I like to think I grew out of that pickiness…

Anyway now I make grown up mac n cheese that doesn’t come from a box! Here’s my problem with most recipes; you bake the macaroni and the cheese sauce loses the creaminess. BUT I like the crunchy breadcrumb top. So I set out to fix this problem, and fix it I did.

Solving difficult problems one taste test at a time.

Here’s my super simple recipe for creamy macaroni and cheese. Don’t be intimidated by making the cheese sauce from scratch, it doesn’t take long and it’s really not that hard, pinky promise.

Also this recipe is super cheap: $0.93 per person!! This leaves lots of room for mix-ins or spices!

See my other Budget Bites recipes!

Ingredients & Cost

Serves 4. This recipe can be doubled, or halved! We make the half version all the time.

1 ½ tablespoons flour $0.01
1 ½ tablespoons butter or margarine $0.42 (butter) $0.13 (margarine)
1 ¼ cup cream $1.41
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese $1.28
1 ½ – 2 cups elbow macaroni $0.55
¼ cup breadcrumbs (we like panko) $0.33
Salt & pepper to taste $0.01
TOTAL: $3.72 = $0.93 per person

Optional: mix-ins like jalapeno pepper diced, caramelized onions, shredded chicken, sriracha, basically anything you want!

Saving money on groceries is our goal right now! Here are some tips for saving money on groceries without coupons!

[mv_create title=”Creamy Mac ‘n’ Cheese” type=”recipe” thumbnail=”https://willsavefortravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/mac_n_cheese.jpg” key=”16″]

Final Thoughts

If you haven’t learned by now, I love pasta! Homemade Mac n Cheese has been a staple at our house for as long as I’ve been an adult. It’s quick, easy, and versatile. Hope you love it as much as we do!

We love this recipe for tomato & spinach tortellini! It’s quick, comforting and everyone likes it! This recipe is an amazing weeknight meal, especially if you have tortellini in the freezer because you can whip it up in less than 20 minutes.

We always buy the cheese tortellini at Costco, but you can use any kind of tortellini or pasta you want – we’ve even made this recipe with penne noodles in a pinch!

This tomato and spinach tortellini recipe is vegetarian, but you can add cooked ground meat, crumbled sausage or shredded chicken if you want to up the protein.

Check out our other Budget Bites Recipes!

Ingredients & Cost

Serves 4

1 x 250g package of tortellini $2.50
1 cup cream $1.13
2 tablespoons flour $0.01
1 tablespoon olive oil $0.04
3 cloves of garlic, minced $0.12
1 can diced tomatoes $1.49
3 cups of spinach $1.87
¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese $0.43
2 teaspoons dried basil $0.02
1 teaspoon dried oregano $0.07
½ teaspoon thyme $0.02
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) $0.02 

TOTAL: $7.72 = 1.93 per person

See how we save money on groceries (without coupons)

[mv_create title=”Easy Tomato & Spinach Tortellini” type=”recipe” thumbnail=”https://willsavefortravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/tomato_spinach_tortellini.jpg” key=”13″]

Final Thoughts

Who doesn’t love a comforting pasta dish? We make tomato & spinach tortellini when we are short on time in the evenings, but it also makes a great lunch! If you make it, let me know what you think!

I love pasta and cheese, seriously; cheese might be my love language. What I love about this spinach and ricotta stuffed shells recipe is that it is super versatile! We love it with tomato sauce, but you could easily use jarred or homemade alfredo sauce as the base instead.

If you’d like some extra protein, you can always add some shredded chicken breast or diced and sauteed italian sausage to the ricotta cheese mixture. Possibilities are endless!

You can also make this in advance and put it in the fridge until you are bake it. Meaning you can meal prep in the morning or evening before, then you’ll have dinner ready in 20-30 minutes!

See More Budget Friendly Recipes

Ingredients  & Cost

As always, we focus on budget friendly recipes here at Will Save For Travel, and this one comes out at $2.37 per person.

Serves 4

20 jumbo shells $1.62
10 oz frozen spinach or handfuls of fresh* $1.87
1 ½ cups ricotta cheese $2.61
1 tablespoon oil $0.04
1 small onion, diced $0.30
2 cloves garlic $0.08
2 cups crushed tomatoes or pasta sauce $1.49
1 teaspoon oregano $0.07
1 teaspoon thyme $0.04
1 teaspoon rosemary $0.02
1 ½ – 2 cups mozzarella cheese $1.33
TOTAL: $9.47 = $2.37per person

*Note: I usually use fresh spinach, but I don’t measure! I just add a couple of handfuls to the pan and wilt it down. You can use as much or as little as you want. For simplicity, the price is for 10oz of frozen spinach.

Read More: How We Save Money On Groceries Without Coupons

[mv_create title=”Spinach & Ricotta Stuffed Shells” type=”recipe” thumbnail=”https://willsavefortravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/ricotta_shells_baked.jpg” key=”9″]

Final Thoughts

Let us know if you make this recipe! I would love to know what you add to it to make it perfect for you and your family.