When times are truly tough, when your family is truly hungry, imagine someone telling you that the only food you could provide that day wasn't well balanced and nutritious enough. There are families living in their cars so I have better things to do than lecture on meal planning. Bless these families who are struggling. 🙏🏻

You GO Girl!!! Say it louder for the people in the back!! I would have LOVED these videos when my kiddos were young. I appreciate them NOW. Thank you!!!!❤

I love your videos. I'm retired & live on SS, which isn't much. After bills I have very little left for food. Your 5.00 meals are perfect for me. Thank you!!!!

Brooke, I know that this comment section can get heavy.. And that people can, and will be hateful. But I've commented this before and I'll say it again, you are incredible! And what you are doing for people is amazing. I hope that you get a 100 comment like this telling you what a wonderful blessing of a person you are to Every one crappy comment.

When my husband and I first got married 6 years ago we got pregnant unexpectedly right away and I couldn’t work. We couldn’t afford rent or keep our lights on. I was pregnant and sick and we barely had $40 for two weeks of groceries. This would have meant the world to me then. My grocery budget now is $200 a week (includes cleaning and household items) but it is never lost on me how far God has brought us in just a few years. Everything has a season and there were times over the summer we had $50 a week for food and that is what led me to your channel. Keep doing what you’re doing mama!

In the short term, nutrition should absolutely take a back seat to making sure people are getting the calories they need for their bodies to run. I love your positivity Brooke! Re: the onion rings, if you let them drain on a wire rack over a cookie sheet, they won't go as limp. Also consider dusting the sliced onion with a little bit of the dry pancake mix or flour before you dunk them into the batter. It'll help the batter stick a little better. If someone wants to make onion rings and doesn't have the pancake mix or flour, they could use some of the leftover bread to make breadcrumbs, dunk the cut onions in beaten egg, or milk or even mayo or salad dressing, coat them in breadcrumbs, let them sit for a bit and then fry/air fry/bake them that way.

For those that have never had a struggle meal, God bless you! But for those of us that have, ain’t nothing like hot dogs, bologna and hamburger on sandwich bread!🤣❤️👍🏾

My daughter has been on food stamps since her children were born. She works 2 jobs, one full time and a part time. Of course minimum wage went up here in Virginia in January but so did everything else!!! It’s still tough on her trying to feed 2 teenagers that eat like rabid wolves!! I live with them and I buy just as many groceries as she does with her little bit of food stamps!! I hope that everyone here is able to afford food and if not PLEASE reach out for help, apply for food stamps, go to blessing boxes, churches etc!! God bless and much love to all our sweet family here!!!!!❤❤❤❤ PS….I still love hot dogs on loaf bread PS AGAIN…Bar S wienies are my favorite!!! Cheap and great!!

I love when you put people in their place! Sally don’t care about vegetables! 😂 I watch another channel called Ardent Michelle and she does a series where she feeds herself for $1 for one day. It’s amazing what a person can do with so little! And she’s in California!! 😮 Episodes like this are so helpful and I hope you continue to make them. Just because Susan doesn’t need the info doesn’t mean that someone else doesn’t!

I think these videos are absolutely wonderful. I love that you do these. I remember times when I was in a bad situation and had only $5 for dinner. I used to always buy a box of noodles, a cheap jar of sauce, a loaf of bread, and butter. Id make quick spaghetti and garlic bread. It was always a go to when money was tight. Thank you for taking your time to come up with more recipes to help families during these tough times!

That smile on Ryder's face when he took a bite of that cheesy pasta. You don't even need words. That melts a mama's heart.

I have definitely been there about 30 years ago I would even pick up cans and sell for money to get grocery’s but God always provided and now 30 years later I can help others. Thanks for your show.

Lmao I didn't even see a hot dog or hamburger bun until I was older. Good job on the ideas Brooke!

I watch you from Ireland and absolutely love you since the very start 🥰 dont understand why people need to complain. If they dnt like it keep moving on . Keep doing what you do

Love these videos!! The reality is that food and everything is getting more expensive. Your time and effort are very much appreciated!

I grew up eating sliced fried hotdogs on white bread. Never realized it was a budget meal. I loved it. It was just normal for us. I love Marjorie. My stand mixer is named Dolly.

@Southern Frugal Momma Ms. Brooke, at one time I had 3 young children and a husband that wouldn't work to feed himself, let alone his own flesh and blood. It was a few days still before I started my new job, so, of course, almost a month before a paycheck. I was still waiting to find out if emergency food stamps would be approved (in those days it took almost 2 full months before you would hear from social services.) In the cabinet I had a large pack of plain popcorn and a bag of flour. When my children awoke, they got 2 pancakes to break their fast, all the popcorn they wanted all day long and 2 more pancakes to carry them to sleep. I didn't even have the beginning of an emergency pantry, we'd already gone through everything else that was stashed. So, yes, filling an empty tummy and winging it for another day was vital. Thank you for what you share with those in this situation (or could be in this situation one day.) It's necessary and can be life altering. Bless you and yours.

I remember years ago when I was still working and it was 2 days till payday. All I had was 3.00 and no food. I bought half dozen eggs store brand bread and a quart of milk. Got me through and I was grateful to have something. You’re wonderful and inventive. God bless❤

Wiener Wings- Brush bread slices with butter and put butter-side down on a cookie sheet. Then wrap the hot dog in cheese, put it on unbuttered side of bread diagonally. bring the empty corners together and fasten with a toothpick. Bake in a preheated oven until golden brown. These are so good because the bread gets SOOO crunchy. This was a favorite when I was in elementary school. The cafeteria served them with tomato soup.

When I was a kid in the 50s, we would slice hot dogs thin and fry them a bit with some onion, then put them on grilled white bread with catsup to make our version of Southern bologna sandwiches. A slice of plastic cheese on top was a bonus. Another cheap hot dog meal was to put a slit in hotdogs and put a sliver of cheese in the slit then grill them (natural gas was cheap then). That, along with a can of green beans and some fried potatoes, might be the whole meal. That's where a pantry of shelf stable foods would help. If you had a ten cent can of peaches, you had a desert too. I can now eat well on no more than $1 a day because I have a full pantry of inexpensive shelf-stable foods. We extend those into more healthy territory by growing scallions, celery, herbs, lettuce, and greens indoors. Dollar Tree seeds are now four for $1.25.

Hotdogs on white bread🙋🏼‍♀️. Pb&j on hotdog buns. We used what we had on hand. Thank you, Brooke, for the helpful recipes and the love you have for folks. Love the idea of using pancake mix for the onion rings.Have you ever used pancake mix for sausage gravy? So good! Didn't bring flour for my gravy when camping, but I had pancake mix. Don't use flour anymore - game changer for me😄

God bless you for sharing these ideas! Every parent needs a quick easy CHEAP meal... you never know when you'll fall on hard times. A full belly is better than hunger...especially when you have babies. ❤❤❤

Brooke I'm sure there is alot of families that really appreciates you doing this. Later today I am gonna share this video on my Facebook just in case someone may need idea's on feeding there families. You rock Brooke !! ❤

I never thought of using pancake batter for onion rings! I can't wait to try it! Like some others have said, I would have loved videos like this when I was a SAHM. It was a sacrifice to be able to stay home with my kids when they were little but I wouldn't trade it for anything! We struggled so HARD. I extreme couponed, made budget meals and made meal plans like crazy. But we made it work because it was important. But all that struggle caused me to be creative and learn how to make things work and use what I had. Now I am a Family Resource Center Coordinator for 2 elementary schools and I can use what I learned to help families in need now. I share your videos with the families I serve hoping it will help them! Thanks for what you do!

Many, many years ago I was in the same place, feeding 2 adults and 2 teenage boys on a tiny budget. Some days we had a lot of veggies and fruits and grains, other days a big bowl of pasta and frozen broccoli was what filled their tummies. These days it’s just me & hubby, and a few health conditions, and I have to balance the diet out, still on a tight budget. There are days when balance isn’t in the cards and we eat what we have❤️ Ardent Michelle is great, too, I agree with another comment. I am amazed at what she makes with so little

Sally don't care...🤣🤣🤣 I adore you, Brooke!

That is great, nothing wrong to eat like that once per week, every week and save money for more nutritious meals during the week. We always eat like this on a Sunday growing up as mom said this was her day off from cooking. My mom also said that if you eat one day per week of super budget friendly meals, then you are saving money so that the last week of the month you do not feel so broke and you still eat quality nutititious food the whole month, in this way you will have money to feed your family for the month.

Great $5 day of eating. I’m visiting my kids and grandkids in Portland, OR, for3 weeks. I’ll have to fix the grilled cheese hotdogs. Thanks for sharing my first cup of the day. Coffee always tastes better with you. Debi in Vicksburg, MS. 🥰🥰

You are right about pantry items, adding just one pantry item each time you can really adds up, oil, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, garlic powder, pepper ( other spices) as you prefer.

I remember going through some hard times in my 20s. I was on my own, no family around, and I was in between jobs. After I got the cheapest cat food and toilet paper, I had enough to buy bread, margarine, bologna, and eggs. I didn’t like bologna but figured it was meat and I needed the calories. Luckily, I got a job soon after, but you do what you have to do. I also remember having unexpected car repairs and I ate baked potatoes with cheese in a can and crackers for several days until payday. 😁

What I love about you is the love and help you give others. Thank you❤️

Im 88 yrs old you recipe are perfect . You can veggie . With a little I can make 4 days meals for 5$ .

Ryder seems like such a nice young man

oh the hot dogs in bread was sure part of our family lol dad would say buns were for fancy people lol

You GO Girl!!! Say it louder for the people in the back!! Tomato soup would also work in place of the tomato paste. Some of us don't like vegetables.

Those onion rings look really delicious! I love onion rings!

I love seeing Ryder's hair every video...lol!! Great video, will try the cheesy pasta one. 😅

I’m prepared for the hard times that are coming. Your videos are part of my planning. It’s just hubby and I and 3 of our 4 grown kids live 1500 miles away. I keep drilling into their heads to get ready. They received 72 hour emergency buckets from me last Christmas.

There's nothing better than a day spent in your pj's!

Great video Brooke! I love the $5 or cheaper meal plans but it is getting harder each day to do this. Just know that your ideas on using pantry staples in multiple ways has helped a mama feed her kids tonight. Thank you!

You could try "salchichas a la mexicana" mexican style hot dog dish, cut the hot dogs up in to coins, chop up 1 or 2 tomatoes, 1 jalapeño chile, and half an onion, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and 1 bay leaf, then cook all in a frying pan til the tomatoes soften and serve with rice, beans or tortillas, whatever is in your budget. Ps. Great video 🥰.

There is nothing worse then going to bed hungry. Thank you.

Thank you so much Brooke! I thank my lucky stars that my family isn't food insecure but I pray for those that are and I give to the local food pantry when I can. I hope they can get ideas and inspiration from your videos. I know I do!

I love you Brooke. You are so down to Earth!

I know tonight I was thankful I had canned some pork butt awhile back. I just opened up a jar, added some bbq sauce and easy lunch for my son to take to work. Those onion rings looked really good.

I love that you are so honest. You make me laugh.

Thank you sooo much for all the meal ideas. We're a family of 6 on a small income. This truly helps especially when those unexpected things pop up.

I'm so happy you put out videos like this. I know there are so many out there who are struggling, and videos like this help tremendously.

i remember making hot dog hash for my daughter and myself when she was pretty little .. just canned white potatoes diced up, diced hot dogs, fry up until crispy edges

Hey Brooke, we never know my parents were hard on money, because we may not have what we wanted, but we always had what we needed.

Angel girl, God has really blessed you with way's to show others how they can cook for themselves or families. Just block out the ones who judge you,or just let them stay. Because they might have to much pride to let others know that they need help. God bless you and your family. Have a blessed day 😇 Love you guys 😇🥰😇

Heck yes we can!! Feed the family on $5

This is a great thing you are doing, Brooke! It looks delicious as well. Have a wonderful Wednesday and be blessed always! xoxo

You could even make garlic bread with the pasta if you had a little butter (a little goes a long way) by toasting the bread, putting a little butter on it, then putting some garlic powder and onion spices on it. You might not even need butter. I have to admit, the pasta at first didn't look too appetizing when you were putting the cheese in, but when it was done, it looked delicious! It's amazing what cooking food can do, vs just having each thing plain, by itself. Thanks for another great video!

Hi brooke I love your ideas and content.i was hoping u could do emergency meals for diabetics and high cholesterol. It would help out alot Of people I love your humor and your boys are adorable

Yeeeesss! louder for the ones in the back! Thank you for your amazing videos! I’m just trying to keep food on the table and pay my bills right now. This idea helps soooo sooooo much! My kid is going to love these meals ❤❤❤😊😊😊

Brooke, I totally had basic bread for hot dog/hamburger buns growing up...thank you for all of your great cheap meal ideas. You are a true blessing!

They all looked delicious i would eat them even if i wasn't on a budget

Vegetables are where the backyard garden comes in handy. ;-) (One 4x8 bed of lettuce has given us so much lettuce this winter that we're sharing with the chickens and still eating salads daily!)

Brooke, your joy and positivity are a blessing. We have to be watchful of our grocery spending so having ideas for frugal meals helps so much. Because we use some of your ideas we can have a vegetable and/or fruit with every dinner. Grew up with white bread for every kind of sandwich.

Yeah we don’t do breakfast either lol our tummies ain’t awake yet to be eating anything, and we are fine with that.

try this five dollar dinner- couple potatoes one condensed chicken or mushroom soup and a couple chicken thighs- boil the chicken- and potatoes together- keep the liquid skin the chicken cut the potatoes mix with the chicken and soup place it in the oven bake- you get the cheapest casserole ever- of course you can add anything you like to it if you have it- you can take self rise flour and mix it with the liquid to form a dough and place some dollops like dumplings on top before baking

An old family favorite....cheesy Spaghetti. My mom made with Spaghetti, tomato sauce and amercan cheese. My kids still love it. It's a staple in all our homes. Real comfort food.

Today was a really bad day for me and I needed an easy dinner for my husband, mother and myself so I made the pasta. I made it using chili ready tomatoes though. Then i made your Super Bowl puff pastry wrapped kalbosie with cheese in it. I left them long though. My husband and mother loved the meal. Thank you for sharing the idea.

When I lived alone for many years I would make a big pot of navy beans with bacon or deli ham, and eat it for days. When eggs were cheap I would make scrambled eggs with plastic cheese. I grew leaf lettuce in my flower bed, and would make a salad and add budding turkey, an apple. I made oil and vinegar dressing. A pot of chili is versatile. You can change it up with potatoes, rice, or pasta.

if you slice the hotdogs on a diagonal you can cover more bread also cutting the cheese into strips you can cover more of your bread. just fill out the meal for bigger eaters or more people.

Our "stretch things until pay day" meal was 2 boxes of mac and cheese, 1 can of tomato paste and 1 pound of hotdogs cut into thin rounds. Cook the macaroni like the package says (optional add cheese packs) Brown up the hotdog pieces before adding to the mac & cheese and tomato paste. Season with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning to taste. Put in casserole dish and cook in the oven for 20-30 minutes. With today's prices at Walmart, $1.00 for 2 boxes of mac & cheese, Bar S hotdogs $ 1.12, tomato paste .76 cent. = 2.88 before taxes.

Cheyenne pepper is super tasty in onion ring batter ! It’s a total game changer.

I would totally buy Marjorie to help me in my kitchen too, but to bad I’m afraid to use insta pot lol it’s a little Intimidated

Marjorie? Love it!!!🤎 I have a stand mixer named Selma. 😆

we also had white sauce with peas in it over toast growing up

Love this Chanel!! Have you ever tried cracker casserole? One time low on groceries I threw together this side dish. One egg, one can cream corn, third to half package of stoned wheat thin crackers (can use saltines), and cheddar cheese. Mix and bake for 35: min. Add peas and corn in it it spinach if you have any. Blessings to you and your delightful family!!! You make me smile and laugh as you give great ideas

Brooke when I was younger we had no food a time or two. I can remember not eating for 2 days and my mom took me and my younger brother to a small dinner we had to stay out side and wait for her to come back out. When she did she had one grilled cheese sandwich in her hand that was cut in half and she gave half to me and half to my little brother. I don’t know if you noticed but she didn’t have anything for herself. Anyway on with the story we proceeded to eat them as fast as we could without thinking twice. Well needless to say with no food in my stomach and quickly eating the cheese and the buttery bread I proceeded to throw it all back up shortly after that. I had great guilt for getting sick and throwing up my food knowing that my mother didn’t even eat that’s a burden no child should have to bear. I am now 57 years old and someone of a food hoarder my husband tells me I would feed the world if I could find a way. I myself would just like to thank you for doing these videos for all those mothers and all those children that you are saving from having that same memory. Keep being you you’re doing a lot of good even if you’re not told that enough. And thank your husband for his service.

@Brooke I smiled when you said you were not leaving the house (the day you filmed this)…imho that’s a good day! 💕 I appreciate the way you discuss food insecurity because I know you gotta be helping folks.

Well you made me hungry lol. I still prefer my hotdogs on loaf bread 😂😂😂😂

I love all your videos and I'm so grateful for you and your heart to help others. -- Brandon's wife

Those onion rings looked delicious! I would eat those anytime! Thank you for another wonderful video! May God continue to bless you and your family ❤️

My husb and I have recently visited the food bank. We are seniors on a fixed budget and in our state the gas is higher than in California and rising! Thank God our Governor is retiring. I love your videos and have been binge watching. Thank you for sharing!

I definitely want to try making onion rings now. I think I would slice up the hot dogs into "coins" to make the grilled cheese sandwiches so they would lay flatter while cooking.

I ❤ love your five dollar meal plan videos! You are so creative!!!

This kind of content is so helpful, I love when you do them. We don’t have food insecurity but I love the creativity and love to save a buck or 2 with 5 grandkids .all the money I save on food helps us to get the Kidos the things they need. We are retired so on a fixed income and we watch 3 out of the 5 every week. And all 5 when school is out. ❤

I just love you💗 Thank you for being a voice of reason in these crazy times.

man this meal plan looks BOMBBBBBBBB. I'm so hungry right now...not because of food insecurity but I'm sick and lost my sense of taste and smell 😭can't wait to not be sick so I can try this out and actually get to taste ittt!!!!!! You're the best Brooke!!

You are SO AWESOME! i Just stumbled across you a couple days ago and have been binge watching! You're so positive, but you're still realistic about how the world looks to so many in the world of skyrocketing food prices. I used to be broke all the time, and now i stockpile, because i just know that someone, somewhere out here in the sticks of southern Idaho, might need help. You hold your head up high and carry on, with or without vegetables!!!! GOOOOO GIRL!!!!! :)

Good job Brook you inspire me everytime I watch

Yes, I am very worried because the extra food benefits due to the pandemic that we have been receiving are being taken away in March. I have been extremely thankful for these benefits, and not having the benefits is going to be very difficult. Your videos are/will be a Godsend. I need to use my instant pot more! I think I under season my dishes too. But I picked up the bouillon powder like you recommended!

I'd do two cheap boxes of mac and cheese (about $1) for one meal (probably lunch). For supper/dinner, I'd probably get clearance bread for $1, a $2 bag of salad, and a $1 pack of hot dogs or bologna....could do fried bologna sandwiches or hot dogs and have a salad. I'd take a little vinegar and oil and seasonings from my cabinet and make a salad dressing.

When I was in college I did the plastic cheesy pasta but used ketchup instead of tomato paste. I love it still!!! Thanks for being real Brooke! ❤️

If you add a bit of cornstarch to your flour/pancake mix etc it makes for a crunchier texture … those onions rings look incredible… I LOVE onion rings!!

You're so dang cute. I would probably starve before I ate a hot dog but I am certainly going to make those sandwiches with some smoke sausage! Oh, and the onion rings. I usually use half flour and half cornstarch and beer, the cornstarch makes them extra crunchy and the stay that way longer but like your way also. Thankfully we are not ever short on food here but that is mostly because I am a very frugal shopper already.

What an excellent video! I would eat this even if I had no food worries. Brooke, don’t bother explaining. If people don’t get what you are trying to show then they never will. Or they just love to judge others

One of mine and my daughters favourite things to eat is plain old cheesy pasta,we are lucky enough to be food secure but its something we have eaten since my daughter was a baby (1yr) and shes now 42 and STILL loves it,its quick,simple and on days you just dont know what to eat it does the trick,filling and tasty what could be better

Love how you are so start forward cause life is hard

I really like your creativity . Everything looks so good. And I like that its cheap yet filling

I haven’t had success cooking pasta in my instant pot - but am inspired to try again after watching this video!! Thanks Brooke! 😀

I saw if you put a damp paper towel on your cutting board while cutting onions you won't cry. Worth a try.

I’ve made hillbilly bread instead of biscuits with gravy just from bacon/sausage grease. Hillbilly bread is just flour & water fried in a cast iron skillet in oil. One of my favorite meals as a kid & my kids also loved is, diced fried Baloney, onions & potatoes.

Loving these videos and looked pretty with your wet hair love how it's real life !!

Pasta salad with oil/vinegar dressing and Tuna is yum too

Love the $5 meal plan