Before the family starts a war against store bought hamburger helper, a little pre-planning can result in cheap dinner using ground beef recipes made from scratch and help reduce the grocery budget. Planning ahead and finding hamburger recipes loved by both kids and adults makes penny pinching at the grocery store easier. Adding budget meals to the menu plan can help to stretch food stamp dollars or limited grocery allowances for the week. Hamburger can be used in many flavorful casseroles making it a versatile meat which can be used multiple times in a single weekly meal plan without seeming repetitive.
Best Hamburger Casseroles
Hamburger casserole recipes are perfect for a single family meal, make an excellent potluck idea, or can be doubled in preparation stages to make freezer meals for later user. Many ground beef casserole recipes are found as a result of a simple search engine query or can be built based on family favorites. For families who prefer a cheeseburger macaroni style casserole, adapt a favorite macaroni and cheese recipe to make a scratch version of the recipe. The result is a cheap meal but healthier than the prepackaged box version. Taco salad lovers may enjoy a home version of taco rice. Rice is an excellent starch paired with ground beef to stretch the meal further. Consider these simple versions of two grocery cost cutter meals.
Cheesy Hamburger Macaroni Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
- 1/2 c. onion
- 1 beef bouillon cube or packet
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 cans Cheddar cheese soup
- Shredded Cheese
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni
Directions
- In a large skillet cook hamburger and onions. Drain grease.
- Add bouillon and water, bring to a boil and then simmer under water is absorbed.
- Mix both cans of soup in the hamburger.
- Cook noodles until done but not overly soft. Drain.
- Place in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Mix hamburger and cheese mixture with noodles.
- Place shredded cheese on top.
- Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is melted and casserole is hot.
Hamburger Casserole recipe variation: Use Nacho cheese soup for a zestier taste.
Taco Rice Hamburger Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef or 2-3 cups leftover taco meat
- Taco seasonings
- 2 cups rice, cooked
- Shredded cheese
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Taco sauce
- Sour Cream
If using leftover taco meat, skip the beef preparation steps when making taco rice.
- Brown ground beef and drain grease. Add taco seasonings according to package directions.
- Spread rice in 9X13 casserole dish, top with taco meat.
- Cover with taco sauce and shredded cheese.
- Heat in 350 degree oven until cheese is melted.
- Serve taco rice with lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream.
Serving budget meals doesn’t have to mean eating boxed macaroni, or giving up flavorful taste. Adding a few low cost ground beef recipes like Hamburger Macaroni Casserole or Taco Rice to the menu allows flavorful meals without breaking the grocery budget. Shopping wisely and with a meal plan in mind will allow dinner under $5 in many cases.
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