School let out two weeks ago, and I've already been asked "what's for lunch?" roughly four hundred times. Summer means everyone is home and everyone is hungry, and I'm trying to keep the grocery budget from creeping up just because the kids are eating two extra meals a day in my kitchen. On busy weeknights, pasta is how we survive.
A one-pound box of store-brand pasta costs around a dollar at Aldi, and it feeds all five of us with a little left over. The trick is having a handful of versions the kids will actually eat, so it doesn't feel like the same dinner every night. These are the four that pass the test in our house, even with our pickiest eater.
The Four in Our Rotation
1. Taco Pasta Skillet (The Favorite)
This is the one that gets cheers. It tastes like tacos, cooks in one pan, and there's only one pot to wash.
Ingredients (serves 5)
| Ingredient | Approx. cost |
|---|---|
| 1 lb ground beef (or half beef, half lentils) | $4.50 |
| 12 oz small pasta, like shells or elbows | $0.75 |
| 1 packet taco seasoning (or 2 Tbsp homemade) | $0.50 |
| 1 can diced tomatoes | $0.70 |
| 1 can black beans, rinsed | $0.70 |
| 3 cups water or broth | $0.20 |
| 1 cup shredded cheddar | $1.20 |
| Total | about $8.55, or $1.70 a serving |
Steps
- Brown the beef in a large, deep skillet and drain the fat.
- Stir in the taco seasoning, tomatoes, beans, water, and uncooked pasta.
- Bring to a boil, cover, and turn the heat down to a simmer.
- Cook 12 to 15 minutes, stirring a few times, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is gone.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the top, cover for two minutes until it melts, and serve.
Notes: The half-lentil version brings the cost down to about $1.25 a serving, and nobody has figured it out yet. Serve with sour cream, salsa, or crushed tortilla chips on top if you have them.
2. Butter and Parmesan Noodles With Peas
This is what I make when I'm exhausted. Cook a pound of pasta, and toss a cup of frozen peas into the pot for the last two minutes. Drain, then add 3 tablespoons of butter, half a cup of grated parmesan, salt, pepper, and a splash of the pasta water. Total: about $4 for the whole family. On a good night I'll add leftover chopped chicken. Rosie calls this "green dot pasta" and eats every bite.
3. Baked Ziti (Make-Ahead)
I make this on Sunday and bake it Monday, or double it and freeze one pan for a night when everything goes sideways.
- 1 lb ziti or penne, cooked 2 minutes short: $1.00
- 1 jar (24 oz) pasta sauce: $1.60
- 1 cup cottage cheese or ricotta: $1.50
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella: $2.40
- Italian seasoning and garlic powder: pantry
Mix the pasta, sauce, cottage cheese, and half the mozzarella in a 9x13 pan. Top with the rest of the cheese. Bake at 375°F for about 25 minutes until bubbly. About $6.50 total. Cottage cheese is cheaper than ricotta and melts right in; the kids have no idea.
4. Creamy Tomato Pasta
Warm a jar of plain marinara in a saucepan and stir in a half cup of milk and a couple spoonfuls of cream cheese until smooth. Toss with a pound of cooked pasta. It turns a plain red sauce into something pink and mild that my son eats without picking out every "chunk." About $4.25 for the pot. Sometimes I hide a handful of chopped spinach in it; that's a gamble.
The One That Didn't Make the Cut
I tried a lemon garlic pasta with zucchini twice. Mike and I loved it. The kids looked at it like I'd served them a plate of yard clippings. After the second try, and a lot of uneaten dinner going into the fridge, I gave up and moved it to "date night at home" status.
A Few Pasta Money Habits
- Stock up when it's cheap. When store-brand pasta goes on sale, I buy eight or ten boxes. It keeps forever.
- Save the pasta water. A splash makes any sauce creamier without extra cheese or butter.
- Stretch the meat. Half a pound of beef or sausage with extra beans or veggies goes a long way.
- Leftovers are lunch. Cold taco pasta is weirdly popular in our house. Summer lunches, handled.
With these four in rotation, pasta shows up about twice a week, and I don't hear a single complaint. Well, almost. Owen still asks why we can't have the "spaghetti from the restaurant." I remind him that restaurant spaghetti costs $14 a plate, and we have a pot on the stove right now.
