Easy Meal Plan #1 Seven Frugal Dinner Meals

Make a Meal Plan. That's the advice you will probably hear if you want to serve a frugal dinner this year. If you approach meal planning as simply recording what you typically eat and deciding in advance what you will have, it really is easy. If you want to make it even more simple, follow this easy meal plan for seven dinners. This plan includes recipes for making the main course item of the easy meal plan. For an additional Twenty One Meal Plans see the article found here . A Ground Beef meal plan can also be viewed in my article called Cheap and Easy Ground Beef Meals

For this easy meal plan your seven frugal dinner meals will include:

1. Chicken Noodles and Vegetables

2. Goulash

3. Ham and Egg Pie

4. Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

5. Tuna Noodles

6. Southwestern Stroganoff

7. Honey Orange Crockpot Chicken

Easy Meal Plan Frugal Dinner #1 Chicken Noodles and Vegetables

3 packages chicken ramen noodles

1 bag frozen mixed vegetables

Cook the vegetables in a large pot. Make sure the pot is large enough to hold the noodles also. You can use the water you cook the vegetables in to cook the noodles too but you need to be sure you have about 3 cups of water to do 3 packs of ramen. Once your vegetables are cooked, bring the broth to a boil and add the noodles and seasoning packet. Cook 2 to 5 minutes stirring to be sure the noodles and vegetables do not stick. You can add left over chicken to this or a can of chicken. This frugal dinner is easy to make.

Easy Meal Plan Frugal Dinner #2 Goulash

Goulash means a lot of different things to people. This frugal dinner is beef or ground turkey based but you can change the items you add to it based on what you have available. This is an easy addition to the weekly meal plan.

1 pound of hamburger or ground turkey

1 box macaroni

1 can whole kernel corn

1 can chili beans

1 8 oz can tomato sauce

Brown the meat and boil the macaroni. Add all ingredients and mix together. Heat thoroughly. Serve with a salad or just with dinner rolls.

Easy Meal Plan Frugal Dinner #3 Ham and Egg Pie

This frugal dinner is a good addition to your easy meal plan when you have left over ham.

4 large eggs

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup milk

2 cups cooked ham, cubed

1 cup grated sharp Cheddar

1 nine inch pie shell

Cook the shell at 425 for a few minutes to make the crust firm so it won't be soggy when fully cooked. Mix the baking powder slowly with the milk so it doesn't clump. Add the other ingredients and bake at 425 for 30 to 40 minutes. If your oven runs hot, cut the temp back to 375 to keep from burning the crust.

Easy Meal Plan Frugal Dinner #4 Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

Linguine 8 oz pack

1 cup broccoli

2 tbsp. butter

1 lb. boneless chicken breasts, cubed or 2 cans chicken

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook pasta according to directions. Add broccoli for last 4 min. of cooking time. Drain. For chicken breasts, heat butter in skillet and brown the chicken. If you are using canned chicken, drain and chop into small pieces. Add soup, milk, cheese, pepper and the pasta and heat through. Top with cheese. Serve with a salad or a yellow vegetable.

Easy Meal Plan Frugal Dinner #5 Tuna Noodles

This simple frugal dinner that kids love is one you can add to your meal plan frequently without objections from the family. Cook one bag egg noodles. Add a can of cream of mushroom soup, mushrooms, peas, and a can of tuna or 2. Mix together and put in a 9x13 pan. Cover with crushed potato chips and cheese. Cover with foil and heat. As a variation add green chilies and salsa instead of the mushroom soup and peas. By using left over vegetables you have on hand you can make this an even more frugal dinner

Easy Meal Plan Frugal Dinner #6 Southwestern Stroganoff

1 pound ground beef

1 cup water

1 jar chunky salsa

2 cups pasta wheels

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sour cream

Cook beef over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown; drain. Stir water, salsa, uncooked pasta and salt into beef. Heat to a boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender. Stir in sour cream; cook just until hot. This makes a frugal dinner all by itself. You can add cornbread or a side vegetable if you need more.

Easy Meal Plan Frugal Dinner #7 Honey Orange Crockpot Chicken

Crockpot meals are a good cooking method for the working parent looking to avoid eating out. Toss the items in the Crockpot before leaving and enjoy a frugal dinner when returning home. In the summer a salad is a good accompaniment while in the winter your choice might be a soup or a hot vegetable.

8 chicken thighs

1/2 cup honey

1 cup orange juice

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon fresh ginger root minced

1 teaspoon fresh garlic minced

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 10 oz pkg frozen broccoli flowerets thawed

2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water

rice

Put the frozen chicken in the Crockpot right out of the freezer. Whisk honey, juice, broth and seasonings together and pour over the chicken. Cook on low for four to five hours. Add a 10 ounce package of frozen broccoli flowers about one hour before the chicken is finished. Before serving, remove the chicken and broccoli and stir in the cornstarch mixture. Cook on high until the broth bubbles and thickens. Turn crock pot off. Serve over rice.