Frugal Ingredients I Always Have on Hand and Recipes

Inspired by an old post "10 Non-Perishables I Always Have In My Pantry", I decided to share the perishables I purchase almost every week in order to make frugal meals. These are my staples, and things I can use to whip up a meal at a moment's notice.

*Lettuce
-Make a quick salad for a side or main dish, or use in sandwiches.

*Eggs
-6 Meal Ideas for Eggs

*Potatoes
-Add to soups or stews to stretch your meat, have a baked potato bar using leftover veggies or chili from the week, make oven fries for a quick side, or twice baked potatoes.

*Milk
-Use in smoothies using leftover or frozen fruit, make breakfast for dinner with waffles or pancakes or simple french toast.

*Garlic and Onions
-This is my favorite frugal ingredient combination there is. Use as a starter for soups, or pasta sauces, or whip up a batch of slow cooker black beans or refried beans.

*Tortillas
-We go through a lot of tortillas, mostly because leftovers always seem to find their way into one. Quesadillas, burritos, soft tacos, enchiladas, lettuce wraps, and breakfast burritos are some of my family's favorite ways to use up these little round holders of culinary joy.

*Cheese
-You can use cheese in just about everything, and while it's not a cheap ingredient, per se, a little cheese makes a big difference in a frugal meal. Top chili, baked potatoes, or omelets with cheese, make homemade pizza using english muffins or homemade pizza dough

*Carrots and Celery
-Along with garlic and onions, carrots and celery make up the base of any combination of soups you can imagine including minestrone, meatball, and chicken noodle. 

What foods do you always have on hand? I'd love to hear your family favorites as well!!

Browse all my Family Favorite recipes here

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