Easy Budget Family Meal Ideas

Thank you to Shaw’s Supermarkets for being a proud sponsor of this post

What’s your grocery shopping style?

Are you more of a “stop by to pick up a few things every day” or a “big trip where you can stock up on all your staples?”

I am all about the big trips and stocking up. It’s impossible for me to just run into the grocery store for a minute to grab one item. I will be stuck in there for an hour and will purchase 100 different things. My friends can firmly confirm this and know I can’t be let loose in the grocery store without a list and a chaperone.

I particularly like to stock up on anything that is not going to spoil, such as pantry goods, especially when there is a sale. My kitchen pantry might always be overloaded with food, but there’s always plenty of room in the garage if I run out of space. If you ask me, it’s better to look out for big sales ahead of time and just stock up on anything that you know will be eaten in the future and will not go bad.

Now if you know me, you know I love cooking from scratch and sticking to a healthy diet, but unfortunately I do understand that not all my family members, especially my boyfriend, always feel this way.

And I get it, everyone has their food vices.

My dad can’t go a day without at least a sip of soda or a carbonated beverage, and my boyfriend can’t go without some sort of sweet treat like Oreos.

And if you have kids, they might not be super interested in green juices during their snack hour. I remember when I was around the age of 9, the only things I wanted to consume were Cinnamon Toast Crunch™ and Pillsbury™ Apple Toaster Strudel™ for breakfast, and chicken or fish fingers for lunch and dinner. Sometimes I would branch out and also indulge in a bowl of rice with Heinz ketchup too. I was also equally as excited about taco night at my friend’s house. My mom just let me go through that phase and eat what I wanted, rationalizing that it was better that I was eating something rather than eating nothing at all. Luckily that super picky eating phase faded over time and I was more than happy to indulge in sushi (at my parents’ expense) and eat all sorts of exotic dishes just a few years later.

So if you’re dealing with a family of picky eaters with each person having their own particular snacking favorites you’ll want a large assortment of goods in your pantry.

And for stocking up there’s nothing better than the current Stock Up Sale at your local Shaw’s Supermarket. I worked at Shaw’s Supermarket in high school so I am well acquainted with the store and know that you can find just about anything you need in there. It’s a one stop shopping experience – which is good for me, because I can’t be running around to different grocery stores to pick up specific items – that would take me all day.

To make the shopping experience even easier, download your local store’s app on your smartphone. Using the Shaw’s app, I can set up your entire grocery list and see my savings right there!

Shopping at Shaw’s Supermarket during the Stock Up Sale means you can get all your favorite staples from General Mills, Coca-Cola, Kraft and Nabisco, all at a discounted price! If you don’t have a Shaw’s supermarket in your area you can also find the Stock Up Sale at your local Albertsons Companies grocery stores including Albertsons, Safeway, ACME Markets, Jewel-Osco, Vons, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Star Market, United Express, United and Carrs/Safeway.

Also the best news ever is that Shaw’s Supermarket is giving away groceries for a year to one lucky winner. Between 10/4-10/19, show them how you how you stock up your pantry and share a photo of how you’ve loaded up with your favorite items, including those below, from #StockUpSale2017. To enter do the following:

• • Take a photo featuring two or more of the participating Stock Up Sale products below
  • Share the photo on Twitter or Instagram or at this link http://bit.ly/2fmOIYr: by 10/19
  • Use #StockUpSale2017 and #Sweepstakes in your caption and complete entry form

For official rules and details, visit here!

Here is a list of the participating products:

• Honey Nut Cheerios™
• Cheerios™ 8.90oz.
• Cinnamon Toast Crunch™ 12.20oz.
• Progresso™ Traditional, Rich & Hearty, Reduced Sodium, Light Soup, Vegetable Classic, selected varieties 18-19oz
• Nature Valley™ Granola Bars 7.44oz-8.44oz
• Yoplait® Traditional Yogurt, 4-6oz, selected varieties
• Oui™ by Yoplait® Strawberry French Style Yogurt 5oz.
• Annie’s™ Natural Mac & Cheese 6oz; selected varieties
• Old El Paso™ Shells
• Totino’s™ Pizza Rolls 15ct, Totino Party Pizza 9.8-10.4oz, selected varieties
• Betty Crocker™ Hamburger Helpers, 4.7-8.7oz, selected varieties
• Betty  Crocker™ Fruit Snacks, 4.5-8oz, selected varieties
• Chex Mix™ 8-8.75oz, selected varieties
• Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Cake Mix, 15.25 – 16.25oz., select varieties
• Betty Crocker™ Whipped Frosting, Milk Chocolate 12oz.
• Betty Crocker™ Brownie Mix, Chocolate 18.40oz.
• Pillsbury™ Apple Toaster Strudel™, 6ct., 11.70oz.
• Coca-Cola MiniCans
• Dasani Sparkling Black Cherry
• Classico Tomato Basil
• Heinz Ketchup
• OREO 14.3 oz
• Ritz 13.7 oz

There are tons of products listed here that you can store in your pantry for an extended amount of time so feel free to stock up during the Stock Up Sale.

If you have a picky child eater in the household like I used to be you’ll want to grab that Cinnamon Toast Crunch™, Nature Valley™ Granola Bars, Old El Paso™ Shells, Chex Mix™, Heinz Ketchup, and Classico Tomato Basil. And if your significant other has a sweet tooth like mine you may want to treat him to a packet of OREOs. With a dad like mine who needs his carbonated beverages at all times you’ll definitely need the Dasani Sparkling Black Cherry or the Coca-Cola MiniCans.

Other great products featured in the sale perfect for stocking up on include: Dove body wash, conditioner and shampoo, Chips Ahoy chocolate chip cookies, Fig Newton cookies, and B&J Chunky Monkey ice cream (for the sweet lover in your family), JIF Peanut butter, Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing, Maxwell House Dark Roast Coffee, a whole medley of Mccormick spices (Perfect Pinch Lemon Herb Seasoning, Perfect Pinch Italian Seasoning, Lemon Pepper, Salad Supreme), fresh greens from the O Organics line including baby spinach, mixed baby greens, baby arugula, baby kale, Popchips in multiple flavors include salt & pepper, sea salt & vinegar, sea salt, Reynolds wrap aluminum foil, Starbucks Coffee house blend, Swanson’s broth including natural goodness chicken, chicken and vegetable, Tide detergent, Triscuit in rosemary flavor, and Quaker Life cereal.

Once you stock up at the Stock Up Sale a coming up with an easy family meal will be a breeze! For those super busy weeks when you need meals put together in no time, or perhaps your non cooking significant other is helping out in the kitchen, these pantry items will help them manage. Best of all, most of the pantry items from the Stock Up Sale do not need to be refrigerated – meaning they’re good for a long time!

An easy family breakfast is taken care of with the various cereal products or if you want to get a bit more involved you can make breakfast cookies with a mashed banana, JIF Peanut Butter, and crushed Quaker Life, mixed, formed and baked at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.

A quick cup of Yoplait® Traditional Yogurt with JIF Peanut Butter and a sprinkling of crushed up Nature Valley™ Granola Bars also makes for a hearty and filling meal.

For on the go snacking you can also bring the Nature Valley™ Granola Bars wherever you go, or pack a ziplock bag of ritz crackers sandwiched together with a teaspoon of JIF Peanut Butter in between.

In terms of a quick lunch or dinner here are two great recipe ideas:

5 from 1 vote

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Easy Weeknight Pasta

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

13 mins

Total Time

23 mins

 

This is a one pot pasta recipe that cooks in no time and is packed full of flavors (making for great leftovers too). This recipe can be easily adapted to your own tastes, depending on what veggies or protein you have on hand.

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 4 bowls

Calories: 288 kcal

Author: Vicky Berman

Ingredients

• 3 cups Classico Tomato Basil (can add up to 4 cups)
• 2 cups cubed pumpkin
• 8 ounces pasta of choice
• 1 quart Swanson chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon Mccormick Italain Seasoning
• 1 tablespoon Mccormick Lemon Pepper
• 2 cups O Organic baby spinach optional

Instructions

1. Bring chicken broth and water (adding as much as needed) to a boil and add pasta and cubed pumpkin. Cook according to package direction.
2. Drain water. Add Mccormick Italian Seasoning, Mccormick Lemon Pepper, Classico Tomato Basil Sauce and O Organic baby spinach. Mix and serve.

Recipe Notes

If you are not vegan and would like to add a bit more protein to your pasta feel free to add 2-3 cups shredded chicken to the finished pasta. 

Nutrition Facts

Easy Weeknight Pasta

Amount Per Serving

Calories 288 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Sodium 1844mg80%

Potassium 1220mg35%

Carbohydrates 58g19%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 11g12%

Protein 11g22%

Vitamin A 7160IU143%

Vitamin C 38.9mg47%

Calcium 97mg10%

Iron 4.4mg24%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Weeknight Taco Nachos (Serves: 4)

Instead of regular tacos, why not use the Old El Paso™ Shells to make quick oven nachos instead.

Ingredients:

6 Old El Paso™ Shells

1 cup shredded cheese (regular or dairy free cheese for a dairy free recipe)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups shredded chicken

2 teaspoon taco seasoning from the Old El Paso™ Shells

1 avocado, cubed

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon hot sauce

1 tablespoon Heinz Ketchup

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Break the Old El Paso hard-shells into bite sized pieces with your hand and spread them out lightly overlapping on a baking sheet. Top with shredded cheese. Bake for 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted.

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a pan and add chicken and taco seasoning. Cook for a few minutes until lightly browned.

In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, hot sauce and Heinz ketchup

Serve taco nachos topped with chicken, cubed avocado and Heinz ketchup aioli.

You’ll want to celebrate your easy dinner with a fun mocktail for which the Dasani Sparkling Black Cherry is perfect!

Black Cherry Mocktails  (serves: 2)

 Ingredients:

2 cans Dasani Sparkling Black Cherry

1 lime, zest and juice

¼ cup frozen berries (raspberries and blackberries)

1 cup ice

Directions:

Fill a cup with ½ cup ice, 2 tablespoon frozen berries, juice of ½ a lime, zest of ½ a lime. Mix. Top with Dasani Sparkling Black Cherry. Repeat for second cup.

This post should have given you an idea of what you can make with the pantry items from the Stock Up Sale and make sure you don’t miss out on it at your local Shaw’s Supermarket. Don’t forget to enter the sweepstakes to win a free year’s worth of groceries (essentially my dream) too!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Shaw’s Supermarkets