Here’s another one to add to our list of $5 Meal Ideas, we love this one. Red Beans and Rice. This is one of our meatless meals that are inexpensive and makes a lot of food. Leftovers are important if they become lunch for the next day. I like to think that eating the leftovers the next day reduces the cost of the meal because you are not spending anything for lunch so you are saving another $6-$10 or more if you went out for lunch. Here’s how I make Red Beans and Rice another $5 Meal.
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Red Beans and Rice
I start with this packet, you can find the Vigo Red Beans & Rice on Amazon for $2.47 per packet when you buy 12. I could just make it without adding anything but it’s important to get vegetables and protein in your meals so I add an onion, red pepper, a can of diced tomatoes, and a can of beans. Not only is it more nutritious but it makes it go further too. You can feed more people or have more leftovers for lunches. You could add any kind of pepper, green, yellow, orange. I usually use kidney beans but any kind of beans would work.
Vigo Red Beans & Rice packet $2.50 at most Grocery Stores $2.47 on Amazon
Onion $ .25
Red Pepper $1.00
FM Brand Red Beans $ .39 (normally $ .89 but this one was dented)
S&W Diced Tomatoes $ .75
Salt, Pepper, Oil $ .25
Total $5.11 This feeds 3 of us and leftovers for lunch the next day
How to make it:
Start by softening the onion and red pepper in canola oil
When the onions and peppers are soft, add 3 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil (use the juice from the can of tomatoes as part of the water to add flavor). When it comes to a boil add the rest of the ingredients, rice, and beans package, drained can of beans and diced tomatoes. It will look like this.
Cover and simmer on low for 20-25 minutes
The finished product…..you’ve got your protein and veggies and carbs all in one. You could add bread, here’s the recipe for my 3 Ingredient No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread. The bread is so easy to make and it goes really well with this meal. I don’t make it spicy but you could add tobasco or whatever hot sauce you like. There are more $5 Meal Ideas in the $5 Meal Ideas Category located to the right of this page. I make the Red Beans & Rice and the Bread in a Dutch Oven. If you don’t have one consider buying. They are a little spendy however you should only have to buy it once and it will last forever. Here are some Dutch Oven’s that I recommend.
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