When I was a kid, we would spend a weekend at my grandparents' and come home and ask our mom to cook something my grandma had made. My mom: "That's poor food; I'm not cooking that!" She grew up with those recipes and got sick of them, but we thought they were delish. 😄 Nothing more satisfying than making cheap food that's super yummy.
My mom was the same way! "No! Fried cabbage and cooked beans and cornbread is poor people food!" "Mom! We ARE poor people!" "We don't have to EAT like we are!" Ugh.
I've always used cottage cheese because I find ricotta can taste grainy. I pulse the cottage cheese in my blender or food processor to make it a creamier consistency and mix in parmesan before adding to the pasta. Works great.
@AJ. I do the same thing I don’t like ricotta. Also I have used cottage cheese and put it in the blender and made it creamy, and used the ranch dip. No one knows it’s not sour cream. Less calories. It’s just as delicious.
Getting back to cooking, so cheaper, even the Donald prices are so high, all fast food is crazy high. Take 30min cook at home, better for family. Do crockpot dishes, ready when u get home...
Ground beef in my area is $6+ per pound. One way I save is you use 3/4 of a pound in recipes and save the other 1/4. Every 3 meals you get the 4th "free". No one notices the 4oz less meat especially if you add a few vegetables. Also subbing the roll of breakfast sausage is $3.28 a pound.
You could also try a 50/50 ratio of ground turkey and ground beef. Walmart has increased their Festive roll recently, but it's still only $2.20 a pound. That would make the "mixture" $4.10+ a pound.
ja here too, i´m from germany 5-7€ per pound. I eat less meat but even that little bit is so expensive NOW that you no longer know what to do....and they said the prices will probably go up 1-2 more times this year
As a single mom who's ex decided that building a new house was more important than paying child support- things are very tight. Tonight I did something that my granny used to do if extra people showed up for supper. I got a 2lb pkg of ground pork on markdown for $4.30. I added 2eggs, about 10oz of bread torn up,( I make bread so about 1/3 of a loaf) beef bouillon, and a 1/2c of water to make it come together to ( Salt, pepper, garlic) knead it well and make patties. I weighed it. My 2lbs turned into 3. I made 12- 4oz patties, baked them at 350 until done. Cooled, then froze them. My son likes to bake veggies in the toaster oven, now he can put a pattie with it. It really does make meat go farther and it's good.
My mom got the tip for the saltines in chicken salad years ago from Rachel Ray...she said it makes it smoother to spread for sandwiches. Been doing this for about 10+ years love it
@@yvonnepalmquist8676 I'm gluten intolerant so oatmeal in meatloaf is my go-to. Not sure if it would be worth it cost wise to substitute with gf crackers as they aren't cheap!
I use one cream of mushroom soup can for my beef stroganoff and it's OK with or without additional mushrooms. I keep scallions growing in my kitchen (never have to buy onions again). Thank you for these great ideas.
Oh and a cheap sub for chicken or tuna salad is garbanzo beans. Super cheap and very filling. I use Tofu for egg salad. I love doing budget challenges.
With nine people, seven were children, in our family and living on one pay check made my mom an economical cook in so many ways. Sundays were a meat night. If we had a ham, dad was cutting off any extra meat on that bone for a 'breakfast for supper' meal on Monday. The bone then was saved for a soup. One of the meals mom made was a favorite of dad's. We called it Yankee Dish. You start with mashed potatoes, a pound or two of hamburger mixed with beef gravy. You place a scoop of mashed potatoes on your plate and pour the hamburger/gravy mixture over the mashed. You could have canned corn or some other veg but usually this is all we had, the meat and potatoes. We had lots of meatless supper so there was a lot of spaghetti. Mom could but didn't always make a home made sauce but we scoffed that up. Every Friday mom made a one-pot-meal she called Goulash. It was never the same and we loved it so much. She put whatever she had in the fridge in a chicken or beef stock and tasted as she cooked to add whatever seasonings she felt the pot needed. Nothing went to waste.
Great meal ideas! Back in my really poor days I would make "Mom Specials" basically throwing anything I had on hand together for dinner. My family was always asking what the meal was called and that is why I made up the name "Mom Specials"
A meal that we had often growing up....cut up hotdogs, brown them in a skillet, then simmer in bbq sauce. Serve over mashed taters, and sweet peas or corn on the side, and biscuits or cornbread.
I made a Poor Man’s Beef Stew for my family the other night. We ate hearty amounts and had enough for two meals for our large-ish family. I added biscuits (regular and keto cheddar bay,) a salad and we had a feast! The whole family loved it.
Wow, kudos on managing to peel eggs with one hand -- very impressive! As for the faux lasagna, you just can't go wrong mixing pasta, a tomato element and cheese. Who doesn't love it? Great video. Thanks! :)
@@MealsWithMaria Noodles are all the same, it’s just the shape that makes it unique. I started subbing noodles for my lasagna several years ago, because I wanted an easier way to portion control. It’s easier to scoop up smaller noodle lasagna, and have plenty of leftovers. If you are making plan ahead freezer meals, this is perfect.
Love it but can’t eat it due to the high salt/sodium content, which worsens high blood pressure, increases risk for heart disease and stroke- the top two causes of death for Americans. People are always surprised when those things happen to them and their families. Is it any wonder poor people died earlier?
Not commonly used in poor man's meals, but lentils are a good thing too. When you pair beans or lentils with pasta or rice, you have more of a complete protein. That way if you have to cut down a on meat, you can still get enough protein.
With chicken salad, I use the chicken scraps that are left on the bones after I boil the carcasses for stock. During turkey season, you can use the turkey scraps from the carcass after making turkey stock. You may have to add salt, but it’s a great way to use up chicken scraps that would otherwise be thrown out with the bones.
People throw it out? My mom picked the carcass clean. My dad was in charge of cooking the carcass into a soup, he looked for any small loose bones or cartilage, then added macaroni or egg noodles and that was dinner, then lunch, then snack for several days. With 4 hungry kids, it never made it to the freezer. Later, when we were gone, they froze some of it for later.
You can also add a touch of vinegar to your ground turkey it does something that makes it taste more beefy. I love your ideas for families eating on a budget “being frugal “ not cheap keep it up Maria!
I recently made something I think was super cheap and easy. My kids loved it. One small yellow onion sliced, 4 golden potatoes sliced, one beef sausage, sliced. Toss the onion and potatoes in a little olive oil, salt, pepper and smoked paprika to taste. Throw it all in a skillet and cook it till the potatoes are tender. Makes great leftovers that you can eat in a tortilla as a breakfast burrito the next day.
I loved the chicken salad recipe. I can't eat the saltines, but I think that I will make this for my wife and granddaughter. They will love it. You're a joy to watch. Thanks for the video. Merry Christmas.
Something you might consider is Dollar Tree sells 2 clear plastic cutting board sheets for $1.25. I snipped the corners off one & only use that cutting board sheet for meats. I use the other sheet for all other necessary chopping. A) If you use a cutting board sheet, you simply pick up the sheet and pour your ingredients into whatever vessel (pot/pan/bowl etc) you're using. Its cleaner & more efficient cuz you get ALL of what you've chopped into the bowl. B) Wood cutting boards are beautiful but they can hold bacteria. You've got babies & I don't want you or anyone in your family to get sick. I've been cooking for over 50years & no one has ever gotten food poisoning from my food. #grandmalove I always enjoy your videos. God bless you dear & your family.🙏❤🙏
Mentioning ricotta cheese reminded me of something I haven't had in years. My late husband had a recipe for diabetic "ice cream" using ricotta cheese. You just put a serving of the ricotta in a bowl, added the sweetener of your choice, and a few drops of some flavoring. Our favorite was vanilla and almond flavoring and we usually also tossed in some sliced almonds and/or raisins. It was actually a great substitute for ice cream and perfect for a diabetic because you could make it with artificial sweetener.
I have done the chicken salad with canned chicken leaving the water from the can in the salad with the crackers. You can cut down the mayo that way. I have also done this many times with tuna. You can do the stroganoff with cream of mushroom soup and a package of brown gravy or onion soup. It turns out really good.
You are a master at suggesting substitutes! Well done! One of my biggest struggles is knowing how to substitute ingredients which then prevents me from making a recipe and risking a flop. Thank you for all of those substitution tips you shared - they were incredibly helpful!
I’m new to this channel! I love the inexpensive ingredients! I’d like to share a poor mans meal. Fry 3 bell peppers ( I like to use yellow, red, and orange peppers ). When tender add 4 beaten eggs. That’s all! My son loves this meal, and he wouldn’t eat peppers before. Hope you try it!
Maria, great advice at a time that we all need it. I have been working on this concept for some time and discovered THE FREEZER! What it can and cannot do (foods which do not freeze well and those that do), and it is amazing. I figured out over the years of my husband and I working full-time, and often over-time, what can be done in advance and frozen, and the fresh part of the meal can be done in a few minutes before serving. An example of this is any kind of Chicken or Beef stir-fry. The meat and sauce part is the most difficult part and can be frozen (just add a bit of extra liquid as it reduces with freezing. I use Zip-Loc Freezer Bags which I label with the meal and the date frozen and keep a hand-written log of the meals and dates so that they do not exceed their time limit. The rice, noodles, potatoes and any fresh vegetables/salads can be prepared just before serving. I have many recipes: Roast beef or chicken, Goulash, Spanish Chicken, Meatloaf... the ideas are endless. Any extra roasted or barbequed meat can be portioned and identified for Lunch - sandwiches, salads, etc. The point is that when you go to the trouble to cook you should make it count for meals in the future - you are doing the work anyways. If you have a stash of easily usable meals you will spend less and eat healthier and not have to resort to expensive an unhealthy packaged foods.
The saltines in the chicken salad makes good sense to me (don't know why I haven't thought of it before) because I love to put chicken or egg salad on saltines to eat them.
Three wonderful recipes! I can’t wait to try the Poor Man’s Chicken Salad! You provide the best content and substitutions for every conceivable pop up situation. I’m loving it! 😋😋😋
You can stretch the ground meats by adding mashed beans pinto/black/canneli I've even subbed with butter beans! Up to about 50/50 meat to bean ratio - tho I usually stick closer to 60meat/40bean Another good tip is buy larger quantities/ wait for markdowns so the meat is discounted and pre-portion 12oz servings into freezer/ziplock bags roll it nice & flat/air squished out as soon as you get it home. freeze it flat for maximum storage space and quick EASY thawing.(take a quart Ziploc with 12oz flattened meat divide into 4 indented sections [ + ] it makes for perfect sized slider patties )
With your lasagna......I just made a "lasagna" with frozen ravioli (walmart - $4.98, for the family size). The ravioli already comes stuffed with ricotta and other cheeses, so no need to buy those cheeses (or substitutes). I only used about 1/4 of the bag. Just an idea......
I make chicken salad and add things like a chopped apple, celery a handful of chopped nuts, dried fruits like cranberries then mix mayo with a bit of sugar and vinegar. Uses up little bits of this and that and tastes great
To lower the cost when making Lasagna I mix 1 EGG with COTTAGE CHEESE instead of using Ricotta. I have never heard of this recipe for Chicken Salad interesting
i do a similar thing, as the lasagna & i call it a roll over dinner - I double batch some American Chop Suey for one nights supper and the next night, ill even maybe add some pepperonis or some left over sausage but use the leftover suey as my noodle layer, and just insert the cheese layer.. super easy
@debra my friend and I were laughing recently about how our mothers used to whip up seven tuna sandwiches from one dinky can of tuna and guess what…I think you just told me how they did it haha… they had a bunch of kids so they knew how to stretch food.
I love how appetizing your food looks. I am vegetarian and got some packages of ground veggie meat for a 1.39 so I'm making that pasta dish asap. Thanks Maria!😍
Chopped onions and/or chopped celery would be great in the chicken salad, too. You could use relish or olives instead of pickles. We should always be creative with our ingredients that we have on hand in order to save money. Also, I love grating a clove of fresh garlic in salads like that. Delicious! Thanks so much for this! I just subscribed.
For stroganoff use chuck roast. It comes out awesome. Plus Chuck roast goes on sale in my store every 4-6 weeks for $2.99lb. I stock up and freeze them.
@@MealsWithMaria Thanks😊. I forgot to say if your using Chuck Roast cook it in a crock pot to break down the meat to make it fork tender. 4 to 5 hours on high.
I've always used cottage cheese instead of ricotta to make lasagna. I find that the costliest ingredient is the mozarella, but I have made it successfully with Kraft Mozarella slices, or with the cheese I had on hand, which was cheddar. It tasted fine to me.
Thank you for sharing, such a great and inexpensive meal ideas. One thing I would suggest though is if you have a leftover sweet potato or spinach in the refrigerator to incorporate that into the lasagna. I would first slice the sweet potato and roast it in the oven and then I would use that as a not an additional layer in the lasagna along with the spinach and then the other ingredients that you showed.
My daughter and i remember eating our poor meals I had 4... 1 can of corn can of Rotel ground beef or turkey pack of taco seasoning and can of refried beans with tortillas for quick burritos or tacos... 2. Frozen veggies chicken ramen noodles nice on a cold day better than the can for sure... 3. Hill shire Sausage links onion green pepper teriyaki sauce or soy sauce careful with salt saute with bit of oil over white rice.. 4 Mac n cheese broccoli and tuna ENJOY
Enjoyed all of these this is the kind a recipe I like right now I'm serving meals to six adult family eaters and I felt like I already cooked frugally but I can find out different ideas and different recipes from other people and be able to extend the menu a long way
I had bought 2 years supply food from Jim Bakker Ministries in 2002 set it aside for shtf. When covid lockdown hit i ate it all illl tell u it was dehydrated food but really good. Im broke now but couldnt have made it without that food. Thanks Jim Bakker wish i had more money id get more but im broke n no food stamps.
Thanks for these amazing recipes! in a pinch I have used ketchup in place of tomato paste ;) I really appreciate these budget videos, they're a literal life saver :)
I made 'lasagna' like that last week. I had some ricotta that I had to use so I made it with a half pound of sausage and she'll macaroni because that's what I had. We all loved it. We called it unassembled lasagna because it was like everything ended up mixed together when we ate it. I'll try the other recipes too. Thank you.
You should call it deconstructed lasagna to make it sound really fancy. "Tonight we'll be having a deconstructed sausage lasagna made with shell pasta and ricotta"
You can always add frozen veg to the mix and making ricotta cheese is super easy! Milk, vinegar or lemon juice and kosher salt. Heat the milk to a boil, turn heat to low… set up a cheese cloth (I use a clean kitchen towel) station, add lemon juice (my fav) or vinegar and stir in salt… pour out mixture of whey & curds into the cheese cloth station; lightly (LIGHTLY!!!) press most of the whey out the fresh made ricotta and VIOLA! You now have fresh (yummy) ricotta cheese 🫕
Maria the biggest challenge we face now is the cost of energy. I have to consider the cost of the ingredients plus how I’m cooking. A humble jacket potato is an expensive meal when cooked in the oven.
I'll have to start putting in the Worcestershire sauce into my ground beef stroganoff, to get that extra flavor. All your dishes looked so frugal and yummy! Paula Deen makes a saltine cracker salad too. It really blows my mind. I can't remember if it has chicken in it or not, but it's a real Southern thing! 😊
Holy Toledo I just looked it up... Soda Cracker Salad/Georgia Salad.... it's literally a salad made with a sleeve of crackers, with only the added protein of a boiled egg. Outstanding! I have to try!
These look great. With chicken sandwiches I just use canned chicken. My family used celery and grape halves-my preference,my sons other grandparents use celery & onion:he prefers it that way. Also with avocado mayonnaise which surprised me but that’s what I was told so works for me. 🙂
Every single time I use any type of ground beef and or turkey, I always drain my meats. I don’t enjoy any type of grease with also trying to lose weight. So…it always has to be drained. Looks like a delicious dish your making.
Your site was recommended, by another site. Great addition to my forte of cooking sites. You are a wise cook, as well as thrifty. On a fixed income, it comes in handy.
We make unstuffed cabbage, 1# ground beef ,1 onion chopped, 1 bag of coleslaw mix and 1 -2 cans tomato soup undiluted cook meat and onion, add cabbage mix and tomato soup cook til cabbage is tender. Excellent over mashed potatoes or rice. Cost is about $6.
Something to consider. Tofu is cheaper than meat and can be used in most places of meat. I pay 1.59 for a package of Tofu at an Asian Market and most expensive is 2.49 at Whole Foods. Another sub is to use TVP. Textured Vegetable Protien. It's typically less than 3 dollars a pound and rehydrate with water, bullion or broth. It's so much cheaper than the animal product and can be found on Amazon if your local stores don't carry it. Amazon is more expensive and I have found it at Whole Foods and Walmart.
Some really good ideas. However, pre-shredded packages of cheese are very expensive compared to buying 2 # cheese bricks at Sam's/Costco & shredding it yourself. Literally, it takes just a minute or two to do it on a box grater. Also, if you want, use a processor & do a bunch at a time. Then ziplock bag it. You can do it days ahead and keep it in the fridge or freezer 😉 Totally worth the little bit of time invested. 🧀😄
@@hazelwilson7825 Hi Hazel . We have Aldi's here in Florida & you are correct they have very good prices and the convenience factor is a true plus. However, they still contain anti-caking agents and mold inhibitors like cellulose powder which aren't they good for us & worse present a gummy effect when melted. Not to mention my original thought which was, that if a recipe is offered up as a "Cost-Saving" one , wouldn't the ingredients need to be the best price ? 🤔 She has some really yummy sounding dishes just trying to mention some simple ways to save even more money on groceries. 😋 Have a Blessed Day 🙋♀️
I buy pre-shredded because I have arthritis so that extra cost works for me. Now I've been told you can use a food processor but alas I don't have one.
Hmm where I am that hasn't been true for 10 years or more. I think everyone caught on during the 08 crash and wrecked it. The bricks, slices and shreds are the same price for the same amount and always included in the same sales. Same with ground turkey, used to be 1.00 a pound for festive brand ground turkey now it's approaching 3.
I make the best lasagna in my entire Family and a large pan.. I only use 1 jar of prego and 11/2 to 2 lbs ground chuck. People are always asking prepare and sell it to them. It's not as expensive as people think it is. I'm gonna try the way you made it and see if I like it. Thank you for posting
My budget stretching meals are basically homemade hamburger helper with noodles, tomatoes and beans instead of beef, and some onions/celery and bell peppers and then I make ground beef stroganoff with tons of onion, celery and bell pepper, a gravy mix packet and sour cream and the beef. Served with baked potatoes.
Just found you & subscribed! Great video!👍 Would love to see more cheap meals w/ less carbs. Maybe one pot meals! You are a wonderful teacher, I enjoyed your presentation. 😊
You can use ground turkey when it’s cheaper, put a spoonful of beef bouillon in it and it tastes like ground beef in a casserole.
Ohhh so smart!
I switched to ground turkey at start of pandemic and do the same thing.
Just add Montreal steak seasoning to the ground turkey cant taste the difference
ground turkeys is sooo expensive where i live (germany)
Great tip definitely gonna try that.
When I was a kid, we would spend a weekend at my grandparents' and come home and ask our mom to cook something my grandma had made. My mom: "That's poor food; I'm not cooking that!" She grew up with those recipes and got sick of them, but we thought they were delish. 😄 Nothing more satisfying than making cheap food that's super yummy.
🤣 that’s too funny!
Yummy
@@MealsWithMariaI
I would rather eat food made with air and love, a.k.a. your grandmother's food. (Also known as using what you have and being creative.)
My mom was the same way! "No! Fried cabbage and cooked beans and cornbread is poor people food!"
"Mom! We ARE poor people!"
"We don't have to EAT like we are!"
Ugh.
I've always used cottage cheese because I find ricotta can taste grainy. I pulse the cottage cheese in my blender or food processor to make it a creamier consistency and mix in parmesan before adding to the pasta. Works great.
@AJ. I do the same thing I don’t like ricotta.
Also I have used cottage cheese and put it in the blender and made it creamy, and used the ranch dip.
No one knows it’s not sour cream.
Less calories.
It’s just as delicious.
Getting back to cooking, so cheaper, even the Donald prices are so high, all fast food is crazy high. Take 30min cook at home, better for family. Do crockpot dishes, ready when u get home...
One of my favorite poor man’s dishes is haluski. Egg Noodles, cabbage, onions and some bacon. Super yummy.
That sounds great!
it IS great! i have it with two thick slices of garlic or garlic cheese toast. ^
Mine too easy to make!!!, my slovakian granny made it a lot my comfort food
@@amysmith1313 same here! 😁
Yes i make this alot..also my husband like egg noodles, butter ,and cottage cheese all mixed together..(not my fave but he eats it up👍🏻)
Ground beef in my area is $6+ per pound. One way I save is you use 3/4 of a pound in recipes and save the other 1/4. Every 3 meals you get the 4th "free". No one notices the 4oz less meat especially if you add a few vegetables. Also subbing the roll of breakfast sausage is $3.28 a pound.
100% agree, great idea!
You could also try a 50/50 ratio of ground turkey and ground beef. Walmart has increased their Festive roll recently, but it's still only $2.20 a pound. That would make the "mixture" $4.10+ a pound.
ja here too, i´m from germany 5-7€ per pound. I eat less meat but even that little bit is so expensive NOW that you no longer know what to do....and they said the prices will probably go up 1-2 more times this year
I usually use half grnd beef/half BE sausage in my meals most of time😉
I buy ground turkey and add sausage seasoning like sage, red pepper and fennel to make my own sausage. It's much cheaper.
We all need this right now. Prices are skyrocketing worldwide. Thanks looking forward to your recipes. New subscriber.
I’m so glad you’re here! I’m trying to do my part to help!
How about the inexpensive Irish 7 course dinner?
(A 6-pack of beer and a boiled potato.)
😂😂😂
I thought it was six potatoes and a bottle of whiskey.
@@maggiesmith856 Yes, that's another one!
Haha forgot about that one!
First time watcher! I love your personality and demeanor - very nice, very helpful, very humble. Thank you for sharing!
Aw thank you! I have plenty more videos I hope you like them too 🥰🥰
As a single mom who's ex decided that building a new house was more important than paying child support- things are very tight.
Tonight I did something that my granny used to do if extra people showed up for supper.
I got a 2lb pkg of ground pork on markdown for $4.30.
I added 2eggs, about 10oz of bread torn up,( I make bread so about 1/3 of a loaf) beef bouillon, and a 1/2c of water to make it come together to ( Salt, pepper, garlic) knead it well and make patties. I weighed it. My 2lbs turned into 3. I made 12- 4oz patties, baked them at 350 until done. Cooled, then froze them.
My son likes to bake veggies in the toaster oven, now he can put a pattie with it. It really does make meat go farther and it's good.
That sounds very Frugal but being a type ii it would make me sick. I bet it is good though
My mom got the tip for the saltines in chicken salad years ago from Rachel Ray...she said it makes it smoother to spread for sandwiches. Been doing this for about 10+ years love it
Oh so interesting! I’d never heard of it!
Such an interesting concept. I can't wait to try it. Hey, it works for meatloaf so why not chicken?
@@MealsWithMaria lo
I found the saltines very surprising! I'm going to have to try it!!
@@yvonnepalmquist8676 I'm gluten intolerant so oatmeal in meatloaf is my go-to. Not sure if it would be worth it cost wise to substitute with gf crackers as they aren't cheap!
I use one cream of mushroom soup can for my beef stroganoff and it's OK with or without additional mushrooms. I keep scallions growing in my kitchen (never have to buy onions again). Thank you for these great ideas.
Maria! Super talented to peel those eggs with one hand! The powers of a mom! Lol
🤣 yes, love the mom power!
I was blown away.
How do you boil them so they peel like that??
@@naahmagolden3953 I don't know what Maria does but I steam mine and they come off just like that
Oh and a cheap sub for chicken or tuna salad is garbanzo beans. Super cheap and very filling. I use Tofu for egg salad. I love doing budget challenges.
Hello 👋, how are you doing today; hope your day went well and it was a wonderful & blessed 😇 day for u Donna?
With nine people, seven were children, in our family and living on one pay check made my mom an economical cook in so many ways. Sundays were a meat night. If we had a ham, dad was cutting off any extra meat on that bone for a 'breakfast for supper' meal on Monday. The bone then was saved for a soup. One of the meals mom made was a favorite of dad's. We called it Yankee Dish. You start with mashed potatoes, a pound or two of hamburger mixed with beef gravy. You place a scoop of mashed potatoes on your plate and pour the hamburger/gravy mixture over the mashed. You could have canned corn or some other veg but usually this is all we had, the meat and potatoes. We had lots of meatless supper so there was a lot of spaghetti. Mom could but didn't always make a home made sauce but we scoffed that up. Every Friday mom made a one-pot-meal she called Goulash. It was never the same and we loved it so much. She put whatever she had in the fridge in a chicken or beef stock and tasted as she cooked to add whatever seasonings she felt the pot needed. Nothing went to waste.
OMG! I made the lasagna and my picky husband loved it. So, did I. Thank you. Used everything I had. I make my own tomato sauce. It's my pantry staple.
Great meal ideas! Back in my really poor days I would make "Mom Specials" basically throwing anything I had on hand together for dinner. My family was always asking what the meal was called and that is why I made up the name "Mom Specials"
Omg I love that!!!
My mom did not appreciate us calling the meal "Layered Leftovers."😂
Gelatinous mass.
A meal that we had often growing up....cut up hotdogs, brown them in a skillet, then simmer in bbq sauce. Serve over mashed taters, and sweet peas or corn on the side, and biscuits or cornbread.
Yum! I do chop hotdogs, brown them, serve with any flavor baked beans
Sliced wieners in a white/cheese sauce are also yum.
@@deborahlynhetherly934 Beanies & Weinies, a winning combination 👍
Beans and Hamburg with a little brown sugar...over mashed potatoes.
I made white gravy, cut up hotdogs to put in it, simmer. You will be amazed how good it tastes
I made a Poor Man’s Beef Stew for my family the other night. We ate hearty amounts and had enough for two meals for our large-ish family. I added biscuits (regular and keto cheddar bay,) a salad and we had a feast! The whole family loved it.
Wow, kudos on managing to peel eggs with one hand -- very impressive! As for the faux lasagna, you just can't go wrong mixing pasta, a tomato element and cheese. Who doesn't love it? Great video. Thanks! :)
So true on the pasta!
@@MealsWithMaria Noodles are all the same, it’s just the shape that makes it unique. I started subbing noodles for my lasagna several years ago, because I wanted an easier way to portion control. It’s easier to scoop up smaller noodle lasagna, and have plenty of leftovers. If you are making plan ahead freezer meals, this is perfect.
Love it but can’t eat it due to the high salt/sodium content, which worsens high blood pressure, increases risk for heart disease and stroke- the top two causes of death for Americans. People are always surprised when those things happen to them and their families. Is it any wonder poor people died earlier?
Not commonly used in poor man's meals, but lentils are a good thing too. When you pair beans or lentils with pasta or rice, you have more of a complete protein. That way if you have to cut down a on meat, you can still get enough protein.
Agree! Lentils are a fantastic swap or add!
With chicken salad, I use the chicken scraps that are left on the bones after I boil the carcasses for stock. During turkey season, you can use the turkey scraps from the carcass after making turkey stock. You may have to add salt, but it’s a great way to use up chicken scraps that would otherwise be thrown out with the bones.
100% agree! Great way to use everything.
People throw it out? My mom picked the carcass clean. My dad was in charge of cooking the carcass into a soup, he looked for any small loose bones or cartilage, then added macaroni or egg noodles and that was dinner, then lunch, then snack for several days. With 4 hungry kids, it never made it to the freezer. Later, when we were gone, they froze some of it for later.
and give the gristle and skin and bone ends to the dog along with a spoon of water you use to rinse out the pot
You can also add a touch of vinegar to your ground turkey it does something that makes it taste more beefy. I love your ideas for families eating on a budget “being frugal “ not cheap keep it up Maria!
👍🏼👍🏼 great idea! So glad the ideas are helpful!
I am a mom of 5 and I can use these recipes for my children. Thank you so much
That’s awesome!
I recently made something I think was super cheap and easy. My kids loved it. One small yellow onion sliced, 4 golden potatoes sliced, one beef sausage, sliced. Toss the onion and potatoes in a little olive oil, salt, pepper and smoked paprika to taste. Throw it all in a skillet and cook it till the potatoes are tender. Makes great leftovers that you can eat in a tortilla as a breakfast burrito the next day.
I loved the chicken salad recipe. I can't eat the saltines, but I think that I will make this for my wife and granddaughter. They will love it. You're a joy to watch. Thanks for the video.
Merry Christmas.
Something you might consider is Dollar Tree sells 2 clear plastic cutting board sheets for $1.25. I snipped the corners off one & only use that cutting board sheet for meats. I use the other sheet for all other necessary chopping. A) If you use a cutting board sheet, you simply pick up the sheet and pour your ingredients into whatever vessel (pot/pan/bowl etc) you're using. Its cleaner & more efficient cuz you get ALL of what you've chopped into the bowl. B) Wood cutting boards are beautiful but they can hold bacteria. You've got babies & I don't want you or anyone in your family to get sick. I've been cooking for over 50years & no one has ever gotten food poisoning from my food. #grandmalove I always enjoy your videos. God bless you dear & your family.🙏❤🙏
Mentioning ricotta cheese reminded me of something I haven't had in years. My late husband had a recipe for diabetic "ice cream" using ricotta cheese. You just put a serving of the ricotta in a bowl, added the sweetener of your choice, and a few drops of some flavoring. Our favorite was vanilla and almond flavoring and we usually also tossed in some sliced almonds and/or raisins. It was actually a great substitute for ice cream and perfect for a diabetic because you could make it with artificial sweetener.
interesting. great for keto too.
Your one handed egg peeling ability is AMAZING!!! Great video!!!!
I have done the chicken salad with canned chicken leaving the water from the can in the salad with the crackers. You can cut down the mayo that way. I have also done this many times with tuna. You can do the stroganoff with cream of mushroom soup and a package of brown gravy or onion soup. It turns out really good.
That's a mom... multitasking is a must for being a mom! Awesome job!😎😎
You are a master at suggesting substitutes! Well done!
One of my biggest struggles is knowing how to substitute ingredients which then prevents me from making a recipe and risking a flop.
Thank you for all of those substitution tips you shared - they were incredibly helpful!
I like the way you use it right out of the container...no need to dirty extra dishes!
😅 gotta cut the dishes where I can!!
I’m new to this channel! I love the inexpensive ingredients! I’d like to share a poor mans meal. Fry 3 bell peppers
( I like to use yellow, red, and orange peppers ). When tender add 4 beaten eggs. That’s all! My son loves this meal, and he wouldn’t eat peppers before. Hope you try it!
That sounds good but man in my area colored bell peppers are a luxury item!
My fam loves eggs, potatoes, onions & bell peppers for a meal. Delicious, affordable & healthy.
Yummy 😋🌻🤗 blessings and thank you ❤️🌻🦋🌺🌹🥰,in these frugal times.... quite useful. And,appreciative 🤗
😀 so glad you like the recipes!
Maria, great advice at a time that we all need it. I have been working on this concept for some time and discovered THE FREEZER! What it can and cannot do (foods which do not freeze well and those that do), and it is amazing. I figured out over the years of my husband and I working full-time, and often over-time, what can be done in advance and frozen, and the fresh part of the meal can be done in a few minutes before serving. An example of this is any kind of Chicken or Beef stir-fry. The meat and sauce part is the most difficult part and can be frozen (just add a bit of extra liquid as it reduces with freezing. I use Zip-Loc Freezer Bags which I label with the meal and the date frozen and keep a hand-written log of the meals and dates so that they do not exceed their time limit. The rice, noodles, potatoes and any fresh vegetables/salads can be prepared just before serving. I have many recipes: Roast beef or chicken, Goulash, Spanish Chicken, Meatloaf... the ideas are endless. Any extra roasted or barbequed meat can be portioned and identified for Lunch - sandwiches, salads, etc. The point is that when you go to the trouble to cook you should make it count for meals in the future - you are doing the work anyways. If you have a stash of easily usable meals you will spend less and eat healthier and not have to resort to expensive an unhealthy packaged foods.
We’re definitely feeling poor right now. I’ve been making poor man’s steaks and they are sooo good.
The saltines in the chicken salad makes good sense to me (don't know why I haven't thought of it before) because I love to put chicken or egg salad on saltines to eat them.
youre absolutely right!
Love it. More recipes from our past to teach us to survive better in difficult times. Live free!!!
Love you recipes. Thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome!
Three wonderful recipes! I can’t wait to try the Poor Man’s Chicken Salad! You provide the best content and substitutions for every conceivable pop up situation. I’m loving it! 😋😋😋
You can stretch the ground meats by adding mashed beans pinto/black/canneli I've even subbed with butter beans! Up to about 50/50 meat to bean ratio - tho I usually stick closer to 60meat/40bean
Another good tip is buy larger quantities/ wait for markdowns so the meat is discounted and pre-portion 12oz servings into freezer/ziplock bags roll it nice & flat/air squished out as soon as you get it home. freeze it flat for maximum storage space and quick EASY thawing.(take a quart Ziploc with 12oz flattened meat divide into 4 indented sections [ + ] it makes for perfect sized slider patties )
With your lasagna......I just made a "lasagna" with frozen ravioli (walmart - $4.98, for the family size). The ravioli already comes stuffed with ricotta and other cheeses, so no need to buy those cheeses (or substitutes). I only used about 1/4 of the bag. Just an idea......
I have raviolis in the freezer and was thinking of doing just that! Thanks for the extra push!
that's a good idea I'm going to have to try it
I make chicken salad and add things like a chopped apple, celery a handful of chopped nuts, dried fruits like cranberries then mix mayo with a bit of sugar and vinegar. Uses up little bits of this and that and tastes great
So delicious!!
To lower the cost when making Lasagna I mix 1 EGG with COTTAGE CHEESE instead of using Ricotta. I have never heard of this recipe for Chicken Salad interesting
Haha I just read it as cottage cheese!
Love that idea!!
Thanks . A neighbor suggested this over 30 years ago and I never have purchased Ricotta Cheese. Could you do a video on meals using Lentils
😀 I fixed my comment
@@sarahl.944 lol yes that is what I meant 😂
i do a similar thing, as the lasagna & i call it a roll over dinner - I double batch some American Chop Suey for one nights supper and the next night, ill even maybe add some pepperonis or some left over sausage but use the leftover suey as my noodle layer, and just insert the cheese layer.. super easy
Yum! What a fabulous idea!!
The chicken salad you can do same way with tuna salad. It's how my school use to do it over 20 years ago it's lunch box special.
Of course! So smart! Love that idea!!
@debra my friend and I were laughing recently about how our mothers used to whip up seven tuna sandwiches from one dinky can of tuna and guess what…I think you just told me how they did it haha… they had a bunch of kids so they knew how to stretch food.
@@shelzp7272 hey it's freaking good that way . To bad they don't make them anymore in the school lunches I always enjoyed them
Yea me too . Be better than the hot dog in a corn tortilla they be serving now.
I love how appetizing your food looks. I am vegetarian and got some packages of ground veggie meat for a 1.39 so I'm making that pasta dish asap. Thanks Maria!😍
Perfect!!!
Why do vegetarians always have to tell you their vegetarians. I can honestly say that I’ve never heard a meat eater say “ I’m a carnivore”.
Just came across your channel and now I’m hooked. Thank you for all the budget friendly recipes.👏😘
I’m so glad you’re here and enjoying 🥰🥰
Maria, L
love your videos, you're smart, informative, cheerful, and matter-of-fact...delicious recipes!
😀😀 thank you! Glad you enjoy them!
I just hit the subscribe button, and the thing that made me do it was seeing you peel those boiled eggs one-handed! I am in awe!
😀 so glad you’re here! Plenty more one handed cooking where that came from 😅
Chopped onions and/or chopped celery would be great in the chicken salad, too. You could use relish or olives instead of pickles. We should always be creative with our ingredients that we have on hand in order to save money. Also, I love grating a clove of fresh garlic in salads like that. Delicious! Thanks so much for this! I just subscribed.
I’m so glad you’re here and thank you for the great ideas!!
Could you use canned Tuna subbed for the chicken?
@@robinpatrick6675 Yes! That would be perfect.
Try adding a pinch of nutmeg and ginger to cottage cheese with 2 eggs, beat with mixer, it will taste like ricotta, with more protein and less money!
Love your channel! Great recipes
For stroganoff use chuck roast. It comes out awesome. Plus Chuck roast goes on sale in my store every 4-6 weeks for $2.99lb. I stock up and freeze them.
Great idea!
@@MealsWithMaria Thanks😊. I forgot to say if your using Chuck Roast cook it in a crock pot to break down the meat to make it fork tender. 4 to 5 hours on high.
I've always used cottage cheese instead of ricotta to make lasagna. I find that the costliest ingredient is the mozarella, but I have made it successfully with Kraft Mozarella slices, or with the cheese I had on hand, which was cheddar. It tasted fine to me.
Thank you for sharing, such a great and inexpensive meal ideas. One thing I would suggest though is if you have a leftover sweet potato or spinach in the refrigerator to incorporate that into the lasagna. I would first slice the sweet potato and roast it in the oven and then I would use that as a not an additional layer in the lasagna along with the spinach and then the other ingredients that you showed.
Yum! Great idea!
What to eat when you’re poor….we will all be needing these recipes soon!
Awesome recipes,ideas, thanks for sharing ❤️❤️❤️
😀 you’re welcome!
My daughter and i remember eating our poor meals I had 4... 1 can of corn can of Rotel ground beef or turkey pack of taco seasoning and can of refried beans with tortillas for quick burritos or tacos... 2. Frozen veggies chicken ramen noodles nice on a cold day better than the can for sure... 3. Hill shire Sausage links onion green pepper teriyaki sauce or soy sauce careful with salt saute with bit of oil over white rice.. 4 Mac n cheese broccoli and tuna ENJOY
I love these ideas!
Thanks for sharing. We're not well off at all, so these recipes will help me
Loving your videos I made your black bean soup the other day any my picky 14 year old loved it !!
That is so awesome!!
Yay!! Another video from Maria!!💜🥰😍
🥰🥰🥰
So good recipes, God 🙏🙏 Bless for sharing this recipe. They are very helpful to be able some money.
😀 glad to share!
Wow great ideas! I m so glad I found your channel!
I just subscribed!😋😇😍😘
And btw,I make my lasagna like that already! My kids love it.I'm definitely gonna try out your other ones😋😘
So awesome! I’m so glad you’re here!
Enjoyed all of these this is the kind a recipe I like right now I'm serving meals to six adult family eaters and I felt like I already cooked frugally but I can find out different ideas and different recipes from other people and be able to extend the menu a long way
I had bought 2 years supply food from Jim Bakker Ministries in 2002 set it aside for shtf. When covid lockdown hit i ate it all illl tell u it was dehydrated food but really good. Im broke now but couldnt have made it without that food. Thanks Jim Bakker wish i had more money id get more but im broke n no food stamps.
Thanks for these amazing recipes! in a pinch I have used ketchup in place of tomato paste ;) I really appreciate these budget videos, they're a literal life saver :)
So glad you like them! I agree, ketchup is just fine!
I made 'lasagna' like that last week. I had some ricotta that I had to use so I made it with a half pound of sausage and she'll macaroni because that's what I had. We all loved it. We called it unassembled lasagna because it was like everything ended up mixed together when we ate it. I'll try the other recipes too. Thank you.
Yum! Great work!
You should call it deconstructed lasagna to make it sound really fancy. "Tonight we'll be having a deconstructed sausage lasagna made with shell pasta and ricotta"
For the stroganoff, I have done it vegetarian with lots of sliced onions instead of the meat. Excellent and cheap!
Thank you sooooo much. That helped with what I'm cooking tonight
Yay! I’m so glad!
Very practical and tasty-looking ideas! Thanks.
😀 you’re welcome!
You can always add frozen veg to the mix and making ricotta cheese is super easy! Milk, vinegar or lemon juice and kosher salt. Heat the milk to a boil, turn heat to low… set up a cheese cloth (I use a clean kitchen towel) station, add lemon juice (my fav) or vinegar and stir in salt… pour out mixture of whey & curds into the cheese cloth station; lightly (LIGHTLY!!!) press most of the whey out the fresh made ricotta and VIOLA! You now have fresh (yummy) ricotta cheese 🫕
Love this .... tysm....my favorite video to watch when posted....Rosanne
Aw thank you! I’m so glad you like them!
A friend's mom used to make a mock apple pie with saltines. It was delicious.
I saw this when search for recipes! I need to check that out!
@@MealsWithMaria My Dad used to make it. It's good. It's with Ritz crackers though, not saltines.
@@rhiahlMT Yes, you're right, it was Ritz crackers. Forgive my old brain.
PLEASE give me that recipe!
I have my three ingredient banana bread in the oven thanks to you and I thank you very much for that you have a good day
Maria the biggest challenge we face now is the cost of energy. I have to consider the cost of the ingredients plus how I’m cooking. A humble jacket potato is an expensive meal when cooked in the oven.
Just found your channel! I'm always trying to be more frugal.
I've always loved the combination of both chicken and egg in a salad.
It’s great!
I'll have to start putting in the Worcestershire sauce into my ground beef stroganoff, to get that extra flavor. All your dishes looked so frugal and yummy! Paula Deen makes a saltine cracker salad too. It really blows my mind. I can't remember if it has chicken in it or not, but it's a real Southern thing! 😊
At southern! Makes sense. The Worcestershire adds a lot!
Holy Toledo I just looked it up... Soda Cracker Salad/Georgia Salad.... it's literally a salad made with a sleeve of crackers, with only the added protein of a boiled egg. Outstanding! I have to try!
Sometimes l put a tad of liquid smoke in my red meats.....so yummy
@@yvonnepalmquist8676 yes I had it the first time I went south. I really liked it. Different but good.
Love more poor man meals, Sherry from Arizona
These look great. With chicken sandwiches I just use canned chicken. My family used celery and grape halves-my preference,my sons other grandparents use celery & onion:he prefers it that way. Also with avocado mayonnaise which surprised me but that’s what I was told so works for me. 🙂
OMG 😳. Big props on peeling eggs with one hand 👏👏👏👏!!!
😀
Wow, hamburger gravy! The bacon is something you could also probably leave out. The mushrooms are a nice touch!
😀
Every single time I use any type of ground beef and or turkey, I always drain my meats. I don’t enjoy any type of grease with also trying to lose weight. So…it always has to be drained. Looks like a delicious dish your making.
Your site was recommended, by another site. Great addition to my forte of cooking sites. You are a wise cook, as well as thrifty. On a fixed income, it comes in handy.
Yay I’m so glad this is helpful to you!!
I am going to try the beef stroganoff and lasagna recipe this week. Thanks for sharing!
Yay! Enjoy!
Hi there I am from UK and love new meal ideas. Thank you for the ideas food looks lovely .
L
We make unstuffed cabbage, 1# ground beef ,1 onion chopped, 1 bag of coleslaw mix and 1 -2 cans tomato soup undiluted cook meat and onion, add cabbage mix and tomato soup cook til cabbage is tender. Excellent over mashed potatoes or rice. Cost is about $6.
I've been looking for an unstuffed cabbage recipe that uses coleslaw mix. Thanks.
@@yvonnepalmquist8676 welcome, we love this one.😋
I love this! So simple and sounds delicious!
@@MealsWithMaria we love this, it only takes about 20 minutes too.
I do the same but use canned tomatoes instead of the soup.
I use TVP To stretch ground meat. I also add in a grated carrot.
👍🏼👍🏼
Oh my goodness....looks absolutely delicious!!
Something to consider. Tofu is cheaper than meat and can be used in most places of meat. I pay 1.59 for a package of Tofu at an Asian Market and most expensive is 2.49 at Whole Foods.
Another sub is to use TVP. Textured Vegetable Protien. It's typically less than 3 dollars a pound and rehydrate with water, bullion or broth. It's so much cheaper than the animal product and can be found on Amazon if your local stores don't carry it. Amazon is more expensive and I have found it at Whole Foods and Walmart.
Very well done! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you Maria! Great ideas and video. I will for sure be putting saltines in my chicken salad and may try it with tuna salad:)
Yes! I don’t know why I didn’t even think of tuna salad!
I have been following you for a while on TV. Finally used my laptop to say you are amazing.
Some really good ideas. However, pre-shredded packages of cheese are very expensive compared to buying 2 # cheese bricks at Sam's/Costco & shredding it yourself. Literally, it takes just a minute or two to do it on a box grater. Also, if you want, use a processor & do a bunch at a time. Then ziplock bag it. You can do it days ahead and keep it in the fridge or freezer 😉 Totally worth the little bit of time invested. 🧀😄
Lidl’s sell cheap grated cheese. 🧀
@@hazelwilson7825 Hi Hazel . We have Aldi's here in Florida & you are correct they have very good prices and the convenience factor is a true plus. However, they still contain anti-caking agents and mold inhibitors like cellulose powder which aren't they good for us & worse present a gummy effect when melted. Not to mention my original thought which was, that if a recipe is offered up as a "Cost-Saving" one , wouldn't the ingredients need to be the best price ? 🤔 She has some really yummy sounding dishes just trying to mention some simple ways to save even more money on groceries. 😋 Have a Blessed Day 🙋♀️
I buy pre-shredded because I have arthritis so that extra cost works for me. Now I've been told you can use a food processor but alas I don't have one.
Hmm where I am that hasn't been true for 10 years or more. I think everyone caught on during the 08 crash and wrecked it. The bricks, slices and shreds are the same price for the same amount and always included in the same sales. Same with ground turkey, used to be 1.00 a pound for festive brand ground turkey now it's approaching 3.
I make the best lasagna in my entire Family and a large pan.. I only use 1 jar of prego and 11/2 to 2 lbs ground chuck. People are always asking prepare and sell it to them. It's not as expensive as people think it is. I'm gonna try the way you made it and see if I like it. Thank you for posting
I actually use oil AND bacon because the fat keeps me fuller longer and I love the taste!
I did like it! So I get it!
My budget stretching meals are basically homemade hamburger helper with noodles, tomatoes and beans instead of beef, and some onions/celery and bell peppers and then I make ground beef stroganoff with tons of onion, celery and bell pepper, a gravy mix packet and sour cream and the beef. Served with baked potatoes.
Sounds delicious!
Great ideas and substitutes.
Thank you ❤️
Just found you & subscribed! Great video!👍 Would love to see more cheap meals w/ less carbs. Maybe one pot meals! You are a wonderful teacher, I enjoyed your presentation. 😊
I’m so glad you’re here!! My video from today was lower carb 😀ua-cam.com/video/og9JMlzDfCI/v-deo.html