It doesn't have to be beef - it can be ground chicken, turkey or pork as well. I think most all are interchangeable in recipes.
A pound of ground can be blended with other ingredients to make a great meal. Add lots of other ingredients and fill up several people for a meal. Meat should be used as an ingredient not a main course. It is healthier to use less and a lot more frugal!
You can sure stretch the grocery budget by introducing ground meat as a main stay in your recipes.
Here are a few suggestions to stretch that meat budget
Sloppy Joes
Lasagna
Mini meat loaf or muffin tin loaves
Chili
Meatballs - can be used in so many ways - ALSO Swedish meatballs or BBQ meatballs
Beef and barley soup
Spaghetti
Tacos, burritos, enchiladas, tostadas, quesadillas, any type of Mexican
Baked spaghetti
Pizza casserole
Stuffed shells or Baked ziti
Corn Chip casserole
Burgers
Beefy cheesy potatoes
Tator Tot casserole
Hamburger veggie soup
Stew
Beef and rice casserole
Stuffed peppers
Beefy Mac and Cheese
Cabbage rolls
Ravioli
Chili Con Carne
Stroganoff
Pizza
Any type of skillet dinner - one pot stove top meals
Soups, soups and more soups - there is no limit to soups
Shepherd's Pie
Stuffed squash
Poor mans Swiss steak
Patti melts
Stir fry
Quiche or any egg dish
There are just no limits to what you can add ground meat to. Soups and casseroles are so easy and there is absolutely no end to what you can put together and make a tasty dinner. All it takes is a little imagination!
No need to spend a ton of money on meat for a filling dinner for many. Stretch out a pound (or less) of ground meat into other goodies and wahla you have a frugal and yummy dinner.
Do you have a favorite way to stretch ground meat in your meals?
We all are looking for new and frugal ideas!
Many of the ideas you have listed are on my list as well. My mom made something she called Spanish rice which include rice cooked in tomato juice with onions, green pepper, ground beef, and various spices. We all loved it, though I don't think it was true to the original recipe. It definitely fed our family of five!
ReplyDeleteYum. I make what I call Spanish rice by cooking rice in salsa - basically the same thing. Adding meat just makes a great one pot meal!
DeleteSounds delish to me.
Lots of really good ideas here!
DeleteSpanish rice is great. My favorite version is to use Spanish rice-a-roni and prepare with Rotel. Brown ground beef separately and add after cooking is done. Top with shredded cheese and serve with toasted tortilla chips, and taco toppings. It makes a bunch, and leftovers freeze well.
You can eat well with very little meat. One of my girls favorite was ground beef, onions and any kind of beans including pork and beans. We called this bean goulash.
ReplyDeleteI have made that before as well. One of Glen's favorite things used to be ground beef, onions and cream of mushroom soup - served over toast.
DeleteSimple and easy.
Yum! I need some corn chip casserole now. LOL
ReplyDeleteYes you do! ENJOY
DeleteThat's what I was thinking, Belinda. I don't believe I've ever fixed anything like that. Looks yummy!
DeleteMmmm some great meal ideas.
ReplyDeleteI have been craving some cabbage rolls or that deconstructed casserole or maybe egg roll in a bowl...decisions, decisions. :D
Cabbage rolls regular or deconstructed sound yummy. That sounds like a good fall dish. It is about that time!
DeleteI like to add things like green or red lentils and even oatmeal to stretch the meat and of course, lots of extra veggies!
ReplyDeleteExcellent advice. Lentils, beans, oats, bread crumbs, etc. really can extend meat. Thank you for that suggestion.
DeleteFor things like Sloppy Joe's, burritos, or tacos, I like to add cooked lentils to the browned meat if I need to stretch a little bit of meat to feed a number of people. To add to the tator tot casserole idea, I grew up eating it regularly, but my husband doesn't like it, so I made a batch of thick chili, add sliced hot dogs (or you can leave the hot dogs out all together) put that in a casserole and topped it with tator tots and shredded cheese and baked to make a chili dog casserole!
ReplyDeleteYum! Thank sounds great. Good swap.
DeleteLove that you women are mentioning lentils. Great add in. I add beans to a lot of taco meat or rice if I need to stretch.
Thanks.
I use so many of the same ways to stretch ground beef, I have also started to make mini meatloaves a bit more often and freeze the extras for another meal or two down the road.
ReplyDeleteHamburger soup is another great way to stretch a pound of ground beef.
God bless.
Those mini meat loaves are just the right size. Good suggestion on freeing them for a quick meal!
DeleteLOVE hamburger soup - one of my favorites.
Mu favourite way to strech ground beef is adding shredded vegetables. Best combination (that goes well in our family) is carrots, zucchini and beets - beets will add some colour and it makes zucchini and carrot invisible... I'd love to add gound mushrooms (we forage them so they are truly free) but hb can't eat mushrooms (intolerance to trehalose; like lactose intolerance). That works well in meatballs, lasagna, bolognese etc but not in soups.
ReplyDeleteAnother great suggestion. Shredded veggies makes it so much healthier. I know several people that use mushrooms that way.
DeleteI am sorry your hb can't eat them. Never heard on anyone having an intolerance to them. That is a shame.
Great ideas - thanks!
One of my favorite things to cook... so many possibilities!
ReplyDeleteYes there is. I love options!
DeleteHi Cheryl, Been in the hospital and haven not commented in awhile. We just made Shepherd's pie yesterday. We use a lot of hamburg and chicken for our meals. Once in awhile a roast but not too often. Nancy
ReplyDeleteHi Nancy - we missed you. I sure hope you are doing better. Take care and rest up. Prayers for healing.
DeleteI use a lot of ground beef as well - just so many uses.
Papa and I were just talking about starting to eat less meat as we don't need it and it probably the most expensive food we buy. Shepherd's pie is a favorite of ours. And chili. I'm looking forward to these more comforting foods as the weather gets cooler.
ReplyDeleteMe too! I hate the thought of winter - but looking forward to those cool days of fall and all the yummy foods that I tend to fix only during those months.
DeleteMeat is definitely the most expensive grocery item.