• Home
  • Blog
  • Our Story of Restoration
BrinaLynn

BrinaLynn

Finding Hope & Joy in the Everyday Trenches

  • Marriage
    • Marriage Tips & Advice
    • Marriage Restoration
  • Money
    • Saving Money
    • Budgeting
    • Meals & Meal Planning
  • Motherhood
    • Large Family Living
    • Parenting
    • Organization
    • Holidays
      • Christmas
      • Thanksgiving
      • Halloween
  • Homeschool
  • Faith & Encouragement
You are here: Home / Finances / Meals & Meal Planning / 6 Favorite Go-To Meals | Quick, Easy, Budget Friendly

6 Favorite Go-To Meals | Quick, Easy, Budget Friendly

Meals & Meal Planning

45 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

This post may contain affiliate links to products. As an affiliate, I earn money from qualifying purchases. Please read my full disclosure here.

Preparing meals and planning them are not two of my favorite things. And if I were a betting woman, I’d bet they aren’t yours either. However, they are necessary things. Unless we want our grocery budgets to be astronomical, we have to plan ahead for meals. Having a list of go-to meals helps the planning part easier!

How do you do it?

The simple answer is that I have to have a plan, and I have to work from it.

I know some of you just broke out in hives. I get it. Meal planning is not fun, and for years I resisted it. As my family has grown, however, I just can’t keep the budget in check any other way.

But there are more benefits to having a plan posted.

Things like my sanity – I don’t have to wonder what I am cooking for supper (in the South, that’s the evening meal – dinner if you will), scrambling to find ingredients to throw something together at 6 o’clock. I’ve planned it all out, mostly according to weekly sales, and I have everything on hand I need to get a decent (notice I didn’t say gourmet) meal together.

The other thing? I don’t have to answer a gazillion times: “What are we having for supper?” Instead, I only have to answer it half a gazillion (you know, for the non-readers).

Simply, I keep certain ingredients on hand pretty much all the time, and I keep a running list of easy and favorite recipes. I’m all about the easy, so if you are in it for the fancy, sorry–can’t help ya. 😉

Moms, especially younger moms, are simply amazed at how much food I cook for most meals, and often ask me what kinds of things I cook.

First of all, we pretty much eat the same things over and over again. Yes, sometimes I’m fine with that, but sometimes I’m not. When I’m not, I look for something else new–and easy–to add to my list of recipes.

I keep a running list of regular recipes that we rotate through each month. The list only has names of recipes and ingredients so that I can do a quick glance at what I need to buy. 

6 Favorite Go-to Meals | Easy, Quick, & Budget Friendly

Our 6 Favorite Go-To Meals

Because I know how hard it is to find meals that everyone likes, and stay within your budget, I’m sharing a few of my go-to meals with you.

Tacos

You can’t go wrong with tacos. They are easy to make, and easy on your budget. I use one pound of seasoned ground meat to feed my whole family of 9. We use the burrito-sized tortillas so we can stuff them full of fresh  veggies, meat and beans (pinto or black or refried–beans are a great way to stretch a dish). I dice plenty of tomatoes, peppers, onions, and even cucumbers. From time to time (when avocados are on sale), I whip up some quick guacamole, too. Throw on some sour cream, salsa, and cheese; wrap it all up and viola! 

Easy Guacamole

4-5 avocados
 ½ cup salsa of your choice
 sprinkle of onion powder
sprinkle of garlic powder
 Salt and pepper to taste 

Using my beloved Kitchen Aid (hands down my favorite kitchen appliance), I mix it all together until the desired consistency. Done!

Chili or Taco Soup

In the winter, we have either chili or taco soup almost every week. We all love Shan’s super easy, super tasty recipe!

Sloppy Joes

So easy and everyone loves them! However, I don’t buy that Manwich stuff very often (almost never); nope, I make my own. Don’t let it scare you, though, I promised easy! I’ve been making this recipe from Heavenly Homemakers for years now! Serve the sloppy joes with french fries or these homemade steak fries–golden!

Crockpot Boston Butt

When pork butts are on sale, I’m grabbing a couple and freezing one for later. I season my pork with Bad Byron’s Butt Rub if I have it on hand, if not, I scour Pinterest for some easy to throw together rub. I rub the meat down really good, and then cook the Boston butt in the crock pot overnight on low. The next morning, I turn the crock pot off so that by the afternoon the meat is cool enough that I don’t burn my fingers as I pick the fat and pull the meat. Serve on buns or potatoes with your favorite BBQ sauce (we love Sweet Baby Ray’s) for a BBQ potato, and some slaw or salad as a side.

Chicken Broccoli Divine

This easy chicken casserole served over rice or noodles (or not) makes for a simple, divine supper! It is courtesy of an old church cookbook that we got as a wedding gift. Side note:  That was almost 19 years ago, and it is still the most used cookbook in my kitchen!

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked, de-boned chicken cut in bite sized pieces
1 lg bag of frozen broccoli (16-20 oz)
1/2 cup mayo
1 can cream of chicken soup (or make your own–I promise it’s pretty easy!)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Bread or cracker crumbs

Cook the broccoli according to package directions, drain. Layer in baking dish, first broccoli, then chicken, and third cheese. Next, combine mayo and soup, mix and pour over other layers. Top with bread or cracker crumbs. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. (Recipe by Mrs. Strickland)

Pizza

Yes, I make my own pizza, mostly because I have to. My job is to feed a family of 9 on a budget, and there’s no way we can order out pizza every week.

I have been using this pizza dough recipe every single week for a few years now. For my sauce, I buy Kroger’s Roasted Red Pepper Spaghetti Sauce, then top with cheese and pepperoni and sometimes peppers and onions or bacon or [again] whatever I have on hand.

There you have it!

I hope you find it helpful to see a few of my go-to meals and how I get them on the table. Since I don’t love cooking, quick and easy and budget friendly are what works for me!


February 22, 2018 · 8 Comments

Previous Post: « Pornography Wrecked my Godly Marriage, Now What?
Next Post: An Honest Look at What It’s Like Living in a Large Family »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. shan says

    February 22, 2018 at 11:12 am

    Awe, I was going to say CHILI or TACO bout every week, then I realized you added my chili recipe! So kind. Homemade quesadillas and stir-fry are my other easy go-tos, and almost always a slow cooker roast or easy spaghetti on Sunday.

    I’ve got really great new ideas from this for meals. Thank you so much!!!

    Reply
    • Brina Lynn says

      February 22, 2018 at 1:24 pm

      I forget about stir-fry. Do you buy the bag or throw together your own? Or do you have a post about that??

      And yes, Sundays are my crock pot or spaghetti days!

      Reply
  2. Lori says

    February 22, 2018 at 8:44 pm

    I am always looking for meal ideas. I recently found this recipe on Pinterest for Ham and Cheese Pasta Bake. It’s a great use for leftover ham!

    16 oz pasta (Like Rigatoni or Penne) cooked to al dente
    16 oz cubed ham
    16 oz jar Alfredo sauce
    2 cups half and half(I used whole milk)
    2 cups mozzarella cheese

    Put in crock pot and cook on low for 3 hours. Or if you’re in a hurry it can be cooked on stovetop until thickened. (I also threw in some baby spinach). You could also put some cheese on top and bake it!

    Very easy and yummy. And the whole family’s loved it – which is rare at my house!

    Reply
    • Brina Lynn says

      February 22, 2018 at 9:36 pm

      That sounds great!! I’m adding it to my list!

      Reply
  3. Gladys says

    February 28, 2018 at 3:17 pm

    I’m YES YES YES YES!!!! Tacos are a staple in my house. It’s so easy and quick to make and like you said, you can load them with veggies! I loved this post. Thank you for sharing your recipes with us. Also, I will be attempting this sloppy joe mix. I usually use the del monte canned sauce but I’m down for trying to make it myself lol.

    Reply
    • Brina Lynn says

      February 28, 2018 at 3:33 pm

      Yay! I am glad I could help, Gladys! 🙂 The Sloppy Joe recipe is so easy, and it’s just regular ingredients. <

      Reply
  4. Sarah says

    March 1, 2018 at 2:41 am

    Love chicken divine!! Looks amazing.

    Reply
    • Brina Lynn says

      March 1, 2018 at 10:41 am

      Yes! So easy! Thank you. 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Hey, ya'll! I'm BrinaLynn, wife to my high school sweetheart, homeschooling mom to 8, coffee drinker, and friend of the written word.  My desire is it to encourage you [and me] as we find ourselves in life's trenches--and to somehow find joy there!

Read more

Looking for something?



  • Home
  • About
  • Contact

Footer

Helpful Links

  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions

Looking for Something?

Bible Verse of the Day

But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
Luke 18:27

Copyright © 2023 · anchored theme by Restored 316

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT