Hi, friends! I know these simple, inexpensive meals may not be the most amazing culinary creations ever, but sometimes simple still fills the belly! I intended for these to just be some ideas for you, and hopefully you can adjust them to your taste if you have a need for them. Just utilizing 1-2 meals like this in a week can help us make some wiggle room in our grocery budget!

@colettemitchell3412

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you Mindy. I can't wait to try them.

@angeliquechurilla121

2 жыл бұрын

Hi what kind of wooden spoon were u using when you made the sausage pasta 2nd dish thing looks huge lol

@jenniferreynolds5003

2 жыл бұрын

Ty for sharing

@xdebjones

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you. I appreciate them.

@geezermann7865

2 жыл бұрын

By the way, that utensil you used for the sausage - I have the same one, and I LOVE it, it's SO much easier than using a wooden spoon when I want to brown a pound of ground beef, and I want it crumbled up well. Yes, I do all my food shopping at Walmart or Aldi, but they are a once a month drive for me. My local tiny Kroger closed last Spring. But there is a local Dollar General, and I can get some basics there if I have to. No fresh produce there yet though.

“Protein Police”😂😂😂 I enjoy doing meatless meal every so often. My favorite is sweet potato and black bean tacos. I season the black beans with the taco seasoning and bake my sweet potatoes in the oven diced and covered in oil. They go into tortillas with cheese, hot sauce, lettuce, and sour cream. Yum!!

@erinjones6384

2 жыл бұрын

This sounds so good.

@dianehutchinson8661

2 жыл бұрын

So good! I've added poblano peppers as well.

@foreversettled9144

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you.

@foreversettled9144

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you.

@AKD822

2 жыл бұрын

We went meat and dairy free (not vegan, whole food plant based). My husband lost 50 lbs almost instantly, no digestive issues, and less pain. I personally think less meat is great for our bodies.

Thank you for your ideas and maintaining a calm presence on KZread, while so many others are stirring up panic

@nicole8511

Ай бұрын

Such an excellent point. Mindy is a good role model and I learn a ton from her

Mindy, an idea for the soup if a protein is needed, white beans of some sort that are cooked, and pureed, then added in to the soup broth would not only give the protein but also another level of flavor and thickness.

@erinjones6384

2 жыл бұрын

Love this tip! Thank you

@mayaremiel7326

2 жыл бұрын

Any ideas if someone can’t eat beans?

Not every meal has to have everything you need for a day. Balance over time, yes. The noodle soup sounds like a great warm and toasty meal to eat while in my heated throw by the fire. Actually, that is going to be the plan for us for tonight! I have homemade bread in the freezer, score!!

Good news. There is protein in the cheese and butter in that first soup. That would be plenty for a supper. Remember the old saying of breakfast like a king and supper like a pauper.

Mindy, I enjoy your videos. You are a natural teacher and explain your processes and methodology clearly. I have the same approach in the kitchen: save money, not wasting food, and eating yummy meals that are nutritious.

That sausage and pasta one looks so good. Yeah, sometimes I see veggies and other things that need to be used before they go bad and know I have to come up with something. What I do and it always works is I go to Google and say for example, what can I do with half a pound hamburger with brussels sprouts and whatever else I need to use. And then up comes recipes for great ideas, it works for me (but of course if I have Mindy mom saved recipes I do that too) 😋😋😉😉

@Kashmine

2 жыл бұрын

I loved that one too! Its always fun to see others what comes with what they have!

@gailgrooms997

2 жыл бұрын

thinking the same thing! I think a bag of Aldi's frozen broccoli would be good in this pasta dish.

You are fabulous at this, Mindy. Your budget meals are great comfort meals. Blessings! Jackie in upstate NY

@SeeMindyMom

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Jackie!

Hello. Something I've learned is when buying a parmesan wedge, make sure that you don't have 2 sides of rind. It increases the amount of parmesan you can use. Also, and this is not new, keep the rinds to drop into soup or bolognese. Bon appétit!!

I loved your sausage browning song 😆. Glad I’m not the only one who sings while I cook. Wonderful recipes and I’m definitely going to try the sausage and potatoes soon. I always have frozen vegetables on hand to round out the meal. You can get great deals on them and we also freeze what we grow in the garden.

First time watching your channel! Now I'm binge watching! You have such great frugal ideas! I have a family of 9 to cook for...so always looking for ideas...this is just perfect!

I discovered that pasta soup recipe years ago when I wasn’t feeling well, and it is amazing. The recipe I follow has you boil the pasta and heat the broth separately so the end result is less starchy. After draining the noodles, you melt the butter on them and assemble each bowl individually (broth + noodles + parmesan). Seems finicky, but it’s delicious!

Thank you so much for uploading!! 😁 I'm totally obsessed with extreme grocery challenge videos right now. I took a new job out of university that pays me around 1100/mth and I didn't have any major bills that I was really worried about as this is basically just a 1 year internship. 😬😬 weeeell, come to find out my partner needs some medical procedures that puts our current monthly total in the negative with just our stationary expenses alone. I've been an avid couponer for several years so everyday things aren't really a concern, but food is the only place I have to be "flexible" in a budget that can't technically afford food at all. Food banks have been a treasure and I'm extremely appreciative of this service being an option. I could already cook pretty well before now, but I love watching your extreme budget series for some great low cost meal ideas. My favorite is when you point out ingredients I wouldn't have considered as a substitute for something else. (To anyone who's worried or just doesn't need to read anything else sad today, I do have enough savings to where I'm not really panicking, but until my partner can pick up more hours at their new job I have to be very careful to mitigate the damages we incur until then 💕)

That noodle soup is the bomb! So simple and easy. Am definitely going to try the other 3!

Love all your ideas. We are trying to go cheap this week. Having chicken Gnocchi soup..Dollar Tree Gnocchi and marked down boneless skinless chicken thighs.We are having pinto beans and rice with a ham steak and also having chili. I bought what I needed for 10 different meals yesterday because we had no food! Still have lots of food budget left! ❤

@SeeMindyMom

2 жыл бұрын

Gnocchi is something I think a lot of us forget about as a good option on a budget. It's very filling, and usually affordable!

They all look good, I'm ready to try making each one. I love how you show all ingredients used, while you're cooking, and extra options. Plus you break it down price per serving. You're awesome, thank you for all you do.

The pasta and parm soup you made brought me right back to my childhood- I can remember coming home from elementary school and my Nana would always have a version of this soup for my snack. The simplest version she made has chicken broth and what she called 'pastina'. The grocery store name for it is Acini de Pepe. The best version has escarole (sp.)? and bits of mashed carrots. Always sprinkled with parmesan 💕 I make a cheat version with broth, the 'pastina' and put whatever greens I have on hand. (usually frozen) 😁 I love your budget meal videos-- thank you so much 🌻

Add a dash of red pepper flakes to your sausage pasta. I make that allllll the time! Sooo good!! I do saute an onion and garlic in with the sausage, it adds that little bit of bam! 👊

These are great (as always!), good starting point of simplicity with room to adapt to your own tastes, needs, and available ingredients. Thanks for the dairy free idea ;-) I like sharing your videos with my 20 some yr old starting out children. I always tell them to not be afraid of screwing it up, that's how we learn, grow and expand our abilities. Give it a try, no harm done in trying.

You ARE an encouraging presence in midst of costs rising and hard to find items . Thank you Mindy! Taking notes 😘

Great video. There are a lot of people who don't know how to cook, where to get started so this was great. I love the smoked sausage and rice meal idea. That was packed with veggies which I love and some meat which my husband likes. He's big on meat meals. Thanks so much!

Such good ideas! Your little song while singing made me smile 😄 you are so relatable and I appreciate your realness. As I’ve watched your videos over the last few months I feel like I’m watching/listening to a friend every time I watch a video 😊

@SeeMindyMom

2 жыл бұрын

I appreciate that! It's definitely the vibe I'm going for. I want to be realistic, but put some positivity and fun out into the world! :)

Mindy, your videos are always so well thought through. Even being in Canada, your tips really do translate. I took the time to price out the first three meals and they obviously cost more here, but it’s not double or triple the price like a lot of meals are. Some great ideas!

Good combinations for the "Cheap Meals . . ." Lessons on utilizing what may be on hand.

Your videos are incredibly helpful for someone who is not only on a very small budget but also can't handle making super complex recipes, even if I had the dang budget for them! Thank you!

I am still finding some great prices in my area but there are some seasonal increases which occur every year, like eggs and some produce. But dairy, apples, late season veg and turkeys are all great prices. Prices fluctuate. They always have. They always will.

@SeeMindyMom

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed!

I really appreciate these videos. Thanks Mindy.

Love watching you cook! Thank you!

All of these dishes look delicious ❤️

Thanks so much for the inspiration! We had our first snow day in MI today, and I was trying to figure something out to make for dinner after playing outside a good part of the day. I made something like your sausage pasta dish with lentils instead. It was a hit with everyone!!

@SeeMindyMom

2 жыл бұрын

I"m so glad, Gretchen! Thanks for letting me know!

Thank you for all your hard work in bringing us these videos truly appreciate you💕🙏

Yummy...they all looked great. But the potato one has my heart...I'd throw some soy sauce or teriyaki sauce on the rice veggie dish. Great ideas. Thanks so much.

The pasta soup is my favorite and something I do often. Thank you for sharing this. Cheap and filling.

Mindy I love to watch your videos. I made the sausage and rotini dish tonight my family loved it I will be adding it to my meal plan. Thank you for sharing

THANK YOU SO MUCH MINDY ✌️ this is incredibly helpful and encouraging 💕

Your sausage and potato skillet I've made that for years but use ground beef and I put it over biscuits My grandkids love it Have a blessed day

i’ve watched like all ur videos i love them so much thank u mindy u make my day so much better

@SeeMindyMom

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Chloe!

Oh it makes my day to see a new post on your channel!! I'm so happy to see how fast your subscriber numbers have gone up in the past year - you deserve every one of us, and all the future fans!!!

@SeeMindyMom

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much, Sherilyn!

I made a version of the sausage/tomato/noodle dish and it was so good! I had an open jar of tomato marinara, so I cooked that with some breakfast sausage I had in the freezer and pasta with a broth base and added cream with flour and Parmesan. We loved it! So good and easy and used up stuff I had on hand 👌🏻.

@SeeMindyMom

2 жыл бұрын

Sounds delicious, Coby! I love it when we can use up open packages, too! 😊

I'll be making that pasta soup this week, it looked so cozy and comforting! I'll probably add some veggie odds and ends I need to use up. Perfect now that soup season has arrived... Thanks Mindy, for the awesome, and simple, meal ideas!

I absolutely love your channel! You rock girl ❤️❤️

@SeeMindyMom

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

Feel like the sausage potato dish would be good for a hot breakfast on a super cold day. Add something like toast and jam and maybe an easy fruit salad or juice. Yum.

All those dishes look yummy ! Thank you for sharing your delicious recipes!

I love these type of videos. The last meal looks so good and super easy. I have all of that currently so I know what I'll be making soon.

Thank you so much for the idea's. I can make all of these and freeze for my husband to take when he leaves out on Sundays in his big truck 😊❤

You have given many good healthy options for a tight budget thank you !

I love these ideas, I don’t know many recipes so these are perfect for me! :)

Absolutely love your common sense and brilliant use of what you have. I have been adding a "Mindy List" to my shopping list and have been trying many of your recipes. So stinking awesome!

Love this video. Love also, that you broke it down in servings and bigger servings. My family is huge on eating pasta and cheese ....and I never met a potatoes I didn't like. We are not fancy eaters, so this was great. 👍

These are my favourite! I have a grocery order to place this was perfect timing and the pasta looked 👀🔥

Everything looks yummy!

This is one of my fav videos you've done, loved it

@SeeMindyMom

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Monica!

Loving these ideas! Excited to try it.i actually bought sausage on sale today for 2.96 rather than spending 6.99 for a pound of ground beef! Meat prices are insane right now.

You do such a good job I could watch your videos everyday!!

@SeeMindyMom

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Sharon! I appreciate the kind words! :)

These are great ideas, I always have some kind of sausage in the freezer; pork sausage, bratwursts or kielbasa. The are generally less expensive & a little goes a long way to flavor a dish. I always look forward to your videos.

@SeeMindyMom

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Julie!

Everything looked tasty and very easy to make! Thanks for the great ideas. ❤️

So thoughtful!! These are fantastic recipes as-is, or as starting points off which to build. I love one pot meals, so things like this are go to for me, budgeting or not!!!

@SeeMindyMom

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Linda!

Made the sausage pasta dish today! Oh my word, DELICIOUS! Best part, I had everything in my fridge/freezer/pantry. Thanks for the great idea!

@SeeMindyMom

2 жыл бұрын

So glad you liked it, Jennifer! I'll be making that one again, too! :)

I’m going to try all of these. My comfort food as always been butter noodles, but I like the thought of Parmesan and garlic added. Thank you!

Good morning from Australia! I love the look of that parmensan pasta soup! I'll have to give it a go for my family for sure!

@SeeMindyMom

2 жыл бұрын

It was good and really cozy. Would be good for when we have somebody in the house a little under the weather, too! :)

@valentinaminauro352

2 жыл бұрын

My mom used to make that soup for me all the time when I was kid and I'm still eating it today 🖤🌟💣🔥🙏✌️

I have everything for that sausage pasta and I’m making it this week! Sounds so good with a side salad!

@ennyschlaghecke4516

2 жыл бұрын

Without a big salad those meals are never enough to feed 5 people, maybe 2 - 3 growing-up children!

Love these videos!! Keep them coming!!

I appreciate these so much- it also gives me new recipes to try. So far my family has loved it all. I’d love some more gluten free options- I usually end up making 2 pots if it involves pasta since my daughter is gluten free.

Thank you for these easily adaptable meals!

Ohmygoodness, I love the browning sausage and onion song!!!

Newer to your channel. Been binge watching for a little while. Tonight we had your chicken Alfredo casserole and it was sooooo good-so good I ate too much and am miserable right now. 😂. So happy to have found you and thank you for all the work you do for your videos!!

@SeeMindyMom

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Brandi!

Excellent. I also make a pasta hot dog cassole. It's 1can cheddar cheese soup,1 can tomatoe soup and 1package hot dogs cut up. Mix together cook in oven at 350° for half hour. Kids love it.

Good to have these practical recipes and tips Thank U💖

These are so helpful thank you, am going to give these a go to try and stretch out my budget some

That Parmesan pasta dish looks yummy! I could make that with a bit of light miso and nutritional yeast to give it a protein boost, which it doesn't really need. Pasta has a good amount of protein on its own, plus the cheese.

@SeeMindyMom

2 жыл бұрын

Yes! 7-8g of protein per serving in just a standard pasta. That's not too shabby! :)

I am a new viewer, but these recipes look amazing and I will be subscribing and coming back for more of your videos. Thank you for the awesome cost effective dinner ideas!!!

A great video to teach everyone great ways to stretch the food dollar. Keep them coming, my friend! 🥰

OH MY LIFE! I was just thinking of something quick to cook and I had all the ingredients for the sausage and pasta bake on hand. Thank you Mindy x

@SeeMindyMom

2 жыл бұрын

Hope you enjoy!

@sharnaschuh

2 жыл бұрын

It was lovely and my kids enjoyed it too

I needed this for this week! Thank you!💕

I made the creamy sausage pasta tonight for my bf and I! I used ground beef I had in my freezer plus lots of seasonings to mimic sausage. I had odds and ends of leeks, celery, and swiss chard in my fridge, so in the spirit of a pantry challenge, I chopped them finely and added 'em in. It was so goooood and tasted very fancy indeed.

First time seeing your channel. I'm a senior living alone. I have found that I can make cheap easy meals with lots of things, and often use rice or pasta. One thing I do for a filling "snack" is make ramen noodles. Either one package or two, NO seasoning packet. They boil up quick, and I drain them and add something, like some pasta sauce and herbs, or I mix them with a can of chili. I also will fix a pot of macaroni, and do the same, and maybe add some cooked ground beef for a midwest style "goulash". Good vid you did, thanks.

Thank you for mentioning this video. Can’t wait to try!

@SeeMindyMom

2 жыл бұрын

So glad I could give an idea! 😊

I love these videos, very practical ❤

I think I’m going to make that pasta and parm soup today! I live in a climate that is generally very hot year round but still crave a hot bowl of soup sometimes. I like the idea of that soup bc it doesn’t look heavy! Thanks for the idea. 😊

Ive been in quarantine with my family a little over 2 weeks. We have used a number of ideas from see mindy mom

@SeeMindyMom

2 жыл бұрын

So sorry, Amy, we have been in quarantine twice in the last year, so I understand!

Every time I go to the grocery store at least one item has increased in price. We’re not on a budget per se but this must make it challenging for people who are trying to plan grocery expenses for their household.

@greeneyedredhead61

2 жыл бұрын

I'm seeing the same thing in the grocery stores. One thing that I'm doing to combat this is when there is an item that I need to have that happens to have gone up in price what I will do is purchase generic of something else. Normally I purchase Reynolds wrap foil because generic is so thin and tears so easily but recently the ground beef I normally buy had seriously increased in price so to offset that price what I did was I purchased generic aluminum foil which saved me over $2. It told my daughter who is the only other person who lives with me and Cooks in my house that we will just need to be extra careful when using the foil as to not rip it..... I also happen to have the oven safe silicone baking mats so I will use those on the bottom and sometimes even on the top but usually I will use foil on top of whatever it is I'm baking this in turn saves me even more money by not using as much foil.

Love all of these ideas. Great video.

@SeeMindyMom

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you like them!

Great video! Dollar tree carries a meat chopper in the Betty Crocker brand.

I think the pasta soup would make a wonderful sidedish as well. I'm looking forward to trying a couple of these

Great ideas Mindy!

These really look delicious and easy!

These look amazing. I have to be dairy free for while, but I'll be saving these for the future!

Thank you for sharing these yummy recipes- Have a good day✨🙏✨

Hi my name is Dawn and I've learned how to budget cook from you so thank you for teaching me how to save money I had to come up with something from nothing

I love the frugalness that you have in the kitchen. My husband hates when I use only half a pound of meat for a full meal, he would prefer I use 2lb and here I am using so little lol. I can't help it I'm just frugal by nature! Thank you for these ideas I can't wait to try them out!!

@momentsformoms9467

2 жыл бұрын

My sons dad gets annoyed when I use turkey or the rolls of meat. I tell him to pay for it then if he wants the package,he doesn’t so he gets what he gets unless it’s on sale for $3lb or less.

im a college student and I love your recipes!! Super easy and tasty !

Thanks for this video! Just perfect for a good start into this grey monday

Looks great! Thanks!

Thank you for another great video!! I love your videos and all the recipes. I’ve just discovered your channel and I’ve been binge watching. Just an FYI… that meat chopping to is also available at The Dollar Tree!! Yes $1 !! I was soooo excited to find it as I’ve heard it’s a lot more than $1

Really loved these simple recipes. That would produce left overs so a really cheap grocery week

Awsome. I always love your blue pot. 😊

@asnarkygirl

2 жыл бұрын

I want one. Who makes it?

@SeeMindyMom

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Christine! That was a hand-me-down from my sister.

Thanks Mindy, yes grocery costs have increased. I try and take a kid with me to the stores to realize how much food actually costs, and how those impulse buys impact budgets

The festive brand ground turkey sausage is under $2 a pound and is normally in the middle aisle next to the pre-made turkey burgers. Is preseasoned better taste and value than butterball or jennyo

These recipes look delicious 😀