Buying meat when its on sale (tip)

During holiday's stores usually offer great deals on meat. You usually won't deals this good at any other time. The best deals on meat are during the holiday weeks of New Years, Easter, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

List of what's meats are usually the best price for what holiday:

1. New Years: pork (ham, pork chops etc)
2. Easter: ham
3. Memorial Day: seafood, hot dogs, chicken, steak, ground beef
4. 4 of July: steak (I just picked up some fabolous London broil for $1.99 a lb!!), chicken, hot dogs, ground beef
5. Thanksgiving: turkey
6. Christmas: turkey, ham, seafood

Beef Stew for less than $5!

I can't stand the taste of canned beef stew. Yuck! Most people, including some of my own family members, think that making home made beef stew is just way to expensive.  Here is a recipe that will feed a family of 4 for less than $5! And you'll probably even have left overs.

For a family of 4: $4.78

Ingredients

Stew Beef 1 lb $2.99
Can of tomatoes .39
3 carrots .25
4 potatoes, washed and chopped .50
1/2 cup frozen green beans .50
2 cloves garlic, crushed .15
Salt/Pepper
Water

Recipe:

1. Wash and chop carrots and potatoes into bite size pieces.
2. Dump all ingredients into a large pot.
3. Put enough water in to barely cover everything. You can add more as you cook if needed.
4. Simmer on low for as long as you would like. It all depends on how tender you want your meat.

For an extra .89 cents you can even add on some rolls!

Grilled Tomato with Cheese Sandwich

If you love grilled cheese sandwiches but are looking for something a little more healthy, then you have to try a grilled tomato with cheese "sandwich." With this "sandwich" the tomato's are the bread! Therefore, there's none of those nasty carbohydrates, plus you don't need as much butter.

Total cost per person: $1.16
Total cost for a family of 4: $4.64


Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of butter .04
• 1 large tomato .75
• 2 slices of America Cheese .12
• 1/4 cup of bread crumbs .25

Recipe:

1. First cut the tomato into two thick hearty slices. Make sure that the skin is off the bottom of the slices.
2. Dip the slices and lightly coat them in bread crumbs (you don't need an egg because the tomatoes are moist as is).
3. Melt butter in pan, just enough to lightly coat it.
4. Lay down a slice of tomato
5. Put cheese slices on top of the first slice (you can add some basil, etc..)
6. Lay down top tomato slice
7. Grill and flip once the bottom starts to get crispy just like a grilled cheese sandwich

I recommend eating this sandwich with a nice ice cold glass of milk.

Grill Cheese and Tomato Soup

I thought for our first Meal on a Shoe String, we would start with a simple and easy lunch. Who can resist a wonderful grilled cheese sandwich? The best part is that is only costs per person!

Total cost per person: $0.62
Total cost for a family of 4: $2.48

Ingredients (prices are per person):

• 2 slices of bread .10
• 2 slices of American cheese .12
• 1 tablespoon of butter .10
• 1/2 can of condensed soup ..30 (one can will feed 2)

Recipe:

Tomato Soup:
Simply add the can of tomato soup to a pan, add the correct amount of water (for a more creamier soup use milk, will cost about 50 cents extra). The amount of water or milk used will depend on the brand of soup you use.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich:
Using low heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a pan. Place down 1 slice of bread, put 2 slices of cheese on top (you can use 1 but its better with 2), put on the top slice of bread. Using a spatula, gently lift the bread to keep checking it. When the bread browns (becareful not to burn it) flip it over and brown the other side. Your sandwich is done when both sides are brown and the cheese is melted.

Enjoy!

Make it more nutritous:

• Add a slice of tomato on top of the cheese .25
• Use Pam spray instead of margarine (more expensive, won't taste as good, but healthier)
• Use wholegrain bread instead of white .20
• see our breadless grilled cheese receipe

Welcome to Meals On A Shoe String!

Welcome to Meals On A Shoe String! With the tough economic times that we are currently facing it is so hard for the average family to enjoy good meals for an affordable price. Because of this, our nutrition is suffering. So many people are turning to fast food places because you get eat a full meal for under $3. With the right planning, you can cook a nutrish filling meal at home for under $10, under $5, and yes even under $3. On this site you can search for meals listing by price, type of food, and ingreditant.

I calculate the price of these meals using Giant Food Stores prices. Prices may vary depending on your local pricing, but should be very close to my pricing.

Combine this blog, Meals On A Shoe String, with my other blog, Crazy Coupon Savings, to save even more money for your family.