High-Quality Meals at a Low Cost
One of the hardest parts of adulthood is realizing that most of your income goes straight to basic survival- rent, utilities, and especially food. By the end of the month, many people are simply trying to get through until the next paycheck. But what if your meals didn’t have to drain your wallet? Believe it or not, there are plenty of budget-friendly dishes that are both satisfying and affordable. In fact, we’ve put together a list of 35 meals that can help you save money without sacrificing taste or nutrition. Curious to see what made the list? Keep reading to find out.
Lasagna Soup
What’s better than the world’s best casserole? The world’s best casserole mashed up with the world’s best comfort food form. That’s right: we’re starting you off right with the perfect comfort meal that’s not only delicious and easy to make, but also cheap enough that your wallet can breathe a sigh of relief. For this recipe, you’ll need a few basic ingredients, all of which you likely have sitting around in your pantry already. The end result is a bowl of broken noodles simmering with some Italian sausage and spinach in a tomato broth, all topped off with some delicious cheese. Add a few slices of garlic bread to complete the effect.
Black Bean Soup
Full disclaimer: soup is probably one of the simplest foods you can make. It’s also one of the cheapest, so expect to see a few soup-based meals going forward. This black bean soup is actually a vegan-friendly meal, so you can bet that it’s loaded with vegetables. Worry not, however - it’s delicious and nutritious in equal measure. The best part about this meal? You can actually prepare it a day in advance, and rather than tasting stale, the flavors will actually become even better if you allow it to sit for a while. Don’t be fooled by the vega tag - give this one a try.
Potato Leek Soup With Crispy Leek Topping
Continuing our saga of soup, this next dish has an elegance to it that feels like fine dining on a budget, even if the name doesn’t leave much to the imagination. Indeed, your primary ingredients here are leeks, potatoes, a bit of garlic, and some chicken stock. Despite the simplicity of its base components, the end result is a creamy and delicious bowl of pure flavor. Of course, soup is always better when it’s served with a tasty side. For this one, we suggest an elegant baguette slathered in salted butter and topped with some pepper.
Pumpkin-Gorgonzola Ravioli
Pumpkins are always in demand during the holiday season and serve as the base ingredient for several meals. But after the holidays? It’s anyone’s game, and pumpkins typically become cheaper than usual. You’d be surprised by how many dishes (besides pie, of course) you can make with it. Case in point: this delicious ravioli dish. The secret here is to use fresh pasta sheets, which make assembling them so easy you’ll feel like a certified fine-dining chef. Combine this with some pumpkin puree, and you’ve got a winner on your hands.
Baked Mac ‘n Cheese (with Poblanos)
If you’ve already skimmed through this list in advance, you’ll hopefully have realized that there are tons of different, creative meals that you can make on a budget. But while experimentation can often lead you to new and exciting flavors, sometimes the classics will serve you just fine. This mac ‘n cheese dish has it all: great flavor, a satisfying crunch, and a little bit of zest. It’s more or less your standard dish served with some poblano peppers and crushed tortilla chips, and is sure to delight your taste buds.
Pulled Pork With Texas Toast
Unfortunately, catering to a crowd usually means having to dig extra deep inside your wallet, and even then, how can you guarantee that everyone is going to love your meal? The answer: this budget-friendly pot roast. The key ingredient here is pork shoulder. It’s probably one of the cheapest meats you can get your hands on. You’ll also need some barbecue sauce, chili powder, ground cumin, and a few other spices and sauces to give it that extra flavor. Serve it with some Texas toast and you can easily satisfy an entire crowd of people.
Sausage, Potato, and Cabbage Soup
What is it about the winter months that just makes everything seem a bit more desperate? During these cold days, it’s important that you’re able to come home to a hot meal, and what better winter dish than good ol’ soup? This one does pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. It combines sausages, potatoes, and cabbage to produce a simple yet delicious meal that can serve a full family of six on a budget. And the best part? It only takes around half an hour to make.
Chicken Tetrazzini
Like all great pasta dishes, this one has its origins in Italy, but don’t be fooled by its fancy name - this dish is easy to make and no less satisfying for it. It’s essentially a casserole whose primary components include: a rich, creamy sauce, shredded chicken, noodles, and a healthy dash of sherry to give it some extra flavor. Not only is it a meal that will warm you up on a cold night, but it also smells amazing. When has Italy ever given us a bad dish? The extra “fancy” factor this meal has makes it ideal for special occasions, but you can easily whip it up in the middle of the week as well.
Tater Tot Casserole
Our idea of the ideal budget meal is one that A) makes use of basic ingredients that you probably have in your pantry already, and B) is comforting and family-friendly, catering to a variety of tastes. And that’s exactly why this one made our list. Tater tot casserole is normally called “hot-dish”, especially in the Midwest. It’s a meal you can assemble ahead of time and bake when ready, reducing your prep time to a mere 25 minutes.
Mushroom Pot Pie
Most pies are tricky: they require tons of prep time and ingredients to get them just right. Fortunately, there’s at least one pie recipe that goes easy on your wallet, namely this mushroom pot pie. The key ingredient here is drop biscuits, which, as their name implies, require very little rolling and cutting. Combine them with some flour and mushrooms (both of which are typically super cheap), and you’ve got a delicious stew-cum-pie on your hands. It’s a meat-free meal that nonetheless has all the fulfilling flavor of a normal pie, but without all the time spent on preparation.
Tuna Melt
When you think of meals on a budget, a couple of things probably come to mind. Soup is one of them, and probably some sort of pasta dish as well, but if you want something cheaper than those, you can’t go wrong with a classic toasted sandwich. Tuna melt sandwiches are a staple of lunch plates and dinners everywhere, but people tend to forget them due to their simplicity. However, there’s no reason you can’t make these as gourmet as you want. With ingredients as simple as bread and tuna, why wouldn’t you want to throw on some of your favorite spices, sauces, and veggies as well?
Mac ‘n Cheese
Is it cheating to include yet another mac ‘n cheese dish on our list so close to the previous one? Maybe. But let’s face it, it doesn’t get simpler than this. This mac ‘n cheese dish is prepared from scratch - no boxed meals allowed! It takes a little more time and will probably set you back a whole extra dollar, but the end result speaks for itself. Better still is the fact that you can cook the pasta and the sauce is a single pot - no drainage required. Sometimes, it’s best to just keep it simple, and hopefully, this recipe will remind you that there’s no reason why the classics can’t be delicious and tasty as well.
Tuna Noodle Casserole
Depending on where you’re from (and how old you are), you may or may not already be familiar with tuna noodle casserole. If you’re in the latter category, this tasty pantry-food dish is just waiting to be discovered. The ingredients are simple: some tuna, some egg noodles - pretty much everything you see on the tin. Throw in some of your favorite veggies and some crushed tortilla chips for extra crunch and you’ve got a crowd-pleasing, all-time favorite.
Swedish Meatballs With Chicken
When you think of meatballs, you probably picture them accompanying some noodles and a sauce. They’re also typically made from ground beef. Not these ones, though. This meatball dish is made with ground chicken, which actually makes it a little healthier than your average meatballs since the chicken contains less fat. Other than that, it’s pretty standard stuff: throw them in a delicious, creamy sauce and pair them with noodles and voila: a healthy meal that doesn’t sacrifice taste in the slightest.
Beef Enchiladas
Where would the American public be without casseroles? They’re an age-old classic and a reminder of home for many. But besides the sentimentality surrounding casserole dishes, they’re also just so easy to make that we think anyone and everyone should add them to their repertoire. For this one, you’ll need some taco seasoning and corn tortillas. Drown them in beef enchilada sauce and top them off with some veggies of your choice and a healthy serving of tasty cheese, and presto: a crowd-pleasing favorite with a satisfying crunch and probably enough leftovers for lunch tomorrow.
Chicken Marsala
Chicken is probably one of the most versatile meats you can get. Not only is it typically cheaper than many red meats, it’s also loaded with protein. But when you’ve had the same chicken soup over and over, it’s easy to assume that there’s not much more to it. Hopefully, this dish will put those assumptions to rest. It’s simple, sure, but it’s packed with flavor thanks to Marsala, a dry fortified wine from Sicily. It’s a little more expensive, however, and if authentic Marsala is just a little over-budget for you, there’s nothing wrong with using normal cooking wine. Either way, the results speak for themselves.
Pasta Carbonara
Many of the dishes on this list will have their origins in humble settings. Take carbonara, for example: this dish was used to feed Italian coal miners after a day of hard labor. (In fact, the word carbonara translates to coal miner). Is this true? We don’t know. What we do know is that this dish is simple and satisfying, and can be used in a variety of settings from romantic meals to family dinners. You’ll want to get your hands on some good ingredients and the dish is typically made with guanciale, an elusive Italian meat. If you can’t find it, some fatty bacon makes for a great substitute.
Chicken Noodle Soup
Everybody raise their hands if they’ve turned to chicken noodle soup for comfort during the winter months. There’s no way for us to tell how many readers actually raised their hands, but we’re willing to bet it’s most of you. Indeed, this dish is a cold-weather staple due to its simplicity and warmth. You can thank your crock pot for turning such simple and mundane ingredients into a meal worth eating. We recommend chicken thighs for the best results, but really, any chicken will do just fine.
Vegetable Soup (with Parsley Gremolata)
Hearing the words “vegetable” and “soup” - especially when paired together - typically doesn’t inspire much excitement. It’s hard to make such a simple dish come to life… that is, unless you’re using our secret ingredient. Well, it’s not really a secret at all. It’s gremolata, a tasty blend of parsley, garlic, and lemon zest that gives the soup a certain - (we’re going to say it) - je ne sais quoi. Other than that, it’s all pretty standard stuff: beans and broccolini; tomato and quinoa. The result is a satisfying dish that will put those hunger pangs to rest while electrifying the taste buds.
Tex-Mex Chicken Enchiladas
The beauty of enchiladas lies in the simplicity of their preparation. For a dish that’s generally so satisfying and tasty, it’s surprisingly easy to make, provided you’ve got the right ingredients, of course. In this case, you shouldn’t have much trouble. Leftover chicken works just fine, and works great with some fresh cilantro and sour cream. We recommend forgoing bottled sauce - try making your own instead. You may be surprised with the results, which we can almost guarantee will be satisfying, filling, and delicious.
Chicken Pot Pie
Now now, hold your horses. We know - puff pastry isn’t always easy to prepare, nor is it exactly inexpensive. But trust us when we say that this chicken pot pie is not only budget-friendly but super simple as well. The key here is the pot you make it in. Baking a pie in a pot means you only really need to ensure that the top is crusty - the sides and bottom of the pie actually have no pastry at all. This pretty much reduces the meal to something deliciously simple, and it only requires about an hour to prepare.
Potato Soup
Are you sick of soup yet? We hope not, because we’ve got another soup dish right here for you! Right upfront, we’ll admit that this potato soup takes a while to prepare, around 2 to 3 hours on high heat and a full 4 to 6 on low. That’s a pretty hefty time investment, but it may be worth it when you consider that this meal can typically feed you and your family for two nights in a row. Other than that, everything else is pretty simple. Potatoes, veggies, stock, fennel seed - all common pantry ingredients. Serve it with some toasted bread of your choice.
Chicken and Dumplings
Okay, so there are plenty of soup dishes on this list, and while they’re pretty delicious and satisfying, we understand the need for a little variety. So, instead of chicken soup, we bring you… chicken and dumplings. Yes, it’s another chicken-based meal, but it’s a welcome refresher from many of the other dishes you’ve likely tried. The dumplings themselves are easy to make, and you can prepare this meal way in advance with the help of your trusty crock pot. Set it and forget it - put it in the pot before work and reap the rewards when you get home.
Tamale Pie
Before you run for the hills at the sight of the word “pie”, let us reassure you that this dish is no less easy to make than many of the other recipes mentioned on this list. Tamale pie is really just a casserole made with ground beef and veggies topped with cornbread. It’s actually something of a staple in the US, so if you haven’t tried it, now’s the time. It’s also a great excuse to make use of leftover ground beef that you can stretch across an entire dinner meal. A few extra spices transform this into something delicious and flavorful.
Stuffed Shells
Sometimes, the best thing you can do is take a bunch of ingredients, cook them up, and stuff them into something else. That’s a pretty apt description for stuffed shells, which do exactly what it says on the tin. In a nutshell, you’ll need some spinach, a few sauces and veggies, cheese, and, of course, some jumbo shells. After that, it’s a pretty simple process that results in an abundance of flavor packaged into one simple dish that you can prepare pretty much any day of the week.
Gnocchi With Creamed Spinach
You may not be familiar with gnocchi. Surprise, surprise, it’s another type of pasta, one that you should definitely keep stock of in your pantry due to its pillowy softness. Besides that, you’ll obviously also need some spinach - frozen varieties can be stored for a long time and make a great addition to many meals. What brings it all together, however, are the extras: the cream, cheese, and spices that give it its flavor. The end result is something that looks elegant and fancy - without hours of arduous preparation. Pro tip: add some wine to make this a romantic meal.
Tuna Salad
We know what most readers are probably thinking: “Hey! Salad isn’t a meal.” And you may be right. However, knowing how to make a good salad can save you in a pinch, especially since they’re generally simple and inexpensive. This tuna salad uses your favorite cold canned tuna and mixes it with mayo to give it a creamy texture. You’ll also need some celery for extra crunch as well as a handful of green herbs, namely scallions, dills, and parsley. The end result is a delicious bowl of salad that you can pair with just about anything.
Salmon and Creamed Spinach Fettuccine
Remember that frozen spinach we mentioned earlier, the one you should always have available to use at any given moment? Well, we’re putting it to use much sooner than expected. This is yet another pasta dish, one that makes use of fettuccine, can salmon (broken up into chunks), heavy cream, and a handful of extras that enhance its flavor. It’s a little more “grown-up” than some of the pasta dishes you may be familiar with, but it’s no less tasty and easy to prepare.
Tuna Macaroni Salad
See what we mean by how versatile the tuna salad we mentioned earlier is? It comes into play once again with this dish, which pretty much relies on the same combination of tuna, mayo, and celery. The most complicated part of making this is cooking and draining the pasta - which isn’t even that difficult to do. For some added flavor, we recommend using a combination of sweet relish and dill pickles. You’ll eventually end up with a kid-friendly family-favorite, one that’s easy to scoop up and eat, no knives and forks required.
Bagel Pizzas
Many of the dishes we’ve listed here are great: they’re elegant looking while still being easy on the wallet. But the beauty of budget meals lies in the fact that, sometimes, they’re allowed to be a little silly, childish even - they’re a reminder of home. With that said, out of all the meals on this list so far, you really don’t get as stupidly simple as this one. Bagel pizzas are exactly what their name implies: bagels cooked or fried and topped with cheese, tomato sauce, and a few others of your choice. It’s a quick and easy meal that’ll satisfy your kids - and your own inner child.
Ground Chicken Tacos
Tacos are maybe a step up from bagel pizzas, but not a huge one - they’re still a simple, budget-friendly crowd-pleaser that will satisfy kids and adults alike. The really great thing about tacos is just how simple they are to prepare. Aside from any sauces or mixes you may want to make in advance, you can simply heat the tacos up and let everyone choose their own fillings. These ones specifically make use of ground chicken for its decreased fat content (which makes it a little healthier), as well as a few veggies, but you could really make them any way you like.
Sesame Chicken Meatballs
Stir-fry is something of a catch-all dish. It’s almost a hodge-podge of different ingredients all loosely and roughly mixed together in a pot, and is both filling and nutritious. The more veggies, the better! This particular dish makes use of ground chicken, which you can normally buy in a pack and get the most bang for your buck. Add in some plain breadcrumbs, sesame seed oil, and finely chopped garlic and scallions, and you’ve got a winner on your hands.
Fried Rice
We’re about 99% certain that pretty much every pantry or cupboard in the world has at least one pack of rice in it and ready to go. For that reason, if you’re trying to come up with a meal on a budget, knowing how to get the most out of your rice is imperative. Fortunately, it’s a lot easier than you may think. Fried rice isn’t exactly a meal by itself - you’ll need a few other ingredients (typically bacon and veggies) for that. Putting it all together leaves you with a satisfying and tasty meal that is the definition of comfort food.
White Turkey and Poblano Chili
A chili bowl almost always hits the spot. They’re traditionally made with beef, which gives them that added richness. Unfortunately, it can also make them expensive to make… unless you’re willing to try it with white meat. For this, you’ll need a few simple ingredients, namely chopped avocado, sour cream, and lime wedges, all of which combine to make a hearty and delicious stew that can warm and feed a whole family on its own.
Chicken Meatloaf
When all is said and done, is there anything simpler than the humble meatloaf? This is the dish that many of us grew up with, the one that was always waiting for us when we got home late in the afternoon. And while nothing’s ever going to match up to your mom’s recipe, you can guarantee that your own kids will remember this meatloaf when they’re older. Traditional meatloaf recipes are sometimes a little heavy, but you can substitute the meat you’d normally use with ground chicken, which still gives you plenty of flavor but cuts back on all the fat.
