Can you make this meal for $10… Why would you want to?

26 Responses to “Can you make this meal for $10… Why would you want to?”

1. Theresa
   November 17th, 2008 @ 8:34 am

   Great! Looking forward to some easy, healthy meals. )

2. Somebody's Mimi
   November 17th, 2008 @ 9:19 am

   I love KFC!! BUT I don’t eat it on a regular basis. A little bit of fried chicken is probably better than a little bit of MacDonalds ANYTHING!!

3. Somebody's Mimi
   November 17th, 2008 @ 9:20 am

   Oh, and I can’t make it for under $10.00, because I don’t know how to fry chicken.

4. Karen
   November 17th, 2008 @ 9:45 am

   Here’s what I made for dinner last night – just came up with it based on what we had in the kitchen, and I’m definitely making it again (we had it with a salad). It’s a lot like a Mexican take on chili, and the sauce thickens as it stands:

   Chorizo and beans
   1 lb pinto beans (dry or canned)
   .5lb chorizo (Mexican-style sausage)
   1 onion, chopped

   If you start with dry beans (I think the pound was about $.75), add the beans and eight cups of water to a pot, boil for 2 minutes, then cover and let them sit for 45min. Rinse the beans, add 6 c water, then simmer for 1-1.5 hours until soft. Or open two cans of beans =)

   Chop the onion and add with chorizo to a frying pan, cook chorizo until browned (10-15 minutes). Add mixture to the pot with beans (without draining beans or meat). Mix and serve.

5. $5 Dinner Mom
   November 17th, 2008 @ 9:54 am

   Amen, Amen and Amen! A reader pointed me to the ad recently, as I had not seen it. I saw it a few weeks ago live and wanted to turn off the TV. Unhealthy, unrealistic and a terrible ad! It would be SOOOO easy to do that under $10. I could probably do it for under $10 with all organic chicken and flour, etc! Thanks for posting about it, as I never did!
   Another nerve stirken mama-
   Erin

6. Sherry
   November 17th, 2008 @ 10:53 am

   Ugh! I hadn’t seen that ad. I could definitely make it homemade for under $10. Looking forward to seeing your meals!!

7. Nancy
   November 17th, 2008 @ 10:58 am

   It’s such a crazy ad. I think most people could make that meal and a lot others for under $10, if they just tried. I know it’s easier to buy it, but it can still be done, you just have to make a plan.

8. Rachel
   November 17th, 2008 @ 11:50 am

   Ha ha, your post cracked me up because I too have been “bugged” by this add. Especially because I make fried chicken dinner from time to time and it costs us no where near 10 bucks! Anyway, thanks for the smile this morning!

9. Bree
   November 17th, 2008 @ 12:39 pm

   Rachael Ray’s “Chicken Noodle Hold the Soup” is a real good one… it makes so much food that I started to halve the recipe for my family of four… you can find it on her website just google her name and her site will pop up. Search the recipe name on her site. The recipe calls for a rotiserie chicken… but I make my own so it makes this meal cheap and healthy.

10. Jamie/penguinsandladybugs
    November 17th, 2008 @ 12:45 pm

    I totally agree….this commercial bugged me, too. I kept asking the TV, as if it could answer, WHY can’t you make the meal for $10?

11. Wendy
    November 17th, 2008 @ 1:10 pm

    I have friends that would argue until they are blue in the face that eating out is so much cheaper than preparing it yourself!! They have no children to buy for, but they could save soooo much money preparing the meal just for the two of them themselves. It’s so frustrating because when we get together, that’s what they want to do…go out to eat! We tried to keep up with them….thus adding to our debt, but now we have put our foot down. They think we are so weird and argue that their time is valuable and by the time you add that into the price it is cheaper to eat out! Ugh! Makes you want to reach out and shake some sense into them! Lol!

12. JJJ
    November 17th, 2008 @ 2:31 pm

    …not to mention what this would be teaching the children… instant gratification, “easiness” over effort, “now” over nutrition. Oh, and what about Daddy, what is he going to eat?

13. Live.Love.Eat
    November 17th, 2008 @ 2:32 pm

    Testing testing. I tried commenting on the previous post but no can do.

    Granola recipe:
    http://lichtyfamilyblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/honey-cinnamon-granola.html

14. Live.Love.Eat
    November 17th, 2008 @ 2:34 pm

    Ok that worked. I agree with you on the KFC. They’re just grasping these days!

15. Katie @ 3 Blondes and a Redhead
    November 17th, 2008 @ 3:31 pm

    KFC’s marketing people are brilliant! That was infuriating, but admittedly genius. They figured out how to convince Americans to buy KFC’s food instead of cooking from scratch (in a horrible economy!) while convincing them they’re SAVING money?!?!

    No wonder our country is broke and overweight. People are so easily deceived. Such a shame…

16. Lawanda
    November 17th, 2008 @ 3:44 pm

    Ditto the pp!!

    That ad makes me sick, personally. KFC is SO unhealthy. And I like my chicken meals better And I figured that most of them ARE under $10 – for a family of 6, with left overs!! :b

17. Sonshine
    November 17th, 2008 @ 5:23 pm

    Amen! I do alot of meals for under $10 for my family of 7! I know I could do the meal under $10!! I might not have the same “secret” spices that is in the breading of KFC but the meal would still taste great!

    Here is my recipe: Oven Fried Chicken….
    3 lbs chicken (I usually use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but bone-in will work too!)
    1/2c. flour
    1 1/4 tsp. salt
    1/4 tsp. pepper
    1 tsp. paprika
    1/4 tsp. poultry seasoning
    margarine slices
    Combine together. Dip chicken pieces in this. Place pads of margarine on top of each piece of chicken. (This is the secret to it tasting so delicious.) Place in sprayed pan. Bake 400 for 1 hour.

18. momstheword
    November 17th, 2008 @ 5:37 pm

    I am looking forward to seeing your recipes. I too am up for some more recipes. I don’t know how to do a link in a comment section but I do have a yummy recipe under “recipes” in my blog (sorry!).

19. Lisa
    November 17th, 2008 @ 6:05 pm

    What a totally disgusting waste of $10 that meal would be. Most of the times we eat out (which is rarely) we come away feeling like we wasted the money. The food is overpriced and not near as good as a home cooked meal.

20. One Mom, Five Kids
    November 17th, 2008 @ 11:10 pm

    Ha! This commercial strikes my nerve also. I understand they are marketing their product to make you think it’s cheaper for them to make it than you make it yourself. But there is NO WAY they are fooling me – as a couponer and frugal mother of 5 – I know better.

21. Elizabeth
    November 17th, 2008 @ 11:18 pm

    We tried a new recipe tonight that was pretty tasty, healthy, and inexpensive. We’re trying to learn to eat seasonally; this recipe also fits that bill.

    Sweet Potato Quesadillas (from Simply in Season)

    1 1/2 c. onion (minced)
    2 cloves garlic (minced)

    Saute in large frypan in 1 T. oil until translucent.

    Then, add:

    2 t. dried oregano
    1 1/2 t. each dried basil, marjoram, chili powder
    1 1/2 t. ground cumin (optional)

    Cook another minute.

    Add 4 cups sweet potatoes (cooked and mashed). Heat through, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Add salt and pepper to taste.

    8 tortillas
    1 c. sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)

    Spread about 1/2 c. filling and 2T sharp cheddar cheese on half of each tortilla, leaving a 1/2 inch border on the sides. Fold tortilla in half. Place on oiled baking sheets. Brush tops with oil. Bake in preheated oven at 400F until brown, 15-20 minutes. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

    Alternatively, you can use shredded raw sweet potatoes, sauteed with the onions and garlic until soft.

    We used a food processor to shred to potatoes and chop the other ingredients which really made this recipe a snap.

22. Christine
    November 18th, 2008 @ 12:49 am

    I TOTALLY agree with you. That commercial almost makes it look like it’s impossible to make a meal under $10 so WHY BOTHER! Just come on over and clog your arteries with almost NO nutritional value whatsoever!

    Seriously though, what good is spending $10 on a meal that’s is WORTHLESS to your body?! It’s a waste of $10 if you ask me.

23. Mrs. Organic
    November 18th, 2008 @ 2:43 am

    I can’t wait for the recipes. It seems I am always looking for some new ones to try.

24. Somebody's Mimi
    November 18th, 2008 @ 10:16 am

    Girls, ladies… it’s advertising!!! We all know home cooked is healthier and cheaper. But the the Colonel has to make a living also. Most commercials are full of fabrications and twisting the truth, so just calm down AND don’t believe everything you read, see and hear.

25. Susan (5 Minutes for Mom)
    November 18th, 2008 @ 1:45 pm

    I agree that ad is terrible…

    I think what it is most upsetting is how it is lying to young people and
    teaching them to waste money on unhealthy food.

    I think fast food companies should focus their investments on creating
    healthier food options and educating young people on the benefits of
    healthy food choices that are still quick and affordable.

26. Gail
    November 22nd, 2008 @ 1:53 pm

    Ditto about this ad…. I was sooooo disturbed (more than ususal…LOL) when I saw this and pretty much everytime I see a KFC ad. Pretty much everything they serve is a starch….nothing like “fried” chicken, biscuits, mac -n_ cheese and I forgot what else is there side dishes. Unfortunately, because many kids are being fed “fast food” way too much, not playing outdoors, but conquering the world on their 360’s; we’re turning the next generation into blob kids.

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