The days are nearing for feasting! It’s one of my favorite times of the year but it can easily become a budget suck if you’re not careful. But, I am certain each of us can feast on a budget. We can spend less and still be full. We can celebrate without breaking the bank. One of the very best ways to do so is to avoid the what I call the side dish trap.
Side Dish Overspending Trap
During holiday gatherings it’s easy to get carried away with both more than we can eat and than we can afford. Choosing which side dishes you will serve in addition to the turkey or the ham can be complicated and difficult because there are so many classic favorites. Sometimes, I feel like the side dishes all begin to taste the same anyway – the noodles, the potatoes, the breads. So, I’m always looking for ways to spice them up easily without purchasing too many extra items. Enter one of my favorite non-traditional frugal side dishes that’s easy to make in your slow cooker and doesn’t require very many odd or special purchases.
Slow Cooker Southwest Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients:
- 3 Medium to Large Sweet Potatoes
- 1/2 Cup of Chopped Onions
- 1 Cup of Black Beans
- 1 Cup of Frozen Sweet Corn
- 1 Teaspoon of Chili Powder
- 2 Teaspoons of Taco Seasoning
- 1/2 of a Lime
- Chopped Cilantro to Taste
- Enough Oil to cover the bottom of the slow cooker
Pour a small amount of oil (I used canola) into the bottom of your slow cooker. Coat the bottom. Add the corn, black beans, and onions. Coat in the oil. Add the seasoning and coat the ingredients again. Peel and chop sweet potatoes into bite sized portions. Add to the existing mixture. Be careful as you stir as to not smash the black beans. Squeeze 1/2 of a lime’s juice on top. Cook for 2-4 hours on high heat or 4-6 on low heat. I like the sweet potatoes to be a little bit firm but really it’s too your taste.
Before serving, roughly chop up cilantro to your taste and sprinkle on top. You could cook it with the cilantro but I always feel like it gets mushy and looses its pop. You can also fee free to turn up the heat and add more seasoning, too. This is a mild version that would appeal to a large group of people but if your family prefers something with more spice, feel free to add more.
If you’re looking for more ways to save at Thanksgiving, check out An Affordable Thanksgiving Dinner where you’ll learn even more valuable money saving tips!
Remember from the How Many Meals Can You Get from $50? post that on average people in the United States spend only around 6.6% of their income on food consumed at home? This means compared to nations all around the world, we’ve got it pretty good. Food prices are low (no matter how many times the media reports that they’re on the rise again). Shouldn’t we make the most of that great blessing? Shouldn’t we stretch our dollars and pennies until they let out a little yelp? You can also check out How to Find Affordable Nutritious Food at the Grocery Store and Affordable Lunches and Snacks on the Go for some more of my best budget stretching ideas.
How do you prepare affordable feasts during the holiday season? I’d love to hear! Leave your suggestions in the comments.
This post was sponsored by the Indiana’s Family of Farmers. You get to learn about affordable ways to prepare food. I get a few extra bucks in the Royal coffers. The post and opinions are 100% mine. No editing was done by anyone. I’m sure you could find some grammatical errors if you read it again. Read more on my disclosure policy.
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