7 MEALS for $20 | FEED A FAMILY OF 4

In this video I made a weeks worth of dinners for a family of four with only $20. A viewers tip led me to an excellent deal on chicken that is making this possible. This video has tips for frugal living and saving money on groceries.

#grocerybudgetchallenge
#budgetchallenge
#groceryhaul
#extremegrocerybudget
#extremegrocerybudgetchallenge
#budgetmealplan
#budgetmeals

Patreon

Epidemic Sound

MY AMAZON STORE LINK:

Link to my video with drumstick recipes

crockpot honey garlic chicken

SHOPPING LIST

chicken 10 lbs 6.72
potatoes 10 lb 6.27
rice 1 lb 0.88
1 broccoli frozen 0.88
cheese pizza blend 2.22
flour 1 lb 1.16
1 green beans canned 0.5
1 canned corn 0.5
1 frozen mixed veggies 0.88
TOTAL BUDGET 20.01

DINNERS

crockpot chicken with turmeric rice and mixed veggies
broccoli soup with potato and cheese
2 baked crispy chicken with scalloped potatoes and green beans
chicken pot pie with biscuits and veggies
chicken with mashed potatoes, corn, biscuits and gravy
biscuits with gravy, fried potatoes and fried chicken
hasselback potatoes

BAKED CHICKEN

* I loosely followed this recipe but used onion powder, garlic salt and pepper under skin of chicken and then sprinkled Spanish paprika on the outside of the skin.

HOMEMADE ONION SOUP MIX ( can use to season crockpot chicken)
2 tbs minced garlic
1 tbs boullion (I used chicken but beef is usually used )
1/8 tsp onion powder, black pepper, paprika
1 tsp or more dried parsley

add chicken to crockpot with 1-2 cups water. Add spice mix. When almost done add in the slurry mix.
add 2 tbs flour mixed in with water to slightly thicken the sauce in the crockpot

Here is another good recipe for homemade onion soup mix

Kentucky Biscuits

* I modified by doubling the recipe and subbing water for buttermilk and extra virgin olive oil for butter but any oil will work

4 cups flour
5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tbs sugar
1/8 tsp salt
¾ cup olive oil (to 1 cup butter)
¾ cup water

SCALLOPED POTATOES

thin slice potatoes and layer in pan with garlic salt, onion powder, and pepper. Make a roux with flour water oil and small amount of vegetable boullion. Add layer of the sauce. Bake covered at 400 for 50 minutes. I uncovered at about 35 minutes to brown the top and then put them under the broiler to finish browning to desired level.

Cook about 50 minutes

*use same method but add gruyere or sharp cheddar to make potatoes au gratin

CHICKEN POT PIE
I made a roux with flour and water and small amount of chicken bouillon and then added in shredded chicken cooked diced potatoes and veggies, then topped with biscuits.
I baked at 400 for about 18 minutes - I brushed the biscuits with oil.

Amazon Store
If you choose to use my links, I receive a small commission which helps support my channel. By using these links, you are not being charged any extra money

To contact me, send emails to:

To send me mail:

15333 Culver Drive Suite 340 #546
Irvine, CA 92604

[vcneveroski]

Love the video and the ideas. I'm only one person so I don't really need to extreme budget, but I love to see how cheap I can eat anyway. You have better luck with the biscuits if you add some acid, replace 1 tbsp of water with white vinegar because both baking soda and powder react with the acid in buttermilk even the small amount in milk. Never twist when cutting biscuits, it seals the edges and can hinder rising. If you place the biscuits touching they will use each other to rise higher.

[janetpickel]

I found the fact that you called your viewers your family to be very charming. the meals look to be very tasty and economical.

[bethn]

The nice thing about the leg quarters is you can save the bones and trimmings to make a homemade broth too! Another nice thing about many of the recipes you shared with us this week, is that they can easily and affordably be adapted and changed. You can use different seasoning and ingredients to account for preferences/dietary restrictions or to use up whatever you have on hand.

[michellelaclair]

Mayonnaise biscuits are worth trying - only 2 ingredients mayo and self rising flour

[debrawilhelm]

You are soooo creative with each meal! You truly amaze me with each plate that you serve up, very beautiful and pleasing to the eye! Your chicken looks scrumptious!!!

[calihapamama]

If someone is short on cooking oil or fat, save the fat you trim off the chicken and any skin you remove. You can render the fat out of that in a frying pan. Chicken skin chicharron is delicious.

[bethn]

We use a simple drop biscuit recipe ALL of the time. I can’t find the original recipe online (my husband found it like ten years ago when we were newly wed college kids), but I love it because it’s no fuss and dirt cheap.

It’s 2 C. Flour, 3 tsp. Baking powder, 2 Tbsp. Sugar, 1 tsp. Salt, 1/3 C. Oil, and 2/3 C. Milk. Stir together until combined, plop onto a baking sheet and bake at 450 Fahrenheit for 12-15 minutes (my I oven usually cooks them in 13).

I’ve found they’re fluffier when you don’t overwork them, and work just fine for biscuits and gravy, without the extra mess and steps to roll and cut them out.

[connieblack]

I also find if you ask the butcher at your grocery store when they put out the reduced meat each day you can get excellent deals usually half the price. I take it home and freeze it immediately. Thanks you gave me some excellent ideas.

[jamesmommy]

Thank you for the wonderful ideas. I was lucky enough to purchase 2 of the 10 pound bags of leg quarters from Aldi this week discounted to $1.49 each. I never catch the markdowns and was elated, and this gives me more ideas of how to use them for my family of four (adults). This weeks ideas were especially helpful for us, as my son has egg allergies and none were included in this haul. I love watching your videos, thank you for sharing with us.

[DayOwlify]

Mayonnaise makes a great sub for fat/buttermilk in biscuits. I love the big bags of chicken legs! I use one (frozen) leg in the instant pot with 3 cups water, poultry season, onion and garlic powders, and chicken bouillon. 25 minutes, natural release. Great soup plus shred half the chicken for other recipes. Customizable with rice, potatoes, veggies, etc., added after 1st natural release. Cook another 10 minutes or so with another natural release.

[noahvale]

I save all my (clean) potato peels, toss with seasonings and oil, then bake into crunchy snacks.

[wolchfam]

You did a great job. You’d have enough from your crockpot chicken to make a chicken and rice soup for another dinner or lunch. Also with a little more rice a chicken fried rice for another lunch. Lots of possibilities with the extra chicken - chicken biscuit sandwiches? So many meals! People can feed their families but they actually need to cook and not use convenience foods. Snacks and drinks consume a lot of grocery budgets. Eat popcorn(popped yourself)for snacks and iced tea or water for drinks. That would save a lot of money for many families. A 12 pack of coke now cost around $7 - that same $7 can buy chicken to feed a family for a week. 100 teabags (house brand) is maybe $3 and would last a family two or three weeks for pitchers of iced tea for the whole family.

[suestaley]

I use the quarters all the time. I roast 2 or 3, and the rest goes in the crock pot. Separate and shred the meat for casseroles, and the broth makes a large pot of soup with a bag of mixed vegetables and either noodles or dumplings.

[mommajo]

I look forward to your videos every week! As someone who lives a continent away, it always amazes me how much food you can buy for $20! I feed a family of 7 every day and your creativity inspires me every time. I have a child with several food allergies and I've learnt to adapt so many recipes. Now I need to figure out how to make affordable gluten free biscuits, it's not something we eat here

[dajanaspaargaren]

Michelle, I love how creative you get with making meals. We do a lot of shelf cooking towards the end of the month to empty out the freezer and the pantry. We always feel those are the best dishes when we just throw things together and use spices. Thank you for what you do 😊

[jerrieanderson]

Good use of your ingredients! Now I want some scalloped potatoes- one of my favorites that my mom made. You know you did a great video when it makes subscribers think of their mom’s cooking.

[bethanyg]

Good job! From scratch takes extra time but it’s better for you and the flavor is off the charts! My family wants to go out to eat all the time but they’re always disappointed. Restaurants cannot compete with from-scratch cooking.

[rheahawko]

I bought the chicken leg from Walmart a few times it really does make a lot of dinners even for a party of 6 like us.

[CNP-rngd]

Congratulations on 30, 000! Well deserved!

[paulabroadway]

I love the way you recognize how we eat with our eyes first. Thank you for making budget food FEEL glamorous!🥰