Feeding a Family, and a huge one at that!

[WEFA_in_Me]

I need help with recipes to feed many people! On a frequent basis cheaply!

Here is the situation

I moved in with my boyfriend and his parents a few months ago. His oldest brother and his girlfriend were living here, moved out, then moved back in because they are expecting a baby in december and they can't save money. Also, his mean brother (no other good description, but he can be really mean and rude) is living here as he procrastinated and didnt get his college stuff in on time to return in the fall.

That makes our human family: 2 Parents, 3 Sons, 2 Girlfriends. (and a baby on the way, but wont worry about that too much) for 7 people to feed.

My boyfriend is in a wheel chair (born with Osteogenisis Imperfecta), the mean brother is too lazy to get off the computer, The other couple work at Mc D's and BK. Father lost his job and Mom has always been a stay at home, though she is now looking for work. I work two jobs.

I have been asked to contribute to the family more. It has been elected that what ever days me and Brittany have off, we get to cook on those nights. (or if I get off early enough from work, whichever way I can make dinner at least 2 times) And I have to pay for my own groceries.

They are picky! My boyfriend hates vegetables and onions especially, and Mean brother wont eat vegetables, most pork, most fish, most potato dishes, no casseroles, no garlic... the list goes on and on.:banghead::banghead::banghead:

What would you make in this situation?

I ordered and paid for pizza once, made tater-tot hotdish (and mom made mac and cheese for mean brother), pork chops and potatoes (got a frozen pizza), and tonight I am trying to make tomato soup (to my boyfriend's disgust) and baked sandwiches. I bought sliced ham, turkey and chicken trying to appease.:hair:

Running out of Ideas and need help please! Thanks much!

 

[addictedtochins]

Here is a link to Simple and Delicious, enter a keyword in the recipe search for some ideas. Look around the whole site, they have lots of magazines and a great online site.
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Simple---Delicious-Magazine

 

[Riven]

Why feed the whole family? Looks like you have a whole house full of adults, with only one or two responsible ones, 7 people... 7 days, shouldn't everyone be cooking one day?

Make it easy on yourself and suggest everyone not only buy their own groceries, but make their own meals, or set down and have everyone make a list of what they'll eat.

In my house, if you don't like what I cook, you don't eat! If I don't like what my husband cooks, I don't eat...

Other than that, roasts and chicken...

 

[Spoof]

If they have a crock pot, that is also a good way to go, look up crock pot recipes. Lan63 on here has some awesome ones.

One of the cheapest meals+2 you can have is chicken or turkey. Buy a whole one (or two), eat it for dinner, save all of the bones and everything off of people's plates. Stick it in the fridge. When it is your next night to cook through all of that in a pot, simmer it for 3-4 hours (you can ignore it), get some veggies - onion, celery, carrots and noodles (use onion/garlic and celery salt if they hate them that much). All cheap stuff, throw the veggies in a half hour before you start the noodles, and *poof* insta cheap chicken noodle soup. If it tastes kinda 'blah' add more salt.

If someone disagrees with an ingredient, have them make their own - beggars can't be choosers, especially if you're buying!

In my house, if you don't like what I cook, you don't eat! If I don't like what my husband cooks, I don't eat...

Exactly!!

 

[Chinmama]

I agree. You need to sit down as a family and set a grocery budget and plan a weekly menu. Plan out who is cooking on what night, and what you will be making. Post it on the fridge or somewhere where everyone can see it so no one is having to do any last minute cooking for someone too picky to eat. They'll know a week in advance what they will have for supper and can make other plans if they want.

 

[Laurie]

Breakfast for dinner is your best friend. Scrambled eggs with spinach, cheese and mushrooms, omelets, pancakes--french toast. Add some fried potatoes with onions and some fruit and it's a good dinner for less!

 

[WEFA_in_Me]

Thank you for the ideas and the site!

I agree with you guys completely. Especially you Riven. I grew up with the "dont like it dont eat it" way. But the boys are spoiled, and have always had home cooked meals from "mommy", who if she knew they didnt like something she would leave it out or make something special for them. When I made tacos I had to have two things of meat, because they don't like the taco spices. (oh and in case any were wondering, Mr. Mean was mad because I didn't have roast beef.:tantrum: Then proceeded to get up into my face because he wanted to have two meats on a sandwich and I said he could make his own when I was done making everyone else's, but he didn't want to wait. In the end there was not enough to go around, and I didn't eat from my own choice. Ces't la vie I guess)

The way the agreement works, is mom makes 3, the other girlfriend makes two, I make two. Its to try to help with expenses and on mom's cooking. And as they say, "the girls need to learn how to cook for when they move out".

I know my boyfriend would love to help cook, but he can't reach the stove, so we are getting a modded apartment, hopefully with in 6 months, if not within the year. We were supposed to have it by december(what I wanted) or Feburary till his wheel chair went caput.

Boy oh boy I can't wait...:thumbsup:

 

[arf2184]

Wow...if these were kids, I could kind of understand, but you live with adults, at least three of them without a job and home a lot if I read that right. You gotta be nice to mom and dad because its their house and they don't have to let you live there, but the others you don't owe anything. I'd just make what I want (enough for everyone) and say that's that. They don't eat it, well you'll have left overs for the next day.

At my house, if you don't like what's cooking, you don't eat or you make your own dinner. Most of the time we have 2-4 items to choose from (meat, veg, bread or potato, pasta, etc) and everyone just grabs what they want and leaves what they don't. No biggie.

As far cheap meals for a lot of people, when my sister and her family visit there's 8 of us (6 adults, 2 kids). If we go visit them, my brother in laws family comes over a lot (old family friends) bringing us up to 13 people. 'Build your own burritos' are always a hit. Cook up some rice, beans, and chicken. Cut up some onion, tomatoes, avacados, olives, or whatever you have. Grate some cheese. Heat up the tortillas. Pull out the salsa and sour cream, and everyone grabs a tortilla (or two or three) and puts whatever they want on it. Simple, easy, affordable, and makes great left overs too.

There's also stir fry (rice, veggies, chicken with a little oil and seasoning).

Crock pot cooking is great, as said.

 

[beanjelly]

High Ridge? We're neighbors! I'm in Eureka!

You've got lots of great suggestions, so I don't have any recipes in mind that haven't already been mentioned. But have you heard of Angel Food Ministries? It's a cheap way to get lots of food. I've never personally used them, but have heard from many people that's it pretty awesome. Check it out! http://www.angelfoodministries.com/

 

[Essentia]

Breakfast for dinner is your best friend. Scrambled eggs with spinach, cheese and mushrooms, omelets, pancakes--french toast. Add some fried potatoes with onions and some fruit and it's a good dinner for less!

I do this all the time. Yumm...yumm...yumm! I also just made spaghetti tonight with an already made sauce that I just added stuff to and it was amazing. And cheap!

 

[Riven]

Tell Brother Mean next time he knows where the cereal is....

I agree, you don't owe the others, I understand helping take over responsiblities, but everyone should be pulling their own! Unless "mom" is washing your clothes and everything, you guys moving in should've have changed much except more hot water, more electricity, and more space being used!

I'm surprised that their house is not modified if he grew up there. Where I come from, men cook to!

I hope I don't sound like a big bully. I've been there, we lived with my exes mom for almost a year... had a big bed room and basically lived in there. Cleaned the upstairs bathroom, and the kitchen, and we bought our own groceries and cooked our own meals. Everyone just labeled their stuff, if it wasn't labeled as yours you didn't eat it! We all split "basic" stuff like eggs, milk, etc.