$5.00 Meal Challenge – Taking the “Value Meal” Out of the Box

Our society has been raised on the Value Meal.  The question, “Would you like to add fries and a drink to make it a value meal” has been offered for years as the cheap solution to a “complete” meal.   When did we start accepting the $5.00 “Value Meal” into our lives?  Was it while we were zipping home after an afternoon of soccer practice, and piano lessons, tired and desperate to feed our families?  Was it on the way home from a job which didn’t pay nearly enough?  Was it with our friends in high school, turning our spending money into burgers and fries?  Or was it even earlier, in the back seat of our parents cars, as a treat for good behavior, or a job well done?  The value meal has been around for too long, and today, September 17th, Slow Food USA has challenged our society to take back the value meal and return to the value of fresh, healthy food.

I took this challenge to heart.  There are so many fresh and easy ways to turn $5.00 or less (our meal priced out to $4.63 per person) into a wholesome and nourishing meal for our families.  I was even able to use organic ingredients and still keep it under $5.00!  For the cost of a fast food burger with value added french fries and a soda, we can prepare and serve our families quality food.  Looking for more meals under $5.00?  Check out these great sites:

Food52

Eating Well

Slow Food USA Tips & Tricks & Challenges

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Out of the Box FoodSM $5.00 Fish & Chips Meal – Family Style

Serves: 4

Cost per person: $4.63

Ingredients:

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Now it’s your turn. Simply share your healthy, under $5.00 value meal for a chance to win 2 reusable grocery bags to carry out your market fresh ingredients!  Enter your meal idea in the comment field below (no need for a complete recipe unless you’d like to share!) and you’ll be entered to win.  Enter as many inexpensive meal ideas as you’d like.  Want to earn EVEN MORE entries?  Here’s how:

Please note: You must make a separate comment for every ENTRY

  • “Like” Out of the Box Food on our Facebook Page1 Entry
  • Subscribe to Out of the Box Food (form on our sidebar)– 1 Entry
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Don’t forget you must comment a separate time for every entry since each comment will be assigned a number for a chance to win.  Already “liked” us on our Facebook page or are a Subscriber?  That counts too…just let us know in the comment field.  Contest ends next Saturday September 24, 2011 at 11:59 pm PST and winner will be selected by Random.org. Winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be drawn.

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A big thanks to Slow Food USA for inspiring me to make healthy, organic meals for under $5.00.  This has been an eye-opening challenge and I plan to continue challenging myself to create delicious meals for under $5.00.  I can’t wait to see what ideas you come up with!  Until next week…

OUR GIVEAWAY IS NOW OVER – THE WINNER OF OUR REUSABLE GROCERY BAGS IS THIPPI.  CONGRATULATIONS!

 

 

 

This Post Has 7 Comments

  1. Thippi

    I’m definitely a subscriber! Love your site, you have so many good ideas.

  2. Thippi

    I already “Like” you 🙂

  3. Thippi

    I recently did a cooking demo for the $5 Challenge and showed people how to make stir fried noodles with garden vegetables and only 3 sauces and encouraged them to grow some of their own vegetables or volunteer to work in a school/community garden because many times volunteers get excess produce to make it even cheaper!

  4. Jamie Glazer

    I love all your great and creative ideas!

  5. Angela Reed

    Yummm, I think I’ll make this for dinner tonight. Tks!

  6. Trish

    Facebook

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