Make Your Own Freezer Meal Kits

Italian Chicken and Pasta

Have you ever purchased one of those frozen meal kits from the store? They sure are fast and easy…just toss the contents in a large skillet with some water, bring to a boil and then simmer, and dinner is done in about 20 minutes. Couldn’t be easier right? But there are also drawbacks to these convenient kits. They’re fairly expensive when you consider how much you’re getting, they’re typically high in sodium, and the ones that include meat are so skimpy with it, you wonder why they even bothered. In addition, most of these kits claim to feed four people, but the portions would have to be mighty small at best, so unless you buy two kits, chances are good that someone is going to be hungry later.

Given the drawbacks of store-bought meal kits, it’s understandable why you might be tempted to avoid them altogether. But why miss out on the ease and convenience? Instead of buying your meal kits already assembled by a machine in a factory, why not make your own meal kits at home instead? It’s easy, and you’ll have the added comfort of knowing that you're in control over the ingredients.

 

To help you get started developing your own meal kit ideas, here’s an easy meal kit recipe that I came up with recently. This Italian Chicken and Pasta Dinner Kit is super-easy and my family loved it. By prepping your noodles and chicken ahead, and by making use of frozen veggies from the store, this yummy kit is a cinch to make.

For a printable PDF version of this post and accompanying recipes, please click on the post title to open in a new window and look for the "Print-Friendly" button at the bottom of the recipe.

Italian Chicken and Pasta Dinner Kit

2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste
2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning 
1 lb. Penne pasta
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 (16 oz.) bag frozen broccoli
1 (14 oz.) bag bell pepper and onion blend (such as Fajita blend)
1 frozen crushed garlic cube
1 frozen chopped Basil cube

In a small bowl, combine tomato paste and Italian seasoning. Spoon tomato paste mixture into ice-cube tray sections; place in freezer and freeze until firm. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and let cool. Meanwhile, brown chicken in a large skillet; reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through. Remove from skillet and let cool on a paper towel-lined plate. In a large bowl, combine frozen broccoli and onion/pepper blend. Divide vegetable mixture between two gallon-size freezer bags. Add 1 frozen crushed garlic cube, 1 frozen chopped Basil cube, and half the frozen tomato paste cubes (about three) to each bag. Divide cooled pasta between two gallon-size freezer bags, making sure to remove as much air as possible and seal. Divide cooled cooked chicken between two quart-size freezer bags, making sure to remove as much air as possible and seal. Add one bag of cooked chicken and one bag of cooked noodles to the bag with the frozen vegetables (you may have to fold the tops of the bags down a bit to make everything fit). Makes 2 kits @ about $5.19 per kit. Each kit makes 4 generous portions @ about $1.30 per serving. Cook’s note: Frozen crushed garlic cubes and frozen chopped Basil cubes can be found in your grocer’s frozen vegetable section.

To prepare Italian Chicken and Pasta Dinner Kit:

Remove noodle bag and chicken bag from the vegetable bag. In a large skillet, combine contents of vegetable bag with 1 ½ cups of water over medium heat. When mixture begins to boil, reduce heat and add noodles and chicken. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until mixture is heated through, about 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4 @ about $1.30 per serving. Cook’s note: you may need to add a bit more water if it boils off too quickly. Mixture should be well-sauced but not “soupy” or too dry. For added richness, substitute chicken stock for the water.

 

 

 

 

Save money and time with these double-duty recipes

When the mornings start to get cooler and autumn is right around the corner, don’t you find your thoughts turning towards comfort food? You know… dishes like soups, chili, meatloaf and pot roast? Here at $2 Dinners we love a good pot roast, but let’s face it, roast beef is delicious, but it’s not exactly the most budget-friendly meal in the recipe box is it? Even though it may not be an affordable option for just one meal, if you split one roast between two recipes, it suddenly becomes a frugal cook’s new secret weapon.

Using one roast for two meals doesn’t have to be boring either. We love leftover roast beef sandwiches as much as anyone, but we also know that there is so much more you can do with your leftover beef. Our Italian-style pulled beef sandwiches and Vegetable Beef Soup with a Kick are perfectly delicious examples of what you can create from just one roast and they couldn’t be easier. Make the sandwiches for lunch or dinner one day, use the leftover beef for a delicious soup later in the week, and you’ve got two great meals for one budget-friendly price.

For a printable PDF version of this post and accompanying recipes, please click on the post title to open in a new window and look for the "Print-Friendly" button at the bottom of the recipe.

Italian-Style Pulled Beef Sandwiches

4 ½ - 5 lb. beef roast

1 (14 oz.) can beef broth
¼ cup water
3 tbsp. salt-free Italian seasoning
1 tsp. salt
1 (16 oz.) jar Pepperoncini (whole or slices) with juice
Sub or hoagie rolls, if desired
Cheddar or Mozzarella cheese, if desired

Combine broth, water, Italian seasoning, salt, and juice from ½ jar Pepperoncini in a slow cooker. Add beef. Scatter ½ jar Pepperoncini over and around beef. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or until beef is tender. When beef is cooked, remove to a cutting board and let rest for 10- 15 minutes. Then, using two forks, gently pull and shred beef apart. To make sandwiches, toast rolls or buns, top with shredded beef, a drizzle of juice, peppers and cheese. Store beef and peppers, almost covered in juice, in a container in refrigerator. Serves 10 for approx $1.36 per serving.

 
Vegetable Beef Soup with a Kick

Leftover Italian-Style shredded beef (include juices and peppers)
1 (10 oz.) bag frozen mixed vegetables
2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes with juice
1 (30 oz.) carton beef broth
2 cups water
¾ cup barley or small pasta

Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Simmer until vegetables are cooked through and flavors are combined. Serves 6-8 for approx. $1.00 per serving.

 

Muffins Make Back-To-School Mornings Delicious

While some kids in our area have already started back-to-school, for most families the countdown to the end of summer vacation has just begun. And while kids may be sad about the end of summer, many parents view the approach of back-to-school time with equal amounts of anticipation and dread. Why? Because while it means settling back into a comfortable routine, it also means the return of the school day morning stress and all that goes with it. With the rush to gather scattered homework, lunches, book bags, etc., it can be a challenge to make sure your kids have some sort of (hopefully healthy) breakfast in their tummies before they go out the door.

 

So how can you make sure your kids get a healthy breakfast before school? Bake them some delicious and healthy muffins. They’re easy to make, yummy, portable, and endlessly adaptable to taste and nutrition preferences. Here are some tasty recipes to get you started.

 

For a printable PDF version of this post and accompanying recipes, please click on the post title to open in a new window.

 

Tropical Morning Muffins

2 ½ cups white whole wheat flour (or a mixture of whole wheat and all-purpose)

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 cup honey (or maple syrup)

1/2 cup light brown sugar, loosely packed (or dark brown sugar)

1 cup mashed very ripe banana (about 2 large very ripe bananas)

1/4 cup nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt (or any yogurt)

1 large egg, beaten

3/4 cup milk (almond milk, soymilk, cow's milk, rice milk)

zest from 1 orange

1 ¼ cup diced pineapple (fresh or canned)

1 thinly sliced banana for topping

1/4 cup shredded coconut, optional

Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Spray 15 muffin tins with nonstick spray (do not use cupcake liners- muffins will stick to the liners). Set muffin tin aside. In a large bowl, gently toss the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together until combined. Set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the honey and brown sugar together, using a fork to break up as many lumps as you can. Add the mashed banana, yogurt, and beaten egg. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently begin to fold it all together. It will be very thick. Add the milk slowly and continue to gently mix the ingredients together. The milk will thin everything out, but the batter will still remain thick. Fold in the orange zest and pineapple. Do not over-mix the batter, which will lend tough, dense-textured muffins. Divide the batter between 15 muffin tins. Fill all the way to the top. Top with 2-3 thin slices of the sliced banana and a sprinkle of coconut. Bake the first 12, then the last three in another batch. Fill the empty muffin tins halfway with water in the 2nd batch to ensure even baking. Bake for 17-18 minutes until very lightly browned on the edges. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. Allow the muffins to cool completely.

Cook’s note: Muffins taste even better the next day, like most banana bread recipes.  Muffins remain fresh and moist stored at room temperature for up to 5 days.  Muffins freeze well, up to 3 months. Makes 15 muffins @ about .67 cents per muffin.

Blueberry-Applesauce Muffins

1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour

3/4 cups rolled oats

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1 heaping cup unsweetened natural applesauce

1 tsp. oil

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 ¼ cups blueberries

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

For topping:

3 Tbsp. oats

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1 Tbsp. whole wheat flour

1 Tbsp. butter, melted

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 12-cup muffin tin with liners and coat the inside of them with cooking spray In a large bowl combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl combine applesauce, oil, brown sugar, egg, and almond milk. Add flour mixture and stir until just combined. Don't over-mix! The batter will be slightly lumpy, but that’s ok. Gently fold in the walnuts and blueberries. To make the topping: In a small bowl combine oats, walnuts, flour, butter, and cinnamon. Sprinkle 1 heaping teaspoon over each muffin. Bake muffins for 15-19 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Makes 12 muffins @ about $1.20 per muffin.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1 cup ricotta cheese

2  large eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/3 cups milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup canola oil

Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a 1/4-cup muffin tin lightly with cooking spray (do not use paper cupcake liners). Mix the flour and next 5 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl. Place the cheese in a medium bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Whisk in the milk and vanilla until blended. Fold the cheese mixture and oil into the flour mixture until just blended. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, and bake 25 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the muffins from the pans immediately, and cool on a wire rack. Makes 18 muffins @ about .44 cents per muffin.

 

A back to school menu that really makes the grade

Our $2 Dinners look at back-to-school menu ideas continues this week with more easy recipes for delicious school-week meals. This week’s recipes complete our fantastic menu with a wonderful dinner and dessert combo that are a snap to prepare and budget friendly too. Our Easy Overnight Meatball Casserole is a busy cook’s dream because it comes together in minutes and then hangs out in the fridge overnight to work its’ magic. Then, when you get home after a busy day, just pop it in the oven and let it bake until the pasta is tender and the cheeses are melted and golden brown, while you help the kids with homework, pack lunches, etc. It couldn’t be easier and your family will love it! And, because at $2 Dinners we believe that every delicious dinner needs an equally delicious dessert, we have a recipe for Chewy Peanut Butter Brownies that are the perfect ending for the perfect meal. Full of chocolate and peanut buttery goodness, these chewy brownies are sure to be a hit at your house.

Click on the orange boxes for a printable version of the recipes

Easy Overnight Meatball Casserole (makes 6-8 servings @ about $1.82 per serving)

Chewy Peanut Butter Brownies (makes 24 brownies @ about 18 cents per brownie)

Want another great meatball casserole recipe that's budget-friendly? Check out this recipe on Foodista...the cooking encyclopedia that everyone can edit!

Meatball Casserole

These kid-pleasing meals won’t break the bank

If you have kids or grandkids, you know that their tastes in food are pretty predictable and not always budget-friendly. So-called “fast food” such as burgers, fries, pizza, tacos etc., is the order of the day for most kids, and that usually means a trip to the nearest drive-through where the costs can add up fast! Even if you purchase from the dollar-menu, a family of four will most likely spend a minimum of $12 for burgers, fries and drinks each time they visit the drive-through. While we all want to make our kids happy, for families on a budget trips to the drive-through can be too hard on the wallet to be an option.

So how can you satisfy your kids’ taste for fast-food without blowing your budget? Why not try some kid-pleasing, budget-friendly casseroles? These thrifty casseroles have all the flavors of some of your kids’ fast-food favorites without the drive-through price tag!

Click on the orange boxes for a printable version of the recipes

Cheeseburger-n-Tots Casserole (makes 12 servings @ about 90 cents per serving)



Chili Cheese “Corn Dog” Casserole (makes 6 servings @ about $1.27 per serving)

For Breakfast or Dinner Eggs Are Economical

At a cost of only about $1.16 per dozen, eggs are an economical source of protein that lend themselves perfectly to preparing meals the $2 Dinners way! At my house we often make breakfast for dinner, and that usually means eggs in some form. One of my favorite ways to use eggs for these “breakfast dinners” is to make a quiche.

Quiche is the perfect idea for any easy, budget-friendly dinner, and it comes together in a flash! The perfect "go-to" meal when you’re on a budget and you have the "what's for dinner?" blues, quiche is also a smart and economical way to use up leftover meat, veggies and cheese. Add some fruit or a side salad, and you have delicious, thrifty and easy meal your family will love! Just follow the basic recipe, and the sky is the limit as to what you can create! Try these combinations or have fun coming up with your own:

Click on the orange box for a printable version of this recipe

Easy Quiche (makes 8 servings @ about 95 cents per serving)

Use Versatile and Economical Chicken for Many Meals

Here at $2 Dollar Dinners, we love to sing the praises of the humble chicken, America’s favorite meat and the hero of many budget-saving recipes. Chicken recipes are one of the top searches on Google each month and for good reason: it’s fairly inexpensive, easy to prepare in a variety of ways, and very, very versatile! Did you know that the average American adult eats around 90 lbs. of chicken per year? No wonder we’re all looking for different ways to prepare it! The following recipes are my budget-friendly take on some favorite chicken recipes, and the best thing is that each one costs $2 or less per serving to make!

Click on the orange boxes for a printable version of the recipes

Shortcut Chicken Parmesan (serves 6 @ about $1.58 per serving)

Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole (serves 4 @ about $1.39 per serving)

Soups and Stews Help You Save Bucks

Soups and stews are one of the best ways I know to make an inexpensive cut of meat taste like a million dollars! In addition to that, they’re also a delicious and creative way to use leftovers. Vegetables, pasta, or rice are all wonderful additions to any soup or stew, and you can feel good knowing that nothing went to waste! The thing I like best about soups and stews is that they are also great time-savers; perfect for your slow-cooker or slow-simmering on the stove with no “babysitting” required! Start exploring the time and money-saving advantages of soups and stews with these flavorful recipes that each cost $2 or less per serving.

Click on the orange boxes for a printable version of the recipes

Vegetable Beef Soup (serves 4 @ about $1.63 per serving)

Easy Slow Cooker Brunswick Stew (serves 6-8 @ about $1.75 per serving)

Chicken and Cheesy Ravioli Soup (serves 4 @ about $1.50 per serving)

Feed Your Whole Family with One Pound of Meat

Fact: meat is one of the biggest budget hogs on your grocery list! Even on sale meat can be a budget buster! The good news is that you don’t have to eliminate meat from your grocery list to save money. The trick to keeping meat in your budget is to find ways to make a little go a long way. The following Italian-inspired recipes are all great examples of how to take one pound of meat and make it stretch by combining it in delicious ways with other ingredients, all for $2 or less per serving!

Click on the orange boxes for a printable version of the recipes

Speedy Italian Meatball Soup (serves 4 @ about $1.78 a serving)


Rosemary Foccacia (serves 8 @ about .19¢ per serving)



Penny’s Penne (serves 6-8 @ about $1.40 a serving)
Note: This is the recipe I prepared for my appearance on WGHP Fox 8 with Melissa Painter!