Less Than $30 Can Feed A HUGE Crowd || Budget Friendly Large Family Meal Ideas

[@SouthernFrugalMomma]

8 quarts of chili is a lot of chili.. the way I stretch that chili is with all of the toppings I show you in this video. Actually, I think I should say the chili is the topping in this scenario. 8 quarts of $12.58 chili as a topping for Fritos, tater wedges, hotdogs, etc… can feed a crowd so easily. I’m not talking about giving each person a huge bowl of just chili. The point of this video was to show you how to stretch that chili. I promise this works! I do this almost every Christmas!

[@beckystone7994]

@@SouthernFrugalMomma I’m sorry Brooke I wasn’t trying to imply you couldn’t feed a crowd with all you made and the chili , you had a lot of stuff to serve with the chili I was just saying some boiled spaghetti could be another option also ! You’re a whiz at saving money snd making food stretch ! I admire you so much and appreciate that you share your tips and tricks with us !! I’m sorry if I offended you I truly didn’t mean to !! God bless ❤️🙏🙋🏻🌈🌈

[@janetgrigoratos9318]

I always buy those turkey tubes and sub in a half pound in with a pound of ground beef to stretch things. Then my fam can really not tell its got the turkey....My husband gets super disgusted at the turkey texture....so that's why

[@KathyWaldner]

@@beckystone7994 I love chili with spaghetti or macaroni (chili-mac) with cheese! It's so good and filling!

[@crazychick]

I used to eat the chili cheese hotdog without the hotdog 😮😂

[@KathyWaldner]

@SouthernFrugalMomma you making chili for a lot of people reminds me of the times when the church I went to in my younger years, the women's group or the youth group would have a chili feed after church services to raise money. They had what some people called "Community Chili", what they did is that the women's group would each make a pot of chili, bring it to the church, and dump it in one big pot and mix it all together and served it. I'm tellin ya, that made some pretty gosh darn good chili!

[@samanthadodd8112]

My momma is so smart. My sister and I both have a winter birthday. Momma would pick a day in the summer and have both our birthday party at once. She let's us invite 3 friends each. She would make daddy cook hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill. She made homemade cupcakes. We had to stay outside. We had a 4 ft pool, and we played in it all day. My dad had an old shed he made into our "play house," and all 8 of us girls would camp out with our sleeping bags in the play house. She would make sauage and biscuits for breakfast. I also come from the generation - u eat what was put in front of u or u didn't eat. No one complained or was allergic to anything - 80s kids.

[@vickiethompson9245]

60s kids too. Those were the days!

[@taylersangiorgio281]

Kids still had allergies back then. 😂

[@kimberlysmith475]

70s kids too!

[@deenie57]

summer birthdays are the best! 🎉

[@jomomma1512]

Your “Pitiful looking pan” is amazing!! How many meals have you fed your family with that “Pitiful Pan”? All of us real folks, also have a pitiful pan! And we all love you!!!

[@donnalynn6348]

I did not know you could get frozen sofrito. Being disabled, it is hard to do a lot of chopping. This will be a God-send.

[@kandycechesser4246]

Chili on baked potatoes is another idea ❤

[@amandarusson547]

CHILI ON RICE! so yum.. i even put it on salad. 😊

[@lindaholliday4536]

My Mother made rice with our chili because it would go much further over rice.

[@SouthernFrugalMomma]

I love rice in chili!

[@Toniboswell-og2lb]

I love watching your young son he is so silly when it comes to taste testing your food😆🥰👍🤜🤛

[@LaurieR2255]

I get a lot of mileage for a crowd out of: a pork butt in the crockpot with rolls...Mac Salad... A watermelon, and a dozen or more ears of corn, broken in. 3's. I think I could do it for around $30 with pantry items and finding a sale on the pork butt.

[@singing3495]

I generally buy dry beans instead of beans in a can. I think they taste better when you cook from dried - my adult daughter says I am a “bean snob”! Because I use my instant pot it’s easy to cook them, plus they cost less. One pound of dry kidney beans at my WalMart is $1.92. That cooks up to equal about 4 cans of beans, 86 cents each, or $3.44. Its not a huge saving, but every little bit helps!

[@christinatareski8882]

I like the potato wedge idea. I usually do some baked potatoes. Such a great frugal idea. Another option is mac n cheese for people to make chilimac.

[@deborahmckinney3414]

Brooke my husband had a heart attack and they said no more red meat I have been using ground turkey for many year...my husband passed from smoking but he loved the turkey and never missed hamburger

[@dawnmichelle1508]

My family likes to make what we call favorite supper or poor Man's filet mignon😂 we dice up onions and potatoes into chunks and season them in a casserole dish, we take ground turkey or ground beef and make seasoned patties and then we wrap bacon around them and secure it with a toothpick. We bake it in the oven covered with foil at about 400° for anywhere from 35 to 45 minutes.... It is so good and you can flavor it as you desire

[@pamh.5705]

Aside from the great party stretch with chili, I just want to say that I Love your Beautiful Silver hair!!!! If I were you, I wouldn't bother coloring my hair anymore! I'm 10 days from my 71st birthday & my hair is still white mixed with faded brown....downright mousy looking! I'd love to have that gorgeous silver!!! Work it!!!

[@kentuckygirl8282]

I like to refer to the silver as "wisdom highlights" because the older one gets, the wiser. 😁

[@ShortyzWingz]

Hey Brooke!! I have a little secret for you…. When your meat is browned up, dump your seasoning packet in it, give the meat a stir and let those seasonings open up for3-5 minutes before you start adding the other stuff. Do it with your taco meat too. Lemme know what you think 😉🤗

[@SouthernFrugalMomma]

Thanks for the tip!

[@dianeziembicki2918]

That’s basically how I make chili. I’d never be able to feed 40 people with that amount. That amount fed 11 of us without any left overs the last time I made chili! And you can add some beef bullion powder to the ground turkey to make it taste like ground beef.

[@erindixon2877]

The only thing I would add is some salad so someone could have taco salad. It’s basically a chili bar set up. For my kids high school graduations I did a taco bar with homemade enchiladas and taco fixings so that people could choose how they wanted their meal. It was a big hit both times.

[@rangerannie5636]

I can absolutely tell the difference between ground beef and ground turkey! BUT, if you mix them up together (and I add a little beef bouillon for extra flavor) the combination tastes amazingly like ground beef. 🌮 🌯 Sacramento, California USA 🇺🇸

[@beckystone7994]

Brooke your right you can stretch a big pot of Chili several different ways !! If you boiled up 1-2 pounds of spaghetti the chili woukd even go further topping the spaghetti with chili !! I used to do that I’d make a pot of chili one night then boil spaghetti the next night and then cook hotdogs the 3rd night , so I’d get 3 family meals out of 1 pot of chili !! I make my own taco sauce also by using a 14 Oz can of tomato sauce and 1 envelope of taco seasoning then ad 1/4-1/2 cup of water to thin it out ( start with 1/4 cup and go from there to your desired thickness ) put all ingredients in a glass jar with lid and mix well ! Store in fridge and shake between uses to mix again , stores well for at least 2 weeks in fridge , also can be frozen ( if you want to make less just use a 8oz can of sauce snd 1/2 a envelope of taco seasonings and 1/8-1/4 cup water to your desired thickness )! It taste better than any store bought taco sauce and is great on tacos, taco salad, hamburgers, hotdogs , as a veggie dip (mix in a little sour cream with a little of the sauce - 1/4 sauce to 3/4 sour cream and can add in or sprinkle on some grated cheese if desired) great on pasta, and as a pizza sauce so it very versatile !! Thanks Brooke !! ❤️🙏🙋🏻🌈🌈

[@valeriehobart9491]

Yes I do spaghetti first, then make leftovers into chili with cornbread, then chili Mac or chili dogs! One of the easiest weeks to cook for

[@ChrisAlred-mn5if]

Great idea.😊

[@theresarogerssimpson1280]

Correct but my family pasta doesn't belong in chili

[@donnalynn6348]

Ground turkey is good for dishes with other flavorful ingredients. But for a burger, gotta be ground beef.

[@EgoBrain1]

I just made chili yesterday and I'm making chili dogs today. Adding spaghetti is genius. Sounds delicious.

[@TMCEH]

Gotta bake up a huge tray of cornbread to go with that chili!

[@IdaRose-ce5bj]

White rice is also good with chili

[@kelliesabie]

Great job for feeding a crowd! Another great way we do is to make up a pot of elbow noodles to stretch the chili!

[@ashleyramirez4819]

That’s what we do too

[@angelarothbauer8096]

Brayden’s reactions 😂 he’s a foodie

[@donnawheeler6283]

He's got some great reactions to his food. Makes momma super happy to make those boys happy. All four of them! 😉

[@pamelabalboa5174]

Chilli beans also go good this white rice , baked potato halves (to stretch it) and good old cornbread.

[@kalan.4656]

I think is funny that people always say different things taste like chicken. But who would have thought turkey taste like beef. 😂

[@rachelhero3413]

We will make 2 boxes of mac n cheese ( just water no milk/butter) and make chili cheese mac also shred lettuce, tomato and onion up and make Copycat Wendy’s taco salads!

[@Cynthia-dv8ji]

GREAT IDEAS!! ❤

[@Cynthia-dv8ji]

It's been decades since I heard, chili mac ❤

[@beckagore5312]

Thank you, Brooke! I had my Hubby run to Walmart & get that $1.98 turkey! And we're in Oklahoma! ❤ I say this each time, but you're awesome! 🎉❤

[@hannakinn]

You could also serve or get someone else to bring prepared boxed mac n cheese,a bowl of tortilla chips, rice, a platter of corn bread or jiffy corn muffins, a stack of corn tortillas and provide toppings like sour cream, salsa, guacamole etc. Yum!

[@SouthernFrugalMomma]

Great idea!

[@Jaynes-Path]

Also great on baked potatoes with your choice of toppings and even pasta!

[@cindyellsworth8610]

I bake my hotdogs too. My parents did this growing up. I thought because they're from the south. Everything you did is amazing

[@PaulaRoberts-q6j]

How long do you bake them? Interesting!

[@cindyellsworth8610]

@@PaulaRoberts-q6j probably 20 minutes. I like them kinda of dark. Im so sorry to get back to you so late. Just now seeing this

[@paulasweet7138]

I just love watching your channel! I'm a huge chili fan and mixing things up. Plus the fact that you like camping near where I live... smart woman! LOL If I was your neighbor, we'd never stop talking. HAHAHA Your boys are precious. My youngest would only eat plain spaghetti and cheese its for years. So trust me, I know how it feels to have a picky eater. Thanks for what you do!

[@FrancesNawaz]

You can also use chili to make nachos. You can eat it over mashed taters, rice, chili mac. I use the chili-o chili seasoning with onions in my chili.

[@lindalarsson1436]

I think her accent l is preacious😊 😅

[@tinaE.CanadianChick]

I Love Making a Big Pot Of Macaroni and Tomtatoes For a Crowd With a Simple Salad On The Side It Just Works:)

[@k.summerfield4866]

🎉Very nice job! 🎉 When we were younger, my little brother and I made taco 🌮 salads with a can of Dennison's chili. We used tortilla chips - broken into bite sized pieces, topped w/ chili, 🌶 cheese, 🧀 shredded lettuce, 🥬 diced tomatoes, 🍅 diced onions, 🧅 a little more cheese, 🧀 and finally, some salsa, a dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkle of diced chives. 🌱 Our "taco salad" creation is now a favorite with my adult sons!

[@lauracornell7068]

I saute all my chili veggies, then put it all in a blender... they never know.

[@SouthernFrugalMomma]

Smart!!

[@sw3et24x7]

I did some red beans and rice with baked chicken leg quarters for my cousin and his employees when he came to do some work on my house. It probably cost me less than $20 and they loved it so much they had no problem eating it for lunch and dinner that day. I even had leftovers! I love cooking for a crowd on a budget!

[@Holynation2024]

Thank you for another great video! I'm so glad you and your family are safe. Glory to God! ❤️

[@samanthadudley6412]

Also with chili, Fritos, and shredded cheese you can make chilli cheese surprise. Put your oven on 375 in a casserole pan put some Fritos, then some chili and then on top put cheese and cook for 20 minutes until everything is nice and hot and the cheese is melted and starting to turn brown. My mother in law made it for us and we all liked it to the point where my husband and kids ask me to make it from time to time.

[@lball9975]

We like our chili served over rice! That really helps stretch it too!

[@princessbetter2788]

Another choice/option for your guests is to have some flour tortillas and make chili cheese frito burritos or chili cheese burritos. They are really good. I make chili the same way but instead of turkey I use veggie crumbles. Hubby says he can't tell the difference. Also if you don't have tomato sauce or tomatoes spicy V8 juice is a good substitute. Buy the store brand, much cheaper. You can never go wrong with a pot of chili. Oh and one more thing Congratulations! On 100,000 plus subscribers.

[@deanewilliams4868]

Anytime I have a little left our taco meat, an extra hamburger patty, brisket, bacon, whatever. I chop it fine and through it in the freezer to add to my chili. It is never the exact same but it is always delicious!

[@awesometaylor5881]

Absolutely 💯 Yummmies. Great Job. I also wanna say Beautiful Hair and makeup.

[@fallenangel1049]

My mother always put chilli over mashed potatoes, rice is good, but my daughter’s favorite is spaghetti w cheese and sour cream….sometimes over a baked potato for me….lol

[@suetipping4841]

You have a fabulous site! And you cook beautifully, real food for a real family! (with really cute boys). Thank you. I appreciate all you do for us. I started cooking 65 years ago at 12 for my family and have cooked ever since. You go girl!

[@LisaMerideth-i8t]

Bestie! This is wonderful. I think I volunteered to host book club this month and wondered what to make. Wonder no more, this looks perfect and so many options!! Thanks. 😊

[@kentuckygirl8282]

I follow several frugal channels, but GURL! You are the first person that I have found that cooks and eats like my family! I can find nugget recipes here and there, but half of the meals I find is food that my family won't eat. Or, the servings are for 1-2 people, and I don't have time to figure out how many times I need to double/quadruple a recipe for 7 people.This chili meal, with all the variations, my family could eat on for days! Cook once, eat 2-3 times! Very rare for my family! 🤣 Loving your frugal ideas! Thank you! God bless!

[@SouthernFrugalMomma]

Ahh! I love this comment! I'm so glad you enjoy my content!

[@MariaRivera-i4d]

Hello brooks you can make your own sofrito thet taste way better just take 2 large onions 1 head of garlic 1 red bell pepper and 1 green bell pepper and 1 bunch of cilantro wash and cut in pieces then put it in a blender or food processor in your case I said blender because it will chop the pieces smaller add oil to the blender please do not put water then put the mixture into and ice cube trays after frozen transfer into a freezer bag take it from me in Puerto Rico we are experts in sofrito😊

[@amypenzotti2664]

Thanks!

[@AGee2217]

That turkey has been my go to. I don’t even buy red meat anymore. For the really lean ground turkey, if you add a couple tablespoons of mayo it makes it less dry. Of course this is if you’re making a burger or meatloaf.

[@thumpzH]

I've stopped buying red meat too and only buy that tube of ground turkey. Can't even tell the difference in most dishes.

[@Jaynes-Path]

If you save your bacon drippings it also adds great flavor and makes the turkey less dry.

[@Ace-ke7fq]

search to see what's in it?but then not much good things are out there anymore, they've ruined most foods..

[@cosmicshy637]

Me too.

[@its_not_true]

​@@Ace-ke7fq I was a bit worried about that too but the package says it's just ground turkey

[@tinalaws7506]

Great video Brooke! I love chili. I make a huge batch and freeze some. I think it's even better the 2nd day. Great side options too!

[@ediitzz9741]

Well done Brooke, you did great. Loved the kids reactions 🎉🎉🎉 ❤❤❤❤

[@stefanierenee7012]

I always added either macaroni(elbow) 1 box or 1 box of spaghetti noodles, which helps stretch it further.

[@RhondaHinkle]

Delicious! If you had some cornbread, rice, and/or pasta, these are other ways to enjoy chili. Great ideas!

[@kalan.4656]

I have a Venezuelan friend, who told me she was making us chili frito pie. But she didn't have frito chips. So she decided to use cheese buggles. Her thought was they were both corn chips. I didn't think it would be good. But it was good.

[@victoriarice7467]

Genius ideas as usual Brooke❤, love it! Thank you so much🎉!!!😊

[@tinacollinsworth9507]

Wow Brooke you knocked it outta the park!!! All that looks so good! choices, choices, choices lol. Thanks for the recipe and ideas. Have a blessed day!❤❤❤😊😊

[@its_not_true]

That's amazing I didn't know Walmart had ground turkey for a $1.98! I'll be picking some up

[@bobstubesocks]

Defintely going to do this this fall! I think I’ll switch up the serving options to baked potatoes, corn bread, and corn chips! Serve it with a cinnamon roll poke cake for dessert!😮

[@singing3495]

I love the stretchy chili! My family does a similar thing with a taco bar - lots of choices and not too expensive.

[@Kentucky2Country]

Sweetheart I own that exact same pan. Love it, my favorite. I love Braden reactions.

[@friend757]

Another good and fairly cheap meal for family get together is a baked potato bar with lots of topping options.

[@onlymelani]

I swear Breaden loves everything you make!

[@SouthernFrugalMomma]

Everything except sweet taters lol

[@sherriehoffer230]

That is great he isn't picky.

[@missyhubbard8227]

Thank you for ANOTHER GREAT IDEA !! Sincerely you are helping so many of us. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU💙I Never would have thought of this! I just love how you seem to pull so many AWESOME ideals out of thin air!! Your talent is appreciated 😇

[@roseruiz8228]

Girl!!! You are so creative. Love watching you.

[@mawmawkaren2801]

I love your boys!

[@yvonnepalmquist8676]

I have often served a chili bar. Two additional ways I stretch what you have done is to include the options of a rice bowl or elbow macaroni for chili Mac.

[@DianeWeikle]

Brook! Fantastic. Your kids are just the best. So sweet. You’re a good mom! ❤

[@cindysavage8837]

You do a great job Brooke! I personally do not like the turkey and my family would freak if I used it. Your family is so wonderful and supportive! ❤

[@dianedouberley8161]

You also can serve the chili on rice and also make spaghetti and put chili , cheese and onions on top.

[@kellyclark7517]

U rockin out som VWbus earrings?! Adorable!

[@TaraLee627]

Just a thought here, but perhaps on your pantry stock up one could pick up spices so that in time they could make their own seasoning packets. I would think, long term, it would end up being pennies for the equivalent of the actual seasoning packet. Plus you have those species to make other types of prepared seasoning packets. Thanks Brooke, for all you do! You are one amazing momma!! So excited for the continued growth of your channel!

[@samanthadudley6412]

My mother in law used to throw a Halloween party every year and my father in law would make a big pot of deer chili for all the adults and my mother in law would cook hot dogs in a crock pot for the kids. It was so fun when they would have their Halloween party but they quit due to health issues.

[@iskijay]

Loved this idea! I will be doing this for a friend Christmas party in November. Make more of these Big Crowd videos please ❤🎉 Sending love from Ontario 🇨🇦

[@angeline3194]

Your kids are brilliant Brooke. Hope your proud of yourself and your boys for all the meals you do to show us xx

[@lucilleward806]

This is a great way to feed a crowd. Thank you. Love your earrings.

[@marybethsmith6458]

We like cornbread with our chili.

[@LindaKaufman]

Great idea Brooke! I loved how you added the various ways to serve it too. All of your boys are so cute…I can’t get over how tall the middle and youngest have grown. Also, I love your natural silver hair, it’s absolutely beautiful!

[@christinemccullough7503]

I put tomato juice in chili and pork and beans with chili beans also other stuff

[@agatarosicki467]

You are so adorable! I love the fact that you’re very descriptive even with your food which makes a blind person like myself really enjoy your videos and your humor as well! Thank you for making a great video today and I love to hear the boys and their expressions of your food! Totally exciting!

[@allyrooh3628]

I’m sure someone has already said this, but a 98c pound of pasta could spread this even further. Chili Mac is yum too!

[@Cynthia-dv8ji]

Curious now. Never tried it w pasta!

[@VioletWithey]

Great job Brooke! My favorite chilli beans are the Great Value brand of mixed beans with chilli sauce. Using a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce increases the beef flavor when substituting turkey.

[@MissieLotus]

Looking at the intro of this really good idea for a video and loving your hair!

[@gemykat8120]

I use taco spice mix for my chili, it tastes delicious, I just add more garlic,and chili powder, and whatever else I want.

[@Emilyagnes-yb8fn]

It looks like you got a new pot - it's beautiful 😊. Your hair looks awesome...nice colour. Have a blessed and beautiful day 🦋

[@lisafoote482]

I like to add beef boullion to ground turkey for chili or spaghetti sauce.

[@KatieKal-o8n]

I love chili!! Great recipe thanks ❤

[@crabbyresister9194]

Kid approved!!! 🎉😊

[@ninacanadian]

Such great ideas! The look on Braydon's face with his first bite is golden. I didn't know about Sofrito but will be trying that on my own with old onions and peppers into the freezer. I always figured they'd be gross diced and frozen but minced into a pate is brilliant! Great work Southern Frugal Momma.

[@tinamariebartley8675]

This is exactly what we all need to see!!! These days feeding a crowd on a budget can be difficult. You make it look easy delicious and fun!!! Thanks for sharing your great ideas!!!! Appreciate you and your beautiful family ❤❤❤ sending love from NY 🎉🎉🎉🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@rebeccavanbrussel9460]

Oh that looks delicious 😋 😍 and might I just add how much I love to see your boys tasting your food..you can just tell how much they love their mommas food.... it's such a joy to see that and the sparkle in your eyes, momma, when you see your boys eat your lovely food... oooh it just made my day!! ❤❤❤

[@BrendaGriffiths-l3r]

When I make chili, I also make rice and we put our chili over rice that’s a good stretcher also

[@PinkTigger33]

We serve our chili over spaghetti pasta to stretch it further. I've also seen it served over rice, but we prefer the pasta. This is just in time for the fall! My sis in law just told me we're having a family chili cook off next month, and this is perfect! Your chili looks great.

[@nancygoerlich8526]

Absolutely brilliant, Brooke! And I use the ground turkey often not only for us but to make my dogs their homemade food. Yes, I'm that dog mom. They love it too!

[@joannemathews8394]

Brooke great ideas for a family gathering! I might try it for Christmas this year. Love your videos ❤️

[@johnpersons7929]

Chili over rice is delish!

[@danilleworthen503]

I just ordered my next 6 lbs of ground turkey. What a lovely savings! I'll cook up all 6 lbs in my instant pot, and freeze it in serving size. I'm down to my last 2 bags. Thanks for pointing out the sale price. That beautifully seasoned baking sheet is ready for her best days. A beautiful crowd pleaser! I don't like chili, but add lettuce and I could have a salad out of those fixings.

[@darleneprice6467]

Thanks for another great video. Blessings to you and your family

[@pamhall2003]

Just a tip-- to serve a lot of hotdogs for a crowd, stand them up in a crock pot and cook. They will stay hot and people can stab one and put their toppings on. ❤❤ We also love chili on hotdogs 👍

[@bernicevanover726]

As usual I am a day late and a dollar short but I will give you my recipe for chile. My sister couldn't find a good recipe for chile until I gave her my recipe and it was a hit with all of the family even the picky ones. She also added cinnamon and cocoa powder and served with cinnamon rolls. 3 lbs. meat (seasoned, cooked, drained and rinsed) 3-15oz. can of kidney beans, rinsed 1 can of tomato paste(4-6 oz) 1 can(11.25 oz) V8 juice 1 Tablespoon onion, 1 teaspoon garlic 1 teaspoon chile powder(to taste) 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon salt 1 Tablespoon of cumin 7 shakes of red devil 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne powder enough sugar to smooth everything out Place everything in an 8 quart pot and simmer 4-8 hours or cook on high 1-2 hours until it's as thick as you like it. Can also be cooked in a crockpot overnight just cant the lid so steam and moisture can evaporate and thicken.

[@allyrooh3628]

That Festive turkey cans well too!

[@skoop0808]

I love your earrings! The chili looks delicious, and is certainly budget friendly. I’ve been binge watching your videos, and I noticed Bradon has gotten TALL this year! All 3 of them are adorable, of course.😊

[@SouthernFrugalMomma]

Thank you!!! And He has!! He has grown over 6 inches last time we checked!