No-Budget Pantry Challenge Meal Ideas #threeriverschallenge

beef short ribs

🥗Healthier: chicken thighs

💰Cheaper: pork ribs

Chicken thighs are leaner, while pork ribs are often less expensive.

red wine

🥗Healthier: non-alcoholic red wine

💰Cheaper: grape juice

Non-alcoholic options maintain flavor without alcohol.

beef broth

🥗Healthier: vegetable broth

💰Cheaper: water with bouillon

Vegetable broth reduces calories and is often cheaper.

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil is healthier, while margarine can be more affordable.

Welcome to week three of the January Pantry challenge.

Making meatloaf using crackers, beaten eggs, onions, chopped bell peppers, salt, and pepper.

Mix the ingredients by hand.

Bake the meatloaf on a sheet tray to prevent fat from cooking into the meat.

Cook potatoes in a pressure cooker instead of boiling them.

Mix mayonnaise, mustard, relish, and cut up onions for potato salad, topped with seasoning salt.

Top the meatloaf with ketchup.

Boil corn from the freezer on the stove.

Prepare a pasta salad with Italian dressing and noodles.

Fry pork chops found in the freezer.

Use black-eyed peas and canned collards and sweet potatoes that need to be used up.

Make spaghetti sauce by browning ground beef and soaking up grease with a paper towel.

Sauté chopped onion and green pepper with onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, Italian seasonings, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.

Add a can of diced tomatoes, a can of tomato sauce, and a can of tomato paste to the pot and heat through.

Make an Alfredo broccoli bake without pasta, using butter, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese, topped with chicken and broccoli, then bake.

Prepare rice for a Chinese dish, cutting up chicken and onion, mixing with sesame sauce and soy sauce, and heating through with 5 minute rice.

Make Sloppy Joe's with ground beef, adding a little brown sugar for acidity, served with chips.

Brown vegetables for short ribs, add wine and broth, place short ribs in the broth, and bake in the oven.

Make Brunswick stew with tomatoes, canned pork, canned chicken, and broth, simmering with barbecue sauce, frozen corn, garlic powder, and onion powder, and hot sauce.

Prepare a snack plate with chicken nuggets, grapes, and cucumbers, and wings from frozen, cooking them almost all the way before mixing with hot sauce and teriyaki sauce, then baking again.

Make a taco bake with crescent roll, ground beef, cheese, sour cream, and sauce on top.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary