Frugal Ground Beef Recipes To Help Stretch Your Budget
by Tracy Shaw
Discover budget-friendly and nutritious meal prep tips with Vidalia onions. Learn why these sweet onions are a pantry staple, packed with health benefits, and perfect for stretching ground beef meals further. Find delicious recipes like kid-friendly empanadas, taco-stuffed peppers, and more. The 2024 Back To School Campaign has raised $12,000 for the Foundation For Fresh Produce to support children’s accessibility to fresh fruits and vegetables thanks to our amazing partners, like Shuman Farms.
If you’ve been to the grocery store at all lately, you have noticed that the price of everything has gone up. Especially proteins! So, I have been doing something that I haven’t done since the kids were little. I am making freezer meals. When lean ground beef is on sale, I buy it in bulk (around 8-10 lbs) and I spend a few hours in the kitchen making a bunch of meals. I am adding onions and other veggies to all of them to really stretch out the beef (and to help save on my budget while adding nutrients to our meals).
Why onions? Well, I love them! And there’s a bunch of reasons why 🙂
Here’s why we love Vidalia onions
- Onions are a flavorful, delicious, and simple way to add a rich depth of flavor to your meals no matter what you might be cooking.
- Vidalia onions are a pantry staple that can be found in most household kitchens all of the time and the opportunities to use them are practically endless!
- Onions are inexpensive and easily accessible since you can find them at every grocery store and produce stand.
- They are an excellent way to add volume (and vegetables) to your meals so that you can stretch your meat a little bit further.
If you are new to the idea of meal prepping your dinners for the week, one simple way to ease into it is to wash and prep your vegetables like onions and bell peppers for the meals you plan to make throughout the week. You can also brown a large quantity of ground beef and add in those onions and veggies then divide it into dinners all week long. When cooking ground beef I basically add Vidalia onions and either jalapenos (we like it spicy!) or mini sweet peppers to the pan every single time.
Health Benefits of Onions
You probably haven’t taken a lot of time to consider the health benefits of onions, but besides adding a vegetable component to your meals they are actually quite good for you. Onions contain vitamin C, which gives your immune system a boost, and antioxidants including quercetin, which help to reduce inflammation and protect your cells from damage. They also contain fiber, which is necessary for your digestive health. Onions are low in calories and high in flavor and have been found to improve heart health.
Vidalia onions are a favorite of Chef Julie Lopez, a registered dietitian. Julie says they are not only sweet and delicious but also packed with nutritional benefits. They are low in calories and rich in antioxidants, such as quercetin, which can help reduce inflammation and support heart health. Additionally, Vidalia onions provide a good source of vitamin C, aiding in immune function and skin health. Including these onions in your diet can add flavor while boosting your overall nutrition.
Onion-infused ground beef dishes always tend to be family favorites because they are flavorful and comforting. It’s safe to say that if you have onions and ground beef on hand you’ve got what you need to make a tasty dinner. Need some new onion and beef recipes? No, problem, we’ve got you covered, and here are some we think your family might enjoy!
Kid-friendly Lunch Box Empanadas
Looking for a tasty lunch that the kids will get excited about? Then try these lunch box friendly empanadas! Ground beef, onions, bell peppers, and carrots are all stuffed inside of a delicious whole wheat pizza dough with mozzarella cheese. These empanadas work well for lunchtime meal prep because you can make them on Sunday and serve them all week long!
Taco Stuffed Peppers
The whole family, kids included will be excited when they find out you are having taco-stuffed peppers for dinner! It’s a simple, delicious meal that happens to be a delicious way to sneak in some extra veggies! Simply saute the onions and brown your ground beef, and then add some taco seasoning, tomato sauce, green chilies, and black beans. Stuff this mixture inside of your bell peppers, bake, top with cheese, bake until it melts, and then serve!
Shepherd’s Pie
Shepherd’s Pie is a comfort food classic that is perfect for serving all year long. It’s an excellent dinner choice to get everyone excited to come to the table during the first few busy days of heading back to school. Ground beef or turkey, carrots, potatoes, onions, and corn all come together in a savory sauce with Worcestershire that everyone will love!
Easy Taco Soup
This easy taco soup is a delicious dinner that you can have on the table in just about 30 minutes! Leftovers make great lunches too if you are lucky enough to have some! All you need to make it is ground beef, canned veggies, seasonings and Vidalia onion. Feel free to add some sour cream and cheese for toppings.
Simple Beef Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
This dinner is prepped in just about ten minutes (mom win!), but it does take about an hour to cook. It’s a delicious veggie and ground beef dinner that’s packed with nutrition and flavor that the whole family will love. To make this simple beef stuffed spaghetti squash you will need spaghetti squash, ground beef, onions, bell peppers, canned tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and shredded mozzarella cheese.
Next time you head to the grocery store don’t forget the onions! They are a nutritious and flavorful way to fill out and round out your meals. There are practically no dishes that can’t be made better with the addition of sweet, delicious Vidalia onions.
What’s your favorite way to use onions in recipes?
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