• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Meals With Maria
  • Home
  • What We’re Eating
  • What To Make
  • Seasonal
  • About Me
Home » Recipes » 5 Budget Meals I wish I knew Sooner

5 Budget Meals I wish I knew Sooner

I feel like when you Google budget recipes, you get the same recipes over and over. And I like them, but I’m always aiming to try new things. I was able to find some budget recipes that feel fresh and new and I truly wish I did know sooner! So I’m here to share them with you so you don’t have to keep searching!

Get your FREE
“$50 for 6 Family Meals”
e-book Today!

Get instant access to a printable shopping list, meal lineup, and delicious recipes—all in one place! No more endless clicking, it’s all right here for you!

    By downloading the meal plan, you’re subscribing to Meals with Maria’s mailing list for delicious recipes, handy meal planning tips, and exclusive offers straight to your inbox! Unsubscribe at any time!

    Built with ConvertKit

    Canned Chicken Chicken Tortilla Soup

    This canned chicken tortilla soup was created because I really should have gone grocery shopping. It’s extremely pantry friendly but also hearty and full of flavor. You’d never know it was made with canned chicken unless I told you!

    Huevos Rancheros

    huevos rancheros on a plate

    This Huevos Rancheros Recipe is a fun breakfast of a sleeper budget dinner! How fun and inexpensive an idea for your dinner table!

    Chicken Diane

    Chicken Dianne over mashed potatoes

    Apparently this Chicken Diane Recipe is named after the Roman Goddess of game, Diana. Well, I thank her because the flavor on this one is worthy of a fancy and expensive restaurant!

    Poor Mama Cheeseburgers

    I think these were originally called Poor Man Cheeseburgers but my notes app kept changing the name to Poor Mama Cheeseburgers so that’s what we are going with. These were a huge hit with the kids and so easy to make! No flipping burgers or looking for the prefect doneness! These are easy peasy!

    Cornbread Enchilada Casserole

    This Cornbread Enchilada casserole is incredibly pantry friendly! I love that you use a box of Jiffy mix to top it off! The sauce is made with canned tomato sauce so it’s super easy to throw together! And it’s not spicy (of course kick it up a notch with some cayenne if that’s your jam!), my kids adored this!

    Sign Up for FREE Weekly Meal Plans

    Subscribe for meal plans sent straight to your inbox!

      We won’t send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.
      Built with ConvertKit

      Watch Me Make These Budget Meals On My YouTube Channel!

      FOR MORE MONEY SAVING TIPS CHECK OUT THESE VIDEOS:

      • 8 Meals that Saved Me $100’s
      • 20 Expert Tips to Slash Your Grocery Bill
      • Cheap but Underrated Budget Meals

      MORE MONEY SAVING RECIPES TO TRY:

      • Homemade Seasoned Oyster Crackers
      • 6 Affordable Ground Beef Recipes
      • Poor Man’s Recipes

      Maria Ronan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Links on this site may include affiliate links to Amazon and its affiliate sites on which the owner of this website will make a referral commission. Thank you for supporting Meals With Maria! My videos and website are for entertainment purposes only. Any information related to food, food safety, cooking, recipes, etc. are my opinions only. Maria Ronan is not liable and/or responsible for any advice, services, or product you obtain through this video and websit

      Related

      Previous Post: « Pantry Friendly Cornbread Enchilada Casserole
      Next Post: New Easy Recipe – High Protein Cottage Cheese Eggs »

      Reader Interactions

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      Primary Sidebar

      Maria Ronan of Meals With Maria

      About Maria

      Real life, good food, and making the most of what we have.

      Hi, I’m Maria! I share the real-life food I’m making for my family — grocery trips, family meals, meal prep, from-scratch favorites, and the recipes we actually want to make again.

      Around here, it’s less about having more and more and more about making something good with what we already have.

      Read More

      Follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube

      • Amazon
      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      • Pinterest
      • TikTok
      • YouTube

      Want Help Sticking to Your Grocery Budget?

      I use my Stick to Your Budget Checklist + Grocery Budget Calculator to start with what we already have, plan what we actually need, and estimate what our grocery trip should cost before checkout.

      No surprise totals. Use what you have. Shop with intention. Feel abundant without overbuying.

      Get the Bundle for $5

      JOIN ME EACH WEEK

      Good food for real life, straight to your inbox.

      Grocery diaries, family meals, meal prep, recipes, and what I’m making at home right now.

      Join the Newsletter

      Popular Right Now

      creamy chicken noodle soup in a white bowl with a spoon

      19 Cozy September Dinner Ideas I Can’t Wait to Make

      slow cooker Marry Me chicken soup with gnocchi in a white bowl

      10 Cozy Fall Chicken Recipes for Easy Family Dinners

      oven baked butternut squash and brussels sprouts in a white bowl with a spoon on a red table cloth

      Oven-Baked Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts with Candied Pecans

      fall chicken skillet in the skillet pan with chicken, butternut squash and sprinkled with parsley

      One-Pan Fall Skillet Chicken & Butternut Squash (Crusty Breading + Lemon Finish)

      creamy chicken noodle soup in a white bowl with a spoon

      Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

      frosted Cinnabon cinnamon roll copy cat on top of a marble plate with a striped dish towel in the background

      Cinnabon Inspired Cozy Cinnamon Roll Recipe

      chickpea pumpkin curry in a bowl with white rice and topped with a few pieces of cilantro

      Easy Chickpea Coconut Pumpkin Curry

      skillet gnocchi with sausage and spinach ina. skillet topped with parsley and with a wooden spoon in the skillet.

      Skillet Gnocchi with Sausage and Spinach – Easy Weeknight Dinner

      Maple pecan cookies piled up on a grey and white striped tea towel

      Maple Pecan Cookies – The Best Fall Treat

      Starbucks copycat pumpkin cream cheese muffins- one is sliced in half on the muffin wrapper.

      Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins (Starbucks Copycat)

      Footer

      Privacy Policy

      Copyright © 2026 Meals With Maria on the Foodie Pro Theme