For just $30, and a little bit of savvy shopping, I have 3, $10 dinners, to share with you. When making 3 meals for $30 it’s important to utilize some simple budget shopping principals.
3 Golden Nugget Tips (for your $10 dinners!):
To get started, I have 3 golden nugget grocery tips for you!
#1 Always Check Unit Price: When you’re shopping with only 30 dollars and any time really, you want to be a smart shopper and not be swindled into buying the same amount of product for more. When it comes to cheese, the block cheese is almost always less expensive than the already shredded cheese and it takes no time at all to shred it at home.
#2 Buy What Fits In Your Budget: As much as I recommend getting as much bang for your buck as possible, if you’re on a tight budget and the bigger sized item doesn’t fit in you sometimes need to buy smaller and yes, this is even if the unit price is more! For example, on this trip, I had to buy a smaller continuer of sour cream and butter because they bigger ones just didn’t fit the budget.
#3 Find Your Clearance Section: I really recommend finding the clearance section at your local stores, mine are always at the back of the stores and they even have a rolling cart with discounted produce. Especially if you are planning to eat the meals quickly, the discounted produce can be a life saver. You can easily get more vegetables for less.
Those are just three tips for today’s $10 dinners, but make sure to check back as I’ll continue to share more gold nugget tips along the way.
General Assumptions
With meals like this, there is the general assumption that you have access to a full kitchen and that. you do have some basics like oil and basic spices.
The Grocery List
If you try this $10 dinners meal plan, exact amount of meat you buy will vary and the pricing will obviously vary by store. I do hope that the basic principals are of value and that even if you buy the same items, your total can come close to the $30 mark.
Here is exactly what I purchased and the price of each item:
1.16lbs Ground Beef -$4.05
Taco Seasoning- $.99
8 oz Sour Cream -$1.16
Cilantro – $1.29
Garlic – $.42
8oz cheddar cheese – $2
2 Roma Tomatoes- $.69
Onion – $.59
2.99lbs Chicken breast – $9.45
2lbs Rice – $1.49
1/2lb Butter – $3.29
Parsley -$1.29
2 Zucchinis – $1.38
Canned corn – $1
2 Peppers – $.65
Why rice?
You’ll notice that we’re using rice in almost every meal. Rice is a great way to stretch a dollar and stretch a meal especially with $10 dinners! Making bowls like taco bowls or Greek bowls during the week, is an inexpensive trick to make a little go a long way.
The Menu:
Chicken Kabobs and Garlic Butter Rice
For our first $10 dinner, we’re making delicious Chicken kabobs. Chicken Kabobs on the grill or even, in the oven, are a classic spring and summertime treat in my house. I love marinading chicken breast or thighs, slicing up some on sale vegetables and grilling it all to perfection. You can get the full marinade and grilling recipe right here!
Even though, in my video, I served the Jennifer Aniston salad. Using the budget above, I recommend this garlic butter rice. It is a simple, budget friendly dish, that gets requested year after year on our family trips. My in-laws absolutely rave about this rice and, rightfully so! You slice up garlic to make these crispy little garlic chips and cook the rice in, you guessed it, butter and garlic. Top it off with the garlic crisps and some sliced scallions, if you have them. This recipe is a hit again and again!
Taco Bowls
These are a very straight forward classic that never gets old. I spiced it up by adding a fresh homemade and kid friendly pico de gallo! Adding something fresh and homemade can help stretch ingredients and it feels more special that way. There is nothing like fresh tomatoes, garlic, and cilantro to brighten up a dish!
Kid Friendly Pico De Gallo:
2 Diced tomatoes
1/4 cup diced onion
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 tbsp cilantro
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
Mix it all together and enjoy!
Garlic Butter Chicken with Zucchini Rice
I saw this on one TikTok and had to give it a try. This chicken is better than restaurant chicken. It’s juicy, flavorful, and doesn’t take a lot of time or ingredients to cook. Chicken, garlic, butter, and parsley are the cornerstones of this recipe and they do not disappoint.
This zucchini rice can really feed a crowd! And it absolutely knocks it out of the park on flavor. It’s funny that my 7 year old Tommy insisted that I have always put zucchini in rice. Which, I definitely haven’t done before. But I was glad to hear he was happy with it! I’ll definitely be making this again especially during zucchini season. You can get the recipe here!
How to Make them all this Week!
You can make all of these $10 dinners in a week and never get bored! I made an entire Youtube video that you can cook along with and get even more details on how to make these dishes and how to shop for less right here! And if you’re looking for more budget meals, check out this list of 25 rice and beans recipes that will definitely keep your budget in check!
In compliance with FTC guidelines, please assume the following about all links, material on this website/videos: Any/all of the links on site/video are affiliate links of which Maria Ronan receives product credit or a small commission from sales of certain items, but the price is the same for you.
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 website.
[…] If you’re seeking a delicious, cheap, and healthy alternative to satisfy your Big Mac cravings, look no further than the Big Mac Bowl recipe. With its combination of fresh ingredients, flavorful toppings, and the option to create your own dressing, this recipe provides a guilt-free way to enjoy the classic flavors of a Big Mac while supporting your budget and health goals! You can see how this fit into my $80 weekly budget for my family of 5 in this youtube video! And if you’re looking for more satisfying budget meals make sure to check out these $10 dinners! […]