With summer fast approaching if you are like me, we tend to need ideas for quick, easy and inexpensive meals.  During the summer I find we entertain more, the kids have extra friends and cousins over.  Not to mention the kids are home all day, so you need to feed them breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The need for inexpensive meals comes in handy when you are facing a tougher financial time or even when you are trying to put more money towards debt pay off, or saving for a family vacation, or big ticket item.  

I find when you are trying to cut back in the budget, if you have already eliminated extracurricular items, the only other thing you have control over is your food budget.  We typically can’t adjust the cost of our rent or utilities by big amounts but with a little creativity and planning our food budget can usually be cut back on if needed to be.  

So I thought I’d share a list of menu ideas that are great for summer months when you may be feeding a larger a crowd as well as great for your budget.  

This is just a list to help your menu list, then you can use your favorite family recipe or I love using www.allrecipes.com or Pinterest when I need recipe help, and then modify with what you already have in your pantry, you can add, or omit.  

Keep in mind what is in season, during the summer months you can find great prices on corn on the cob, summer squash, zucchini, radishes, cucumbers, tomatoes, watermelon, strawberries, cantaloupe, apricots, plums, and cherries.  Find ways to incorporate these items in your meals, you will save money.  Use the fruit in season for dessert.  When you find a great price on some items, freeze if you can and use all year long.
Try to do a Meatless Monday Menu, it is good for your budget and your health.  Purchase extra meat when on sale and freeze to use at a later time.  I try to only purchase boneless skinless chicken breast when it is on sale at $1.99 lb or less.  I have become quite fond of boneless skinless chicken thighs – they are easy to cook, stay juicy, and full of flavor, I try to stock up when prices are $1.49 lb, for pork roast anywhere from $1.99-$2.99 lb, Ground Beef $1.99-$2.99 lb, Beef Roast $2.49-$2.99 lb.  My family is not fond of eating whole chicken or chicken legs, if your family enjoys those, you can save big with cooking with those.  
  • Spaghetti – Traditional, Veggie Style, with Diced Chicken, or over Chicken like Chicken Parmesan (stretch this by not doing a whole breast per person, but flattened and, breaded and in strips)\
  • Zitti
  • Pasta Primavera
  • Vegetable Lasagna
  • Tuna Casserole with Egg Noodles
  • Cold Pasta – Macaroni Salad, Rotini Pasta mixed with Veggies and Italian Dressing
  • Hot Dogs – Put them on the grill and add toppings and the average hot dog can be delicious while budget friendly
  • Chili Dogs
  • Chili with crackers or bread – stretch that chili by mixing in macaroni noodles and diced tomatoes
  • Sausage, Corn and Rice
  • Chicken and Rice
  • Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs – quick, easy, and inexpensive
  • Stir Fry – with chicken or flank steak
  • Chicken Kabobs – with pineapple, onions, squash and bell peppers serve with rice
  • Broccoli with Rigatoni – Broccoli sautéed in garlic, butter and olive oil, top with parmesan cheese, you can add chicken if you like
  • Breakfast for dinner (the kids love it, it’s easy and budget friendly) – Pancakes, Eggs & Potatoes (Eggs baked in an quiche type bake or frittata with bell peppers and whatever you have on hand to throw in, is a great way to feed a crowd and stretch eggs farther)
  • BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
  • Ham and Cheese Sliders
  • Pigs in a blanket
  • Shredded Pork Tacos, Burritos, Tostadas
  • Shredded Chicken Tacos, Enchiladas, Tostadas
  • Potatoes are budget friendly and perfect to feed a crowd to pair with the right meal – Potato Salad, Mashed Potatoes, scalloped potatoes, potato wedges, roasted potatoes
  • Corn on the Cob – in season during the summer and you can find on sale, great time to buy extra and freeze to use during the winter.
  • Bell Peppers – great to buy and slice and freeze for winter months as well
  • Summer Squash – grilled, sautéed, baked
  • Soups – Not always great for the hot summer days, but if you have a cool day, or for lunches here are some ideas to feed a crowd – Potato Soup, Chicken Noodle Soup, Minestrone, these are great to cook in a crock pot while you are out swimming or enjoying summer activities then dinner is ready when you come home.  But again, I don’t know about you, but I don’t want potato soup on a 90 degree day, so these are great for early into summer and then towards the end of summer getting ready for fall. 
I hope this list helps spur on your menu planning and saves you some money while entertaining this summer.  If you are entertaining, include your guest’s most people love to help bring a side dish or dessert to share, they love to share their favorite family recipe, and don’t mind at all with helping.  If they are not a cook, or have a busier schedule, ask them to bring a watermelon or something simple like bread rolls, drinks or ice-cream.  

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