While cooking for ourselves is definitely cheaper than eating out, we're probably still not saving as much as we could. Because, truth be told, we don't always make the most of the groceries we buy. Sometimes we end up with a bunch of leftover ingredients from a one-off recipe, or we have to go to the supermarket multiple times during the week in order to get everything we need.That changes now. With a little preparation, and creative reuse of ingredients, you can whip up three effortless meals that only require one trip to the store. Simply buy this list of 12 ingredients at your local supermarket on Sunday or Monday, and that one bag of food will feed you three healthy and delicious dinners throughout the week. Plus, the whole trip will only cost you approximately $20, which means each of the following dishes is only $5 a serving or less.
Note: We used Peapod to determine the cost of our grocery list, but prices will vary depending on where you shop and how careful you are when it comes to certain ingredients on the list. Buy generic, on sale, and in bulk as much as possible and you should be able to stay within the $20 range. A secondary trial run at ShopRite came closer to $22. (The $20 budget doesn't include tax.)
Pin or print this shopping list to make your trip to the store even easier.
These one-sheet-pan chicken fajitas come together in 30 minutes flat, and there's minimal cleanup.
Baked Chicken Fajitas
Serves 2-4
Ingredients
2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (boneless skinless works, too, but will cost more)
1 large red or green bell pepper (green is usually cheaper)
1 medium onion
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Flour tortillas
Salsa
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream, optional
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Remove skin from chicken breasts and carve the meat off the bone.
3. Cut breasts into 1/2-inch strips. Place chicken into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish.
4. Cut pepper and onion into strips and add to the baking dish.
5. Season chicken and vegetables with garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.
6. Pour oil over everything and toss to coat.
7. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes. Serve along with tortillas, salsa, sour cream, and cheddar cheese.
We're always looking for new ways to eat pasta (that don't involve tomato sauce), and we're officially sold on this fresh, lemony take.
Roasted Chickpea & Broccoli Orzo Salad
Serves 2-4
Ingredients
1 small head of broccoli, cut into small florets
1 (15-ounce) can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained well
Juice and zest of one lemon (reserve 1-2 small wedges for serving)
1/2 tsp garlic powder (can use 2 cloves sliced, fresh garlic instead, but will cost slightly more)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo
Red-pepper flakes, for serving
Feta or Parmesan cheese, for serving, optional (might lead to going over $20 mark)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. In a large bowl combine broccoli, chickpeas, lemon juice and zest, garlic, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Toss to coat and pour onto a foil-lined baking sheet.
3. Roast broccoli and chickpeas for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
4. While broccoli and chickpeas are roasting, boil orzo according to package directions. When the orzo is cooked, drain well and toss with the roasted broccoli and chickpeas and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
5. Add red-pepper flakes and cheese to taste, if using. Serve warm or refrigerate and serve cold.
Use up the rest of your chicken, salsa, and cheese from earlier in the week with this easy version of stuffed peppers. Some of the ingredients are the same, but the outcome is totally different.
Salsa Chicken & Brown Rice Stuffed Peppers
Serves 2-4
Ingredients
2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (boneless skinless works, too, but will cost more)
1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for peppers
1 cup of cooked brown rice
2 bell peppers, cut in half lengthwise and seeds removed
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400ºF and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
2. Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Roast for 40 minutes.
3. Remove chicken from the oven and allow it to cool enough to handle. Cut chicken into small pieces.
4. In a large bowl combine rice, chicken, salsa, salt, and pepper.
5. Turn down the oven to 350ºF. Lightly rub bottoms of peppers with olive oil. Divide mixture among the 4 halves of the peppers. Place onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Cover with another piece of foil and seal edges. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil cover and sprinkle each pepper with shredded cheddar. Place peppers back into the oven and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
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