I got a $31 'Bargain Bucket' from KFC. With a bit of creativity, I turned it into multiple meals for my family of 4.

• As a working mom, I find it tough to get budget-friendly meals on the table for my family of four.

• So, I got a KFC "Bargain Bucket" with 10 pieces of chicken and four packs of fries for 25 pounds.

• By using pantry staples and creativity, I turned the chicken into four meals for four people.

I'm a busy working parent, and sometimes it feels like a second job to think about what to cook for dinner for our family of four.

Factor in the cost-of-living crisis and rising grocery prices, and it's no wonder so many of us are searching for creative, economical ways to feed our families.

So, when I saw an ad for the Kentucky Fried Chicken "Bargain Bucket" deal that comes with 10 pieces of fried chicken and four servings of fries for 25 pounds (about $31), I had an idea.

My family isn't big on takeout, but I knew I could make multiple meals out of one bucket of chicken. Plus, it's conveniently already seasoned and cooked — I was sold!

Here's how I turned my order into multiple meals for my family of four.

First, we had the chicken and fries with some extra sides.

Throughout the week, I wanted to add fresh produce to each dish for extra balance and color. Plus, whenever possible, I planned to pair the chicken with cupboard staples and produce I already had on hand.

The individual pieces of chicken were quite big, and on the first night, we all had one piece and a bag of the included fries.

I added a side salad and coleslaw to this meal to make it more substantial and varied. We all loved it and found the portion sizes to be perfect.

By using pantry staples, I was able to make several meals with the chicken.

The next day, I put together a tasty lunch with another four pieces of fried chicken, this time pairing each with vegetable rice and another side salad.

It was filling, tasty, and easy to prepare since I was just using items we had on hand.

Even if I'd had to pick up extra ingredients, vegetable rice is affordable to prepare. Rice is fairly inexpensive and you can add whatever vegetables are on sale that week to it — even frozen ones work.

The chicken went a bit further when I tore it off the bone.

For the third meal, I stripped some of the chicken off the bone and used it to make burritos.

I kept mine simple with just chicken and cheese, but to make them more filling, I could've added beans, corn, potatoes, or rice.

For a more complete meal, I paired the burritos with tortilla chips and another side salad. Again, it was cheap and easy to prepare.

Finally, I used the chicken for a filling breakfast.

For the last meal, I tore up a piece of chicken to use as a mix-in for a large vegetable omelet for the whole family. It was a good and hearty breakfast.

I may have been able to stretch the chicken even further by freezing the bones from throughout the week to make a homemade stock at a later date.

Overall, the convenience, flavor, and price of the chicken impressed me.

I made four meals for four people for about 25 pounds. I'm in the UK, but KFC offers similar deals in other countries, including the US, where an eight-piece bucket of chicken is about $25.

I still prefer fully home-cooked meals, but I think KFC's "Bargain Bucket" is an excellent value — especially when I'm short on time.

Although a rotisserie chicken could serve a similar purpose, I appreciated the flavorful KFC breading and not having to pick apart a larger bird.

I'd consider buying the bucket for my family once a month or so, especially during an extra busy week.

Read the original article on Business Insider