The $1 ALDI Find I Keep in the Pantry for Easy Weeknight Dinners

Chock-full of protein and fiber, this pantry staple is brilliant at stretching meals for my family without compromising on taste.

My family loves tacos so much that my kids regularly request the meal and the song “It’s Raining Tacos” on Spotify. (If you don’t already know, don’t say I didn’t warn you!) Our go-to recipe has always been a Tex-Mex-style chicken and black bean taco, but since my seven-year-old daughter declared herself a vegetarian, we’ve had to pivot.

The Casa Mamita Refried Beans from ALDI have been a saving grace. After my efforts have gone into making the chicken tacos with all of the toppings, I can easily heat a can of refried beans to fully satisfy my daughter and stretch out the meal a bit more for everyone else.

This add-on now means that we always have enough left over for lunch or dinner the next day. One less meal that has to be cooked from scratch is a win in my book!

This Is Not a Vegetarian Product

A big thank you to reader Suzanne Cranford for pointing out that Casa Mamita Refried Beans is not a vegetarian product. "Among the labeled ingredients is lard, which is an animal product. There are vegetarian/vegan options on the market, but this isn't one of them. A simple switch to a can of black beans will keep the recipe vegetarian."

How I Use the Casa Mamita Refried Beans

Despite being a planner, every week or two I’ll inevitably find myself scrambling to come up with a dinner idea at the very last minute.

It's 5:45 p.m. on a Tuesday. We’re running way behind, the kids are hungry and cranky, the meal I’d planned isn’t going to be fast enough, and I'm staring blankly into the fridge and pantry trying to conjure up something quick, nutritious, and satisfying.

That's when the unassuming can of refried beans—my $1 weeknight dinner lifesaver—plays a starring role. Spread onto a whole grain tortilla and topped with cheese, the beans are a nutritious and filling dinner option.

While the beans are heating up, I chop some tomatoes and onions for a very rudimentary pico de gallo. I serve the beans with sour cream or Greek yogurt, sliced or smashed avocado with salt and lime juice to mimic guacamole, and, of course, hot sauce for the adults. Dinner is ready in 20 minutes and everyone is happy!

Because the beans are fully cooked and only require heating up, they’re also a great addition to burritos, as a sticky base layer for tostadas, or as the sturdy backbone in a Saturday batch of seven-layer dip. Chock-full of protein and fiber, they're brilliant at stretching meals for my family without compromising on taste.

With these emergency provisions stashed in my pantry, I rest easy knowing that hectic weeknight dinners won't (usually) catch me off guard. 

Read the original article on Simply Recipes.