Stairstepping to cut costs

Stair stepping is a name I gave the concept of morphing a batch of food to cover two or more meals.
This blog is related to the last blog on Dollar Tree (DT) meals.   This cuts waste and money.   However, the concept can be used for any budget regardless of where you buy your food.   We buy our rice, flour and oatmeal in.bulk at costco.

1. Chicken stir fry :  Cook 1/2 cup raw rice .  .25; 1 package of stir fry veggies, 1 packsage of chicken -raw or canned.   2.25 (oil and soy sauce) 
2. Beans and rice :   1/2 cup rice .25, 1 cup of beans .33 ( reserve 1 cup for tomrrow._ add a can of diced tomatoes and spices..    1.83. Note:  tomatoes are cheaper at other stores.   DT has had them for 50 and they were organic. 

Nachos:   1 pkg. tortilla chips, 1 cup beans from yesterday, 1 pouch of cheese sauce, 1 pkg diced tomatoes, drained, black olives, chopped or sliced.


Total cost :   Nine dollars and you have leftover raw rice and beans.  It would be less if yu got your tomatoes on sale cheaper or if your DT still has organic tomatoes 2/1.


Senecio no. 2

1 package of pasta -extra volume if they have it.
1 package of frozen veggies:  broccoli /or mixed California blend

1 package of cheese sauce
1 can of pasta sauce

Makes :
Mac and cheese and veggies
Pasta sauce and pasta with veggies

4.00/ 2 meals

Add 1.00 for diced tomatoes and have a second rice and beans.

Total now 14.00

Pizza crust, some sauce from pasta dish, cheese, cost 2.00

Sixtee dollars total for seven meals or .57 a meal.