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

Get an A+ on savings with this back-to-school menu

It’s back-to-school time, and for many of us that means the annual “back to school” frenzy and all that goes with it. As parents, while this might mean relief that peace and quiet will return to our homes during the day, it also means the stress of planning before-school breakfasts, packed lunches, after-school snacks, and dinners that are quick, and easy. While it’s true that meals must also be planned and prepared when the kids are home for the summer, somehow it seems like a bigger deal when you know you have to accomplish multiple meals in the midst of all the school-related chaos like getting your kids to the bus on time, finding lost books, shoes, coats, etc., not to mention helping with all that homework! It can be stressful and exhausting.

Our budget-friendly back-to-school menu brings you easy and delicious ideas for preparing a whole day’s worth of school-week meals, without all the stress and without spending hours in the kitchen. This week’s recipes cover breakfast, lunch, and an after-school snack, and in our next column we’ll bring you recipes for a wonderful school-week dinner and dessert. Your family will love these tasty recipes, and kids will love helping with the preparation, especially the “Beary” Delicious Snack Mix.

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

Lemon-Blueberry Muffins (makes 12 muffins @ about 23 cents per muffin)



Hearty Hoagies (serves 4 @ about $1.95 per serving)



"Beary" Delicious Snack Mix (makes 5 1/2 cups, serves 5 @ about 85 cents per serving)

Zero in on savings with zucchini

I don’t know what it is about zucchini, but this scenario happens to me every year, and I know I’m not alone: Early in May or June, you plant “just a couple” of harmless-looking zucchini plants in your garden, figuring you’d grow enough of the tasty green squash to enjoy for a few meals, right? But, little do you know that those small zucchini plants have other ideas...for they proceed to grow enormous and to produce enough zucchini to feed your whole family...and half the neighborhood! As a result, by mid-August you’re knee-deep in zucchini, and your friends, neighbors, and co-workers are running in the other direction when they see you coming with another bag to give away. Sound familiar?

So what can you do with all those zucchini once you can’t even give them away anymore? Here are a couple of easy and economical recipes your family will love that make delicious use of the zucchini bounty from your garden.

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

Zucchini Salad (serves 4 @ about 71 cents per serving- if zucchini is purchased)



Fried Zucchini (serves 6-8 @ about 45 cents per serving- if zucchini is purchased)

$2 Dinners on WSVA today!

Just a shout out to all my followers that my $2 Dinners will be on the radio today...WSVA in Harrisonburg Virginia at 3:35. Check out the live stream by clicking here.

Grilling on a budget doesn’t have to mean just burgers and hotdogs

As the heat-wave across most of the country continues, if you’re like most of us, you’re probably relying more and more on your grill for meal preparation. After all, even though it’s no fun standing over a hot grill when it’s 90+ degrees outside, it sure beats heating up the inside of your house by preparing meals in the kitchen. But what can you grill when you’re on a budget? Chances are that you may feel limited to burgers and dogs because anything else seems out of your price-range.

However, here at $2 Dinners, we know it doesn’t have to be that way. While burgers and dogs are both popular choices for budget-minded grilling, you don’t have to feel restricted to just these two sandwiches. In addition to those all-American favorites, there is a wide variety of taste-tempting, easy and economical sandwiches that can be prepared on the grill.

This week’s menu is a perfect example of the flavorful and budget-friendly sandwiches you can create on your grill. Our affordably-delicious Philly-Style BBQ Chicken Sandwich comes together in a flash, and your family is sure to love this savory combination of smoky BBQ chicken, melted Mozzarella cheese, and crisp-tender veggies nestled on a soft roll. Serve these incredible sandwiches with chips or macaroni or potato salad, and you have a budget feast you can be proud of. For a cool and refreshing treat at the end of your meal, try our Orange Granita (think gourmet “slushy” that you eat with a spoon).


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

Philly-Style BBQ Chicken Sandwich (Serves 4 for approx. $1.78 per serving)



Orange Granita (Serves 4-6 for approx. .10 cents per serving)

A frugal fiesta that’s perfect for a hot summer day

The “dog days” of summer have arrived; bringing with them the kind of heat and humidity that saps the energy right out of you. On days like this, even if you can find the motivation to cook, the thought of heating up the kitchen can send you running straight to the nearest air-conditioned restaurant. However, during a prolonged heat wave like we’ve been having recently, dining out every time the heat gets to be too much can get expensive in a hurry.

So how can you put an easy, healthy meal on the table on a sultry summer day without breaking the bank? How about letting your slow cooker do the work? Ideal for hot-weather cooking because it won’t heat up your kitchen, your slow cooker can help you prepare a surprising variety of dishes that are easy on your wallet, healthy, and tasty too. Our $2 Dinners Frugal Fiesta, which begins with savory and slightly spicy Slow Cooker Burritos, is a perfectly delicious example of what you can create with your slow cooker in warm weather. Served alongside the cool, clean flavors of our Summer Salsa with Tortilla Chips, they’re so good you might just forget all about the heat outside for a while.

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

Slow Cooker Burritos (serves 6 @ about $1.45 per serving)


Summer Salsa with Tortilla Chips (serves 8 @ about 45 cents per serving)

This 4th of July picnic that gives you more bang for your buck

Planning a family picnic for the 4th of July? This year, celebrate your independence from out-of-control grocery bills and try our super-easy and delicious $2 Dinners menu. Parmesan-Crusted Oven-Fried Chicken tastes great hot or cold, takes minutes to prep, and “fries” to a delicious golden-brown right in your oven. Our tangy German-Style Potato Salad with Herbs is the perfect savory side dish because it contains no mayonnaise, so you won’t have to be as concerned about food spoilage on a hot day. For dessert, the classic combination of oranges and chocolate come together in a spectacular Chocolate Chip Orange Cake that’s soaked in orange syrup, so it needs no frosting (making it easier to pack and transport to your picnic). Add some raw veggies like carrots, celery, and cherry tomatoes with ranch dip, and sweet tea or lemonade, and you have a perfect, budget-friendly 4th of July picnic that your family will love.

Click on the orange boxes for printable versions of the recipes

Parmesan-crusted oven fried chicken (serves 6 @ about $1.23 per serving)



German-Style Potato Salad with Herbs (serves 6 @ about 47 cents per serving)



Chocolate Chip Orange Cake (serves 9 @ about 23 cents per serving)