Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
In this video, I take on the $5 meal challenge using a marked-down rotisserie chicken, and I show you what it actually takes to turn that into a complete, satisfying dinner.
This isn't just about cheap recipes. It's about store-and-save systems, pantry cooking, and learning how to stretch what you buy. In this video, you'll see:
How I stretched a $3.15 rotisserie chicken
Why a stocked pantry matters for budget cooking
How to make chicken tortilla soup
My first time making homemade tortillas (and what I learned)
A simple apple dessert
HOw imperfect cooking can still save money
Today's modern home economist takeaway: Budget meals don't start at the grocery store. They start with systems.
If you're learning how to feed your family well on a tight budget, pantry cook, or build sustainable homemaking systems, you're in the right place.
Let me know in the comments: Do you count pantry ingredients when calculating the cost of a meal?
#budgetcooking #pantrymeals #storeandsave #modernhomeeconomists
WATCH NEXT ➡️ My 20-Item Capsule Grocery Haul: youtu.be/ve2KopjZ4F0
➡️JOIN The Homemaker’s Circle (Optional Membership Community): patreon.com/HomemakingwithDenise
✳️ Want to learn about waterbath canning? Check out my course, Yes You Can! A Beginner's Guide to Waterbath Canning with this link: courses.homemakingwithdenise.com/courses/waterbath-canning-course
➡️SUBSCRIBE to my channel: youtube.com/@homemakingwithdenise
➡️Sign up for my newsletter The Homemaker's Journal: eepurl.com/ip_ZIs.
➡️Sign up for the free Laundry Lab Masterclass: eepurl.com/gxOQof.
➡️Don’t forget to head over to my YouTube channel’s home page where I share organized playlists to help you meet your homemaking and homekeeping needs.
Show Notes and Affiliate Links:
✳️Visit Amazon through my storefront here: amazon.com/shop/thisandthatwithdenisejordan
✳️ As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of my links below are affiliate links, which means if you click through and make a purchase, I'll receive a small commission. It does not affect the price you pay. All items are in my storefront.
✳️ALWAYS IN MY KITCHEN: (See EVERYTHING in My Shop):
Dutch Oven: amzn.to/3HNOseH
Ball Plastic Freezer Jars: amzn.to/3UvAup6
Spurtles Kitchen Tools: amzn.to/48bTHiS
Dried Whole Eggs: amzn.to/4bpcWs5
Rubbermaid Spoonula: amzn.to/481wQqg
Ball Mason Jar Storage Lids: amzn.to/49olRZc
Measuring Spoons: amzn.to/3OxGNox
OXO 2 Cups Measuring Cup: amzn.to/3UBXiE1
Muffin Pan: amzn.to/3UwTlR0
Soup ladle: amzn.to/3SRTNbc
Apple slicer: amzn.to/3ODTZZ2
Lemon squeezer: amzn.to/3STt123
Can Rack Organizer amzn.to/3S5UkVk
Corner Kitchen Shelf Organizer amzn.to/48Zm7gU
Ball Mason Jars amzn.to/4aZvQ8Z
Clear Plastic Storage Bins For Fridge or Pantry amzn.to/3HqRfdl
Grabill Country Meats Variety Pack amzn.to/3U8wDOA
Hands Free Motion Centered Garbage Pan amzn.to/48EebSz
Storage Shelves amzn.to/47Zes1r
Weigman Cooktop Cleaner: amzn.to/3iFz8aw
✳️ Apron Diva at aprondiva.com
✳️Shop the children's books I've written:
Circus Animal Acts Paperback (Heinemann Read & Learn) April 2002 by Denise Jordan amzn.to/3ukXWbB
Circus Clown ABC (Heinemann Read & Learn) by Denise Jordan
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Circus Clowns (Heinemann Read & Learn) by Denise Jordan
amzn.to/3HvEmx9
Circus Performers (Heinemann Read & Learn) by Denise Jordan
amzn.to/3ATKi0m
Circus Welcome to the Circus (Heinemann Read & Learn) by Denise Jordan
amzn.to/3HqPD1P
Diwali (Heinemann Read & Learn) Library Binding April 2002 by Denise Jordan amzn.to/3L7N3ju
Harlem Renaissance Artists (Artists in Profile) by Denise Jordan
amzn.to/3uknBBn
Julian Bond, Civil rights Activist and Chairman of the NAACP (African-American Biographies) by Denise Jordan. amzn.to/3AW9Da6
Kwanzaa (Heinemann Read & Learn) Library Binding by Denise M. Jordan (April, 2002) amzn.to/3484wI4
Mystery at Marin Marsh (Rigby Literacy Leveled Reader) by Denise Jordan
amzn.to/3Ht4cll
✳️My Tech Gear
• Canon PowerShot G7X Mark II Camera amzn.to/2FGUUWj
• Canon M6 Mark ii amzn.to/32UxVEO
• Rode Video Mic amzn.to/2Fu871i
❤️Stay connected with Homemaking with Denise:
• Email: thisandthatwithdenise@gmail.com
• Facebook: @thisandthatwithdenise
• Instagram @homemakingwithdenise
• TikTok homemakingwithdenise
❤️Subscribe for more videos at youtube.com/@homemakingwithdenise
In this video, I take on the $5 meal challenge using a marked-down rotisserie chicken, and I show you what it actually takes to turn that into a complete, satisfying dinner.
This isn't just about cheap recipes. It's about store-and-save systems, pantry cooking, and learning how to stretch what you buy. In this video, you'll see:
How I stretched a $3.15 rotisserie chicken
Why a stocked pantry matters for budget cooking
How to make chicken tortilla soup
My first time making homemade tortillas (and what I learned)
A simple apple dessert
HOw imperfect cooking can still save money
Today's modern home economist takeaway: Budget meals don't start at the grocery store. They start with systems.
If you're learning how to feed your family well on a tight budget, pantry cook, or build sustainable homemaking systems, you're in the right place.
Let me know in the comments: Do you count pantry ingredients when calculating the cost of a meal?
#budgetcooking #pantrymeals #storeandsave #modernhomeeconomists
WATCH NEXT ➡️ My 20-Item Capsule Grocery Haul: youtu.be/ve2KopjZ4F0
➡️JOIN The Homemaker’s Circle (Optional Membership Community): patreon.com/HomemakingwithDenise
✳️ Want to learn about waterbath canning? Check out my course, Yes You Can! A Beginner's Guide to Waterbath Canning with this link: courses.homemakingwithdenise.com/courses/waterbath-canning-course
➡️SUBSCRIBE to my channel: youtube.com/@homemakingwithdenise
➡️Sign up for my newsletter The Homemaker's Journal: eepurl.com/ip_ZIs.
➡️Sign up for the free Laundry Lab Masterclass: eepurl.com/gxOQof.
➡️Don’t forget to head over to my YouTube channel’s home page where I share organized playlists to help you meet your homemaking and homekeeping needs.
Show Notes and Affiliate Links:
✳️Visit Amazon through my storefront here: amazon.com/shop/thisandthatwithdenisejordan
✳️ As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of my links below are affiliate links, which means if you click through and make a purchase, I'll receive a small commission. It does not affect the price you pay. All items are in my storefront.
✳️ALWAYS IN MY KITCHEN: (See EVERYTHING in My Shop):
Dutch Oven: amzn.to/3HNOseH
Ball Plastic Freezer Jars: amzn.to/3UvAup6
Spurtles Kitchen Tools: amzn.to/48bTHiS
Dried Whole Eggs: amzn.to/4bpcWs5
Rubbermaid Spoonula: amzn.to/481wQqg
Ball Mason Jar Storage Lids: amzn.to/49olRZc
Measuring Spoons: amzn.to/3OxGNox
OXO 2 Cups Measuring Cup: amzn.to/3UBXiE1
Muffin Pan: amzn.to/3UwTlR0
Soup ladle: amzn.to/3SRTNbc
Apple slicer: amzn.to/3ODTZZ2
Lemon squeezer: amzn.to/3STt123
Can Rack Organizer amzn.to/3S5UkVk
Corner Kitchen Shelf Organizer amzn.to/48Zm7gU
Ball Mason Jars amzn.to/4aZvQ8Z
Clear Plastic Storage Bins For Fridge or Pantry amzn.to/3HqRfdl
Grabill Country Meats Variety Pack amzn.to/3U8wDOA
Hands Free Motion Centered Garbage Pan amzn.to/48EebSz
Storage Shelves amzn.to/47Zes1r
Weigman Cooktop Cleaner: amzn.to/3iFz8aw
✳️ Apron Diva at aprondiva.com
✳️Shop the children's books I've written:
Circus Animal Acts Paperback (Heinemann Read & Learn) April 2002 by Denise Jordan amzn.to/3ukXWbB
Circus Clown ABC (Heinemann Read & Learn) by Denise Jordan
amzn.to/3GCHDcZ
Circus Clowns (Heinemann Read & Learn) by Denise Jordan
amzn.to/3HvEmx9
Circus Performers (Heinemann Read & Learn) by Denise Jordan
amzn.to/3ATKi0m
Circus Welcome to the Circus (Heinemann Read & Learn) by Denise Jordan
amzn.to/3HqPD1P
Diwali (Heinemann Read & Learn) Library Binding April 2002 by Denise Jordan amzn.to/3L7N3ju
Harlem Renaissance Artists (Artists in Profile) by Denise Jordan
amzn.to/3uknBBn
Julian Bond, Civil rights Activist and Chairman of the NAACP (African-American Biographies) by Denise Jordan. amzn.to/3AW9Da6
Kwanzaa (Heinemann Read & Learn) Library Binding by Denise M. Jordan (April, 2002) amzn.to/3484wI4
Mystery at Marin Marsh (Rigby Literacy Leveled Reader) by Denise Jordan
amzn.to/3Ht4cll
✳️My Tech Gear
• Canon PowerShot G7X Mark II Camera amzn.to/2FGUUWj
• Canon M6 Mark ii amzn.to/32UxVEO
• Rode Video Mic amzn.to/2Fu871i
❤️Stay connected with Homemaking with Denise:
• Email: thisandthatwithdenise@gmail.com
• Facebook: @thisandthatwithdenise
• Instagram @homemakingwithdenise
• TikTok homemakingwithdenise
❤️Subscribe for more videos at youtube.com/@homemakingwithdenise
