The Three Dollar Meal

Requires shopping and cooking, not exactly common today.

OkieSailor (View Comment):

Requires shopping and cooking, not exactly common today.

True enough I guess. But people make too much of cooking. It’s really not hard. Apply fire to good ingredients. You don’t have to be Jacques Pepin.

OkieSailor (View Comment):

Requires shopping and cooking, not exactly common today.

Ekosj (View Comment):

True enough I guess. But people make too much of cooking. It’s really not hard. Apply fire to good ingredients. You don’t have to be Jacques Pepin.

There should be a show on the food channel that truly teaches the most basic of cooking.

OkieSailor (View Comment):

Requires shopping and cooking, not exactly common today.

Is that true? I know lots of people and most cook more than they go out. Even young people.

I just asked SuperGrok to provide a "menu for home cooked dinner for 2 parents and 2 children that costs $3 per person".

Result (took less than 30 seconds):

"Budget-Friendly Dinner Menu: Cozy Chicken and Dumplings. For a wholesome, comforting home-cooked dinner that fits your $3 per person budget (total $12 for 4 people), I recommend a simple one-pot meal that's kid-friendly and easy to prepare. The star is Chicken and Dumplings, a hearty stew with tender chicken, vegetables, and fluffy dumplings. This recipe costs about $7.12 for 6 servings, so scaling to 4 leaves plenty of room in the budget—around $4.75 total for the main dish. You can pair it with a basic side like steamed green beans (about $1-2 from a can or frozen bag) and fresh apple slices for "dessert" (about $2 for 4 apples), keeping everything under $12. It's nutritious with protein, veggies, and carbs, and the mild flavors appeal to children—feel free to add more broth for a soupier texture if needed. This menu is inspired by affordable recipes from Budget Bytes. Ingredients (for the Chicken and Dumplings, scaled for 4-6 servings)For the Chicken and Gravy:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1 lb.) – $3.48
• 1 Tbsp olive oil – $0.22
• 1 yellow onion, diced – $0.70
• 2 garlic cloves, minced – $0.16
  • 2 carrots, diced – $0.31
  • 2 celery stalks, diced – $0.20
  • 4 Tbsp butter – $0.50
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour – $0.04
  • 2 cups chicken broth – $0.26
  • 1 cup whole milk – $0.18
  • Seasonings: 1 tsp dried parsley ($0.10), ½ tsp each dried thyme, rosemary, sage ($0.05 each), ½ tsp salt ($0.02), ¼ tsp black pepper ($0.02)
  For the Dumplings:
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour – $0.18
  • 1½ tsp baking powder – $0.09
  • 1 tsp dried parsley – $0.10
  • ½ tsp sugar – $0.01
  • ½ tsp salt – $0.02
  • ⅛ tsp garlic powder – $0.02
  • ⅛ tsp black pepper – $0.02
  • ½ cup milk – $0.09
  • 2 Tbsp melted butter – $0.25
  Optional Sides (to stay under budget):
  • 1 can green beans (drained and heated) – ~$1.00
  • 4 apples, sliced – ~$2.00
  Preparation Steps
  1. Heat olive oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the chicken thighs on both sides (they don't need to cook through). Remove and set aside.
  2. In the same skillet, sauté onion and garlic until softened, scraping up browned bits.
  3. Add carrots and celery; cook for 5 minutes.
  4. Stir in butter and flour to make a paste; cook for 2 minutes.
  5. Add seasonings, chicken broth, and milk. Bring to a simmer until thickened into gravy.
  6. Dice the chicken and return it to the skillet. Cover and simmer on medium while making dumplings.
  7. For dumplings: Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Stir in milk and melted butter to form a batter (don't overmix).
  8. Drop batter by 2 Tbsp dollops into the simmering gravy (about 12 dumplings). Cover and simmer for 15 minutes until dumplings are fluffy and doubled in size.
  9. Serve hot with sides. Prep time: 20 min; Cook time: 35 min; Total: 55 min.
  This dish is forgiving—use chicken breasts if preferred, but thighs stay moist. For kids, keep portions smaller and ensure it's not too hot when serving."