I think it is normal for moms to have times when they get confused about ideas for cheap meals for large families. Have you also fallen off the cheap meal plan or have not been able to discover what to make as cheap meals for large families? There are times when you would like to try your hands on some new recipes, but you are broke. Then, you will need these cheap meals for large families.
Ideas for Cheap Meals for Large Families:
Feeding a large family does not need to be luxurious, in reality, you can offer cheap meals for large families of 6 and above for just approximately $10 a night. All these recipes of cheap meals for large families below are very easy to make and also very tasty and many of these cheap meals for large families are actually for 8-12 servings! So, that’s double savings!
Meatballs in tomato sauce
Of course, two types of minced meat are needed to make these meatballs, but the recipe is for 8-10 servings, which means you can have them for dinner with your family twice.
If you don’t have time to roll minced meat into small meatballs, make three large meatballs! When served, it looks very impressive, and such meatballs are obtained even more juicy.
They include minced turkey and minced meat from raw sausages without casings. Mix all the meat with spices, bread soaked in milk, and chopped onions for juiciness and form large meatballs.
Meatballs are first fried in a saucepan until golden brown and then stewed in marinara tomato sauce until tender. Serve by placing them, along with the sauce, on a pasta serving platter. Everyone will break off a piece of meat for themselves. Three huge meatballs are enough for about 10 servings.
Ingredients For This Recipe:
- 6 slices Texas toast
- 1 st. milk
- 0.7 kg. ground turkey
- 0.7 kg. minced sausage
- 2 tbsp. finely grated parmesan
- 1/4 st. chopped fresh parsley + extra for serving
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large onion, cut into small cubes
- Olive oil, for frying
- 4 tbsp. store-bought marinara sauce
- 1 kg. bucatini pasta, boiled, for serving
- 12 fresh basil leaves, for serving
Method For This Recipe:
Soak Texas toast in a shallow bowl in milk for 10 minutes.
Add the turkey and sausage mince, parmesan, parsley, garlic, onion, and some salt and black pepper to another bowl.
Add the soaked bread and milk. Mix everything (the bread will break into pieces) and form 3 large balls.
Heat a little olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Add the meatballs and brown them thoroughly on all sides, moving them in a circle to keep their shape.
Meatballs should lie tightly in a small saucepan.
Pour in the marinara sauce and, if necessary, add water to cover the meatballs. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer, turning meatballs gently halfway through, until cooked through about 1 hour.
To serve: Place bucatini pasta on a plate and top with sauce and meatballs. Sprinkle with parsley and basil.
French Toast:
Are you looking for cheap meals for large families? Well, we have come up with the easiest yet everyone’s favorite dish on the list. Don’t you believe me? So, just check out this cheap but everyone’s favorite French toast recipe below.
Ingredients For This Recipe:
- 10 slices of whole wheat bread
- 1 ½ cups of milk
- 4 eggs
- 2 Tbsp. of maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp. of butter
- Non-stick cooking spray
- Cinnamon (as per your choice)
- 2 Tbsp. of brown sugar
Method For This Recipe:
Coat the pot well with the non-stick spray.
Now slice the bread down from the center (longways).
After that, cut the pieces of bread into equal slices
Then whisk the eggs, maple syrup, milk, as well as cinnamon in a container.
Combine the pieces of bread in the egg mixture until all the bread is completely soaked
Then layer the bread into the pot evenly
Now dice butter as well as sprinkle over the top of the bread.
After that, sprinkle brown sugar over the bread and butter.
Finally, bake it in a pot on low heat
Fish Pie
Cooking fish pie is a cheap way to offer your family vital omega-3. This satisfying and simple pie will serve up to 6 (or more if you have any toddlers in the family), or you can simply double the recipe to make two fish pies. You can such cheap meals for large families for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients For This Recipe:
- 1 kg peeled and halved potatoes
- 400 ml of milk
- 25 g butter
- 25 g plain flour
- 1 fish pie mix (smoked haddock, salmon, cod, etc.)
- 4 finely sliced spring onions
- A small bunch of finely snipped chive
- Frozen sweetcorn (as per your choice)
- a handful of grated cheddar
Method For This Recipe:
Heat the oven
Put 1 kg peeled and halved potatoes, in a saucepan and then pour enough water to boil them properly
Bring to a boil and then simmer the heat until tender.
During cooking, drain and mash thoroughly with a squish of milk as well as butter.
Then season it with crushed black pepper
After that put 25 g of butter, 4 finely sliced spring onions, and 25 g plain flour in another pan to fry it.
Stir frequently.
Cook for around 1 -2 minutes.
Gradually whisk 400 ml milk into it
Bring to a boil, and stir continuously to avoid any kind of sticking and lumps at the bottom.
Cook for 3 to 4 mins until thickened completely.
Turn off the heat as well as stir in mixed fish, 1 tsp mustard, finely snipped chives, and a handful of sweetcorn.
Spoon it into an ovenproof bowl.
Spoon the potatoes on top as well as sprinkle them with grated cheddar cheese.
Keep it in the oven for around 0 – 25 minutes or until it turns golden and starts bubbling at the edges.
On the other hand, cover it and freeze the fish pie for another time.
Veggie burger with a bean patty
If you want to save money, try the vegetarian options. Ree swapped the ground beef for black beans to make an economical burger that the whole family will love.
Black bean burgers will appeal to both vegetarians and meat eaters. They are much healthier than traditional beef patty sandwiches, rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and also contain much less fat and “bad” cholesterol.
In order not to spend half a day preparing them, use canned black beans. It is kneaded with a fork to keep the “mince” texture and then mixed with breadcrumbs, egg, and spices.
Cutlets are tasty, spicy and do not fall apart when frying. Serve them on buns with traditional burger toppings: cheese, spicy mayonnaise sauce, lettuce, and tomato mugs.
Ingredients For This Recipe:
- 2 tbsp. canned black beans drained
- 1 st. spicy breadcrumbs
- 1/4 st. grated onion
- 0.5 tsp chili spice mix
- 1 large egg
- Rapeseed oil, for frying
- 4 slices Swiss cheese
- 0.5 st. mayonnaise
- Spicy sauce
- 4 burger buns, toasted
- Lettuce and tomato slices, for serving
Method For This Recipe:
Break up the beans. Place the beans in a medium bowl and mash with a fork until mashed with chunks.
Prepare the burger mix. Toss the bread crumbs, grated onion, chili spice mix, egg, and a little salt and black pepper into the beans.
Splash some water if the mixture looks dry. Set aside for 5 minutes. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat and add a few tablespoons of canola oil.
Form cutlets. Divide the bean mixture into 4 equal balls and shape them into 4 neat patties. Bean patties do not shrink when frying, so regardless of the original size of the pan, you will lay them out the same.
Fry cutlets. Fry the bean patties for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown.
Place a slice of Swiss cheese on top of each patty.
Cover the skillet and continue to cook for another 2 minutes until the cheese is melted.
Gather burgers. Combine mayonnaise and a little hot sauce in a small bowl. Serve the cutlets on toasted buns with spicy mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomato slices.
Spaghetti With Garlic And Kale
This simple pasta is a great way to incorporate healthy greens such as kale, chard, escarole, or mustard greens into your diet. The recipe for the second course is spaghetti with pecorino romano cheese, fried garlic, and kale.
Ingredients For This Recipe:
- 12 st. torn winter greens such as kale, chard, chicory, or young mustard leaves (about 1 kg)
- 350 gr. spaghetti
- 1/4 st. grated romano pecorino cheese
- 16 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 medium-sized onions, cut into half rings
- 1/3 st. olive oil
- 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes, or more to taste
- 1.5 tsp coarse salt
Method For This Recipe:
Make the garlic chips first.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet to medium-high heat.
Add the garlic slices, and deep-fry, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, place the garlic chips on a paper towel-lined platter.
Pour the oil into a separate bowl and leave to dip the bread, if desired, leave 2 tbsp in the pan.
Add the onion and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, until the onion is lightly browned, about 10 minutes; mix with coarse salt.
Bring salted water to a boil in a saucepan. Add greens and cook until soft, about 2 minutes
Remove the greens with kitchen tongs and add to the skillet with the onions. Cook greens, stirring, for 5 minutes.
In the same saucepan, bring the water back to a boil.
Add spaghetti and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
Less than indicated on the package.
Cast off 1 tbsp. broth for the sauce, and drain the rest of the liquid.
Place the spaghetti on a serving platter and sprinkle with pecorino cheese.
Add greens and remaining cooking liquid to spaghetti. Cover with garlic chips.
Chicken Marsala
With just 9 ingredients, such cheap chicken recipes for large families are also easy and quick. It is a win for both your wallet and schedule!
Ingredients For This Recipe:
- ½-1 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken
- ¼ cup of butter
- 8 oz. sliced fresh mushroom
- ½ cup of chicken broth
- ¾ cup of water
- 1 tsp. of garlic salt
- ½ block (4 oz.) cream cheese
- 1 tsp. of oregano
- 1 tsp. of basil
Method For This Recipe:
Place chicken broth, water, butter, basil, garlic salt, as well as oregano in the Pot.
Then add sliced chicken to it.
After that top it with sliced fresh mushrooms
Now place the cream cheese on the top of the mixture.
Then cook it on low heat for some time, until the chicken is tender enough and almost falling apart.
Now stir it lightly before serving
Finally, serve over linguine noodles or spaghetti.
Minestrone Soup
Soup is a great way to eat better when you’re on a budget. In one steaming bowl of soup from Ellie, you can find 5 types of vegetables and protein-rich beans without breaking the bank. The name minestrone can be translated from Italian as “big soup”. And indeed, it turns out to be large, judging by how many ingredients are usually added there to make the soup rich and tasty.
Although there is no single recipe for minestrone, there are several features that distinguish it from other soups. This is a composition of vegetables, legumes, and pasta.
Traditionally, frozen vegetables are first fried in olive oil, then poured with broth and the rest of the ingredients are added. Minestrone, prepared according to this recipe, takes on the bright taste of an Italian dish due to tomato broth and basil.
Ingredients For This Recipe:
- 2 tbsp. l. olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 300 gr. green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 cm pieces (about 1.5 cups)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 bank 800 gr. canned chopped tomatoes, no salt
- 1 bank 400 gr. canned mashed tomatoes
- 6 art. low-salt chicken broth
- 1 bank 425 gr. canned kidney beans with reduced salt content, washed
- 1 st. pasta horns
- 1/3 st. finely grated parmesan
- 2 tbsp. l. chopped fresh basil
Method For This Recipe:
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over moderately high heat.
Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes.
Add garlic and fry for 30 more seconds.
Add celery and carrots and cook until they begin to soften about 5 minutes.
Stir in green beans, dried oregano, and basil, 3/4 tsp. salt, and pepper to taste; cook for 3 more minutes.
Add diced and mashed tomatoes, chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to moderately low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir in beans and pasta and cook until pasta and vegetables are tender about 10 minutes.
Salt to taste.
Divide the soup among bowls and top with parmesan and chopped basil.
Spaghetti With Marinara Sauce
This super-simple dinner becomes extra special when you make your marinara sauce from a can of mashed tomatoes.
Ingredients For This Recipe:
- 450 gr. spaghetti
- 800 gr. hand-mashed canned whole peeled tomatoes
- 3 art. l. olive oil, plus more for serving
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt
- 0.5 st. chopped fresh basil
- 2 tbsp. l. diced unsalted butter
Method For This Recipe:
In a large skillet, combine olive oil and garlic.
Cook over medium heat until the garlic is golden around the edges, about 3 minutes.
Add onion, oregano, and 1 tsp. salt.
Cook, stirring, until the onion is soft (but do not burn), about 10 minutes.
Add tomatoes and their juices and 0.5 tbsp. water;
Continue cooking until the sauce has reduced slightly in volume, about 20 minutes.
Stir in the basil and season with salt. Keep the sauce warm over low heat.
Meanwhile, bring salted water to a boil in a large saucepan.
Add pasta and cook according to package directions.
Save 1 tbsp. the water in which the pasta was cooked, drain the rest of the water.
Add pasta to the sauce, 0.5 tbsp. water in which it was cooked and butter.
Increase the heat to medium and stir, adding the remaining pasta water if necessary to thin the sauce that is too thick.
Divide spaghetti with marinara sauce among bowls and drizzle with olive oil.
Penne with Spicy Arrabbiata Sauce
Instead of the usual penne with tomato sauce, Valerie adds a tangy touch with ground red pepper. This is the democratic dish that you will cook again and again.
Arrabiata spicy tomato sauce is one of the simplest sauces for real Italian pasta. To make it, mashed canned tomatoes are sautéed with red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, and fresh basil until they are infused with the luxurious aroma of Mediterranean herbs in a matter of minutes.
Stir the boiled penne rigate into the sauce. Thanks to its tubular shape and ribbed surface, pasta retains a lot of delicious sauce, and you can fully enjoy this rich, savory taste.
Ingredients For This Recipe:
- 450 gr. penne rigate pasta (ribbed feathers)
- 1/4 st. olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 box (750 gr.) chopped tomatoes, such as Pomi
- 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
- 0.5 tsp Italian seasoning
- 6 fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus extra for serving
- Parmesan block, for serving
Method For This Recipe:
Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan.
Add coarse salt to boiling water, then add pasta.
Boil them according to package directions, for about 9 minutes.
In a large skillet over moderately high heat, heat the olive oil until it begins to shimmer.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add chopped tomatoes, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper to taste.
Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add chopped basil.
Drain pasta and add to sauce.
Sprinkle with parmesan shavings and extra basil and serve hot.
Fried rice with vegetables and bacon
Using meat as an accompaniment to a meal instead of making it the main course is an easy way to save on groceries. Bacon plays a big role in this homemade takeaway classic.
Ingredients For This Recipe:
- 100 gr. bacon, cut into thin strips
- 1 peeled 5 cm ginger root, chopped
- 1 st. l. vegetable oil
- 3/4 tsp Sahara
- 2 tsp plus 1/4 tsp. soy sauce
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 head broccoli, finely chopped
- 5 st. boiled polished long-grain rice
- 1/4 st. low-salt chicken broth
- 4 large eggs
- 1 bunch watercress, stems cut off
- Mustard or hot chili sauce, for serving (optional)
Method For This Recipe:
Caramelize the bacon.
Heat a deep skillet to high heat, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil, add the bacon, and fry until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes.
Sprinkle with sugar, and add 1/4 tsp. soy sauce, stir until frothy, then cook for another 30 seconds.
Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon so that excess fat drips off.
Saute vegetables. add garlic and red pepper flakes, and sauté to release aroma, about 30 seconds.
Add broccoli and sauté until crispy, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add rice, remaining 2 tsp. soy sauce, chicken broth, and caramelized bacon; mix.
Push the rice aside with a spatula.
In the same pan, break the eggs into the freed part, and lightly bake, for about 1 minute.
Mix rice with eggs, and mix in watercress.
Divide among servings, and cover with mustard or hot sauce.
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