Dollar Tree Dinners

How much do you REALLY save when you buy a whole chicken? Final Part: THE NUMBERS A few things I want to mention (comments I'm sure I will get) My calculations are realistic and conservative. I was not comparing the stock I made to the more expensive high end stock because someone on a tight budget isn't buying "bone broth" they are buying generic chicken broth. So that is my comparison, is it cost saving for an average person. Total time to do this for me was about 10 minutes per chicken (I did 2 chickens) For a beginner perhaps double that. Add in the time to make the stock, but a lot of that time was passive, so I'd say about 30 minutes of prep / processing time for the stock. Total "active" labor: About 1 to 1 & 1/2 hours total. As far as the cost of the vegetables to make the stock, many people use scraps, or you can simply omit them. Regardless, the wing cuts I couldn't compare likely "wash" the potential cost of the vegetables. Making the final comparison still fairly accurate to the best of my ability. Electricity: You would have to cook both precut and whole chicken. So there is electrical use for both, because we are not comparing a raw chicken to a cooked one. Slow cookers use minimal electricity, roasting in the oven takes a little more energy. The way I did the "math" may not be the most scientific method, since I didn't go by weight, but it would be easy enough for anyone to replicate this method at home. Look at the cost of 2 chickens and compare it to the average cost of 4 breasts, 4 legs, 4 thighs, 4 tenderloins, and 3 cartons of stock. Add in wings if you can, and that is your actual savings based on your cost of living. I hope this was helpful! ##stretchyourdollar #isitworthit #homecooking #cookingbasics #wholechicken #grocerysavings

How much do you REALLY save when you buy a whole chicken? Part 2: Making stock #chickenstock #howtomakestock #slowcooker #stretchyourdollar #isitworthit #homecooking #cookingbasics

How much do you REALLY save when you buy a whole chicken? Part 1: Deconstructing the chicken P.s. I learned to cut a chicken like this from a @tasty Thanksgiving Turkey tutorial that was posted a long time ago. I prefer it to more complicated methods even if it takes more time. #wholechicken #grocerysavings #isitworthit #stretchyourdollar #howtocutachicken

Replying to @jimmitch0 I think it’s the perfect market for my stuff 😀😀

I'm back! Checking out what's new at my NEW Dollar Tree. #dollartree #dollartreedinners #dollartreehaul #dollartreefoodfinds #dollartreegroceryhaul #shopwithmeatdollartree

Replying to @klintmar #greenscreen sourdough absolutely does not cost “nothing” to make 😭😭

Revisiting my $25 Dollar General Christmas Dinner from 2023! Careful planning, creative ingredient swaps, and a little budgeting magic turned into a full holiday feast! #budgetchristmas #holidaymeals #holidaydinner #frugalfeast #christmasonabudget #easyholidaymeals #cookingonabudget #festivefood #thriftymeals #dollargeneral

5 Budget-Friendly Dinners we ate this week! What's your go to affordable meals? #budgetmeals #homecooking #dinneronabudget #comfortfood #familyfriendlymeals #weeknightdinners #cookingonabudget

One Pan Chicken & rice is a lifesaver for busy weeknights! Flavorful, simple, and only 6 ingredients.  This recipe is a family favorite. You will need: 4 bone in skin on chicken thighs 1 diced onion 1 & 1/2 cups of white rice 2 cups chicken stock 1 to 2 teaspoons @danosseasoning Original seasoning (plus extra for the chicken) 2 cups of frozen vegetables (Green beans, peas, or mixed vegetables) Season both sides of the chicken generously with Dan-O's Original seasoning Sear in a dry skillet over medium high heat for 4 minutes per side them remove Add diced onions to the skillet scraping up any browned bits , stir in rice and toast for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned. Add chicken stock, season to taste, and frozen vegetables, stir to combine. Nestle chicken back into the pan, bring to a boil, cover simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until liquid is fully absorbed (there should be no bubbles on the surface) Remove from heat and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes and enjoy! #simplemeals #danospartner #easyweeknightdinner #onepanmeals #familydinner #comfortfood #homecooking #quickdinner

Not our favorite but not every meal has to be perfect! Filling Recipe: 2 TBSP Margarine or butter 2 TBSP flour 2 cups chicken stock 1 cup milk 1 Onion (diced) 2 to 3 carrots (peeled & sliced) 2 potatoes (peeled & diced) Garlic (Minced) 1 cup frozen peas 1 to 2 chicken breasts (diced) Salt, pepper, leftovers seasoning to taste Biscuit Topping 2 cups flour 1 TBSP Baking pwoder 2 tsp leftovers seasoning 1 stick margarine or butter 1 cup milk #chickenpotpie #familydinner #budgetmeals #comfortfood #DinnerIdeas

"Chick-fil-a" Style Sadndwiches at home! One large chicken breast makes three sandwiches so it's affordable too. Here's the full recipe: 1 to 2 large chicken breasts sliced into 3 sandwich sized pieces (cut off the "thin end" then cut the thick end in half lengthwise) Pickle juice (for marinade) 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon garlic powder Salt & pepper to taste 1 egg 1 cup of milk Oil for frying Buns, pickles, and any toppings you like Marinate the chicken cuts in pickle juice for at least 30 minutes Combine the flour, paprika, galric powder, salt and pepper and whisk together the egg and milk. Mix a little of the wet mixture into the dry mixture to create a more textured coating Coat the chicken in the dry mix then the wet mix and back into the dry mix. Fry the chicken in hot oil until golden brown and cooked through. Serve on toasted buns with your favorite toppings! These are so good and easy to make at home. Let me know if you try them! #familyfriendlymeals #DinnerIdeas #weeknightdinners #EasyRecipes #chickensandwiches #chickfilaathome

Sloppy Joe Cornbread Bake (Original Recipe from PlainChicken) 1 Box of Jiffy Cornbread mix 2 eggs 1/2 cup milk 2 cups corn (frozen, canned or cream style) 2 cups shredded cheese (divided) 1 to 1.5 lbs ground beef 1 can sloppy joe sauce Mix the cornrbread mix, eggs, milk, corn and 1 cup of cheese. Spread the mixture into a greased 9x13 baking dish and pre-bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. While it bakes, brown and drain the ground mix and add the sloppy joe sauce, let this simmer. Spoon the sloppy joe mixture over the parbaked cornbread and top with remianing cheese. Bake for an additional 20 minutes, cut into squares, and serve! So simple yet so delicious! Enjoy! #familyfriendlymeals #DinnerIdeas #weeknightdinners #EasyRecipes #sloppyjoe #kidfriendlyrecipe

5 family friendly dinners I made using what I had on hand! Which recipe should I share first? #familyfriendlymeals #DinnerIdeas #weeknightdinners #EasyRecipes #budgetfriendly

Answering your most asked questions! #stretchyourdollar #isitworthit #homecooking #cookingbasics #wholechicken #grocerysavings