[Sara]

We take turns in my small church providing an after-service lunch for those who attend the service (and, anyone else who walks in). It was my turn last Sunday to provide the meal, and I wasn’t feeling well, so I did the seemingly unfrugal thing of buying two pre-cooked rotisserie chickens, with pre-made cole slaw, pre-made potato salad, and rolls.

To serve, I cut each chicken up into wings, legs, thighs, and breasts (two pieces per half breast).

I took the carcasses home, along with the leftover potato salad, cole slaw, and rolls. Since I had cut up the chickens pretty fast, there was still a good bit of meat left on the carcasses.

I have eaten it for three meals (about two more left), and now I’m boiling the bones for soup. The rolls are great for chicken sandwiches. In all, I fed about 10 people on Sunday, plus about 5 leftover meals for me (not including soup), for about $35.

Not the cheapest meal I’ve ever fed the gang at church (it’s much less per person if I am well enough to cook), but less per meal than I expected.

The chickens at Walmart were only $6 each, and they were delicious.

The cost compared favorably with the cost of delivered pizza, which was my other easy option. Does anyone else here have ideas for feeding a group of 10-12 a nice meal on short

notice, when you can’t cook, for a small amount of money?

I’m always looking for ways to feed this gang inexpensively and well.

[Sharlene]

You provided a great meal at a great price. I made a large batch of chicken salad with one along with soup with the bones and scraps. So much flavor.

Good for you!

[Kimberly]

if there is a costco, sam’s club or bj’s nearby, you can get a 2# chicken for about $5. when I was in college, they served a baked potato and you could go to the salad bar for the toppings.

so, for $1 and tax, my 6yo and I could get 1 potato and cover it in veggies and ranch dressing.

one lady was going to make me buy 2 so I told my dau that I wasn’t hungry tonight and the potato was all hers.

she then understood that I couldn’t buy 2. and insisted we add more toppings. it was our fri nite treat. so maybe something like that? not a full on salad bar, but raw brocolli and cauliflower, cut up chicken, limited cheese maybe someone serve it.

otherwise start stocking up in your freezer to supply for the next one. is there a food pantry nearby that can help out a bit? and be sure to allow dairy/milk free options as well.

violife makes good tasting alternative cheese. and if you are going to use butter/margarine, I use smart balance olive oil.

it’s a green and white container.

[Jadey]

Another idea with the chicken, pulled bbq chicken rolls, shred the chicken, add bbq sauce, put into fresh rolls with some coleslaw.

Can also use mayonnaise with shredded chicken, add some tin corn kernels and make rolls, wraps or sandwiches with some fresh lettuce.

[Susan]

I’m a big fan of chili and cornbread for crowds. Another fairly cheap and easy meal is a taco salad bar.

I brown ground meat, add a package of taco seasoning, and 2 cans of black beans per pound of meat and keep it warm in the crockpot.

Put out tortilla chips, shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, cheese, and sour cream.

[Diana]

Awesome!
Just an FYI – if you have a Gordon’s Food Service in your area, they may have rotisserie chickens for $3 every day after 4pm (the one by us does this).

Definitely worth looking into!

[Jo]

If you were sick with like a cold or virus, was it a good safe thing to be handling food that would be served to many others outside your home? If so, I believe other members could have taken on that job?

Or you could give them the$ with list of foods to buy. that way you’d not have handled the food.

If it was some other kind of illness, could you have traded weekends?

[Susie]

We need to give ourselves grace from time to time. You are more frugal most of the time, which gives you a little cushion in the “surprises” that pop up.

And even in this circumstance you stayed true to your values.

Yay for you! And bless you for your generous hospitality to strangers!

[Janet]

A large lasagna with salad and garlic bread then a dessert large enough for all or maybe 2 types pie for a choice.

Probably for about $30 for all ingredients but for 10!peoples that’s not bad.

[Grace]

Sloppy Joe, coleslaw and potato chips. I pile mine with chips and coleslaw. So good!

[Gloria]

Even though you weren’t feeling well, you still came through! That’s great! I don’t have any ideas for when you can’t cook, but I’m thinking when you CAN cook, try getting six boxes of mac and cheese and a package of lunch meat roast beef or turkey and mix it all together.

I know when I eat mac and cheese for the entire meal, I usually eat more than half the box, then freeze the rest.

Depending on the appetites of the people who attend, you’d know better than I would if six boxes would almost be enough, or plenty.

[Debbie]

We used to have the youth over after services to hang out and we made grilled cheese sandwiches.

[Emily]

When you can’t cook is the deal breaker. Serving a lunch without cooking is tough.

Could you cook some
Homemade soup earlier in the week?

[Ila]

frozen ravioli can be baked in the oven with olive oil or marinara and I have provided that as a meal for youth with frozen broccoli and store bought cookies, so easy

[Teri]

I don’t think I beat that unless I cook. Beans and cornbread are really really cheap if one is up to cooking!

I never buy the rotisserie chicken, but I think I might be missing out on something good.

Adding it to my list to try it.

[Author]

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