Do you ever find yourself wishing you could save money on groceries but feel overwhelmed by your busy schedule? Just like many of us, I understand the challenges of juggling a hectic life while trying to stick to a budget. With three kids and a calendar filled with swim lessons, appointments, and constant rushing out the door, I know firsthand the struggle of finding time to cook from scratch. I need cheap and easy dinners just as much as you do!
I’m sharing a treasure trove of incredibly fast and budget-friendly meal ideas that will revolutionize the way you approach cooking. Gone are the days of sacrificing quality and flavor for the sake of convenience. Even with a busy life, you can still enjoy delicious meals that your kids will devour, all while staying within your budget.
So, if you’ve ever felt like your life is too busy to stick to a budget, check out these cheap and easy dinners! You’ll love these culinary secrets, and you’ll soon discover how easy it is to whip up amazing meals that your whole family will love—meals that won’t break the bank. Get ready to transform your kitchen and enjoy the satisfaction of providing your family with scrumptious dishes that are both cheap and easy!
Classic Frozen Burritos
I always keep a package of frozen burritos on hand for busy nights. Maybe because I grew up with them as a staple in my house but I still love them today. They are a crowd pleaser when it comes to kids. And, they microwave up in just two minutes. You can top them with whatever you have on hand and you have a delicious meal. This is especially helpful on a busy “Taco Tuesday.”
Cheap and Easy Upgraded Ramen Noodles
Ramen, a beloved comfort food, can be transformed into a delicious and satisfying meal with just a few simple additions. This is my favorite, cheap and easy, way upgrade a traditional ramen recipe by incorporating readily available ingredients to enhance both the flavor and nutritional value of this classic dish.
Simply cook the ramen noodles according to the package instructions which only takes about 3 minutes then customize the dish as you like! Ramen is so cheap at only $.25 or less, even if you have to try again, it’s worth tryin something new and you won’t go broke doing it!
Ramen additions:
Add Onions –
Red onions bring a delightful touch of sweetness and a hint of tanginess to your ramen. Slice up some red onions and toss them into your noodles for an extra burst of flavor. Remember, in ramen, there’s no such thing as too much onion!
Incorporating Green Onions:
Green onions, also known as scallions, are a perfect addition to any ramen. Slice them up and sprinkle them on top of your noodles. The mild and refreshing taste of green onions complements the rich flavors of the broth, elevating the overall experience.
Grate carrots –
Carrots not only add vibrant color to your ramen but also contribute a pleasant crunch and natural sweetness. Grate a carrot of any size, opting for thin gratings that will cook quickly once added to the hot broth. The carrot will infuse the ramen with a subtle sweetness and add a pleasing texture to every bite.
Enhance the Broth –
To create a more decadent and flavorful broth, add the chicken packet that comes with the ramen. In addition, crack an egg directly into the boiling water. You can either let the egg cook for approximately six minutes, leaving it slightly runny, or mix it thoroughly for a thicker broth. The cooked egg yolk adds richness and depth to the overall flavor, making the broth even more satisfying.
Additional Customizations –
- Fresh Garlic: Cook up some minced garlic to infuse the broth with its aromatic flavors.
- Fresh Ginger: Grate ginger into the broth for a zingy and refreshing kick.
- Sliced Mushrooms: Cooked mushrooms can add earthiness and texture to your ramen.
- Kale or Spinach: Add leafy greens such as kale or spinach for added nutrition and a pop of color.
By incorporating simple additions like red onions, green onions, grated carrots, and customized ingredients, you can elevate a traditional ramen dish into a gourmet experience. The combination of flavors, textures, and personal touches will result in a bowl of ramen that is not only delicious but also uniquely yours. So go ahead, get creative, and savor the joy of upgrading your ramen noodles!
The Classic Hot Dog – A Budget Friendly Delight
Hot dogs are a nostalgic favorite for me. They bring back memories of cheap and easy dinners my dad used to make when my mom was working nights. Whether you grew up on microwaved hot dogs or enjoyed them grilled alongside macaroni and cheese, this versatile dish offers endless possibilities. Because they are so cheap and can be prepared in so may ways, hot dogs make an excellent choice for budget-friendly meals.
Hot dogs often take the spotlight for both kids and adults offering a satisfying and hassle-free dinner option. Whether cooked on the stovetop, grilled, microwaved, or air fried, hot dogs were a reliable go-to that could be ready in minutes.
Don’t Underestimate the Power of a Hot Dog!
One of the appealing aspects of hot dogs is the flexibility in cooking methods. Whether you prefer the smoky flavor of grilled hot dogs, the simplicity of boiling, or the convenience of microwaving, you can choose the method that suits your time constraints and personal preferences. The air fryer is another option that yields a deliciously crisp exterior while retaining a juicy center. Experiment with different cooking methods to find your favorite.
Hot dogs are known for their affordability. With prices often under two dollars for a pack of eight, they offer an economical protein option that can easily feed a family. Additionally, rolls or buns can be found at discounted prices during the barbecue season or even at affordable stores like the Dollar Tree. By pairing hot dogs with a side of chips or serving them with macaroni and cheese, you can keep your meal cost under the five-dollar mark.
Hot dogs, a beloved childhood staple, continue to be a favorite choice for quick and inexpensive meals. With their affordable price and quick preparation, hot dogs remain a go-to option for those looking to stay within a tight budget. So, next time you’re seeking cheap and easy dinners, consider hot dogs. Embrace the nostalgic flavors and enjoy a delicious and satisfying meal that won’t break the bank.
Cheap and Easy Tuna Melt
A tuna melt is a classic and versatile dish that can be easily customized to suit your taste preferences and budget. Whether you prefer a simple tuna and mayo combination or want to create the ultimate tuna melt with added ingredients, this recipe is sure to satisfy your cravings.
For one of the cheap and easy dinners, I recommend a basic tuna melt with tuna, mayo, salt, pepper, cheese, and bread. But if you want to shop your pantry or spend a little more. I also make the ultimate version with a few extra ingredients and if you don’t have all the ingredients, that’s ok! Just add and remove things based on what you have!
For bread, simple and cheap sandwich bread will do, but making your own sourdough really ups the sandwich and is a really inexpensive thing to make for your family. Not to mention the health benefits! My favorite recipe for sourdough is located here!
For the full tuna melt recipe check it out here!
English Muffin Pizzas!
These English muffin pizzas are an age old classic that, in fact, never get old! English muffins, pizza sauce, and cheese are all inexpensive ingredients that can make up a quick treat that will please the whole family! A few other benefits include the ability to use leftovers as toppings and the fact that english muffins are not entirely necessary to make these! You can just change the name to pizza bagels if that’s what you have on hand! Large bagels, mini bagels, even garlic toast works really well to make up a quick pizza in your oven or toaster oven!
Growing up I always made these in the toaster oven and still do today! Just one toast session and dinner is served! These are also on the menu in my house as a late night snack. My husband is always asking if we have any english muffin pizzas around 10pm. Luckily, since the ingredients are staples around here, we almost always do!
Shredded Chicken Quesadilla Using Canned Chicken
When you’re looking for a simple and affordable meal option, canned chicken can be a versatile ingredient to have on hand. Shredded Chicken Quesadillas are a delicious and budget-friendly recipe for canned chicken that can be whipped up in no time. With cost-effective ingredients you likely have on hand and are even available at Dollar Tree, you can enjoy a scrumptious meal without stretching your budget.
You can get the full recipe here!
Your Best Friend PB &J
Don’t forget about this delicious budget treat! This one tops the list for versatility, and it’s pantry friendly nature. First off, you can make an entire week of PB&J for $5! And you won’t need to keep these cool the day you make them making them a great on the go meal. When running from game to game, event or appointment to appointment, peanut butter and jelly will save you from the drive through! And as an alternative option, you could always stick to the plain Peanut butter sandwich, switch out sun butter (if you have an allergy), pack up a peanut butter and fluff, or add in some bananas! The options feel endless!
Fish Stick Tacos
These look a lot fancier than they are! But don’t worry they taste it too! All you need to do is buy a package of fish sticks from your local Walmart, cook them according to package instructions and place them in some street taco shells! You can top them with whatever you have on hand but I recommend some coleslaw mix, sour cream and lime! These are sure to be a hit with your family. They will never know how cheap and easy they really were!
You can find the full recipe here!
Breakfast For Dinner
Breakfast for dinner can be so fast and so cheap! Basically, anything that you would eat for breakfast, you could have for dinner! My favorite combo is eggs, toast, and bacon but here is a list of different options you could make! I am confident that all of these combinations will come in under $5 and take less than 10 minutes to cook! If you see something I’m missing on this list please comment below to share!
- Pancakes
- Waffles
- Eggs, toast, and bacon or sausage
- Oatmeal
- Cereal
- Bagel with cream cheese
- Fruit, yogurt, and granola
Fried Egg and Rice
This meal is so simple but is an absolute gem. If you’ve never had a fried egg over rice with some soy sauce, you are missing out. This is not a dinner that I grew up with but I believe I heard a podcast where David Chang described this meal as a budget favorite and I had to try it. If I’m in a bind and trying to keep costs down by not ordering takeout, this is a go-to in our house hold. My husband will request this time and time again.
How to Make a Fried Egg and Rice
It may seem self explanatory but I do want to explain the absolute best way to eat this meal. To keep things quick, you can cook minute rice but I actually recommend rice that you may have batch cooked at the beginning of the week. “Day old” rice is actually superior for a recipe like this. You want to heat some oil in the bottom of a frying pan over high heat an add your cooked rice. The plan is to crisp up the rice and give it a bit of a crust. Remove the rice once you get the desired crust. It won’t necessarily turn brown but you can feel the crispiness.
To Make the “Lacy Egg”
To cook your egg, add some more oil and quick fry your egg, you want to make sure the yolk is still runny but the outside is crispy. This is called a lacy egg. Serve the egg over the fried rice with soy sauce. You can also add in some microwaved, steamed, broccoli and hot sauce if you like!
Poor Man’s Burrito Bowl
This recipe was originally found on Budget Bytes and is super pantry friendly! I originally featured this in my 25 Rice and Beans Recipes, which is another robust list of cheap and easy meals for you and your family!
Check out the full recipe for the Poor Man’s burrito bowl here!
Rotisserie Chicken Caesar Salad
All hail the rotisserie chicken and it’s easy budget friendly qualities! In my area, one chicken costs less than $5 and can feed us for at least two meals. When it comes to cheap and easy dinners, the rotisserie is your friend. My family absolutely loves Caesar salad and is absolutely joyful when I serve this up. This is a fast meal that I can make in about 5 minutes and costs less than $10.
What You Need For Your Salad
Now this caesar salad doesn’t even really have to follow the traditional caesar salad route. In fact, the salad can actually be a garden salad depending on what you have on hand. My local store has a large head of lettuce for $1.50, half of the chicken is around $2.50, croutons are $1 but you can always make up your own with stale bread, parm is considered a pantry staple in my house, and caesar dressing is $1.99 but you won’t need the whole container. Mix it all together and enjoy! And remember, add in extra vegetables if you have them! Heck, even use a different type of dressing or make your own!
Frozen Ravioli’s with Garlic Bread
A package of frozen raviolis is $1.50 and to feed my family of 5, I need two of them. Sauce comes in at around $1 and you can either make garlic bread with leftover bread, or buy some cheap Texas toast! The best thing about making these, aside from the price, is that once your water is boiling, the ravioli’s only take 3 minutes to cook! Heat your sauce alongside your raviolis, serve and enjoy your delicious $5 dinner in less than 10 minutes!
Poor Man’s Soup
Now, a simple can of soup is always a budget friendly option. I always try to stock up on soup when they go on sale for around $1 because you never know when you’ll need a quick meal. But, you can really bulk if your traditional cans of soup by adding in your own extras, add in a little extra chicken broth or bouillon to add liquid then add what you have on hand. Here is a list of add ins that can really bulk up a soup and taste delicious. Similar to the breakfast option, if you have additions you like to make, share them in the comments below!
- Frozen breakfast potatoes
- Canned Corn
- Canned beans
- Leftover or shredded chicken or beef
- Tofu
- Canned diced tomatoes
- Diced onion
- Sliced scallions
- Fresh or frozen spinach
- Frozen or canned mixed vegetables
Then I love to top my soup with saltine crackers, sour cream, shredded cheese, or oyster crackers!
Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
Grilled cheese and tomato soup is another classic that’s perfect for a rainy day when you need cheap and quick dinners to make your family happy. I personally, love canned condensed soup but whatever your favorite is, is what you should use! For the grilled cheese, I like to cook mine stovetop with a little butter. You can use whatever cheese you have on hand or whatever cheese is your favorite! Make this your own and enjoy!
There Are No More Excuses! You Can Stick To Your Budget!
Now that you are armed with these delicious recipes, you have no more excuses to blow your budget on takeout or fast food! Even in a rush you can feed your family for less! If you’re still looking for more budget recipes, check out these 25 Rice and Beans recipes. Your budget and your pantry will thank you!
And to watch me make these 15 recipes and explain them, check out my Youtube video!
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