What We Ate This Week: Family-friendly Meals on a Budget

Hey, friends! It’s Catherine from Mom Life on a Budget here, and I’m back with another “What We Ate” post. This week of family-friendly meals on a budget was all about comfort food, hearty dinners, and family cooking! From beef and pork burgers to no-boil baked pasta, we had a variety of delicious meals that the whole family helped make.

Plus, we went apple picking over the weekend, which means we’re planning some amazing apple desserts for next week—so stay tuned! But first, here’s a recap of what we ate this week, along with some family-friendly recipes you can try at home.

Sunday: Country-Style Pork Ribs in a Soy Sauce Marinade with Rice Pilaf and Maple-Glazed Carrots

We kicked off Sunday with a flavorful fall meal. These country-style pork ribs were marinated in a soy sauce blend and paired with rice pilaf and maple-glazed carrots. The soy sauce marinade gave the ribs a deep, savory flavor, and the maple-glazed carrots added a touch of sweetness that balanced the meal perfectly.

Soy Sauce Marinade for Pork Ribs:

• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar

Instructions:

1. Mix the marinade ingredients together.
2. Coat the ribs in the marinade and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (overnight is even better).
3. Bake or grill the ribs until fully cooked and tender.

For the rice pilaf and maple-glazed carrots, I keep it simple. For the carrots, just drizzle maple syrup over roasted carrots and season with salt and pepper.

Monday: Grayson’s Beef and Pork Burgers with Parmesan Potato Wedges

Grayson took charge on Monday, making beef and pork burgers and some crispy Parmesan potato wedges. I love mixing beef and pork together for burgers—it keeps them juicy and flavorful. For added flavor Grayson folded a piece of Colby jack cheese in the center of each burger.

Beef and Pork Burger Recipe:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
• Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
• 8 Slices of cheese

Instructions:

1. Mix all the ingredients together and form into patties.
2. fold a 1/2 slice of cheese in the center of each burger (optional)
3. Cook on a grill or stove top over medium-high heat until cooked through.

For the Parmesan potato wedges, we tossed sliced potatoes in olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and Parmesan. Then, we baked them on a flat sheet lined with parchment paper at 400°F for about 30 minutes. They came out perfectly crispy and cheesy!

Tuesday: Livi’s Corned Beef with White Rice

Livi decided to keep things simple with her favorite comfort food—corned beef and white rice. This meal is super easy to throw together, and it’s always a hit with the kids. It’s a go-to when we need something quick and filling.

Corned Beef Recipe:

• 1 can of corned beef
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 1/2 yellow onion, sliced
• yellow potatoes, cut into potato wedges
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• beef broth
• small can of tomato sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a pan.
2. saute the onions, peppers and potatoes
3. Add the corned beef and sauté for 5-7 minutes, breaking it apart as it heats through.
4. Add the beef broth and tomato sauce and mix until iniformed
5. Serve with white rice.

It doesn’t get easier than that!

Wednesday: No-Boil Baked Pasta with Meatballs, Side Salad, and Crusty Bread

Wednesday was all about comfort food with minimal effort. This no-boil baked pasta with cottage cheese and meatballs is one of our favorite mid-week meals because you don’t even need to pre-cook the pasta! It all bakes together in the oven, making it easy and delicious.

No-Boil Baked Pasta Recipe:

• 1 lb pasta (penne or rigatoni works best)
• 1 jar (32 oz) marinara sauce
• 1 1/2 cups cottage cheese with chives
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1 package frozen meatballs

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a large baking dish, mix together the uncooked pasta, marinara sauce, cottage cheese, 1/2 the mozzarella cheese, and frozen meatballs.
3. Top with remaining shredded mozzarella.
4. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
5. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes to brown the cheese.

Serve with a side salad and some crusty bread for a complete meal!

Thursday: Rosemary and Thyme Chicken Thighs with Rice

Thursday was all about rosemary and thyme chicken thighs with rice. This meal is super fragrant, and the herbs give the chicken thighs so much flavor. The best part? It’s easy to prepare and pairs perfectly with simple white rice.

Rosemary and Thyme Chicken Thighs Recipe:

• 5 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Rub the chicken thighs with olive oil, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper.
3. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the skin is crispy and the chicken is fully cooked.

Friday: Takeout Night

Friday is our traditional takeout night! After a busy week, it’s nice to take a break from cooking and enjoy something from our favorite local restaurants. Whether it’s pizza, Chinese food, or burgers, it’s always a nice way to kick off the weekend.

Saturday: Hearty Grinders and Fresh Apples After Apple Picking

Saturday was a fun day because we went apple picking! When we got home, we were too tired to cook a big meal, so we kept it simple with hearty grinders and fresh apples. We filled the sandwiches with deli meats, cheese, and whatever veggies we had in the fridge. It was an easy, satisfying meal after a busy day.

Dessert: Chocolate Chip Cookies with a Twist

For dessert, Teigan got some help from Livi and Grayson to make chocolate chip cookies. But we decided to put a twist on them by adding instant cappuccino to the batter. It gave the cookies this rich, mocha flavor that paired perfectly with the chocolate chips.

Chocolate Chip Cappuccino Cookies Recipe:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp instant cappuccino mix
• 2 cups chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar.
3. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cappuccino mix.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
6. Stir in the chocolate chips.
7. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.

These cookies were a huge hit, and we’ll definitely be making them again!

Looking Ahead: Apple Desserts on the Horizon

With all the apples we picked, we’re planning to make some delicious desserts next week. On the list are apple cinnamon rolls and apple crisp, which I can’t wait to share with you in the next “What We Ate” post!

Final Thoughts:

That’s a wrap on this week’s meals! I love seeing how the kids are getting more involved in cooking, and it’s been a great way to share the load while also spending quality time together in the kitchen. I hope you found some meal inspiration here, whether it’s for a busy weeknight or a cozy Sunday dinner.

If you try any of these recipes or have your own family favorite, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below, and don’t forget to subscribe to stay updated on more meal ideas, budget tips, and family fun.

As always, thank you so much for joining me here on the blog. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps other mamas find my blog. And if you have any family-friendly meals on a budget you’d love to share, hop over to my FB group or DM me on Instagram: @MomLifeOnABudget77 and let me know—I’d love to hear from you!