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Some tips for how to talk to your teen about watching porn. HINT: It's not to tell them to stop.

Porn has never been more available — or raunchier. What's it doing to kids' capacity for intimacy?

Who hasn't watched a little porn here and there?

You'd be hard-pressed to find a person who hasn't watched some porn or who doesn't enjoy it on an occasional basis. Generationally, though, the dynamics of porn have changed. Depending on your age, your ideas of what porn is and how it's affected your actual sex life will vary. But for the newest generations of sexually active youth, things have gotten pretty extreme.

I know of whence I speak, for I have a teenage son.

So what's the big deal with teens watching porn if everyone does it? Well, they are very different from adults. And times have changed.

The problem is that teenage porn use is not just a kid getting ahold of dad's girly magazine anymore. It's unfettered access to as much porn as a kid wants, as frequently as they want it, and with the ability to escalate to more and more extreme types as their brain desensitizes to it. And unfortunately, kids' brains are still very much in their formative years even in their late teens, so it's having an effect on the actual wiring of their sexual norms.

A study published in 2014 from Cambridge University tracked the behaviors of compulsive porn users:

Source: " Your Brain on Porn" based on findings from Cambridge University.

And that's not to mention the effect it has on women's perceived expectations of themselves and their partners' expectations of them because of porn's depictions. When even women's orgasms are shown as a caricaturized performance in service of pleasing a man, something gets really skewed in terms of what women can hope to experience for their own fulfillment.

OK, but what can we even do about it?

You could try frequent, random, and unannounced appearances in your kids' room to make them too paranoid to take advantage of "alone time." Or you could creatively find ways to make sure the family pet is always in there in the hopes that they'd be too wigged out to watch porn while Whiskers McButtonNose is looking on.

Image (text added) by John of Wales/Flickr.

But that seems like a lot more work and way less reliable than just talking with teens about it. Here's how I did it:

I sent my son some links to a documentary about what it can do to a developing teen's brain to gorge on porn (he was about 15 at the time). I asked him to find me and talk to me after he was done watching the documentary — I wanted to let him have some control about when the conversation happened, so it could be more productive and not feel like an ambush.

When he did, we talked about the research. It wasn't the most comfortable conversation in the world, but it also wasn't the worst. I let him know I didn't think it was shameful for him to watch porn, that I know a lot of people do, and that I wasn't going to place any unrealistic expectations on him to never watch porn.

I asked him what points the movie made that really hit home for him. I noted that porn and masturbation do not necessarily go hand-in-hand (SORRY). I also suggested he may benefit from thinking about what parameters he wanted to set for himself, like:

Is there a frequency of watching it he doesn't want to exceed in order to feel good about himself? (He decided that a couple of times a week was enough for him, and it was definitely a step back from the frequency he had been engaging in).

Is there a threshold of porn extremity he doesn't want to surpass in order to feel like he's not violating his own deeply empathetic nature? (He decided he just had no interest in watching anything that seemed sadistic and made a promise to himself — not me — that he'd shut it down and find something else if something crossed that line.)

The point really was that I can't waltz into my son's private life and think I'm going to dictate what choices he'll make. I mean, I could have had a parental power struggle that escalated into me taking away his computer and Internet unless he does what I say, but I don't think that would have taught him what he really needs to navigate this stuff — self-regulation.

So what happened with my son?

I noticed after our talk that he was spending a lot less time in his room doing ... "room things" and a lot more time with other people. He seems happier and no longer carries the ever-present sense of dissatisfaction and frustration of wondering if his real life will ever match up to what he's being told his sex life should be. He got to make a thoughtful and deliberate choice for himself on his own terms.

GIF from "30 Rock."

When you let a teen know that their porn habits today could affect their ability to have a fulfilling sexual relationship — a real one — down the road, some kids will care.

Of course, some kids just won't either. But at least this way, they're getting a chance to make a choice instead of just being railroaded into a lifetime of warped sexual norms without a shot at doing it differently. Porn companies don't care about your kids' health and well-being, so don't let them be the only influence weighing in on this.

It all starts with adults acknowledging the reality of teens' daily lives. We can do this, folks.

And for some more good, research based talk about it all, check out this really enlightening TED Talk by Gail Dines on bringing kids up in a "pornified culture." (Be warned: It's a very frank discussion about sexuality, and the f-word is prevalent throughout.)

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Parenting

Ask kids this basic question to instantly make them more cooperative — the answer doesn't matter

Just by asking and listening, you've already won.

via Hunter Johnson/Unsplash

This trick can fix any attitude.

Raising kids can be a frustrating experience, no matter how rewarding you also find it. Sometimes, it can feel like half of parenting is repeating yourself over and over again, asking your child to brush their teeth or take a dish from the living room to the sink. It’s exhausting and makes you feel like a nag. Don't you wish there was a simple way to make your kids listen the first time?

Dr. Rebecca Kennedy, aka “Dr. Becky,” is a clinical psychologist and founder and CEO of Good Inside who says she has a quick way to make your kids more cooperative and less rude. Talk about killing two soul-crushing birds with one parenting stone. Dr. Becky got into psychology after struggling with anorexia as a teenager.

“Okay, no matter how old your kid is, you can use this 15-second tip to decrease rudeness and increase cooperation,” she says in a TikTok video with over 32,000 views. “Find your child today and ask them this question. 'Hey, I was just wondering, what could I do better as your parent?'”

parents, children, child, parenting, trick, communication A mom and son talk on the couch.Canva Photos

The psychologist says that even if the child has a random or impractical answer such as “Let me stay up ‘til midnight” or “I’d like to eat macaroni and cheese for breakfast, lunch and dinner,” just to listen. Simply by listening, you can change your child’s behavior.

She says we should also ask more questions to further the conversation: “Tell me more. What would that be like?”

@drbeckyatgoodinside
Want to improve your relationship with your kid in less than 15 seconds? Watch this reel for a quick-win strategy. The best part: When we use strategies like this in calm moments, we reduce the frequency of difficult moments with our kids. Of course, I’m a realist… I know you need in-the-moment strategies too! Cue: My Conquering Problem Behaviors Workshop. You’ll get an entire toolbox of in-the-moment and outside-the-moment strategies for reducing outbursts and strengthening your bond with your kid. Learn more in the link in bio!

“I mean, imagine your boss coming to you randomly and asking how they could be a better manager to you. Just by asking the question and listening,” she continued. Dr. Becky says that asking our kids how we’re doing as parents communicates three essential ideas: “I care about you. I respect you. I'm invested in this relationship.”

This type of questioning builds a connection with a child that can spill over into other behaviors. “You're building connection. And with more connection always comes more cooperation,” she ends the video.

The big takeaway from the video is that when we enhance our connection with our kids, they will be less likely to disobey or be rude because they feel heard and respected, so there’s no need to act out. They will also return that respect by listening to you when you have a request, such as taking out the trash or putting down their phone and coming to dinner.

Some people in the comments got funny responses when they asked their kids what they could improve. “I asked my 5yr old. I got a mildly scathing look and she said ‘erm, maybe try and burn dinner less next time?’” one parent wrote. “My 5 yo told me to look better and get a haircut,” another added.

Dr. Becky’s quick question is a great way for parents to strengthen their relationships when things are going well instead of trying to forge connections during conflict. It’s a great reminder that even when parenting, an ounce of prevention is a pound of cure.

family, parents, kids, parenting, bonding A happy family.Canva Photos

Dr. Becky sums up the importance of prevention in her TikTok caption: “When we use strategies like this in calm moments, we reduce the frequency of difficult moments with our kids,” she wrote.

This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.

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parenting

Innovation

Brilliant 'vertical farm' can grow up to 4 million pounds of strawberries on a single acre

This incredible method uses no soil and hardly any water.

Photo credit: Canva

A new way to grow strawberries with less land, less water, and more berries.

Let's talk fruit: Strawberry farm harvests aren't something most of us calculate on a regular basis (or ever at all), but the numbers from a strawberry farm in Richmond, Virginia are staggering enough to make it worth an old-school word problem. If the average American eats 8 pounds of strawberries a year, and an average strawberry farm yields approximately 20,000 pounds of berries per acre, how many people could a 200-acre strawberry field feed?

I won't make you do the math. The answer is 500,000 people. But what if a crop that size, providing enough strawberries for half a million people, could be grown on just one acre instead of 200? It's possible. You just have to go—or rather grow—up, up, up.

Indoor vertical farm company Plenty Unlimited knows a lot about growing up. In fact, it's their entire business model. Instead of the sprawling fields that traditional farming methods require, vertical farms have a much smaller land footprint, utilizing proprietary towers for growing. Plenty has used vertical farming methods to grow greens such as lettuce, kale, spinach, and more for years, but now it boasts a vertical berry farm that can yield a whopping four million pounds of strawberries on a little less than an acre.

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Growing indoors means not being at the mercy of weather or climate unpredictability (barring a storm taking out your building), which is wise in the era of climate change. Unlike a traditional greenhouse which still uses the sun for light, Plenty's indoor vertical farms make use of the latest technology and research on light, pinpointing the wavelengths plants need from the sun to thrive and recreating them with LED lights. Plenty farms also don't use soil, as what plants really need is water and nutrients, which can be provided without soil (and with a lot less water than soil requires). Being able to carefully control water and nutrients means you can more easily control the size, taste and uniformity of the berries you’re growing.

If that sounds like a lot of control, it is—and that idea might freak people out. But when a highly controlled environment means not having to use pesticides and using up to 90% less water than traditional farming, it starts to sound like a solid, sustainable farming innovation.

See on Instagram

Plenty even uses AI in its strawberry farm, according to its website:

“Every element of the Plenty Richmond Farm–including temperature, light and humidity–is precisely controlled through proprietary software to create the perfect environment for the strawberry plants to thrive. The farm uses AI to analyze more than 10 million data points each day across its 12 grow rooms, adapting each grow room’s environment to the evolving needs of the plants – creating the perfect environment for Driscoll’s proprietary plants to thrive and optimizing the strawberries’ flavor, texture and size.”

Plenty even has its own patent-pending method of pollinating the strawberry flowers that doesn’t require bees. Even just the fact that this enormous crop of strawberries will be coming from Virginia is notable, since the vast majority of strawberries in the U.S. are grown in California.

strawberries, strawberry fields, fields, farming, traditional Traditional strawberry farming takes up a lot of land. Photo credit: Canva

Plenty's Richmond farm is currently growing strawberries exclusively for Driscoll’s.

“Partnering with Plenty for the launch of the Richmond Farm allows us to bring our premium strawberries closer to consumers in the Northeast, the largest berry consumption region in the U.S.,” Driscoll’s CEO Soren Bjorn said in a press release. “By combining our 100 years of farming expertise and proprietary varieties along with Plenty’s cutting-edge technology, we can deliver the same consistent flavor and quality our customers love—now grown locally. This new innovative farm is a powerful step forward in continuing to drive category growth in new ways for our customers and consumers.”

Is Plenty’s model the farm of the future? Perhaps it’s one option, at least — though there are major questions about if the vertical farming method is truly economically sustainable in the long run. The more we grapple with the impact of climate change and outdated, unsustainable farming practices, the more innovative ideas we’ll need to feed the masses. If they can get four million pounds of strawberries out of an acre of land, what else is possible?

This article originally appeared in February. It has been updated.

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Community

These 4 words can keep a conversation flowing forever no matter how bad you are at small talk

There's literally no way to screw this up.

Credit: Canva

A couple talking over coffee.

Many people find making small talk to be an excruciating experience. They think it’s boring to talk with a stranger about the weather, sports, or weekend plans. They may also feel like they don’t have anything to contribute to the conversation, or they don’t understand the point of having one in the first place.

However, those who excel at making small talk have a tremendous advantage in their professional and romantic relationships, as well as forming new friendships. Most importantly, small talk is a window to transition into medium talk or, eventually, deep, meaningful conversations. The problem is that many people get stuck in small talk, and things stall before progressing to something beneficial.

conversation, friends, small talk, chatting Two women chatting in front of a fire. Credit: Atlantic Ambience/Pexels

How to get better at small talk

The great thing is that, like anything, making small talk is a skill that we can all improve by learning some simple conversation techniques. One technique that is great for keeping a conversation going, like hitting a ball back and forth past a net in tennis, is a simple statement:

"It reminds me of…”

A Redditor recently shared some great examples of how the phrase can be used to turn a mundane topic, such as the weather, into something much more fun:

Them: "It's been really rainy, huh?"

You:

Option 1 (Personal Story): "Yeah, it reminds me of a time I went on a run in the rain and nearly got hit by a car."

Option 2 (Music / Pop Culture): "It reminds me of every Adele song. When I'm driving, I feel like I'm in a music video."

Option 3 (Family): "It reminds me of my dad, he used to love playing with us in the rain as kids."

Option 4 (Thing you watched / World News): "It reminds me of this documentary I saw where they're trying to make it rain in the Sahara Desert.”

Option 5 (Place you lived): “It reminds me of when I lived in Australia, it barely ever rained there. I actually love this weather.”

- YouTube www.youtube.com

You see in this example that using “It reminds me of…” opened up the conversation to five potential new and more exciting topics. The “You” in the story could have responded with, “Yeah, it sure is rainy,” and the conversation would have ended right there. But instead, branching off the topic of rain into something a bit deeper took the conversation to the next level. You get extra points if you can take the “reminds me of” into a topic that you assume the other person will be interested in.

What’s a polite way to change the topic in a conversation?

Using “this reminds me of…” is also a polite way to move the topics in another direction, especially when it's a topic that you don’t want to discuss or one that makes you feel a bit uncomfortable. Or, if it’s a situation where the other person is monologuing on one topic for a very long time, this makes it easy to transition away from their diatribe.

conversation, small talk, chatting, cafe Two guys chat at a cafe. Credit: Helena Lopes/Pexels

Ultimately, the phrase is an excellent way for you to save the person you’re talking to from being stuck in the small talk rut as well. It shows you understand that when someone brings up the weather, they are merely getting things started with something both of you have in common. They probably don’t want to talk about the weather for 30 minutes, unless they are a meteorologist. “It reminds me of…” is an invitation to go a bit deeper and shows the other person that you’d like to learn more about them.

This article originally appeared in April. It has been updated.

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small talk

Education

A 3-word method can help you make relaxed small talk that doesn't feel like an interview

Injecting some personality can make things a lot more fun.

via Canva/Photos

A man and woman chatting over some wine.

A lot of people are uncomfortable making small talk, but it’s an essential skill that can make or break your love life, career, and social experiences. Many people believe that being good at chatting with others is something innate, but those who excel at it work at their craft and pick up small tips along the way to become better communicators.

One of the tricks that all great communicators know is that you will be more likable when you're more interested than interesting. Study after study shows that people love talking about themselves, and if you ask people more questions, they will like you a lot more than if you did all the talking. So, how do we do this without creating a one-sided conversation where your conversation partner learns nothing about you? The folks at the Science of People have shared the statement-plus question technique.

The statement-plus technique

“One of the smoothest ways to keep conversation flowing is to share a brief personal statement followed by a question,” the Science of People writes. “This technique accomplishes two things: it gives the other person information about you (making you seem more approachable and interesting) while also redirecting focus to them.”

small talk, conversation, office party, people talking, wine Coworkers having a nice conversation.via Canva/Photos

Here are some examples:

Instead of asking “What do you do for work?” say:

“I’m a writer for Upworthy, and I enjoy seeing my work read by millions of people. What excites you about your job?”

Instead of asking, “Where do you live?” try:

“I live in Long Beach, California, and it’s really nice living by the ocean. What do you love the most about where you live?”

Instead of asking, “How do you know the person who threw the party?” say:

“I met Sarah at a church meeting seven years ago. Do you remember the first time you met her?”

These questions enable you to discuss yourself while maintaining the focus on the other person. They are also open-ended, so you don’t just get a one-word answer. You learn their job and what excites them about it. You know where they live, and they get to brag about what they like about the city. The technique also broadens the conversation because, according to the psychological phenomenon known as reciprocal self-disclosure, people are more likely to disclose things about themselves after you share something about yourself.

- YouTube youtu.be

What is reciprocal self-disclosure?

“The most likely result of your self-disclosure is that other people will do the same. In the field of communication, we refer to this as 'reciprocity.' When you share information about yourself, the most likely result is that people will start to disclose a similar type of information from their own lives," communication coach Alexander Lyon says. "In our presentations, we talk about this as a magic wand. Disclosure is the closest thing we have to a magic wand in terms of a concept in communication. When you disclose, other people almost automatically reciprocate."

Ultimately, people love to talk about themselves, and if you give them the opportunity, they will like you more for it. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t reveal some aspects of yourself at the same time while keeping the focus on them. The statement-plus question technique allows you to reveal some things about yourself while making the other person feel seen and comfortable telling you more about themselves. It’s sure to elevate your small talk to something more substantial in a relaxed way that doesn’t feel like an interview.

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Community

20 meals under $10 that can feed your family on a budget

Quick, easy, and cheap.

Images via Reddit/Delicious_Walrus_698

Quick and easy meals that are $10 and under.

Feeding your family keeps getting more and more expensive. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service, a family of four in America spends between $996-1,603.a month on groceries.

To keep food costs low, many families are finding frugal ways to cut down on food costs and save on groceries. And keeping a budget can help.

Spending $10 or less per meal can be a challenge, but plenty of budget food shoppers and frugal food makers shared their go-to's on Reddit. These are 20 meals under $10 that will feed your family.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Creamy Veggie Pasta

"Bought some half price veggies at my store which were: bag of peppers, $2.50; Container of tiny tomatoes, 2.50; Block of cream cheese, 2.00 And a box of pasta, 2.50. Already on hand was fresh garlic and spices (chipotle spice, dried parsley, salt &pepper, optional red chili flakes) and whole garlic in with the tomatoes to roast and oil. Chopped my veggies up seasoned my veggies and cream cheese with spices and oil and baked at 350 for about an hour till everything was soft . Boiled pasta mashed the tomatoes and cream cheese and mixed in the pasta add pasta water to thin out the." - Delicious_Walrus_698

Red Beans & Rice

"Red beans and rice. If you have the spices, I make this often. It also leaves a lot of leftovers. Sometimes I'll add extra beans and increase the water and bullion. It's delicious and cheap and filling. Add a cheap box of .69 Jiffy corn bread and it's great. This website is great overall. She breaks each each meal down by cost." - unconfusedsub

15-Bean Soup

"I bought a 15-bean soup mix with cajun spices ($3) and a kielbasa ($3). Spooned it over white rice and it was so delicious." - belleandbent

Pulled Pork Shoulder

"Pulled pork is fantastic when you can get a whole shoulder on sale. I'm in a HCOL city right now and even here I see it sometimes for $2 a pound. You can season it neutrally and keep frozen (cooked) family sized packs of it in the freezer to use for many different meal." - KetoLurkerHereAgain

Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

"Initial outlay will be more like $20 but you’ll get several meals out of it. Buy a whole chicken, a bag of potatoes, a bag of carrots, a bunch of celery and an onion, 1 tomato, and 1 bag of egg noodles. You get roasted chicken and vegetables with some of your potatoes and carrots. Pick most of the meat off and save any leftovers. Make stock with the carcass, celery, onion, and tomato. Make chicken noodle soup with your broth, leftover chicken and egg noodles. Leftover roasted veggies make a great hash too. Couple of solid meals for the family." - mstrong73

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Chili

"Big pot of chili can be a meal one day, then served on baked potatoes another day, then chili dogs for a third meal (if you have leftovers). Growing up, we had a lot of ham and bean soup with cornbread when things got tight financially." - Ill-Description8517

Biscuits & Gravy

"Ground breakfast sausage, milk, packet of country gravy and one can of biscuits." - Prestigious_Fall_441

Chickpea Curry

"Chickpea curry, I just use Golden Curry, a can of chickpeas, and a can of coconut milk. I usually have rice and a salad with it. Lentil bowls are also good and lentils are really cheap and of course beans, I will have this with rice." - lenorefosterwallace

Chicken Thighs and Veggies

"Chicken thighs (bone in, skin on) and a veggie side (your preference, mine is green beans cooked with diced onion/bacon bits/broth or bouillion). I really recommend shaking chicken thighs up with your preferred spices and some baking powder and baking on a baking rack so they come out crispy outside and moist inside. This is a sub $10 meal that feeds 3-4 as I can usually can get 5~ chicken thighs for $4-$5~,a can of green beans and an onion, bacon optional to cut cost or include if you have bacon all the time anyways like I do. I also highly recommend marinating chick breast for at least 30 minutes (recommend asian style flavor, soy sauce, garlic powder, salt, pepper and some vinegar, corn starch to thicken) cut it into bites and then pan searing it in some oil, taking it out, then throwing in green cabbage with a bit of butter and garlic powder mixed around (and the remnants of what cooked off the chicken marinade) , then throw the chicken back in when the cabbage is done and before you started the chicken start some white rice in a rice cooker. It's basically a $10 meal for 4 ppl , about $5 of chicken breast and your price of cabbage and the portion of white rice. This one makes a shit ton of food you could literally meal prep 4-5 meals for 1 person with this. If you like cabbage I really recommend youtubing some cabbage based stir fry recipes because one head of cabbage just explodes into a gigantic amount of food." - RuckFeddit70

@clintonsvatos
Dinner for less than $10 for 6 people. #poormanscomfortfood #budgetmeals #cheapdinner #familydinner #easymeals #cheapmeals

Potato and Chorizo Burrito

"Potatoes and chorizo! Just dice up some potatoes, fry them in a pan with some oil and the chorizo until it’s all nice and crispy! We’ll put them in tortillas to make a burrito out of it." - TripleGoddess93

Turkey

"If you have the money to lay out, big chain grocery stores have turkeys for under a dollar per pound. A 14 lb turkey could feed a family for a week easily. $14/7 days/4 people is 50 cents per person per dinner." - snoopmt1

Pork Butt with Onions, Jalapeños and Pineapple

"Today, I have a pork butt in the crockpot with onions, jalapeños and a can of pineapple chunks. After an all day cook, I shred then ladle on rice. If I want fancy, I stir a can of coconut milk in the rice while cooking. The pork butt was 99 cents a pound this week at Hannaford. I paid $3.19 for it! Winner, winner because I can get 2 meals out of it! Spread leftover in taco shell topped with a simple slaw. Yummy for the tummy, both meals." - Vtfla

Salsa Chicken

"Salsa chicken is a good value meal. 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken. Can be breasts or thighs and frozen chicken is a great option as it is cheaper. If using frozen chicken, make sure you thaw it first before placing in crockpot. 1 cup corn 1 cup beans - black, red or pinto 1 small jar of salsa or Rotel tomatoes- I usually use Rotel and then add some salsa 1 packet taco seasoning. Place thawed chicken in crockpot and sprinkle with taco sealing. Add salsa, corn and beans on cook on low until chick men is tender. Remove chicken and shred and then return back to crock and mix. If the mixture is too watery you can add a little rice and it will thicken as the rice cooks. You can make nachos, tacos or burrito bowls out of the mixture and is many servings." - FurryFreeloader

Drumsticks

"If you are near a Walmart, you might be able to find a 5 pound bag of drumsticks for about $6. I put the whole bag in half a pot of water, let it simmer for about 3 hours. Then I took out the chicken, let it cool fir a few minutes and took off all the chicken. Put the chicken back into the broth, added 6 large carrots that were chopped and a container of chicken broth and let it simmer for an hour or so until the carrots are cooked. You could do something similar and add other veg, rice or noodles? What I made is about $8.50." - Maidenonwarpath

@thedudenetwork
Another meal for my family, another meal under ten dollars!! This was a really good haul, cant beleieve we got two packs of chicken for $5!! Next video posted will be the recipe!! #thedudenetwork #cheapeats #cheapmeals #budgetmeals #familydinner #moneysaver #smartshopper

Beef and Noodle Soup

"My favorite easy cheap meal is a hearty soup that is so satisfying. You brown a lb of ground beef, boil some macaroni noodles, drain most of the fat from your beef, but not all of it. Saute an onion in the remaining fat in your pan, then once the onion is cooked you pour in a can of diced tomatoes (I like fire roasted, but any canned tomatoes will work) and a bag of mixed veggies (I also toss in any veggie leftovers I have in the fridge) add about 2 cups of water a beef bouillon cube and 2 tablespoons of garlic powder, a teaspoon of Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika and bring that to a simmer. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes and then add the macaroni back in and salt & pepper to taste. It is a comfort food at my house. You can use any ground meat, any shape pasta, and any other veggies you want. I also make garlic bread or cheese toast out of whatever leftover bread that I happen to have. It is great with Italian sausage too. It is so easy and good." - RapscallionMonkee

Thai Curry

"If your family likes spice, Thai curry. $1 can of coconut milk, 1-2 lbs of chicken (get on sale can get for around $3-$4 a lb). Throw some potatoes and carrots in there for filler $1-2 worth. Mae Ploy or Arroy-D curry paste $5 but has enough to make about 10-15 servings worth (more if you don’t like it spicy) and premade paste lasts about 2 years. Fish sauce is a good one that runs an initial $10 investment but will last like 100 meals worth for many different recipes (it does smell bad while cooking but tastes great). Sugar (I just use brown sugar cause it’s cheap and easy). Just serve over rice." - hauttdawg13

Pasta a la Norma

"Pasta a la Norma (eggplant pasta). 2 eggplants Box of rigatoni or ziti 28oz crushed tomatoes Parmesan Garlic Oregano Fresh basil optional Red pepper flakes. Cut eggplant into 1in pieces and roast in oven with olive oil salt and pepper. Sauté garlic lightly in olive oil, add crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil and red pepper flakes. Toss cooked pasta with sauce and roasted eggplant. Top with parmesan." - Remarkable-Ice-2951

Breakfast Tacos

"Egg/cheese/potato Breakfast tacos! you need a package of 10 flour tortillas $1.50, a dozen eggs $3.50, 6 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese $3, and three medium or two large potatoes $2. Scrub and microwave the potatoes, probably 11 minutes? No need to peel. While that’s cooking, warm and slightly toast each tortilla by lighting the burner flame under it for about 10 seconds, turn off the burner, flip it over and do the other side. Repeat with each tortilla. Put the tortillas between folds of a folded dish cloth to keep them warm. Mix maybe eight eggs in a bowl with a little bit of water and salt. Not much salt, the cheese will supply salt too. add other seasonings as desired. Heat your large skillet medium high, add a little butter or spray of oil to the bottom of that pan. Pour in the eggs, turn down the heat to low. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the eggs as they cook. Take the potatoes out of the microwave and carefully so as not to burn your hands, roughly chop them. Add the chopped-up potatoes to your skillet. When the eggs are mostly set but still a little bit wet, turn off the heat. Then flipped them over one more time. Add a scoop of eggs/potato/cheese to each tortilla and fold/roll them up." - annalitchka53

Dirty Rice

"Dirty Rice. Ground beef browned with chopped onions, bell pepper, celery. Seasoned with creole/cajun seasoning and garlic powder. Drain. Add frozen peas and carrots, uncooked rice. Enough water to cook the rice, chicken bouillon to taste. Simmer until rice is cooked and fluffy." - WoodwifeGreen

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meals under $10