Forkonomics

Part of the “5 Meals for $50” series

Ingredients

Pasta & Sauce

• 1 box rotini pasta (about 6 cups cooked)
• 1 lb ground meat
• 1 jar pasta sauce (about 24 oz)
• Salt, pepper, garlic powder (assumed pantry staples)

Garlic Bread

• 6 slices Italian bread
• Butter or margarine
• Garlic powder

Tossed Salad

• 3 cups chopped lettuce
• ¾ cup grape tomatoes, halved
• ½ cup croutons
• 3 tablespoons ranch dressing

Instructions

To make 6 servings:

1. Cook rotini pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. In a skillet, brown ground meat until fully cooked. Drain excess fat if needed.
3. Add entire jar of pasta sauce to the meat and simmer for 5–7 minutes.
4. Combine meat sauce with cooked pasta and stir to coat evenly.
5. For garlic bread, lightly butter each slice of Italian bread and sprinkle with garlic powder. Toast in a pan or oven until golden.
6. Assemble salad by combining lettuce, tomatoes, croutons, and dressing in a bowl. Toss gently to coat.
7. Serve pasta, garlic bread, and salad together.

Cost Breakdown

Ingredient	Portion Used	Estimated Cost
Rotini Pasta	1 box	$1.50
Ground Meat	1 lb	$3.50
Pasta Sauce	1 jar	$1.50
Italian Bread	6 slices	$0.45
Lettuce	3 cups	$1.50
Grape Tomatoes	¾ cup	$1.00
Croutons	½ cup	$0.50
Ranch Dressing	3 tbsp	$0.35
Butter/Margarine	1 tbsp	$0.10 (est.)

Total Estimated Cost: $10.40 Cost per Serving (6 servings): $1.73

Ingredient Philosophy

Forkonomics recipes are designed to be practical, flexible, and budget-conscious. While fresh vegetables are preferred when available, frozen or pre-packaged options are used here to reduce prep time and support affordability.

Each recipe assumes the following pantry staples are on hand:

• Salt
• Black pepper
• Garlic powder
• Butter or margarine

Any additional spices or specialty ingredients will be listed in the shopping guide.

Serving Suggestions

This meal yields 6 generous servings and can be doubled for larger households. Leftovers store well and can be packed for lunch the next day.