How One Savvy TikToker Feeds His Family for Just $5

If you’ve ever had to triple-check your receipt after putting away groceries because the total is far more than you expected, you’re not alone. These days, it’s starting to feel like we need to take out a loan just to feed our families. The sky-high prices on groceries have led some families to get creative on putting together cheap meals, and one TikToker is showcasing a range of $5 options to feed a family.

How Can You Feed a Family for $5?

Now, we know what you’re thinking: There’s no way $5 can feed a family, unless we’re talking about $5 per person. That’s why we called this fella savvy in the headline, folks. He’s getting cheaper proteins, focusing on ingredients that are cheap yet filling, and thinking well outside the box to get the job done and honestly? We’re here for it.

TikToker Chef Moe created a series where he hunts down ingredients for less than $5 and then expertly stretches them into a meal that can feed his family of four. His videos build around one base protein that serves as the centerpiece of the meal. In one example, he transforms a can of beef stew from the dollar store into a pasta dish that, quite honestly, looks delicious.

@chat_n_chops

Let’s see what we can make today for under five dollars. Feeding our family for only five dollars episode five. Is it possible? Can we do it? Come learn to cook with me. #chefmoe #easyrecipe #cheapmeals #foodie #budgeting

♬ original sound – Chef Moe

The Key to Making $5 Meals for a Family

As Chef Moe explains, when you’re trying to put together a cheap meal, you want to focus on ingredients that will make you feel full. That’s why he often embraces pasta (a quintessentially cheap and filling ingredient). You also have to change the way you think about the meat that’s in the meal. Rather than buying a pack of chicken breasts or a container of stew meat from behind the butcher counter, if “cheap” is your goal, you’ll gravitate more toward canned options like beanie weenies, chili mac, and beef stew.

If you’re not a pro like Moe (watch out Dr. Suess), don’t worry. The TikToker is quite detailed in his explanations of how to make his recipes work, diving into the science side of things (like how to extract flavor and use starch to fill your belly). If you’re on a tight budget, his videos are worth using as a resource.