Do A Frugal Flip And Serve Breakfast For Dinner
Is there a family out there who doesn't enjoy a little breakfast for dinner every once in a while? I think most families have done the meal flip-flop a few times. A simple plate of fried eggs and hash browns, or even a stack of pancakes for the evening meal just puts a smile on everyone's face. But, I know we can do better than that!
One way to create dinner from breakfast ingredients, while keeping the meal special, is with a breakfast casserole. The eggs provide all the protein you need, so this is not only a delicious option, but also frugal and healthy.
Even if someone in your family claims they don't like eggs for dinner, a breakfast casserole will make a believer out of them. For this discussion, we're not going to talk about serving pancakes, waffles, or even scrambled or fried eggs. Casseroles are a familiar, comforting dish for many people at dinnertime. This fact may help even a picky eater warm to the idea of breakfast for dinner.
Again, we can look at the frugal aspect of serving breakfast for dinner. Eggs are an inexpensive source of protein and other nutrients. Another frugal factor is in using leftovers. Making a breakfast casserole can be a great way to use up food that might otherwise be thrown out. That last serving of broccoli is sitting there staring at you day after day from the refrigerator. Rather than throw it out, throw it in with the eggs and you have the beginnings of a breakfast casserole.
Need more ideas? Say you had fajitas for dinner the other night and you have some strips of flank steak and peppers left. No one really wants to see fajitas more than once in a week. So, what else can you do with the leftovers so they don't end up in the trash? Toss a breakfast casserole together with the steak, peppers, some shredded carrots, chopped celery, croutons and sage, mix in the eggs and you've got a totally different dinner. You have saved yourself from tossing those leftovers and created an original meal just by adding eggs and a few carefully chosen ingredients.
Use a variety of fresh vegetables like broccoli, tomatoes, spinach, kale, zucchini, cauliflower, green beans, and sweet potatoes, to create a wide selection of breakfast casseroles. Add a layer of hash browns, whole grain bread, croutons, or even cooked rice to the casserole. Think of the flavors you like together, put them in layers in a baking dish, and bring them all together in one meal just by adding eggs.
If you are looking to cut back on how often you serve meat or poultry for dinner, a breakfast casserole may be the perfect dish. Eggs are a great replacement for meat because they are protein-rich and cheap. Adding milk and cheese to your breakfast casserole brings the calcium level up. There's no reason to eat meat seven days a week when you have eggs that will do just as well. Create filling casseroles using eggs several times a week and you could save quite a bit on your grocery budget. And, there are plenty of options for ingredients to keep the casseroles interesting.
The next time you're looking for an inexpensive, filling, healthy meal for dinner, think about turning some of those familiar breakfast foods into dinner. Eggs are an excellent solution to the problem of what to serve for dinner that's healthy and frugal. But, you don't need to fry up a few eggs for dinner. Get creative with other ingredients and create a breakfast casserole that fits right in with your family's tastes. We talk about comfort food a lot, right? Well, what's more comforting than a frugal yet nourishing casserole? It's time to think... what would you put in a breakfast casserole for dinner tonight?
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