I know some people have this thing against leftovers but it doesn’t bother me in the least. I get a kick out of seeing how far we can stretch one meal. And since there’s only two of us, most dishes I make feed us for two dinners, if not more. One of my favorite recipes, Mexican Cornbread Casserole, will feed us for three days (dinner only) and costs about $12 total, which is only $2 per person, per meal. It does get a little more expensive when you factor in fresh avocados, which we like to add on top of the casserole (after it’s been cooked or reheated), but that’s usually only an additional $1.50-$3.00 total depending on whether they are on sale. And it’s so good that we don’t get sick of eating it. The same goes for the Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti I like to make. That tends to feed us for four dinners, so it comes out to about $1.50 per person, per meal (and that’s over-estimating beef at $5 per pound and using two jars of spaghetti sauce (it’s too dry with just one jar in my opinion)).
I will usually make these multi-meal dishes on a Monday so we can eat them for dinner Monday through Wednesday or Thursday since we’re a little more relaxed regarding eating out on the weekends. Unlike some people who feel one should never eat out (and I get where they are coming from since it’s almost always more expensive to eat out than make the same dish at home), I see nothing wrong with it as long as it’s not excessive and you’re not sacrificing saving for your future just so you can eat out all the time. For me, going out to eat is an adventure. I like trying out new places and just relaxing with with my husband in a new environment. After a week of working and eating at home, it’s nice to get out on the weekends and do something different.
If you’re going out to eat on a daily basis, though, that’s just foolish. Not only is it wasting money, it’s not healthy. Portion sizes are always bigger and you can’t control the fat or salt content of your dishes. Plus home-cooked meals can often be even yummier than restaurant food. Sure, there are some things I prefer not to make myself (like steak tacos and Thai food), but pasta? Why pay for that at a restaurant when I can make tastier and way cheaper spaghetti at home? It’s a no-brainer if you ask me.
What are your favorite dishes that yield leftovers?
I’ve been making chicken pot pie in biscuits. Yields 8 pies (enough for 4 people) and costs around $4 total.
You smush a jumbo biscuit flat enough to fill up a cupcake slot, mix cream of chicken soup with veggies (we use peas and corn), put that into the cupcake pan filled with biscuit dough, and bake for 20 minutes.
I took this recipe and just traded out the name brand stuff and added spices we like (garlic, onion powder, etc) – http://www.food.com/recipe/grands-mini-chicken-pot-pies-506950
We also eat out a lot for dinner too though. My husband meets a play testing group at restaurants on Mondays and Wednesdays. I eat out with my Little Bro from the Big Brother Big Sister program on Tuesdays or Wednesdays of each week. I meet the girls for dinner about once a week at a restaurant and we cook another day each week at each other’s homes. My husband and I also usually eat out together once or twice on the weekends or busy weekdays. Overall, we eat at home for most breakfasts, most lunches, and only 2 or maybe 3 dinners a week. It’s just a different lifestyle…
That recipe sounds like something my husband would really like. Thanks for sharing it!