12 Meals for Just $10 | Dollar Tree Emergency Grocery Budget Meal Prep
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- Опубліковано 21 вер 2023
- In this video, I set out to make 9 meals for $10 but ended up making a whopping 12 meals out of my $10 budget and I was able to show how to use the same ingredients across multiple meals for added variety.
The shopping list:
Penne pasta $1.25
Pasta sauce $1.25
Hashbrowns (or steak cut french fries) $1.25
Smoked sausage $1.25
Pepper Stir fry $1.25
Chili $1.25
Italian Meatballs $1.25
Velveeta Cheese sauce $1.25
Total cost $10
Meal Prep Step by Step Guide:
Boil entire box of penne pasta, drain, and toss pasta in some oil to prevent sticking. Split pasta evenly between 9 containers and set aside.
Rehydrate hashbrowns in hot water per box instructions, then add 1/4 cup of oil to a large skillet on medium high heat. Drain hashbrowns and fry for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through. Divide hashbrowns between 3 containers and set aside.
Thaw pepper stir fry, chop and drain. Chop smoked sausage into rounds. Fry peppers and sausage together until brown. Add 1/2 a cup of the sausage and pepper mixture to two of the hashbrown containers and two of the pasta containers.
Thaw meatballs and mince into small pieces for a meat sauce. Sautee over medium heat until browned, stir in pasta sauce and allow to heat through. Add 1/2 a cup of the meat sauce to 5 of the pasta containers.
Open chili and stir. Add 1/2 a cup of chili to each of two of the pasta containers and the final hashbrown container.
Mix velveeta cheese sauce with 1/4 cup of warm water, add a small amount to each of the containers with chili and split the majority of the sauce over the two pasta containers that have smoked sausage and peppers.
Allow to cool completely, and chill in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze.
Reheating: Microwave for 90 seconds if refrigerated. If frozen, defrost first then microwave until heated through. Shake to disperse all ingredients and enjoy! - Навчання та стиль
You saved my life when I had to move out into my own apartment and suddenly became unemployed during COVID - thank you for continuing this series, it is so important
Funny. Mocking Bernie, turned into one of many victims of uncontrolled capitalism. Ironic, how life goes.
Whole chicken and whole pork loin are both under 10. Which means one whole chicken should yield you 3-5 meals solo. Think about that. A whole chicken is between 7-8 dollars... Shopping the way this chick does is propaganda.
@@kevincrusher2414 A whole chicken for 7-8 dollars leaving 3-2 dollars of your 10 dollar budget and you've only made enough for 3-5 meals, vs what she did and made 10-12 meals
@@kevincrusher2414So go gnaw on your chicken and count your blessings.
So spend $8 on one food item like a whole chicken or pork loin and have nothing else for the meal, just the meat? Additionally, only 3-5 meals when she made 12 meals with more than one ingredient. Please don't come back to this channel, you don't get it.
I used 2 boxes of the hash browns, a can of nacho cheese, a can of cream of chicken (all from dollar tree) and a pound of bulk sausage tonight and made nacho hash brown casserole. It made a 13x8 pan and fed 5 with leftovers.
Awesome idea!!!
Sounds so delicious!
Yummmy!! Great job :)
Sounds like a lot of unneeded sodium 🥴
Lol
I feel like these cooking tips are the kind that no one ever tells you, but are the keys to making good everyday meals.
❤❤❤they are
This is amazing. I am disabled, freshly divorced and I have my youngest daughter. I had a surgery that came with extra cost. We have one week to go before I get my SSD check.
I have around 20 dollars and had no idea how I was going to feed us until now. Thank you so much. You are doing God's work and will be blessed.
Merry Christmas to you and your family
Hang in there!
BLESS YOUR HEART ARE YOU ALRIGHT NOW? i too am filing for disability after a few months of it getting screwed up it has finally been filed for the 2nd time just in December. so stressful. now the wait begins
I also recommend checking if your town has a local food pantry or soup kitchen. Food pantries saved my butt more than a few times when I was broke in college.
It should not be this hard. When you were able to work. You paid taxes that is your money. I am so sorry.🙏💔😢
It’s uncanny how naturally talented she is at talking to camera
She’s more relatable than anyone on tv
I love that you don't call these "challenges." I see so many UA-camrs call these sorts of things "challenges" and for a lot of people it's not a challenge. It's a necessity. It's the way a lot of people have to live and I hate when it's glamorized.
good point!
I agree. I think a lot of them have good intentions, but it makes poverty sound like a sport or a game.
During particularly difficult times I enjoyed the idea of 'its a challenge ' as it felt empowering.:)
(Everyone is different)
@@frugalmum7943 There's nothing wrong with finding a good way to cope. :)
The issue is a lot of influencers try and glamourize things like that when it's just life for a normal person. I don't think there's anything wrong with you calling it a challenge to make life a little less stressful on yourself.
@@TanninValerian thankyou for understanding, and I agree with what you said about influencers.
Rest assured, we definitely can see how much thought and effort you put into your content, always!
that's so great to hear! I absolutely love what I do
And i love the youtube videos the most!! She's so perfectly detailed and conscious of everyone's different situations, without the negative stigma.
Definitely see the effort, time and planning . I am going to try a couple of the pepper/ onion combo packages when I make soup. Love the recipes
@@DollarTreeDinnersmany posts ago you suggested having sleeves of water crystals available as a lunchtime treat… I randomly pass them out, and they have become an instant mood adjuster. 🫶🏽
I would totally invite a friend over to enjoy one of these meals - fantastic how many servings you got!!!
I like your Dollar Tree videos. You've given me some great meal ideas. Have you ever considered trying to do a similar video with Aldi or Save-a-Lot?
Saw this on FB and thought it would interest you.
So, I spoke to people getting food at a food bank and here are some things I learned from those in need:
1. Everyone donates Kraft Mac and Cheese in the box. They can rarely use it because it needs milk and butter which is hard to get from regular food banks.
2. Boxed milk is a treasure, as kids need it for cereal which they also get a lot of.
3. Everyone donates pasta sauce and spaghetti noodles.
4. They cannot eat all the awesome canned veggies and soup unless you put a can opener in too or buy pop tops.
5. Oil is a luxury but needed for Rice a-Roni which they also get a lot of.
6. Spices or salt and pepper would be a real Christmas gift.
7. Tea bags and coffee make them feel like you care.
8. Sugar and flour are treats.
9. They fawn over fresh produce donated by farmers and grocery stores.
10. Seeds are cool in Spring and Summer because growing can be easy for some.
11. They rarely get fresh meat.
12. Tuna and crackers make a good lunch.
13. Hamburger Helper goes nowhere without ground beef.
14. They get lots of peanut butter and jelly but usually not sandwich bread.
15. Butter or margarine is nice too.
16. Eggs are a real commodity.
17. Cake mix and frosting makes it possible to make a child’s birthday cake.
18. Dishwashing detergent is very expensive and is always appreciated.
19. Feminine hygiene products are a luxury and women will cry over that.
20. Everyone loves Stove Top Stuffing.
In all the years I have donated food at the Holidays, I bought what I thought they wanted, but have never asked. I am glad I did. If you are helping a Family this Christmas, maybe this can help you tailor it more. It does for me!
It makes me feel good to donate too, until they pick it up while talking on their iPhone 14 with fresh artificial nails. Butter, can opener they can afford it or borrow from a neighbor. Don’t get taken advantage of.
@@hadguy1Dollar tree sells can openers for $1.25, you're so right about that one. & personally I think financial literacy goes farther than just giving people things
As someone who has backcountry hiked from 5 - 22 days at a time & carried all my gear/food , (35 lbs or so), on my back for that time period; I will tell you that you can definitely make any mac n cheese, rice/noodle/instant mashed potato side dish Without any milk/butter/oil, (they are too heavy/messy to carry). Does it taste as good? Maybe not but when you are hungry it all tastes good. Hamburger Helper can be made with any canned meat including corned beef/tuna/chicken or legumes/ beans or even canned vegetables or make a soup with canned tomatoes. Cake mixes usually call for an egg or two & oil. You can substitute the egg in baking with aquafaba, (the liquid from cooked chickpeas/beans) or ground flaxmeal, ( a more expensive initial cost but lasts a long time in the freezer). Oil in baking can be replaced with applesauce, pureed banana/squash/pumpkin/zucchini. All the purees can be frozen in half cup portions for further use. Will the baking taste exactly the same? No, but it will still taste good when you are hungry. Budgeting, financial literacy & nutrition/cooking lessons need to be part of the Food Bank Programming & probably need to be taught in Schools, Colleges, & Communities as well. A hand up goes further than a hand out!
@@Aella-ny9hu you're spot on!! Once upon a time I needed help from my church, they wouldn't give me money unless I sat down with someone who taught me some financial literacy. I didn't need to be in the spot I was in, it was all me compulsively spending
@@hadguy1You don't know how they got the phone. You don't know how they got the nails (the dollar store also has press on nails - or they could have been given to them. ) The phone they could have had before things got financially challenging in their lives. The point here is - just bc you see someone with items you think they "shouldn't" have, you do not know their circumstances. If you're going to donate, please allow for some grace and realize you do not know the full story.
I just found this channel through IG. And as a single mom who has recently came into extremely hard times, I am learning so much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for normalizing eating on basically zero budget and having so many ideas. Thank you for being realistic and for making me feel like that I can do this.
you've got this! it's tough for a lot of us now a days and when you have a full belly and you're happy, then foods just that. food. sure it may not what you may want to eat, but it's filled your stomach and when done properly, can hold you and a family over for a few days. wishing you the best of luck in life!
Another great channel, for low cost eating tips, is Living On A Dime To Grow Rich.
#dollartree why are you not sponsoring her yet?? ❤ The shopping, planning, cooking, editing and helping so many folks stretch their $ and stay fed is much appreciated. This is the most down to earth, easy to follow, low cost real life channel on YT. 😊
Maybe one day! But thank you so much!
Amen yes 🙌🏻
Yes you are right my favorite
Dollar Trees are franchises. Mostly individually owned stores 😢
That would be great, but realistically, she already posts about Dollar tree all the time, they don’t really have any motivation to pay her. 😓
Growing up poor, thank you for helping people like my mom who struggled to feed us. I was an adult before I realized that Hamburger Helper was supposed to have a full pound of hamburger. She added macaroni and 1/2 lb.
I like all your videos but this is one that I will actually copy. It’s a perfect way to do lunches for the week instead of spending $60 eating out etc. I need like 3-4 of these meal plans to rotate through, lol
That’s the goal! Trying to put out more so people can rotate through them potentially
Hello again from Québec ! Did You ever try the wooden spoon trick? (For water not to boil over casserole)
Place à long enough wooden spoon on top and across your open casserole. Thé bubbles should burst before thé boiling over actually happens.
* Hope You understand my english writting is not as good as spoken.
Keep up thé good work 😊
@@nanferraro9953this works great! I do it all the time and my water never boils over!!
@@nanferraro9953Yes! I just learned the wooden spoon trick a couple of years ago, though I'm lazy and just leave my spoon in the pot, but better late than never 😊
@@nanferraro9953merci beaucoup! Will definitely give this a try.
Our town is pretty much a food desert. The only places to get groceries within walking distance is a Dollar Tree and a Walgreens. I love sharing your videos with our local soup kitchen guests! You a truly providing a valuable service! Thank you!
Where I live it's Dollar General What's even sadder is the stuff from these these stores isn't healthy. I fully realize so many ppl are being forced into coping with their situations and having to do the best they can.
@@BrassyBrunetteI don't know why people support these places. It's the reason we don't have any more mom and pop grocery stores.
@@maestro-zq8gu I hear you. It's NOT GOOD.
@@maestro-zq8gu We have mom and pop places, but nothing big enough to carry substantial groceries.
This is literally feeding me until payday. thank you.
After action review: These are all great meals. I did not get meat balls, because my store did not have any- but I did get the breakfast sausage links and diced them up super good, and got them super crispy to get all the good oil flavor out, and mixed in the sauce- then added shakey cheese to thicken it up and flavor (also added italian herb mix and red pepper flake to dress it up).
The chili had beans in it, not terrible, and not my first choice of use, but wow it was super filling. I was lucky they had fries at my DT, not steak cut but classic cut- I think I would had like two bags, but the one bag made 'enough' for the servings instructed in the video. Airfried those bad boys at 400 for 17min's.
This is the best budget meal prep I've ever seen! I'm a single senior with limited income. Creative and tasty plans like this make it fun to get by so cheaply. 😀
I like your attitude!
Amen!
This has got to be the best budget meal planning video I've seen. It has it all; flavorful ingredients without having to add "pantry staples" or spices, products that are easily available or interchangeable (if the exact item isn't available), reasonable portions, and everything you need to make them is in the $10 budget. Not only can you tell how much thought you put into the videos, you can tell how you want to show us we can accomplish what you show us in your videos. And I really appreciate that. So thank you 😊
thank you so much! I put my heart into everything I create and I am glad it's helpful
@DollarTreeDinners it certainly shows! You are doing a fabulous job! Thank you ❤
If you have a senior or someone who can't get out or who is sick etc., doing this for them would be great (of course watching sodium content for those with special diets) but this is great. thanks !
I and my sister care for our home bound parents…. We tend to cook meals we know we can then package and either store or freeze for future…. We also pre cut fresh veggie slices for sides to go with lunches, and store them in these containers…. They are easy to freeze in. Lol, I use the containers to put slices of my baked banana or other breads, ready to go, Or freeze if need be…
I think these meals sound great. If you can accumulate a few seasonings, you can get all of them to a ten quite easily. I keep bouillon powders, minced garlic, onion powder, sambal oelek, pickled peppers, different hot sauces, etc. in the house. Even leftover fast food packets of taco sauce, mustard, jelly, etc. can help so much.
The dollar tree has a surprising amount of seasoning as sauces just check the expiration dates
You did a fantastic job using only $10!!! You are very creative with the meals you make & I could learn a thing or 2 from you!! Alot of people get stuck using only rice & beans, and you definitely don't do that!! Have a great weekend!!!
2 Years ago I lived in an apartment literally right around the corner from a Dollar Tree. My work, apartment, and the Dollar Tree were all within a block of each other. 5 min of walking max. I remember so many times going to that Dollar Tree with $10 looking around the isles and thinking "I know i can get more than a day's worth of meals out of this if I just put my mind to it". This was also around the time they raised everything from $1 to $1.25, so it was getting more desperate. Thank you for making videos like this! I don't live in that area anymore, but videos like this and the advice I take from them last a lifetime! Thank you.
Those five plain Jane meat sauce pasta dishes are perfect opportunities to use up leftovers and bring variety that way, whether you freeze them or not. Got half a serving of broccoli left? A chicken finger and a half? Those unwanted Parmesan and red pepper packets from a pizza delivery?
In my kitchen I aim for variety and efficiency, and your channel aiming for those plus inclusivity really hits my happy spot, thank you.
PS as an observer, those seasoned frozen meatballs seem a serious upgrade from the 2pk burger patties that had to be rinsed which featured so often in the past
Excellent suggestions.
Anyone struggling to make ends meet really needs to see your channel! If you took what you did here and used the can veggies you can usually get from a food bank you would have a decent well rounded meal. Way to go in helping those just learning how to cook.. people who don't have a lot of money... or people with little time who don't want to eat out! Great content as usual❤❤❤❤
This has to be the best budget meal thingy I have ever seen. And I watch a lot of UA-cam because I can. Here in Canada we have dollar tree, but there are no refrigerated products. 😢 But, that being said, lots of us live in the middle of nowhere, and have to bulk shop to prepare for winter. I will definitely be making the pasta dishes from scratch and freezing them. I loved this, little lady! Well done ❤
So glad you enjoyed it! and also thank you for the compliment, that means so much to me!
We have Bulk Barn for dry goods.
@@stephenolan5539 yes we do but unfortunately it is sooo far. I think the nearest one to me is two hours one way. 😢
But I do love that place❤️
Although you met your goal of variety, these are high carb, high glycemic index, very low protein, high sodium and high saturated fat meals! Papa Luigi's meatballs (one serving 6 meatballs) only provides 29% of the daily requirement for protein. In the video, there were only 10 meatballs that were chopped up for "meat in the meat sauce." This means that only 1 and 2/3rds servings of meat were used to make these meals. The Morrell sausage has 3.5 servings at 6 grams of protein per serving. The average weight (170 lbs) female in the U.S. needs 61.2 grams of protein per DAY ( weight X 0.36 to get your value of needed protein daily). The total amount of protein in the whole bag of meatballs AND the Morrell sausage is less than 45 grams of protein for ALL THE MEALS! If a person lives off these meals, they are at high risk for diabetes, hypertension, inflammation in the body that leads to atherosclerotic plaque (heart attacks) and obesity!!! I would NOT recommend them! I will be starting my own videos of low cost, high nutrition meals once I retire from Nursing Education in a couple of years. Maybe this will help some eat to live!, but eat delicious nutritious meals!!!! Marie Graf, RN, MSN
@@marieennis5 it says emergency, not lifestyle.
HEY! If any person here is struggling with food scarcity, it's NOT a challenge it's life. I know what it's like to not eat for DAYS when I was younger. The quicker you learn to budget early in life and how to make things go further, the better. I am ALL for this and it's a teachable moment for young people, especially your kids when they are pre teen and including them in the process. It's a mindset. Think about food waste, we throw away so much food in the USA and around the world, when that food could have been used but because we have become picky we don't overlap.
I say good on this woman for showing these things because it's needed in these challenging times.
I love your videos! These meals look so yummy -- I can't wait to try them. I'm retired and living on a fixed income, so your meal ideas really help me. Thank you!
Turning the meatballs into what is essentially precooked and preseasoned ground meat is pure brilliance!
You have such a calming voice and a great way to explain and present these recipes. I found your page randomly one day and i think all your meals are well thought out. Thanks for your efforts.
Thank you so much 🙂
Id like to see 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 7 dinners, 7 snacks for a week for $20. Can it be done?
I can do my best :)
Thank you for showing the right way to make those hash browns! Mine would never come out right. 🤣
Definitely could see why, the box instructions are so bad, I don't know who wrote them but it's apparent that they've never made hashbrowns before haha
Same I can never cook the hash browns correctly so your tutorial will change the way I cook them and hopefully I will get similar results 😅
@@DollarTreeDinners I love your videos. It really helps with my budget. I have a question, where do you get your meal prep containers? They are the perfect size for one. I would love to get some. Keep up the great work. Much appreciated
@@ginabeck-py7cc Amazon
@@ginabeck-py7cc If you’re still looking, I ordered some recently online from Target. Saw some on Amazon but they were ridiculously overpriced.
Chili over macaroni is called Chili Mac, which has been around for a long time. I have been buying pasta at DT for years because of the larger amounts. I also buy a number of canned items that I can’t find at other stores, although cost has now gone up to $1.25. I’m going to buy the Velveeta next time I shop. Great ideas and video.
Adding a knob of butter in the pastawater also prevents those bubbles overcooking. Same with cooking potatoes and other starchy items.
Oh yes I have heard of even brushing a little oil around top edge of the pot so the bubbles don’t have anything to “climb”. I should try that
A tablespoon of oil in the pasta works well whilst cooking. Try a tin of chopped tomatoes too instead of (or with) pasta sauce? This was brilliant, going to try, thank you.
Love your videos🤗 You have changed the way I grocery shop since I've subscribed to your channel! Thank you! 🙏
@@DollarTreeDinnersI put a large wooden spoon across the top of my pot so it doesn't boil over. It's never failed me. 😊
I never knew that! I will try it!
My son and I are both disabled, we have very limited income,and your channel has helped me make our food budget go so much further. Thank you!😊
The wooden spoon across the top of the pot works to stop the boiling over
It really does 😊
don't forget labels and dates on them. I have seen so many cooking shows that freeze things but do NOT have a label or date. People do have tendency to forget, and food poisoning is NOT fun. You did a marvelous job showing this to us. Thanks.
Excellent Point !!
My wife and i look forward to your videos! We love to try and guess whst your going to come up with and winner gets out of dish duty lol
Who got out of dish duty today?
@DollarTreeDinners HER!! ! I lost to the peppers and sausage pasta 😩 ..And of course it's pasta night tonight my least favorite to clean up haha
This is definitely one your best $10 videos. Your thought into this one is very clear and I think you did an excellent job with this one! I would, for sure, eat all of that!!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
into my notebook for dollar tree meals and I thank you as a 76year old widower.
thank you for watching and I'd love to hear if you do try any of them :)
Wow! You did great with such a tight budget! You showed me that making separate meal containers, makes it clearer how many meals you are making. Thanks for sharing such good ideas!
My mind is blown with all of the meals that you got for $10 dollars 😳😊! I am a little sad that you didn't give us a close up of what they looked like in the bowls😔. Thank you so much for sharing and I really enjoyed this video 😊!
Yes, I would have liked seeing the meals a little closer up too. Diane
Whoa, that's a TON of food for $10.00!! Definitely trying these❤🎉💃🏼🥂
Thank you for this! My favorite part is how you integrated using meatballs into the pasta sauce for a meat sauce! So many times I pass on pasta meals because I love meat sauces but don’t have ground meat on hand. This idea is priceless for me, I always have frozen meat balls on hand. Sometimes I use Turkey Meatballs to. All of these are great ideas!
You are so welcome! Glad you found an extra use for your frozen meatballs!
Terrific way to stretch the budget. The pasta lunch can be made with drained canned chicken😊
This is great! Who doesn’t want to save money on their grocery bill? Even if you added to these - like making a side salad, adding garlic bread or putting a poached egg on top of your sausage/peppers and hash browns - you’re eating well for a couple bucks per person.
I'm so excited, the closest Dollar Tree is 25 miles away. They're building a new one in my small town in Iowa, so happy. 😊
this is incredibly useful for millions of Americans, you cook in a dignified way and show a lot of details and instructions,
the only thing I think is missing is that we see you test the food but we don't see the reaction, I think that can be an important part for all those who have not shopped at dollar stores and they may also think that the food is not edible
I did try all of the food at the end :)
I have been binge watching your videos and reading comments. I haven't seen this suggestion. Take steaming hot rice (has to be hot not just warm), immediately add an egg and stir until the egg is cooked. It comes out creamy, just add salt and pepper.
RIP Clara. I still binge her videos when I feel stressed or down. She was so sweet, calming and I think learning to home cook with few ingredients is such a great skill that has been lost for convenience. Thank you for this video. First time watcher, but definitely won't be the last!
who's Clara?
@@me-zb7qm Search "Great Depression Cooking"- Clara's Kitchen.
I like when u substitute instead of going to another store to find the product u looking for gives me alot more options❤
You did an amazing job here. When I worked in an office, I would buy the frozen Michelina’s or Lean Cuisines and even 5 yrs ago they were around $2 on super sale with coupons. All of these look tastier than those options and at a lower price tag even at these impossibly expensive times.
With grocery prices the way they are right now, this is great for anyone! And a great way to bless others, especially shut ins!
I think I can speak for most of your viewers when I say we can see how much effort you put into your menu plans (and we appreciate it!!) I really appreciated the tip about the dehydrated potatoes because I have a couple of the 10-packs of those from Costco and now I know how to cook them correctly!! 🥔😃
I Love your channel. You are really helping the low-income families/individuals with these Dollar Tree recipes. Looks Yummy!
If you have another $1.25 the Texas Toast would go great with the spaghetti and meat sauce!
Great suggestion!
Ever since our DT went to a plus, no more Texas toast or garlic bread😢
My store has been a plus for awhile but no plus products on the fridge yet thankfully so we still have them :/
@@jonistasiak7037 We have 3 fridge doors of plus, but the garlic bread is going strong here.
Too many simple carbs. Put that $1.25 towards fresh fruit or veggies.
When I was a teenager over 20 years ago, I worked in a breakfast cafe on the weekends. I started working on the part of the line with the hashbrowns, the owner would tell me to use oil to cook them in this big electric skillet thing, I started adding margerine instead of regular oil, which is mostly oil anyway, and everyone said they actually taste better that way. margerine is cheap and shelf stable too, so thats a good thing to get a the dollar store.
This is brilliant! Unfortunately, Australia doesn’t have Dollar Tree or anything like it where you can buy food items for $1.25. But the fact you made 12 meals for $10 is amazing! Thank you for inspiring people to have a go at tasty, budget friendly meals.
Yes, the pricing is higher in Canada too - but I think the principle is the same. I also love that a lot of things are shelf stable, so if you can get a few things at a time when they're on sale... and you're buying with a food plan in mind and not willy-nillly - one could get down pretty cheap!
WOW…WHAT A GREAT DEAL FOR $10…I am all by myself…these will be great…!
Hope you like them!
Love this video. Food prices are going up so much. These are good economic meals to make vs. junk meals. We don't always have a lot of money for food each week, so these ideas will help so much.
Hi I'm from the UK 🇬🇧 we don't have dollar tree, but I still love your channel and meal ideas.
You can rinse the pasta in cold water after cooking to wash off some of the extra starch, and it will also help keep it from absorbing the sauce in the fridge.
Thanks once again for all you do to make these videos. I know it takes a lot of effort and time to do and it and it’s much appreciated.
I would also like to say a very heartfelt thank you to all those others who reached out while my dad was on hospice and loved watching these videos. It definitely restores faith in humanity that there are so many caring people will send encouragement to someone they never met. He passed away on Thursday and is now at peace.
I'm so sorry to hear that Tammie! My thoughts go out to you and your family
Love Clara. Wish i had found her before she passed but i didnt till shortly after. Also Rachel Resets is always giving you a shout out for inspiring her with some of her budget meals!!!!
Rachel is amazing! She was one of my first subscribers
Never fear, little lady, the amount of thought you expend to create such wonderful meals comes through loud and clear. Also, I know I can trust you to give your honest opinion about how each meal tastes. That means a lot. I've learned so much from you. Diane in NC
I'm addicted to the velveta jalapeño cheese, omg it's so good . I love it with tuna and white rice 🍚 turned into my gluten-free swap out for Mac and cheese, I can stretch 1 pack for 4 rice bowls w tuna ..easy no reheat lunch . I dragged my son in law to every single dollar tree and family dollar in the golden triangle searching for some and yes I asked every manager to stock them and to my surprise they all did , chicken spaghetti 🍝 yum ...did I mention I'm addicted
it is amazing and added so much pizzaz to these meals
If you're willing to purchase 24 (a case) at a time, you can order them on their website.
I look forward to each one of your videos. You are so emboldening and encouraging. Now that I'm elderly and living alone, cooking for myself lost much of it's appeal. I'm reenergized to cook, and have been able to eat much better on a budget. Yes, you are correct--many of us cannot get to a store. I no longer drive, and the woman that will drive me a couple of times a month will take to to Aldi's and/or Dollar Tree. Were you aware that Aldi's doesn't carry things for cooking from scratch? Their meat is also pretty expensive, therefore surprisingly, Dollar Tree is my general 'go to' for groceries. Also, have you noticed that many of the smaller Dollar Tree stores have sacrificed their food aisles in favor of the 'plus priced' aisles? Very sad.
I said this on a previous video but thought I would share here too. A cheap alternative to milk is 2 heaping tablespoons of non-flavored coffee creamer to 1 cup of very hot water. Combine and stir well. It is equal to 1 cup of milk. You can adjust the creamer/ water ratio for half and half or heavy cream. Just add more creamer to the cup of water.
That's so good to know, thank you for sharing!! :)
@DollarTreeDinners You are so very welcome! And this is just for cooking not for drinking. Thought I should clarify 😊
A life hack for the frozen veg is to rinse them under COOL ( not hot ) to get off some of the ice and start to thaw them out!
We’ll that’s about as close to meal magic as I’ve ever seen. You’ve done a real service to help others during this time of escalating food prices. Bless you.
I love that you make meals that I would actually eat. You just have really good ideas.
Love your channel and how you encourage those on limited budgets. You just had a very nice shout out from Simple Food, Simple Life. You really did put so much into the planning! Thank you!
Thanks! I did just subscribe!@@emily--m
My buddy feeds himself every week with just $14 of dollar tree items. You would think it isn't possible but it absolutely is. It's hard to beat the value. There's a ton of stuff besides food that's actually a great deal too - Toothpaste, toothbrushes, body wash, shampoo (the dandruff shampoo is awesome), kitchen utensils, USB-C charging/data cable and so on. Buy your toiletries at DT can save you a TON if you ge tthe right stuff.
You know what's crazy is in 2019 I thought of starting a Dollar Tree cooking channel but never did. I am so glad someone as kind and caring as you made one. And you deserve all the success. ❤
This all looks amazing; you included all the food groups. This is amazing for people in rural areas when in poverty! What a wonderful thing you are doing with your channel! I love it! Also great for people like me trying to Dave Ramsey!
I am not a fan of Dollar Tree when it comes to food, BUT what you have done here was GENIUS!! With the high prices of food that is currently happening we ALL need to be doing what you've done here. NOW, I see things differently, thanks for this video!!
Glad it was helpful!
Great ideas! I've cooked pasta for years using this method. Bring pasta to a boil in water, stir for a minute, then remove from heat and cover with lid. I usually cook it a bit longer than recommended time. Saves a bit of energy
Can you do a video on $10 desserts from Dollar tree?
That is awesome you represented Clara's poor mans meal, I have watched all her videos and have cooked the poor man's meal many many times. Great video, I'm glad I found your channel.
I love Clara ❤
I just want to thank you for all the creativity you put into these meals. I’m on a fixed income in Canada where food prices have gotten ridiculously expensive. I get bored of the same old rice and beans, and pasta type meals. Your videos really help think up new ideas!
CHILI ON PASTA!!! My Cincinnati heart is so happy seeing this!!
When I lived in Charleston, there was a gas station on the way to work that had people working making breakfast items. My favorite was a smoked sausage sandwich where they just cut it in half and grilled it until it was crisp. That and an egg on bread that they sealed up and it was so soft. It was so good. I’m gonna have to do that on my own. They didn’t even toast the bread.
Super menu. Eazy-Peazy ! I will love all of them. You always do come up with great recipes on a GREAT budget.
It is amazing you were able to create so much variety for so little shopping at DT. For some people, a Day maybe all they have easy access to use for shopping. Your meal plans give any of us who may need to cut back in an emergency know we can still eat filling meals for very little $$. Thank you!
Thanks for the dehydrated hashbrown lesson. I don't care for them fixed per the instructions!
the box instructions are truly terrible lol
i just 'stumbled' on this video and I must say that I am an instant fan!!! the meals fixed in this video will be perfect to make since my husband is a trucker and my daughter and I live in an efficiant apt/rm. i will be making these but putting them in ziplock baggies to make flat to fit in hubby's freezer in his truck! Thank you for taking the time and efforts in coming up with perfect meals on a budget!!!!
This is a good one. I think I’d get white rice,breakfast sausage,black beans,onion pepper stir fry,biscuit mix,country gravy,ravioli and crushed tomatoes 😍 so unhealthy but in a jam.....
You always come up with great meals and videos, but this one was phenomenal! Thank you so much for all the thought and hard work you put into this. Can’t wait for your next video! 👏👏👏
I feel like the last few have been like that. She's always so creative, but the last three or four have really blown me away.
I would never get sick of what you make. Very awesome. thank you.
Thank you for raising awareness of what it's like to eat in poverty. That being said, I'm going to try to make these almost completely homemade, because I have the money and like challenging myself to be creative in my own kitchen. It's fun.
OUTSTANDING !!!!! You did such an amazing job with this. I wish this had been a thing many years ago when I was first starting out. Sometimes money was extremely tight. You always do such a wonderful job, with so much thought into your videos. I always enjoy watching. I've enjoyed Claras videos too. may she rest in peace. Thanks for sharing 🍃🍂🍁🥰🍃🍂🍁💗✝MAGA🇺🇲
I think you do a great job budgeting, organizing, and prepping your meals. I actually feel that I may be able save money with this approach. I used to buy in bulk, but prices are very high. My questions are the following: where can I get those containers? I know Amazon sells similar things, but, I want to know if you bought them somewhere cheaper. Also, what size are the containers so I can follow the meal prep plan? Thank you, and thank you for video sharing, I am positive your helping many people get by in this economy.
Great video Rebecca! I'm not sure why anyone would stir hash Browns. But thank you for showing us how you cook them!
that's what the box says to do :)
To keep any pot from boiling over simply place a wooden spoon across the top of the pan, It will never boil over even with a rolling boil, Best cooking tip I ever learned,
Thanks a bunch for the hash brown lesson. Sounds yum. !
Im so thankful to have recently found your channel! Ive been cooking from scratch for 35 years and im exhausted. 🤣 Your meal ideas are giving me a break! Ty! ❤
Wow, I had no idea DT carried that many food items. These days you really have to look for deals. Thank you for your video and great ideas 😊Everything looks good and still fairly nutritious 💯 ty
I've seen those cartons of hash browns and never really thought to buy them but I'm SO going to give them a try now. They would be a great option for my teenager. He does a great job of cooking for himself and has been using the stovetop for years now so I feel confident he could pull those off. You always do an amazing job of giving us valuable tips and ideas. Thank you!
The hash browns make a quick way to make potato soup.
The effort definitely comes through. While we don’t like to eat the “same” thing, this is using a few ingredients to eat for a week which is amazing. Food is obviously a necessity but tends to be the thing people cut cost on for multiple reasons like the electric company won’t sell you a cheaper version lol but these ideas help eat, be satisfied and have food groups too! Thank you
I love all of your videos! I’m not necessarily on a budget but I want to recreate your meals because they look so good! Great job ❤
Glad you like them!
Thank you so much, I really appreciate your videos. I get overwhelmed easily when food requires a lot of ingredients. But these are so much more manageable and encourage me.
Great ideas, for budget purposes, loves these ideas especially for Friday and Saturday nights meals to save on take out throughout the month.
Oh my goodness! These meals all look SCRUMMY!!!
You are so clever. I truly love your channel. Thank you so much, Rebecca. So happy to ‘meet’ you. I’ve been a fan for a long time, but don’t always comment. I’m blown away by the amount of meals you were able to create. FYI, DT also has canned potatoes. Rinse really well and use in recipes. The diced potatoes taste like fresh when fried in a skillet. They go a long way. Have a great week and thanks for another great video! 🥰