The mention of "canned bread" brings me to a list of "conveniece" items I always buy.
I love cooking from scratch.  I love doing the frugal stuff and keeping just the basics on hand.  However, realistically if I JUST do that on nights I dont feel like it, or am stressed for time we end up with Taco Bell or Pizza.  I finally gave up and decided that I WILL keep certain "easy" items on hand.

• Hamburger Helper.  I only buy these on sale and try to use them sparingly because they dont quiet fill my family up anymore.  But, add a can of veggies and you have a quick "at home" meal, for a decent price, thats better than drive thru.
• Frozen chicken strips, fish sticks, chicken nuggets.  Again...sure I can make chicken strips myself from chicken breast, but if I am tired, getting in late, whatever, its much easier to plop some on a pan, make some mac and cheese or rice, add a veggie and there is quick, relatively healthy, supper and once again, avoided the drive thru.
• Rice mixes & boxed mac and cheese.  Sure I can make rice pilaf stuff from scratch, but I do like to keep the mixes on hand.  And you can usually snag them for about $1.  A great time saver and way to stretch any meal.
• Frozen veggies.  Not the plain ones in a bag, but ones like the Steamfresh kind.  There are several brands.  They aren't dirt cheap but I have found there are almost always coupons.  And they are a great way for us to grab some veggies with a meal that I might otherwise forgo the veggies on.
• Canned bread.   Another thing thats not overly "cheap" but you can always get coupons.  Makes a great way to stretch a simple meal a little bit.  Plus my family LOVES bread.  Also makes a great way to make sure we eat breakfast, I can easily cook some sausage, bake some biscuits and viola!  Otherwise we might just skip breakfast if I didnt have time to do anything. 
• Frozen pizza.  Just great for emergency nights.  And cheaper than drive thru. 

Okay, here is another time saving tip for easy suppers.  And saving time also means saving money because I can make a nice home cooked meal and skip the drive thru.


Spaghetti and Meatballs. 

When I make meatballs, I have a superduper easy recipe.  I use the one on the back of the Parmesean Cheese (I think its just cheese, some spices, garlic, and an egg per pound of meat).  I double it, always.  2lbs meat. 
I always bake my meatballs.  Easier and Healthier than frying.  Plop them on a cookie sheet (a cookie dough baller makes perfect meatballs).  Bake!  While they are baking I cook the spaghetti and heat the sauce (sorry folks, another corner cutter, canned sauce.  I buy Hunt's when its on sale, it regularly is priced 89 cents a can, we like it and well, thats cheap!).  My favorite is the veggie one, a whole bunch of veggies hidden right in there, even better! 

It makes a TON of meatballs (we usually dont want over 2 a piece).  I take the rest, throw in a freezer bag and freeze them!  I can get a good 2-3 meals out of them.  So on rushed evening I come home, plop a pot of water on to boil, put frozen meat balls and a can of sauce in a microwave bowl and microwave while water is boiling, toss together and its meal time!  Can add an easy salad for veggies.  Add some "canned bread" (may not be overly cheap but its a good way to make a simple meal go a little further on a rushed time schedule).