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1 DINNER ON A DOLLAR Leader's Guide Note: This is a comprehensive guide to accompany the factsheet, Dinner on a Dollar. It includes the same information found on the factsheet, but money-saving combinations and recipes and creative leftovers are included. You can prepare appealing and nutritious meals and stay within your budget, too. With proper planning, careful shopping and basic food preparation knowledge, you can please your family and save money. First, look at your food habits. Do you eat on the run, stopping at fast food restaurants or convenience stores? Do you purchase convenience foods regularly such as frozen main meal dinners, single-serving products, frozen or prepared cakes or pastries, cooked whole chickens and deli foods? Do you eat out or order in often (pizza, for example)? Total your monthly spending on these items and you'll be surprised how much money you're spending on food. Even though convenience foods can make life a little easier by saving time, a dollar here and a dollar there adds up quickly. To truly have dinner on a dollar you will have to prepare most of your meals at home using very few convenience items. Menu Planning The Food Guide Pyramid should be the basis of your menu planning. Wise food choices include plant foods high in protein and complex carbohydrates such as legumes (dried beans and peas), grains (breads, pasta, rice) and nuts and seeds (peanuts, sunflower seeds). Add milk, dairy products or an animal source for a high quality protein combination. Add fruits and vegetables throughout the day and you have learned how to eat healthier and save money, too. Follow the Dietary Guidelines for Americans by consuming a variety of foods in moderation. Pay close attention to your consumption of fat, sugar and sodium. If possible, prepare menus two weeks at a time. A variety of cooking methods, colors, textures and temperatures should be utilized while incorporating family preferences. Select recipes with short preparation and cooking times such as stirfry dishes, fish, salads and stews. Be creative by trying new recipes. Traditional breakfast foods can be

2 served for dinner. Vegetarian meals can also be included several times per week. Leftovers can be used to create new meals, casseroles, and sandwiches. Always follow food safety guidelines whenever reheating is involved. Seasonal fruits and vegetables are the best buy. Plan some meals around grocery weekly specials. Refer to Menu Planning Factsheet for additional information. Food Buying Once menu plans are made, a shopping list should be made based on the recipes you are going to use. Check your pantry, refrigerator and freezer so you can use onhand items first. Attach the appropriate coupons to your list as a handy reference when comparing brand and generic foods. Generally, store brands are less expensive than national brands with some taste variations. Nutritional values are often comparable. Read the label, especially if you have health considerations such as sodium restrictions. Thrift stores and buying in bulk may save you money on often used items. Meat is probably the most expensive food purchase we make. Purchase larger cuts of beef that can be cut into smaller portions and used for several meals. A whole bottom round will yield a rump roast, eye of round roast and ground beef. A chuck blade roast can be divided into two ribeye steaks, strips for stir frying, cubes for beef stew or kabobs, a pot roast or ground beef. A pork loin roast can be sliced into pork chops, ribs for barbecuing or remove the bones for a boneless roast. Fix one for dinner and freeze the remainder. Whole chickens can be a good buy if you intend to use all of the parts. Most cookbooks illustrate how to cut a whole chicken into parts and how to debone chicken breasts. If you do not plan to use all parts of the chicken, look for parts on sale. Organ meats, such as the liver, kidney and heart are inexpensive and nutritious. Canned tuna and pink salmon, as well as fresh whiting and ocean perch, are inexpensive protein sources. Dry beans, peas, peanut butter and eggs are good low-cost meat substitutes. To get the most for your nutrition dollar, milk and dairy products should be chosen with fat content in mind. Buy less whole milk, cream, butter and ice cream and more skim milk, margarine and ice milk. Choose lowerfat versions of cheeses, cottage cheese and yogurt. Purchase nonfat dry milk solids and reconstitute for cooking only. (Nonfat dry milk will keep for up to six months on the shelf.) Purchase blocks and wedges of cheese to grate and cube yourself. Bakery outlets are a source of day-old bread products which can cost less than fresh. Consider baking your own breads. Bulk packaging of cereals and pastas may be the answer if you consume a lot of these foods. Remember that instant and ready-to-eat cereals are more expensive than they are in their natural form. Compare the cost of presweetened with unsweetened cereals. Fresh fruits and vegetables begin to lose their nutritional value as soon as they are picked, so buy only what you will eat within a few days. In-season items are usually cheaper. Pre-packaged items may be more expensive. If items are out-of-season, compare to frozen and canned for the best buy. Compare prices of larger bags of frozen vegetables to smaller boxed or canned vegetables. With the frozen variety, you can remove small amounts at a time and save the rest for later. Avoid microwaveable vegetables in their own box. You can just as easily use your own container with less expense. Reduced-price produce can be a good buy only if you use the items quickly and there is no evidence of decay. "You pick" farms may offer reduced prices on fruits and vegetables. Or, grow your own as food processing may also be cheaper. Meal Preparation Organize your kitchen to make your minutes count. Place equipment close to where you'll actually use it. Use time-saving appliances, such as a microwave, blender or 2

3 pressure cooker. Bake more than one food item at a time, such as cookies and a casserole. Avoid using extra dishes. When possible, mix the casserole ingredients in the baking dish or when making muffins, combine the milk, egg and oil in the measuring cup used to measure the milk. Serve one-dish meals several times a week. Most covered casseroles can be refrigerated up to 24 hours or frozen for up to three months. Allow extra time for baking. Serve simple, yet hearty two-course meals such as a meat and vegetable main dish with a salad, fruit or dessert or a hearty stew with bread, salad or fruit. Make your own low-cost substitutes. Stretch a meal by adding oatmeal, dry crushed cereals, bread crumbs, vegetables, pasta or rice to ground beef, chopped meat, fish or hardcooked eggs. Substitute canned tuna for crab, shrimp or lobster in mixed dishes. Regular ground beef is cheaper than extra lean beef. Drain the excess fat after cooking and rinse with water. Reuse leftover vegetables, pasta, rice and meat for casseroles and soups but follow food safety guidelines when reheating or storing. Finally, get the family involved with preparing and serving the meals by sharing the responsibilities. Make it a learning experience that will be fun for everyone. To Make Your Own Substitutes:! 1 cup sour cream=1 cup plain nonfat yogurt or 1 cup cottage cheese+1 tablespoon lemon juice+2 tablespoons skim milk! 1 cup buttermilk=1 tablespoon lemon juice + milk to make one cup! 1 square chocolate= 3 tablespoons cocoa+ 1 tablespoon shortening! chopped nuts=crunchy nugget cereal or toasted oats! oil or shortening for pan-frying=use nonstick coating spray Nutritious Money-Saving Combinations: Grains with Legumes: Beans or Lentils and Rice Pinto Beans and Cornbread Cornmeal Tortillas with Beans Grains with Meat: Tuna Noodle Casserole Spaghetti with Meatballs Legumes with Meat: Chili with Meat Split Pea Soup with Ham Grains with Eggs: Egg Salad Sandwich French Toast Cheese and Egg Casserole Grains with Milk: Cereal and Milk Macaroni and Cheese Peanut Butter Sandwich with Milk Pizza Cheese and Egg Casserole* 8 slices bread, buttered, quartered (use leftover slices and heels, biscuits, rolls, etc.) 1 cup cheese, grated or cut into small cubes 3 eggs 2¼ cups skim milk or reconstituted nonfat dry milk ½ teaspoon dry mustard dash cayenne pepper or hot sauce Cover bottom of 13x9x2" baking dish with bread. Sprinkle with cheese. Make 2 layers if necessary. Beat eggs; add milk and seasonings. Pour milk-egg mixture over bread. Let stand 2 hours. Bake at 350 degrees F. until knife inserted near center comes out clean (approximately 30 minutes). Makes about 12 servings (3"x3 1/4"x1½" squares). 151 Calories, 7 grams fat, 65 mg cholesterol, 406 mg sodium. Serve with stewed tomatoes, steamed broccoli and fresh fruit. 3

4 Cereal Muffins 2 eggs, separated into whites and yolks 1½ cups flour, sifted 1 cup cooked rice or oatmeal 1 tablespoon sugar 1¼ cups skim milk ½ teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons margarine, melted 2 teaspoons baking powder Spray muffin tins with non-stick coating spray or line with papers. Beat egg whites until stiff; set aside. Beat egg yolks; stir in cooked cereal, milk and margarine; set aside. Sift together flour, sugar and salt. Add flour mixture gradually to cereal and egg yolk mixture; mix until just combined. Gently fold in egg whites. Fill muffin tins b full. Bake at 400 degrees F for minutes. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen. 45 Calories, 1 gram fat, 14 mg cholesterol, 87 mg sodium. Magic Meat Mix 2 pounds ground beef or chopped meat ½ cup soft bread crumbs 1 cup mashed potatoes (leftover) 2 whole eggs ¼ teaspoon pepper Meat Loaf: Combine all ingredients. Shape into 6 or 8 individual meat loaves. Place in shallow baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees F for minutes. For eight servings: 349 Calories, 15 grams fat, 91 mg cholesterol, 788 mg sodium. Barbecued Meat Loaf: Top each individual uncooked meat loaf made from mix with 2-3 tablespoons of your favorite barbecue sauce. Grill 3 inches from the coals for minutes on each side or mix the sauce with the loaf and cook in skillet until done. Veggie Meat Loaf: Add 3 cups of diced, cooked carrots or other vegetables to basicmix. Shape into loaf; place in pan sprayed with non-stick coating spray; bake at 375 degrees F about one hour. Hamburger Patties: Shape meat mix into 8 patties. Cook in skillet or grill over coals. For barbecued meat patties, mix in 2-3 tablespoons of favorite barbecue sauce. Meat Balls: Make small balls. Cook until golden brown in skillet. Add one chopped medium onion. Cook until golden brown. Add an 8 ounce can of tomato sauce; cover; simmer 1½ hours. Approximately 20 minutes before sauce is completed, cook spaghetti in boiling water until tender; drain. Arrange on hot platter. Pour meatballs and sauce over spaghetti. Makes about 6 servings. Penny-Wise Steak: Make basic mix; shape to resemble a steak. Broil in oven cook over coals approximately minutes. Biscuit Roll: Combine ingredients in basic meat mix. Make a regular biscuit dough (can use quick baking mix or several cans of biscuits or crescent rolls, flattened to about 1/4 inch thick). Spread dough with meat mixture; roll from long side like a jelly roll and seal edges. Chill. Cut into 1 ½ inch slices. Place cut side up, in large baking dish (sprayed with non-stick coating spray). Brush tops with melted margarine (optional). Bake at 450 degrees F for minutes. Makes 4-6 servings. Top with tomato sauce or grated cheese, if desired. Serve with vegetable dish and fresh fruit. Creative Leftovers Meat # Pot Pie: add leftover vegetables # Stew: mix meat, potatoes, onions, carrots # Spanish Rice: mix meat, tomatoes, olives, rice, cheese # Shepherd's Pie: mix meat, vegetables, gravy; top with leftover mashed potatoes; and bake. # Croquettes: mix meat, egg, bread crumbs, onion, milk; brown. # Sandwiches: mix meat, pickle relish, mustard or mayonnaise # Cream Sauce: add vegetables; serve over rice, noodles, toast or toasted biscuits. 4

5 Vegetables Potato Patties: mix leftover mashed potatoes with egg; shape into patties; brown. Stews, Soups, Pot Pies Mixed Vegetables: mix leftovers and heat Vegetables and Cheese: mix leftover vegetables; add grated cheese; heat until melted. Vegetable Salad: mix leftovers with French or Ranch dressing Vegetable Fritters: Sift together: 2 cups flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 2 tablespoons sugar Mix and add to sifted ingredients: 2 eggs, beaten, 1 cup skim milk, 1 tablespoon oil. Stir well. Add and stir into above mixture: 1 cup mashed vegetables. Drop by spoonfuls onto oiled skillet and brown on both sides about 2-3 minutes. Makes about 24 fritters. 64 Calories, 2 grams fat, 18 mg cholesterol, 165 mg sodium. < Biscuits and Muffins: split in half; toast with cinnamon, sugar, and butter or toast with cheese. < Rice and Cheese: make it like macaroni and cheese. < Rice Pudding: mix rice, sugar, egg, milk, raisins; bake. < Pasta: add to meat, vegetables, mayonnaise, seasonings; serve cold as a main dish. < Pasta: mix with leftover meat and vegetables, add cheese or a tomato sauce; heat. < Grits: slice cold grits and brown in skillet < Grits Casserole: mix grits with small amount of milk; add egg yolks, cheese and garlic (optional); beat egg whites and fold in; bake at 350 degrees. By Sandra Bastin, Ph.D., R.D. L.D., Extension Food & Nutrition Specialist Fruits C Salad: mix leftover fruits with yogurt or honey or serve plain C Gelatin: mix in leftover fruits; substitute juice for water. C Trifle: layer leftover cake or cookies with fruit and pudding C Muffins: add chopped fruit to mixture, stir in nuts or cereal Breads and Cereals < French Toast: dip bread in 1 cup milk, 2 beaten eggs and ¼ teaspoon salt; brown in lightly greased skillet; serve with fruit, jelly or syrup. < Bread Crumbs: toast bread slowly; break or crush into crumbs or cube and toast. < Bread Pudding: use leftover bread, muffins, cake etc. for pudding contents. Educational programs of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. 5 Issued 01-95; FN-SSB.022LG.