This will be the first in a series of $1 dinners that I’m writing for an e-book on the subject. Many will be posted here, and of course, your submissions and ideas are welcomed! Remember, these are $1 dinners. They should be fairly balanced, but don’t need to be elaborate.
This dish is a favorite of the kids and I when it’s just us, or as a quick lunch. We usually make something more elaborate if it’s the whole family eating, but I’ve been quite sick, so tonight’s plan is a quick-and-dirty dinner.
We scrub four potatoes, and poke holes with a fork. Microwave on high power for 10 minutes.
In the meantime, heat a can of chili in the microwave or on the stove. Top baked potatoes each with 1/4 can of chili and additional toppings as desired (favorites here are guacamole, cottage cheese, mozerella, chives/green onions, carmelized onions etc.).
Cost per serving
Potatoes at $1.98 for ten lbs (yeilding 35 potatoes) = $0.05 each
Chili at $0.88 per 15 oz can = $0.22 per serving
Cottage cheese at $3.26 per 24 oz = $0.14 per ounce–we serve each spud with 1/4 cup or $0.28 of cheese. Green onions from our patio = free.
These are usually a lunch at our house, so we’re dressing them up with some corn I froze in the past few weeks. Each spud will be served with 1/2 cup of corn at $0.11 each.
Total cost per person= $0.66.

Chili Spuds For Lunch (The kids' favorite!)


