cheap easy, long lasting meals?

Easy.

Any kind of stew, casserole,curry,chilli or pasta sauce.

You can make a huge panful, freeze in smaller containers, and microwave or sling in the oven at will. A very healthy option, because you cook it all up from fresh and you know exactly what's in it.

I ate like this for years when I was on a budget.....

1

2

Depending on what you're looking for, here's a few ideas.

Turkey...roast a large turkey. Have a normal Thanksgiving dinner (any time of year), then use the left overs for more meals. I always use up the rest of the vege's, pick all the meat off the bones, make my own soup stock with the bones, then use the stock to make turkey noodle soup. Add in your favorite vege's and noodles. The soup can last at least a week, if not more.

Anything with pasta is a kicker. Spaghetti, lasagn, and baked ziti can last several days. By the time you are done with the leftovers, you're tired of pasta and ready for something else.

Dump pizza is a good, cheap meal, and easy to make too. Just take your favorite biscuits (uncooked), pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings. In a bowl chop biscuits into bite sized pieces, pour on the sauce and pizza toppings, then mix together. Pour into a baking dish, cover with more cheese, then bake at 375 until done, usually about 30 minutes.

For more choices, go to www.foodnetwork.com. Look up Robin Miller. Her show is fantastic! She specializes in meals that work all week long. Good luck and I hope this helps you!

Soups/stews are easy and cheap, not to mention that you can get several meals out of a pot of soup. Also, you can roast a chicken(or any other meat) on Sunday and then use the rest of the meat in different meals for the rest of the week (salad/stir fry/soup/sandwiches). Beans are cheap, nutritious and again if you make a pot of them, you will have food for later in the week. Foods that can be used in multiple meals lower your costs and can be supplemented with different side dishes so you don't feel like you are eating the same thing all the time. Another idea is to make a big pan of lasagna or a casserole, break it up into individual portions and freeze what you don't want to eat right away. If you stock your freezer with something that you make each time, soon you will have plenty of quick cheap meals to choose from.

Have a roasted whole chicken with side dishes one night. And the next night you can take the left over chicken to make chicken quesadillas, chicken soup or add it to some pasta.

Chili is fairly cheap. Make a huge pot and have it a couple nights. Serve it over pasta, have chili dogs, chili-mac or just have a bowl of chili.

Ham is on sale right now. Cook up a ham and you can make all kinds of dishes with left overs. Make a ham and bean soup, mac n cheese with ham in it, ham and eggs, casseroles, or pasta dishes.

Eggs are cheap, easy to make and very quick. Who says you can only have them for breakfast? We have "breakfast" dishes for dinner quite often because it's fast. Take some ham, onions, peppers and make an omelet. Add some toast and maybe some potatoes and there ya go. Cheap and quick!

MINESTRONE SOUP

Chop some garlic, onion, carrots, celery hearts, and 1/2 a cabbage.

Saute in a little olive oil with salt & pepper in bottom of a big pot.

Add one can of stewed or chopped tomatoes flavored with italian herbs.

Add water to nearly fill pot, add more as needed for evaporation while cooking or cover with lid.

After cooking 45 minutes, add 1 can of drained corn, 1 can of drained canneloni, navy, or kidney beans, and a handful or two of elbow macaroni and cook til pasta is soft.

Sometimes I add chopped zucchinni or green beans or spinach too.

Season to taste.

This soup gets better everyday and lasts all week! Makes you feel great too!

Pasta is a cheap easy meal, because just a little pasta goes a very long way.

It's really easy to get sick of eating though.

One of our favorites is easy and fast. Adjust according to how many you are serving, 3 cans of green beans, 3 cans of small white potatoes and 1 package of smoked sausage. Put green beans and potatoes in large pan. Cut sausage into bite size pieces and add to vegetables. Cook over medium heat for 15 min then simmer for 15 min. The smoked sausage flavors it very well.

take 2 bag of extra wide noodles...

pound of ground chuck..

2 cans of cream of celery ,or mushroom is u like

add about table spoon of butter and 1/4 cup of milk..

.. will feed 5 good size men full..for 6 bucks

or single mom with couple kids 3 days...

reheat in microwave with just a small amount of milk.

not too much.. or the taste gets deluted