Thursday Bullets : 5 dinners under 5 dollars

Note:  This is based on a proverbial family of four:   Two adults and two school aged children.   Buying a cooking bulk and buying smart are concepts that allow the meals to be super i expensive.

• Spaghetti w meatballs, salad or a vegetable.   Salad is preferred, but during the winter, it can be necessary to replace it with a vegetable for cost reasons.   Spaghetti, Barilla, 1.00 less ,27 coupons makes it .73.  -1/2 box is .37.  Pasta sauce .95, meatballs 2.00.  Salad 1.00 . Total 4.32
• Tacos an Spanish rice.   Taco shells ..67/2 is  33.  Taco shells were purchased for a dollar, subtract coupons makes them .67 a dozen. Hamburger 1/2 lb 1.89. 1/2 lb cheese 2.39/2 1.19 lettuce at 1.00 head is .25, tomato at 1.00 a lb is 50  total 4.16 add rice at .03 a serving.  .12 total 4.28
• Vegetable bean soup, beer or corn bread :  vegetable broth (free) 2 cans diced tomatoes 1.16, 4 cups cooked beans .34, 2 celery ribs and 2 carrots .50 total 2.00.  Beer or corn bread 1.00.   Total 3,00
• One pot skillet;  1/2 lb pasta .33, 8 ounces sausage links, 1.50, 1 ca diced tomatoes, .58, 2 cups cheese 1.20, beer or vegetable stock free.   Salad 1.00.  Total 4.61 
• Egg omelettes with veggies , English muffins toasted. Sliced oranges.   Eggs, (8) .48, veggies 1.50, 4 English muffins .56, 1 lb oranges 1.25. Total 3.79

Total 5 dinners:   20,00 or 1.00 a plate.   

Note:  this does not include pantry ingredients that are too small to cost out like salt, pepper, vegetable oil for frying or homemade stock or butter.   English muffins are 1.67 for a dozen at kroger (Fred Meyers ) .