If you have a large family and want to prepare food for them, but your budget is limited, we will suggest many dirt-cheap meals for large families in this text. With these meals that you will prepare in a very short time, you can instantly serve your crowded family. Also, we are sure that it will leave you satisfied with its cheap and delicious food. If you wish, everything will be easier for you with these practical meals that you can make for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
These meals we recommend are for a budget of less than 10$ and are suitable for families of 4 to 5 people. Most of the dishes that we will share with you do not even require a recipe. Now, you can make delicious meals at very affordable prices.
Breakfast Time
If you want to prepare something simple and practical for breakfast for your family, you should read our suggestions. You can feed your family without wasting your time with these recipes that are very easy for you and will not waste your time with their preparation.
Peanut Butter and Jam Sandwiches
You can buy a piece of bread you have and spread peanut butter and jam on it. This method, which is both practical and inexpensive, can be used as a snack for a crowded family in the morning.
Pancakes and Eggs
If you do not want to spend time making your pancakes, you can buy Crusteaz mixes very cheaply and mix them by adding only water and then making them ready for cooking. You can cook an egg with it and add vegetables or sausages. Then you make both meals ready and serve. You can pour any syrup into the pancakes. This meal, which is both cheap and satisfying, will be enough for a large family.
Muesli
This is another low cost alternative for breakfast that you can make quickly. Buy muesli (mixed oats) from the supermarket. Mix them with milk and top them up with yogurt or cream. Then, sprinkle brown sugar over them and bake them until the sugar caramelizes on them. Serve them warmed in bowls and you will eat breakfast immediately.
Rice Porridge
In a bowl, combine cooked rice with milk and stir them together. Sprinkle cinnamon powder and grated orange rind on top and serve it after waiting for about 5 minutes. It has a wonderful aroma and taste, especially when served fresh.
Scrambled Egg Sandwich
You can use eggs from home and scramble them with salt and pepper. Add some cheese while they are still warm and cut them into small cubes. Put slices of bread in between two pieces and put one cube of egg on each slice. Then, heat olive oil in the frying pan and fry them. When they are hot, remove them from the pan and serve. They taste great and are also very nutritious.
Omelet
To make an omelet, you need four ingredients: eggs, flour, onion, and cheddar cheese. Prepare the onions first and chop them finely. Take the eggs and mix them well with flour. Finally, add the chopped onions and mix well again. In this way, you will get a mixture that you could easily roll and place in the frying pan. Heat olive oil in the frying pot and put the mixture in. Cook it slowly until the edges start turning golden and flip the omelet onto the other side. The final result will be a tasty dish you can enjoy with all your family members.
Soup for Dinner
Soups are a meal that can be served as a starter in a large family and can warm up everyone. That’s why we want to give you a nice soup recipe.
Black Bean Soup
First, you take a pot and add black beans, depending on how much you want, then you start cooking by adding a jar of salsa and mixing it. In the end, you start to blend it on the stove to make it smooth. You can add spice depending on your preference. This soup is dirt-cheap meals for large families.
Mushroom Soup
Put mushrooms, leeks, white vinegar, salt, and pepper in a stockpot and fill it with water. Bring the water and mushrooms to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until all the liquid has evaporated. Remove the mushroom stems from the leek tops. Dice both and combine together. Now, shred the cheese and add it to the pot and stir everything together. Serve the soup hot. This is one of the best soups you can eat with large families. It is healthy and low in fat, but you can also use low-fat milk instead of whole milk if you prefer.
Split Pea Soup
Split peas are very nutritious and a great source of fiber; they’re also inexpensive to buy. Split pea soup needs only 5 main ingredients: split peas, vegetable bouillon cubes, carrots, onion, and celery. Wash the vegetables well, put them in an ovenproof dish and bake them. When they are done, pour off their juice and transfer them to a pot. Sprinkle some salt over them, add the rest of the ingredients, including a bay leaf, and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for several minutes. Garnish the soup with parsley and serve it hot.
Chicken Noodle Soup
For chicken noodle soup, you need 3 main ingredients: chicken broth, noodles, and seasoning. Boil the water and add the noodles to it. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, add seasoning and chicken. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes and serve. This is a quick and easy meal, so you can prepare it once and serve to everybody at the same time.
Carrot and Lentil Soup
Lentils are perfect for soups because they have such a delicious flavor. To make carrot and lentil soup, you need carrots, celery, and green beans. Peel the vegetables and divide them in half. Chop the vegetables and put them in a soup pot. Add cups of water and bring to a boil. Put in a cup of dried lentils, cover, and cook it on medium heat. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and burning. After a few minutes, add cups of water and continue cooking until the veggies become soft. You can serve this soup with bread and butter.
Kale and Potato Soup
Peel potatoes, cut them into small pieces, and put them in cold water. Bring the water to a boil and boil the potato for several minutes. Meanwhile, wash kale leaves thoroughly, remove any stems, and pat them dry. Cut them into chiffonade strips and set aside. When the potato starts to become tender, drain the water, mash it, and return the mashed potato to the pot along with kale. Pour in a small cup of heavy whipping cream and seasonings to taste. Let the soup simmer for a few more minutes and serve hot.
Hearty Meals
If you want to prepare a more satisfying meal for your family other than snacks. We will offer you a few more meal suggestions that you can buy for very cheap prices.
Frozen Pizzas
Just buy ready-made frozen pizzas that you can buy from supermarkets for a few dollars and put them in the microwave. A family can easily fill up with a few frozen pizzas.
Vegetable Noodles
To cook instant noodles from supermarkets, put them in a pot and add water. When it starts to boil, you can add fresh vegetables. You can also add an egg, depending on your preference. It will be both a satisfying meal and a budget of almost 1-2 dollars is enough for this. These meals are dirt-cheap meals for large families.
Chili Macaroni Dinner
You should know that macaroni pasta can go well with many different kinds of sauces. In order to make chili pasta, first boil the macaroni according to instructions provided by the manufacturer. Then, chop tomatoes, bell peppers, red onions, garlic, cilantro, jalapeño, and spices to add to the macaroni. Mix it well and add tomato sauce. Cook it until it becomes thick.
Spaghetti Bolognaise
This recipe is perfect for those who love Italian dishes. You can use any type of pasta you prefer but spaghetti is always a good choice. First, cook the spaghetti according to the directions provided by the manufacturer. Cut the bolognaise sauce into small pieces and fry them with the cooked spaghetti. Make sure that the temperature of the frying pan is medium-high before adding the sauce. Fry it until the sauce turns brown. Serve it immediately after cooking. Sprinkle some salt and pepper over it.
Taco Meatballs
If you don’t have time to prepare traditional taco recipes, then try making taco meatballs instead. This recipe only needs three main ingredients: ground beef, taco seasoning, and breadcrumbs. Blend the taco seasoning and the seasonings in a food processor or blender. Add the ground beef and mix it thoroughly. Roll the mixture into balls and coat them with breadcrumbs. Grill the meatballs on a skillet until they become soft and golden brown. Use as much of the spice as you want without burning the taste of the dish.
Pasta Primavera
This was my favorite meal when I was little. The combination of broccoli, corn, zucchini, and yellow squash gives a lot of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals to the kids. Add olive oil, basil, oregano, garlic powder, and black pepper to a food processor and process these ingredients into a smooth paste. Put the mixture into a bowl and cover it with foil. Let it sit in this state while you cut and slice the vegetables. Then, turn on the oven and spray the bottom of a pan with oil and place it into the oven. After a few minutes, remove the pan from the oven and arrange all the prepared vegetables inside the pan. Pour the pesto sauce over them and return the pan to the oven. Bake the veggies and sprinkle Parmesan cheese over them before serving them hot.
Chicken & Cheese Pasta
It doesn’t matter whether you like chicken or not. Chicken meat and cheese are two things that can never be separated. Therefore, you can just mix it together so the kids won’t complain. All you need to do is put chicken thighs and any kind of cheese into a food processor and blend them together into a fine paste. Put the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake the chicken pasta for a few minutes until it’s ready.
