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Quick Pantry Lunch Ideas
It’s lunch time and the kids are starving. If you don't find something for them to eat soon they'll revolt. You need something fast, you don't have time to cook a meal. Take a look in your pantry for some quick and filling lunch ideas. You’ll be surprised with how many last minute meal ideas you can come up with using the various cans and packets stashed away in your pantry.
Macaroni and Cheese Plus - around 90c per serve
Make a recipe of macaroni cheese. No recipe? Boil some macaroni till tender. Drain. While the macaroni is cooking, make a cheese sauce. Stir into the hot macaroni, sprinkle with a little extra grated cheese and serve. To turn it into a full lunch meal, add some vegetables and meat. You can add small chunks of steamed broccoli or 1/2 cup green beans or peas along with some chopped ham, hot dogs or cubed cooked chicken. You can also brown some mince or sausages ahead of time and keep in small containers in the fridge or freezer. Just reheat (don’t forget to thaw when appropriate) and add it to the cheesy noodle mixture. The same basic idea also works well with spaghetti and tomato sauce. This is one of those meals where I think it's ok to use a packet of mac'n'cheese if you are in a hurry, the price is about the same. You can often buy Kraft Mac n Cheese on sale in multi packs and they work out to around 80c per serve.
Stuffing Soup - around 80c per serve
I found this recipe in an old American recipe book that was falling apart (it had no covers and the pages were held together with a bulldog clip) and just had to try it. It's since become a favourite Saturday winter lunch in our house. Take a box of your favourite stuffing mix (or make your own stuffing using 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs and 1/2 tsp mixed herbs) and a can of cream of chicken or chicken and vegetable or chicken noodle soup. Mix the two and pour the mixture into a casserole dish. Bake at 175 degrees Celsius until the top starts to become golden brown, about 15 minutes. For an even more filling lunch, use soup with chunks of chicken in it or add diced, cooked chicken. It's not really a soup - more like a savoury bread pudding. Make it a complete meal with a side salad.
Soup and a Sandwich - around $1.15 per serve
Since we’re talking about soup already, why not have soup and a sandwich for lunch? Just about any combination goes well together and lunch is ready in a matter of minutes. Some personal favourites include tomato soup and grilled cheese, chicken noodle and egg and lettuce sandwiches, vegetable soup with cheese and Vegemite sandwiches and if you ask my kids, peanut butter sandwiches go great with just about any soup, but especially with potato soup.
Nacho Grande - around $1 per serve
Who doesn’t have a bag of corn chips in the pantry? No me usually, but I do keep seasoned pita chips handy. Pour some into a microwavable dish and top it with leftover chicken, diced ham, cooked sausage, veggies, baked beans, olives and anything else you can find that might go well with corn or pita chips. Top everything with plenty of grated cheese and microwave until the cheese is just melted. Serve with a side of mild salsa and a dollop of sour cream for a filling lunch that only looks like a snack.
These are not especially frugal meals, but they are cheaper than a sausage roll and when you are in a hurry you need to decide just how much your time is worth. If you think these meals are too expensive using the convenience of packets, they can all be made from scratch. It will just take you a longer to prepare to save about half the cost per serve.
Go ahead, take a look in your pantry and see what fun and fast lunch ideas you can come up with. Your family is sure to love all the new culinary creations you whip up for them and they may even come up with some of their own and take over the lunch time meal ordeal for you.
Macaroni and Cheese Plus - around 90c per serve
Make a recipe of macaroni cheese. No recipe? Boil some macaroni till tender. Drain. While the macaroni is cooking, make a cheese sauce. Stir into the hot macaroni, sprinkle with a little extra grated cheese and serve. To turn it into a full lunch meal, add some vegetables and meat. You can add small chunks of steamed broccoli or 1/2 cup green beans or peas along with some chopped ham, hot dogs or cubed cooked chicken. You can also brown some mince or sausages ahead of time and keep in small containers in the fridge or freezer. Just reheat (don’t forget to thaw when appropriate) and add it to the cheesy noodle mixture. The same basic idea also works well with spaghetti and tomato sauce. This is one of those meals where I think it's ok to use a packet of mac'n'cheese if you are in a hurry, the price is about the same. You can often buy Kraft Mac n Cheese on sale in multi packs and they work out to around 80c per serve.
Stuffing Soup - around 80c per serve
I found this recipe in an old American recipe book that was falling apart (it had no covers and the pages were held together with a bulldog clip) and just had to try it. It's since become a favourite Saturday winter lunch in our house. Take a box of your favourite stuffing mix (or make your own stuffing using 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs and 1/2 tsp mixed herbs) and a can of cream of chicken or chicken and vegetable or chicken noodle soup. Mix the two and pour the mixture into a casserole dish. Bake at 175 degrees Celsius until the top starts to become golden brown, about 15 minutes. For an even more filling lunch, use soup with chunks of chicken in it or add diced, cooked chicken. It's not really a soup - more like a savoury bread pudding. Make it a complete meal with a side salad.
Soup and a Sandwich - around $1.15 per serve
Since we’re talking about soup already, why not have soup and a sandwich for lunch? Just about any combination goes well together and lunch is ready in a matter of minutes. Some personal favourites include tomato soup and grilled cheese, chicken noodle and egg and lettuce sandwiches, vegetable soup with cheese and Vegemite sandwiches and if you ask my kids, peanut butter sandwiches go great with just about any soup, but especially with potato soup.
Nacho Grande - around $1 per serve
Who doesn’t have a bag of corn chips in the pantry? No me usually, but I do keep seasoned pita chips handy. Pour some into a microwavable dish and top it with leftover chicken, diced ham, cooked sausage, veggies, baked beans, olives and anything else you can find that might go well with corn or pita chips. Top everything with plenty of grated cheese and microwave until the cheese is just melted. Serve with a side of mild salsa and a dollop of sour cream for a filling lunch that only looks like a snack.
These are not especially frugal meals, but they are cheaper than a sausage roll and when you are in a hurry you need to decide just how much your time is worth. If you think these meals are too expensive using the convenience of packets, they can all be made from scratch. It will just take you a longer to prepare to save about half the cost per serve.
Go ahead, take a look in your pantry and see what fun and fast lunch ideas you can come up with. Your family is sure to love all the new culinary creations you whip up for them and they may even come up with some of their own and take over the lunch time meal ordeal for you.
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