Josh Elledge - Chief Executive Angel
Breakfast can easily be the least expensive meal of the day. In preparation for back to school, I’d like to share three of my family’s cost-saving morning meals. You might consider boxed cereal to be an inexpensive meal – but it's actually on the higher end of the scale at about .82 per one 3/4 cup serving when served with milk – and is not as filling as other options (especially at only 3/4 cup).
Let’s dish about a humble, cost-slashing breakfast food you can easily beef up at home… eggs.
Even at the higher $2 a dozen typical price of eggs, they can still be an economical breakfast. Of course, you can simply cook them and eat them plain, and a couple eggs will cost you 33 cents a serving. But pairing eggs with other ingredients really stretches them and fills up a family for little cost. You can use up leftovers from recent meals, or grab a bit of this and that from the fridge. Once all together, the resulting volume of food may surprise you – and the savings will shock you!
Taco night leftovers: Sauté 1/4 cup diced onion in a non-stick pan, thrown in some already browned beef, sausage or shredded chicken (about 1 or 1 ½ cups), and about 1/4 cup salsa, and warm, stirring occasionally, until heated through. If you have any cooked rice or beans, toss them in as well. In a separate pan, scramble one-half to one full egg per person, depending on appetite. Be sure to lightly salt the eggs. Warm 1-2 tortilla shells per person. Once it’s all ready, make breakfast burritos, filling tortilla shells with your ingredients, and adding a little shredded cheese. Serve with any other leftover ingredients on top, such as diced tomato.
Estimated cost per serving of 1 very filling burrito: 37 cents. Compare that with the cost of a cheap fast-food breakfast burrito at $1. That’s a savings of 63%. Your burrito will likely be far tastier, too!
Fridge-raid 2-egg Omelets: Raid the fridge for 6 deli-style slices of meat, like ham or turkey (chop into small pieces), 2 tablespoons savory or plain cream cheese (optional), 1/8 cup each bell pepper and onion (diced fine), and 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Beat together 1/4 cup milk, a couple dashes salt, and 8 eggs, until completely yellow (no white left). In a nonstick skillet heated to medium, sauté the onion and bell pepper with a pat of butter, adding the meat and cream cheese when vegetables soften. Heat thoroughly, then keep warm. Bring another nonstick skillet to medium-high, and add a pat of butter. Butter should sizzle, but not burn. Add 1/4 of the egg mixture, and as soon as it begins to set, swirl the pan to spread out any runny parts. Once the egg is beautifully set on the bottom, but slightly still wet on top, add the other ready ingredients and a sprinkle of cheese right in the middle, then quickly tri-fold over and remove from the heat. Repeat.
Estimated cost per serving of 1 very filling omelet: 88 cents. Compare that with the cost of even an inexpensive omelet out, at about $4 per person (plus tax and tip!) – and that’s a savings of 78%.
Don’t like eggs? Here’s one non-egg idea: If you like granola, skip the expense of the boxed variety, and make your own. You can make over regular oatmeal inexpensively by buying quick-cooking steel cut oats, but not actually cooking them. They make a delicious cold cereal with milk (try almond milk when it’s a deal). Add a handful of fresh fruit and a sprinkle of crushed or sliced nuts (try almonds). This “cereal” costs about 59 cents per serving, including the nuts and fresh fruit (depending on the price of your choices). Just a heads up… serve a small bowl. This is a very filling breakfast.
Compared to $1.02 per serving for regular granola, this is a 58% savings – and this version is actually healthier – as you’ll be in control of the added sugar.
