as making meals, and then weeks 2, 3, and 4 have maybe a smaller budget but use the stocked pantry from week 1.
I was waiting for the movie night nachos using your tortillas crisped in the oven. Topped with the left over turkey, salsa, and cheese. Thank you for inspiring many ideas from your meal plan. 🎉❤ 🏆
One of my favorite versions of cottage/shephard's pie using leftover Thanksgiving turkey - an idea I saw on the Rachel Ray show many years ago. The bottom layer is turkey with gravy (and any veg you want in there) topped with squash/sweet potatoes. So tasty! The ground turkey reminded me of it, especially since I have a bag of yams to use right now. Thank you for these inspiring recipes!
I love Rachel's stuffing muffins
Rebecca..It’s fine to have a “chill evening”! Sometimes we all need a well-needed rest from daily responsibilities, and especially from stressful times at work, with family, or etc.! That being said, I love watching your creativity with the different budget meals, you are providing a great service to many people!!!
I saw someone else's channel where they were making a shepherds pie with ground turkey. They called it Pilgrim's Pie.
I love that!
Loved this series! I can only imagine the amount of work, research and planning that goes into your videos but I know a LOT of people appreciate it! With the cost of groceries nowadays, there are so many people who are needing to shop and cook on a budget. Grateful for the helpful content you put out!
I put my potatoes in the microwave for about 6 minutes. When they’re cool enough to handle I dice/cube them and finish cooking them with in a skillet with olive oil and butter. I season with salt and pepper! They come out so good! I add eggs as the potatoes are cooking and scramble them! Add salsa
I love the idea doing a Dollar Tree/Walmart combination video.
Thanks!
I have enjoyed this series very much much. It’s obvious that you put a lot of thought into planning these meals. Thank you for sharing with all of us. 😊
🙏💜 Rebecca, thank you so much! I was inspired by one of your videos earlier this week to make the black bean salsa, but I added 1 pound of ground turkey that I prepared, like "taco meat," with taco seasoning first. If you do this...brown the meat, drain it, bloom the seasoning packet like Rebecca says while the meat is draining (it really works!), add the meat back to the pan, add the can of Ro-tel (store brand works great) and the liquid from that is probably enough that you don't need to add water (or as much), add your can of drained corn, add your can of rinsed black beans, and heat through until beans are tender--likely less than 10 minutes with stirring and covered.
I've been eating this "salsa and meat base" on small tortillas, in a bowl on top of rice with refried beans and cheese (if you can have cheese), etc. You could also eat it like a dip with chips or use other toppings you may have. It is SO full of flavor (I forget it's ground turkey), protein, and fiber that I look forward to thinking of new ways of using it. I may try it on top of a baked potato later today, hmm...LOL! Thanks again for the inspiration, Rebecca! 🙏💜
Nice! That sounds like it would make great burritos and nachos too.
I have to tell you I’ve been binge watching your videos. I don’t necessarily need to live on such a limited budget but you are still giving me plenty ideas to save money with these recipes. You talk about finding a balance of creativity and accessibility and I think you nail it. Thank you for your content and dedication to the channel - it shows!
Back in the day when I worked for PBS we had a chef come in to film a pledge drive segment for her cooking pledge program. I remember she made a strada like baked brunch dish, she used brioche or french bread slices, a lot of butter, heavy cream, eggs and fake lobster. I forget what seasonings she used, I do remember it was not Old Bay. I remember people in studio saying it might be good with lump bluefin crab meat and Old Bay.
I've had a sweet version of that with the bread soaked in a mixture of the eggs and heavy cream with vanilla and sugar and topped with dried cherries, pineapple and raisins and dollops of cream cheese. It was dusted with powdered sugar after baking, it made a really nice brunch dish. Yum!
Which show? Do you remember?
Dollar Tree and Walmart together sounds great. Looking forward to it
I think it would be great to see a Walmart/Dollar Tree combo. You could show how to stretch a certain budget by getting items cheaper at either store to get the best of both worlds. This series was great as well. You do a terrific job.
One of the things that is great about you is your authentic approach. You keep it real. And there was nothing more real today than your reaction to the onions. So relatable. The stuff pepper skillet was my favorite of all your recipes.
The strata looked so good. I love Eureka, if you haven’t seen it Warehouse 13 is a good one.
I’ll check that out, we loved Eureka!
A big second endorsement for Warehouse 13 from another Eureka! loving family.
YES a Dollar tree and any other store really would be awesome!!💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽
Rebecca, Great meal options, even for us vegetarians. Keep up the great work. 😊
Add shredded cheese to the top of the shepherds pie if possible :) Your skillet rice meal is my kind of yumminess. 20/10 once again Rebecca !!!
I don't care for cheese on my shepherds pie, but i absolutely love it on tuna casserole.
My meal plan was decided this week when I found a pork roast for 99¢/lb. All our dinners came from this $5 of meat. (And it was plenty of meat for the two of us!) I tried to make a variety of flavors with the same meat. Cut some off to make chow mein, cooked the rest as a traditional roast and potatoes meal, and then made pork noodles with the leftover roast and gravy. Each of these made enough for two nights.
We grab pork shoulder when it is that price and cook in the crock pot with BBQ dry rub over a rough chopped onion and a few chopped apples. Add BBQ seasoning and beans to make tacos, nachos, or burritos. Add over beans and rice. Add to a stir fry. Leftover cooked pork goes into a gallon zip, smashed thin and frozen flat so that I can break off a piece to add to other weeks. We even like it over noodles or rice with a creamy or cheesy sauce with mushrooms and onions, broccoli or spinach.
A hybrid meal plan would be awesome! You could really show the best of 2 stores to make the absolute most out of a budget and have a lot more variety for meals.
You really do a great job with budgeting and maximizing the use of all your ingredients for the week and creatively making multiple meals using the budget ingredients….Well Done🥰💕❤️💯 and I’m not even a person that usually comments❤️
That's okay. I say it all the time, too. "One of your best videos yet!" 😂
If you change out the tuna for chicken. You might want to do a can of cream of celery with a can of cream of mushroom soup. Add some onion powder and garlic powder to taste.
whenever a pepper or two is looking a bit old [I buy them in bags], I stab it a couple times and throw it in the oven to roast til the skin puffs up, then skin and core it, slice it into batons, and spoon the slurpy pile into an ice cube tray to make toss-it-in cubes of roasted pepper that go in late in the cooking process [rather than at the beginning to sauté with the raw onion]
i get the unflavored potatoes and flavor it myself...i have dried ranch, chives, garlic, bacon bits, cheese powder at home.
If you can stock these items it's worth it. They really play a large role in giving affordable budget friendly items such as pasta, rice and potatoes much needed variety.
@@yvonnepalmquist8676 they don't cost much, but i also have a working pantry as well as a linger term pantry...most of these i find at our dollartree
17:12 yes! I personally shop dollar tree first, then walmart to get fresh produce, meat, and items dollar tree didnt have
My Walmart and Dollar Tree are in the same parking lot. Dollar Tree always has the best price on rice and dried beans.
Not the same plaza for me, but the same intersection across from each other. I wouldn't be surprised to find that's intentional (like Taco Bell are always close to a McDonalds).
Good to see you back. I really love your content and look forward to watching ❤
So many different varieties of meals in this week! I really appreciated the different textures of each and every ingredient. I appreicate all the work that went into this.
Im not someone who comments about health and safety things (I’m a food safety inspector for my province) but becuase I care about you and your family…please know this ❤Putting shells into the carton where there is still intact eggs causes bacteria from the opened shells to seep into your uncracked eggs, and all over your hands.Pasteurized commercials eggs don’t have the protective vernix farm fresh eggs have and that’s why we refrigerate them. Please throw away or compost your shells immediately after cracking. This would def cause diarrhea and vomiting without you knowing why because salmonella is invisible but nasty!
Thank you for sharing! Old habits die hard but I’ll do my best :)
Stupid question then @mamastyles, does it really matter then cuz the eggs are getting cooked, and will cook off any bacteria? (Honest question, trying to learn....)
I was going to say the same thing, I’m not a health inspector but I was raised to throw them out for that reason.
I can't even type a reply because of all the ads... Anyway, if shells could contaminate other eggs in a carton then contaminated whole eggs should as well because of the lack of protective coating. If you use a contaminated egg you are contaminating other foods that come in contact with it. But cooking to the proper temp for long enough reduces salmonella to undetectable levels. If you eat undercooked eggs there's a risk anyway because you never know if one is contaminated. If you always fully cook eggs and foods that touch raw egg then you are good. If the egg was already in the carton, and shells are porous and don't stop the spread, then nothing changes when you throw that egg shell back in. Eggs not touching may reduce the spread, but I know I touch multiple eggs when I grab one.
I love the idea of cutting back on the amount of meat to make it stretch further! Great idea! Most times I just add more veggies and no one knows the difference!
I definitely think you should do dollar tree/walmart videos. Also I would love it if you could do timestamps on each recipe so we can easily find our favorites. Thank you for doing what you do it helps so many people! 😁
I really enjoy your videos, especially these Walmart budget videos. I am disabled and on a fixed income and unable to drive, so I am always looking for budget friendly ideas that wil work for someone like me that I can order for grocery delivery, and also be healthy ( I'm type 2 diabetic and also have CKD).Great stuff, and great ideas.
Thank you so much!
I love tuna casseroles!!!! Thanks for stating we could switch out chicken for the proteins and beef also!!! This is a hit!
I can spend more than this but this helps me to use my ingredients better than just picking this or that for breakfast lunch or supper. Thanks a lot for making these videos!!
I would love to see a $50 startup video - maybe for someone that has just come into being able to access a kitchen but doesn’t have any kitchen tools or food yet. Could you buy a weeks worth of food (for 1, let’s say) and all of the equipment you need to make it (knife, cutting board, pot/pan dishes, utensils, etc) from the dollar tree or a combo of stores?
In the town of Meadville Pennsylvania, the dollar tree it’s up that was in the Walmart plaza moved outside of the Walmart plaza cause somehow Walmart controlled what foods they could and could not sell in their dollar tree. Once they went over across the road across from Walmart, they can sell more food.
Using the coffee creamer is a brilliant idea!!! I didn't think of that.
My daughter loves shepherds pie but I’ve started doing a kind of deconstructed shepherds pie in the skillet with hash browns. Either way…there’s never leftovers😊
Hashbrowns or tater tots work. Bonus if you have garlic powder and a bit of butter, olive oil, or cheese for the top. Even dried powdered parm works.
Another great way to stretch ground meat is to add a can of green lentils. I make my bolognese this way - it's delicious, goes a lot further, adds more protein and is pretty cheap.
I made the black bean salsa it was so good my 9 year old grandson asked me to put avocado in and we both loved it.
I love that! Thank you for trying it!
These looked delicious and as always, so well thought out. Thank you for the hard work, effort and consideration of all of us. Yes PLEASE Dollar Tree & Walmart! That’d be FANTASTIC! You’re a joy and a delight, Rebecca! God Bless!
Thinking beef bouillon and water would be cheaper than buying a can of beef bouillon. Sometimes even investing in Better than Bouillion is worth it….you get so much more quantity for the money, even though the upfront cost initially is more. There are a million ways to do things and that’s why I am enjoying your channel. You show other ways to get things done! I’m more of a traditionalist in the way I make things, although I do like to save money when I can. Love the shortcuts and learning different ways to get the desired result. I shared your channel on my FB group From Pantry to Table. Keep up the great work and the unique ideas. I like being able to look at things in a different way…..this is fun!
I’m a brand new subscriber but I discovered your channel this morning and have been binge watching all day. I would love to see a combination video of Dollar tree and Walmart. I am currently trying to figure out how to feed me and my husband on a lower grocery budget and I feel like that would be really helpful.
I will watch your wisdom regardless of stores shopped you know your stuff and never make a bad decision in other recipes that I have seen you make food fun
Love these kinds of videos, I get great inspiration for my recipes. Yum!
I would LOVE to see you do some meal plans, or even full weeks with a certain dollar amount budget, using both Walmart and Dollar Tree, or any 2 stores, really! I think it would be a great chance for you to talk about why you bought which ingredients from each store rather than the other, in order to make the most of your dollar. Shopping at different stores is something that I've always found very important for helping with a grocery budget.
I’d love to see a combo shopping week. I often split my budget between Dollar Tree and Aldi, but I know not everyone is near an Aldi.
I am really enjoying these $50 walmart dinner plans. I do most of my shopping at walmart and have 2 adults and a teen to feed. So these ideas would work well for my family as we are also on a tight budget. Thank you for your hard work. Love your channel. Also even though I did not get around to commenting on the other video you mentioned it in, I think you should keep your channel name the same. It is established and people know who you are. I love that you are adding in more content of a different variety too. I also love the idea of the dollar tree/ walmart dinner plan combo you mentioned. Looking forward to all your new ideas. Keep up the great work!
A combo shopping meal plan would be terrific
I really liked the two weeks back-to-back meal plans. As usual, you've inspired me to carefully plan out what interesting combos I can throw together. I looked at the canned chicken options (for your chicken pot pie pasta suggestion) but I've never bought canned chicken before since it isn't as cost efficient as buying chicken and cooking it. But maybe that's because I'm comparing the cost of the uncooked chicken to cooked? I'm sure there's weight lost during cooking, but I wouldn't have thought it was that much? At my grocer, cooked canned chicken breast sells for 1.79 a 5 oz can (or $5.73/lb), and raw boneless/skinless chicken boobs are $2.99/lb. Or thighs for 99 cents/lb. I feel like I must be overlooking something here, beyond the convenience and raw/cooked weight.
Also, be aware that the labeled weight on a can of chicken is not all meat, the liquid counts toward it as well, so a "12 oz" can of chicken might only have about 7 oz of actual chicken meat inside, once you drain it. (I was using canned chicken quite a bit, until I actually weighed it once for calorie-counting purposes. I was shocked at how little actual chicken I was getting for the money!)
Canned chicken is more expensive that buying a whole chicken or just legs or thighs. If you have already cooked chicken in your freezer you can use that. She is trying to show younger people how to budget. Us old cooks know to buy a whole chicken and cut it up, boil the bones for broth, package up the meat to use for casseroles. Due to my extremely tight budget right now I'm not grocery shopping and using the canned chicken I bought 2 years ago is coming in handy.
It is usually cheaper per pound to get the raw chicken then cook and shred it. But usually you have to buy a multi pound package of chicken so if you only need it for the one meal a can of chicken can be more practical sometimes
Amen to the comment section. It rocks. I tend to get into a rut and don't mind it most of the time. But there are those days when you just cannot face yet another same old same old. The variations and tweaks folks mention are priceless! The same old basic ingredients become something totally different. I even enjoy the tweaks that are not perfectly tasty because they change things up enough to hit reset on my same old humdrums.
Question: On an upcoming severe limitation video (equipment, etc) could you consider doing a how-to-basic cleanup safely in situations where you have limited water or room to wash up, etc? Once, an Army cook showed me some tricks to ensure clean up left dishes sanitized and clean without any hot water. Would love to know some more such tips.
what was his secret??
Why not share what the cook showed you?
The cottage pie looks great! Love your creativity, it helps me neal plan.
Thank you, you are doing a great service!
I will say that when my husband and I were raising our 3 boys, I made mostly one pot meals! They are easy usually and cheaper than trying to feed a family on a meat, starch and veggies. I think that this week of meals was wonderful! thanks for sharing xoxo. I think the combo of dollar tree and walmart would be great!
You have the smoothest and most peaceful voice ever... I feel my blood pressure go down to the sound of your voice... Oh, and you have amazing cooking ideas!
My brother and I love your channel and what you are trying to do for so many with nothing and I do not believe you do not keep everything clean this goes to the comment below❤
You just commented on Walmart and Dollar Tree being in the same parking lot sometimes, and I never even thought of it until I just thought about the one Walmart that I have shopped at and there is a dollar tree right across in the same plaza lol it would be a great idea for you to do a combo of both stores Because seasoning packets at Walmart are extremely inexpensive compared to Dollar Tree but then again, there are so many ingredients at dollar tree that are much more inexpensive than Walmart, you could probably get a really great meal plan out of that, looking forward to all of your future videos
Pam here….someone has probably already told you this, but when you think you can’t use up an onion or pepper, you can chop and freeze without blanching. I freeze extra from my garden on cookie sheet and can grab a handful to cook with when I need it.
Love watching these. Always enjoy the options given as well. So many ideas and it goes to show you really can manage a good weekly menu with a super tight budget (said as I just spent $530 for stocking the pantry and freezer). Look forward to each future video as your content is always fun and helpful!
Glad you like them!
I use 1/2 lb of ground beef for most recipes that call for a lb. I add extra veggies instead. My family doesn’t notice the difference. It works with anything like Shepard’s Pie or pastas, etc. Obviously not if you were making burgers or something. Mushrooms are a great way to make up for less meat too and they go with everything. My HEB puts them on sale often too.
If you'd move the Shepard's Pie up to the top rack in your oven and turn the setting to broil the tip would probably brown pretty quickly.
Or add a bit of an egg wash… that will help with browning as well
I thought maybe panko? I know there are midwesterners who crush potato chips over their casseroles for a crunchy finished top, my ma just wasn’t one of them.
It needs fat... Butter or cheese would do it.
Another great video with some great ideas. I just had a discussion with my mom about you and your channel. She recently got of rehabilitation for a fracture in her pelvis. I have been taking care of her and she was making a list of some things from the grocery flyer. You came up because she noticed some chips and snack foods were on sale. Party size bags 3/$10. I mentioned going to Dollar Tree and getting some smaller bags. Her response was that they are more expensive and smaller sizes. I pointed out the several bags of stale snacks we had just thrown away after going through everything because she was not home for 8 weeks. I pointed out even if she was home she would never eat 3 party size bags because she would open all 3 for variety and they would definitely go stale. Instead i got her 4 bags of different things for $5 and although it was probably less than half the volume she saved $5 that wont end up in trash.
Eureka was one of my favorite shows. Very sad when it ended. Warehouse 13 and The Librarians are some other good ones if you haven't seen them.
🙏💜 I shop weekly at both Dollar Tree & Walmart for the best value meal plans so of course I’d love a combo video 🎉
I loved Eureka! All of these meals look great to me, will have to add these to list!
Yes, I'd love the combo store. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
I am a super fan! Love love love your content every video. As a vegetarian I have used many of your ideas and techniques and wonder if you would do an episode strictly vegetarian. Vegetarian food is cost effective too!!
Great tip on using a bit less meat/protein per meal. There is only 2 of us and that’s not only a good financial tip, but probably healthier for us too.