Making it work: How I made a full meal for $6.25

More often than not, I hear people say cooking a good meal is too expensive. “How do you do it.” Or “Groceries are too much, I don’t understand how you manage to cook so often.” Honestly, I get it. With rising rent, bills, and the cost of everyday life (especially in New Jersey), feeding yourself let alone your family can feel overwhelming. I wanted to show that with a little creativity you can absolutely make something delicious without spending a lot of money, and in this case using all ingredients from the Dollar Tree.

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~I gave myself a $10 Budget~

I set a simple goal: spend no more than $10 to make a meal that can feed multiple people.

In the end, I only spent $6.25 and still was able to grab a pack of cookies. I shopped at the Dollar Tree where I knew I could literally stretch my dollar.

Here’s what I made:

Building flavor is key.

A hearty egg noodle dish tossed in a tomato sauce with sautéed peppers, onions and grilled sausage. Now, to be fair,I already had a few key staples at home like butter, oil and basic seasonings. However, even if you don’t have those, it’s still possible to make it work. I kept this recipe simple to show that creativity in the kitchen doesn’t require expensive ingredients or a fancy kitchen.

While Shopping, I opted for egg noodles and skipped the bag of rice because I already had some at home. I grabbed a can of tomato sauce, sausage and peppers/onions from the freezer section, and a bag of cookies.

To build flavor from the start, I sautéed the peppers and onions in a bit of oil until they softened. I then poured the tomato sauce in and let it simmer. I added in Al Frugoni’s asado rub, which may or may not be my favorite all purpose seasoning. In order to make the meat stretch a little further, I sliced it thin, and pan seared to add a little more texture before tossing it in with everything.

For the egg noodles, I seasoned the water with chicken bouillon, then used some of the water to loosen the sauce. I feel like this helped add a little extra flavor.

In the end, it came together as a hearty and flavorful meal that didn’t feel like a budget compromise.

How to make your dollar stretch.

We were taught from a young age that if you get a good job you will live comfortable, but unfortunately that just isn’t the case for so many. The cost of living has outpaced wages and people are doing what they can just to stay afloat.

I know buying food at the Dollar Tree isn’t ideal for everyone, but this is a great reminder of how simple, affordable ingredients can turn into a meal that feeds multiple people. One of my favorite ways to stretch my food budget is by knowing where to shop and what is in season. With those two things in mind it’s absolutely possible to eat well on a tight budget.

It’s also not just about what you buy, but how you use it. A lot of us without looking grab the pre-cut/prepackaged foods without realizing they come at a higher price. For example: at my local grocery store a whole chicken goes for about $9-$10, whereas the pre-cut thighs or breasts go for about, if not more than that cost and you’re getting way less. Buying an entire chicken means you can only feed your entire family, and then you have the bones that you can make stock with. Stores like the Dollar Tree may not have everything but they do carry enough to make a filling meal. All you need is a little creativity.

If you want to see more budget-friendly meals like this, let me know in the comments and I would love to take on more challenges just to show how far a few dollars can go.