Pasta for 4 with Less Than $5

I have two kids, an 11 year old and a 6 year old. I am concerned that my kids are growing so fast and there is nothing I can do about it. However, it is in my hands to feed them with the nutrients and vitamins they need so they can grow into healthy, strong adults. This is sometimes hard to achieve when you have to stick to a tight budget, which is usually my case.

One of the things I enjoy cooking for supper is pasta. Some of the benefits of pasta is that it is low in calories, doesn’t have any saturated or trans-fat, and it has carbohydrates that work like energy boosters for kids that are in a fast developmental stage. Also, it helps me save some dollars since it is cheap and everyone ends up with their stomachs full. So, if you are planning to cut your budget just a little, I encourage you to prepare different pasta dishes for your family.

Yesterday, I decided to cook a delicious Bacon and Provolone Spaghetti with less than $5. My husband, my two kids, and I tried this yesterday and everyone loved it! 

I used the following ingredients to prepare this meal:

• 16 oz. Spaghetti (approx. $1)
• 26 oz. bacon and provolone Italian sauce (approx. $3)
• 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 2 tablespoons of butter (approx. $0.10)
• ¼ of onion, chopped (approx. $0.25)
• 4 tablespoons of shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese (approx. $0.35)

Preparing this meal is very simple:

1. Follow the spaghetti box instructions to cook the spaghetti until it is tender. Remember to include one teaspoon of vegetable oil and one of salt to the water, so the spaghetti doesn’t stick to the pan. I will reveal to you my magic trick: if you want to know when the spaghettis are ready, throw them to the wall. If they stick to it, it means they are ready.
   
   
   
2. Remove the spaghettis from the heat and drain them into a colander.
3. In the same pan, fry the chopped onions in 2 tablespoons of butter in medium-low. When they start getting transparent, add the spaghettis again and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Reduce the heat to low and add the bacon and provolone Italian sauce. Stir constantly for five minutes and remove from the heat. 
   
5. Serve them on plates and spread some shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese on the spaghetti.