For those who are reading my series on Meals for less than $10.00, I realize it may be easy to think that the only thing that can be prepared for 5 people for so little would be box dinners, chicken thighs and cans of green beans, casseroles, or soups. There is so much more possible! We prepared this excellent meal for less than $10.00. It was tasty, nutritious, and we had leftovers.
When our family eats at restaurants, we like to eat at local places rather than chains. We enjoy a local Mediterranean restaurant, an Italian place, and of course all of the various Spanish restaurants. We also get ideas from food blogs and cookbooks. My husband got the idea for the Spinach Feta Salad from a Super Bowl party at a longtime friend’s house a few months ago and the spaghetti recipe was improvised with ingredients we already had stored. We made a Mediterranean meatball recipe not too long ago from Cooks.com and part of the idea came from that one.
- 1 lb. tube Honeysuckle White 93/7 ground turkey ($1.93)
- 1/2 small white onion ($0.20)
- 1 cup curly parsley ($0.30)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.10)
- 1 teaspoon salt ($0.05)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ($0.10)
- 2 tablespoons regular olive oil ($0.50)
- 1 teaspoon Oregano ($0.25)
- 1 teaspoon dried Thyme leaves ($0.40)
- 1 can diced tomatoes ($0.49)
- 1 lb thin spaghetti ($0.88)
- 1/2 bag fresh spinach ($1.67)
- 1/2 of 4 oz. package of Feta cheese crumbles ($.98)
- 4 servings Italian dressing ($0.80)
- 5 servings of Parmesan cheese ($1.00)
TOTAL: $9.65
Recipe:
Brown the ground turkey with the seasonings on medium high heat with the olive oil. Add the parsley and onions along with the garlic. Add the tomatoes after the onions are translucent. Simmer this thick sauce on low and covered while the spaghetti is cooking to al dente (firm but still tender). Assemble spinach salad on the plate. Enjoy!
NOTE: We used private label or store brand items with exception of the fresh spinach and the dried Thyme leaves. We shop sales! All amounts are estimated honestly and when in doubt I round up slightly. Most items are verified using receipts. I don’t use sales tax because many states do not tax groceries. We are feeding my husband, 12 year old twin girls, a 3 year old boy, and myself. We do not eat beef, but you could likely substitute one pound of ground beef here. However, it would push the recipe above $10.00 considerably.
Tags: Aldi, Frugal Meals, Grocery Shopping