I think we all can agree that finding time to prepare meals five to six days a week after working all day is a job in itself. I used to think that fast food was a low-cost option, but last week, I paid $34.66 for my family of four at McDonald's! So I started searching for cheap weeknight meals that are easy to make and discovered Home Bake 425/30 line at Stop & Shop. Now through Dec. 14, these frozen dishes are on sale for up to 38% off, which means you can feed a family of four for one full meal under $20. Here’s everything you need to know and why I’m stocking up:
1. Every Home Bake 425/30 dish cooks at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, which makes it easy to remember.
These dishes come in three varieties: mains, veggies, and sides. There are nine different options available at Stop & Shop, so you can mix and match. Plus, the directions are so simple. Once your oven is pre-heated to 425 degrees, throw the trays in for 30 minutes.
There’s no guesswork or math to do in your head because everything will be ready at the same exact time. Once the 30 minutes is up, remove the film and serve. All of the dishes come in metal pans, too, which gives a home-cooked feel – without the mess to clean up after.
2. Home Bake 425/30 offers more food for less money — and you’ll save 38% on their side and veggie options at Stop & Shop.
You don’t need any coupons or apps to access these offers, and Home Bake 425/30 veggies and sides are a lot more affordable than similar fast food or grocery options. For example, a 22.2-oz tray of their Homestyle Mac & Cheese is on sale for $4.99 (reg. $7.99), which breaks down to $0.22 per ounce. However, if you bought a large macaroni and cheese at Chick-fil-A, you’d pay $8.69 for 15 ounces. That’s $0.58 per ounce, and almost three times what you’ll pay for Home Bake 425/30’s option.
Another great choice from Home Bake 425/30 is their Cheesy Broccoli. A 19.4-oz tray is also on sale for $4.99 (reg. price $7.99) at Stop & Shop, making it $0.26 per ounce. Compare that to a 12-oz package of Bob Evans Tasteful Sides Broccoli & Cheese, which will cost you $5.99, or $0.50/oz, so almost double. With Home Bake 425/30, you get more food for less money.
3. You’ll also save $3 on Home Bake 425/30’s main dishes, like Pulled Pork with BBQ Sauce, which is 65% cheaper than ordering take-out.
My family is all about barbecue — bring on the sauce! Home Bake 425/30 offers Pulled Pork with BBQ Sauce as a main dish. Instead of paying $22.99 for a pound of pulled pork at Dickey’s BBQ Pit, I’ll spend $9.99 on a 1.25-lb. tray from Home Bake 425/30.
4. I paid just $19.97 to feed my family of four with Home Bake 425/30.
I paid $9.99 for the Pulled Pork with BBQ Sauce, and $4.99 each for the Cheesy Broccoli and Homestyle Mac and Cheese. That's almost four pounds of food — enough to feed my family of four — and I only spent $19.97. Plus, we got to sit around the table and enjoy a home-cooked meal for much less than what we'd spend at the drive-thru window. In fact, $19.97 is close to what I spend on a tip and service fees when we order delivery.