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7/24/10 7:54 P

I would have to say my idea of a budget meal is usually anything that does not include meat. Spaghetti is usually a low cost meal in my house, even with garlic bread and salad. We make noodles and cottage cheese with an onion fried in butter. Very low cost. Lunch here is usually Aldi's Mac and cheese, PB & J. I usually make a lot of meals with ground meat because I can do a lot with it for 6 adults. I still think Aldi's has the best prices. Wal Mart is great and Sam's club for some things, but overall, I think Aldi's can't be beat.

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7/17/10 9:20 P

I must say, I do much the same.

It is especially important to use up the fresh food we already have before it spoils. (Unless we want to freeze it.)

However, if the ingredients to make something cost $5 a person, I would say that is definitely not a "budget" meal. Not for most people, most of the time. (I suppose it could be a budget meal for a wedding.)

I was trying to get an idea of where we should draw the line. (Especially with our budget recipes challenge coming up.)

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7/17/10 8:53 P

I don't specifically budget for meals. I do comparison and coupon shop though, aim for the sales, and try to focus on incorporating ingredients I already have in my house.

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7/17/10 7:58 A

OK, I've been trying to translate that into price per person per meal.

Here is my guess:

Dinner: 1 pound of ground turkey + mac and cheese + veggies - serves 4?
2.13 divided by 4 = 53 cents a serving.

Lunch: This one is even harder. I have no idea how many sandwiches we can make with those ingredients. I'll guess 10 cents for each of the ingredients, and assume that is a bit on the high side. Say 30 cents for a PB and jelly sandwich.

Breakfast: Oatmeal I know I can get a lot of breakfasts out of one $2 bag of oatmeal. Maybe 10 cents a meal? But of course we should add some fruit and milk. Milk is about 30 cents a serving. (Unless you own a cow.)

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7/12/10 1:36 P

The best deals are usually @ Aldi. The ground turkey in the tube is $1.19 & mac & cheese is .40 cents & veggies are 54 cents for dinner. For lunch I make my own lunch & my own bread which is about $1.00 per 2 loaves. Then I usually have peanut butter which is about 1.50 & jelly which is about 1.20. For breakfast I usually eat oatmeal which comes in a circular container for around $2.00.

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7/12/10 10:55 A

Regardless of your budget, I'm sure we all eat meals of varying prices. We will spend more on special occasions. We may spend less when money is tight.

We may even vary our price ranges with the seasons!

However, I am wondering what do you consider a good price goal for a meal?

Do you have different budgets for breakfast, lunch, and supper?

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