Because of our fun adventure of the $30/week challenge, we have been exploring quite a few new dinner options. So I thought I’d share some of the things I’ve done lately, starting with the freezer burritos that I talked about making some for so long. I finally made them! But I have to be honest, I found this recipe over on MoneySavingMom.com (Thanks!!). So don’t give me the credit if you try them and like them.
I began by making my own enchilada sauce (Aldi didn’t have any, and it ended up being a cheaper option anyways). I was almost out of chili powder, so I used red pepper instead. I think they turned out a little spicier than I prefer, but Ansen thought they were great.
Then I made the filling:
Then I set up a filling and wrapping station:
After wrapping them in paper towels and wax paper (rather than aluminum foil because then they can go straight in the microwave), I bagged them up and put them in the freezer!
I made 10 burritos. The total cost was $5.41, which makes them $.54 each. If you buy the El Monterey frozen burritos, I think they’re $3.89 (I’ll have to check this next time I’m there), for 8. That makes them $.48 each… which means that buying them is going to be cheaper. Bummer. Maybe if I made twice as many, but use less filling? I might try again and see if we can get the price down.
Has anyone else had a similar experience? I’d love to hear if you tried and totaled it up only to find it’s more expensive. Or maybe it’s worth it to you because you like them better, or enjoy doing it, even if it’s more expensive. Or if you’ve had success with something like this? Are there things you make because they’re cheaper than buying? Let me know! I’m looking for more ways to cut the budget.
Love this! I’ll have to try making some freezer burritos. Sounds like such a quick, easy lunch. We’ve definitely found that making our own pizza is not at all cheaper than buying it. Between the ingredients for the dough and all the fun toppings we like, it can add up quick. But it’s probably much healthier, and more fun, and (I think) tastier. We still can’t decide if the trade-off is worth it, but we rarely make our own, so I think we can splurge once in a while. :)