Budget Meals for the Family

The worldwide economical decline has left many families feeling a pinch in their wallet. If yours is the same, you may even find that procuring three meals a day can be a burden. Meals can be scraped together with just about anything you have lying around the house—and that doesn't necessarily mean you have to sacrifice flavor! We have a few recipe ideas that you can use for those times when you're finding it difficult to get by; and most of the necessary items are already available in your kitchen (or are very fairly cheap to purchase).

The first thrifty meal idea we have is pancakes. Yes, pancakes are traditionally a breakfast food, but the ingredients are simple and usually on-hand. Plus, the sweetness of this meal will leave you feeling as though you've had a treat rather than a penny-saving meal.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3 tbsp. granulated (regular) sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 3/4 c. milk
2 tbsp. melted butter

If you haven't made pancakes before, it's quite simple. First mix together the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet ingredients in another, then combine them. If your batter seems quite thick (like glue), you might want to add just a little more milk until it pours smoothly. If you like, you can add cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla extract to the batter to spice the pancakes up a bit. Heat a well-oiled skillet or griddle on a medium heat and pour about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake. When the top of the pancake starts to bubble, flip it over and continue to cook until both sides are golden brown.

No syrup? No problem! If you have some grape jelly in the fridge, you can easily whip up some grape syrup. Heat 2/3 of a jar of jelly with about 3 tablespoons of water until the jelly becomes runny. Pour over buttered pancakes and enjoy!

For something a bit more savory, you can always whip up the ever-famous "tuna-mac-and-corn" (or peas) casserole. While this noodly casserole doesn't have the appearance of gourmet cuisine, it's packed with flavor and will go a long way. If you don't eat it all straight away, put it in a container and have it for a snack or lunch the following day.

Ingredients:
1 box macaroni, prepared as normal
1 can of tuna
1 can of corn or peas

To make this casserole, pre-heat your oven to about 400 degrees F. Prepare the macaroni according to the directions on the box. Add the tuna and corn or peas to the pot and stir. When the oven is preheated, pour the mixture into a casserole dish and bake for about 20 minutes or until the macaroni takes on a golden brown tint. If you like, you can also top this off with a bit of grated cheese, dill, salt, and pepper to taste.

We also have a great recipe for easy cinnamon rolls. The best thing about this recipe is the fact that you don't have to spend ages kneading dough and waiting for it to rise. This recipe takes literally about 10 minutes to prepare and only 10 - 15 minutes to cook!

Ingredients:
1 can of biscuits (any brand will do)
Cinnamon
Sugar
1/2 c. melted butter

Open up the can of biscuits and roll each one out with a rolling pin or a round glass. They should be about 1/4 inch thick. Spread a bit of melted butter over the surface of each flattened biscuit dough. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, then roll each one up. Place them in a greased baking dish and bake according to the temperature and time directed on the biscuit can.

These budget dishes, while simple in nature, don't require you to forgo the luxury of taste. Some very tasty dishes can be scraped up with what's lying around the kitchen—so don't be afraid to experiment with that's in your pantry. Happy cooking!