Budget Friendly Meals are the only way to keep your head above water when every grocery trip feels like a heist. You walk into the store for milk and leave fifty dollars or thirty pounds lighter, wondering where the money went.
It happens to everyone, but it does not have to be your story. There is a way to eat food you actually like without checking your banking app every five minutes.
This list is your way out of the high-price trap. Keep reading to see how simple it is to change your kitchen game.
Cheap Family Dinners
1
Bubble Up Pizza Casserole
Photo Credit: happyfamilyrecipes.com
Bubble Up Pizza Casserole only needs 6 ingredients! The biscuits ‘bubble up’ while baking to make a perfectly fluffy, soft, and pizza flavored filled casserole with cheese, pizza sauce, and pepperoni.
2
One Pot Taco Spaghetti
Photo Credit: midwesternhomelife.com
One Pot Taco Spaghetti is an easy 30-minute dinner recipe that combines the delicious flavors of tacos and spaghetti.
3
Baked Chili Cheese Dogs
Photo Credit: easyfamilyrecipes.com
Baked chili cheese dogs are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser! When you bake chili dogs in the oven, magic happens—they taste warm, fresh, and extra delicious.
4
Asian Steak Bites and Potatoes
Photo Credit: delightfulplate.com
Asian Steak Bites and Potatoes comes together in under 30 minutes, with everything cooked in just one pan for easy cleanup.
5
No-Boil Lasagna
Photo Credit: savaskitchen.com
Easy no-boil lasagna made with beef, marinara sauce, ricotta cheese, and super convenient oven-ready noodles.
6
Pepperoni Pizza Pockets (Mini Calzones)
Photo Credit: www.masalaherb.com
If your family loves pizza, these are for you! Handheld foods are just so fun, and you can even make these ahead and to take on the go.
7
Easy Honey Garlic Pork Chops
Photo Credit: theforkedspoon.com
Made with bone-in or boneless pork chops, Easy Honey Garlic Pork Chops get seared until golden, then simmered in the most delicious 5-ingredient honey garlic sauce.
8
Chicken Tortellini Alfredo (Panera Copycat)
Photo Credit: www.sweetteaandthyme.com
Rich and creamy Chicken Alfredo Tortellini is made with a homemade alfredo sauce, this easy weeknight Panera copycat recipe is kid-friendly comfort food done right.
9
Tortilla Pizza
Photo Credit: www.spendwithpennies.com
All you need to make this budget-friendly dinner are tortillas, shredded cheese, pizza sauce, and your favorite toppings.
10
Crock Pot Spaghetti
Photo Credit: www.thegunnysack.com
Crock pot Spaghetti is perfect for busy days when you know you aren’t going to have time to prepare dinner. Put everything in the slow cooker and leave it simmering all day.
11
Pizza Grilled Cheese
Photo Credit: spaceshipsandlaserbeams.com
Gooey cheese and pizza toppings make Pizza Grilled Cheese a super fun twist on the classic sandwich.
12
Chicken Rigatoni
Photo Credit: easychickenrecipes.com
Easy Chicken Rigatoni serves up tender, bite sized chicken in a rich and creamy tomato sauce loaded with Italian flavors.
13
American Goulash
Photo Credit: theforkedspoon.com
American Goulash is an easy, one-pot, classic comfort food made with ground beef, tomatoes, and macaroni noodles.
14
Pizza Sliders
Photo Credit: spaceshipsandlaserbeams.com
Pizza Sliders are a great way to enjoy everybody’s favorite food in a new and delicious way. Mini buns are piled with rich pizza sauce, spicy pepperoni, and melted cheese.
15
Sheet Pan Chicken Quesadillas
Photo Credit: hearthandvine.com
You can put together Sheet Pan Chicken Quesadillas in no time. They’re fun to make and much easier than making individual quesadillas for your family.
16
Taco Grilled Cheese
Photo Credit: www.simplystacie.net
With classic taco ingredients like seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, lettuce and of course, a lot of cheddar cheese, this recipe takes everything you love about tacos and grilled cheese.
17
Easy Pepperoni Rolls
Photo Credit: spaceshipsandlaserbeams.com
Made with pizza dough, mozzarella, and pepperoni, then baked to bubbling, ooey-gooey perfection, these Easy Pepperoni Rolls taste just like something you’d order at a restaurant.
18
Spaghetti Pie
Photo Credit: 3boysandadog.com
An amazingly tasty casserole of spaghetti, cheese and meaty goodness Spaghetti Pie is an easy weeknight dinner recipes that you’ll fall back on time and again.
19
Baked Ranch Chicken
Photo Credit: crystalandcomp.com
Baked Ranch Chicken is so easy to make and packed with flavor. The shredded Italian cheese gives it a delicious cheesy taste, and the cornflakes add a nice crunch.
20
Chicken Taco Pizza
Photo Credit: easychickenrecipes.com
When you can’t decide between tacos or pizza, make Chicken Taco Pizza! It’s assembled and served like a pizza topped with everything you love about tacos.
21
Crock Pot Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
Photo Credit: blessthismeal.com
Crock Pot Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta has tender shredded chicken in a flavorful garlic parmesan sauce, for a vonvenient, versatile, and family-friendly meal that cooks itself.
22
Texas Toast Pizza
Photo Credit: fantabulosity.com
Texas toast pizzas use frozen garlic bread to make pizza night at home easy! Loved by kids and adults alike, it’s perfect for busy weeknights.
23
Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Photo Credit: https://www.livingsmartandhealthy.com
Make better-than-restaurant chicken tenders right in your air fryer. Kids will gobble these down, with their favorite dipping sauce of course.
24
Slow Cooker Ravioli Lasagna
Photo Credit: iheartvegetables.com
With just 3 ingredients, this “lazy lasagna” is made using frozen ravioli for an incredibly easy hands-off dinner in the slow cooker!
25
Honey Chicken
Photo Credit: www.modernhoney.com
Honey Chicken is tossed in a skillet with butter, honey, garlic, fresh lemon juice, spices, and soy sauce, and makes for a quick and easy 15-minute dish.
26
Easy Pepperoni Pasta Bake
Photo Credit: dancingthroughtherain.com
Cheesy, gooey, and easy Pepperoni Pasta Bake is such a great twist for pizza night, and you can’t argue with only 4 ingredients!
27
Baked Chicken Parm Sliders
Photo Credit: www.modernhoney.com
Chicken topped with a fresh marinara sauce topped with fresh mozzarella cheese and baked on Hawaiian sweet rolls and slathered with garlic butter.
28
Chili Mac
Photo Credit: www.thediaryofarealhousewife.com
Chili Mac is made with elbow macaroni, ground beef, tomatoes, and topped with cheese for all those comfort food vibes we need during the week.
29
Slow Cooker Chicken Enchiladas
Photo Credit: theoregondietitian.com
Quick and simple Slow Cooker Chicken Enchiladas are made with fewer than 10 ingredients and just a few minutes of active prep time.
30
Taco Gnocchi Skillet
Photo Credit: www.midwexican.com
Taco-seasoned ground beef, plenty of vegetables, tender bites of gnocchi, melty cheese, and crushed tortilla chips.
Budget Friendly Meals work best when you change how you look at the grocery aisles. Most people walk in and buy what they see at eye level. This is a mistake. The stores put the expensive items right in your face. If you want to save, you have to look down. The bottom shelf is where the deals live.
This is not about eating poor-quality food. It is about being a pro at the game. You should pay attention to the unit price on the tag. That small number tells you the cost per ounce or gram. Often, the bigger bag is not the better deal. The store expects you to be in a rush and not check the math.
The freezer is a tool you need to use more often. People often think fresh is always better, but that is a myth that costs you money. Frozen vegetables are picked at their peak and frozen immediately.
They are cheaper and they do not rot in your drawer after three days. If you find yourself throwing away a bag of slimy spinach every week, you are literally throwing cash in the bin. Buy the frozen version. It tastes the same in a stir-fry or a soup, and it stays good for months.
You also need to look at the “convenience tax.” This is the extra money you pay for someone else to chop your onions or wash your lettuce. A container of pre-cut fruit can cost four times more than the whole fruit. If you have ten minutes, do the work yourself.
That small amount of time keeps more money in your pocket. This applies to beans and grains too. Canned beans are easy, but a bag of dried beans is a fraction of the price and lasts forever. It just takes a little planning to soak them.
Another way to win is to shop the seasons. In the USA, UK, and Canada, we are used to seeing strawberries in December. They cost a lot because they travel a long way to get to you.
If you buy what is growing locally right now, the price drops. Roots and hearty greens in the winter, berries and stone fruits in the summer. It makes your cooking taste better because the food is actually fresh.
- Look at the unit price on the shelf tag to see the real cost per weight.
- Buy store brands for staples like flour, salt, and canned tomatoes because the quality is the same.
- Shop the bottom shelves where the cheaper, non-advertised brands are kept.
- Use frozen fruit and vegetables to avoid waste and save on the per-serving cost.
- Avoid pre-cut produce and do the chopping yourself to skip the convenience markup.
- Check the clearance section for meat that is near its sell-by date and freeze it immediately.
- Stick to a list so you do not get distracted by colorful displays and “deals” you do not need.
- Switch to dried legumes like lentils and chickpeas for a very cheap source of protein.
- Eat what is in season to take advantage of lower prices when supply is high.
- Keep a pantry inventory so you stop buying things you already have at home.
Success comes from small habits. When you stop overpaying for names and start paying for ingredients, your bank account changes. You can still have a great dinner with friends or a nice family meal without the stress of a high bill.
It is about being intentional. When you take control of your spending at the store, you have more freedom everywhere else. Start small, pick two of these tips for your next trip, and see how much you save.