My Favorite Budget Friendly Meals

I’m always looking for a good deal or I try to stock up when a favorite item is on sale. These days I am full bargain hunting and planning out our meals more than ever. Which is why I want to share with you my favorite budge friendly meals. I love trying new recipes and finding my family’s next go to favorite meal. We eat a few new recipes a week mixed in with our favorite tried and trues. I have been finding myself gravitating towards my most budget friendly meals lately. I want to share with you my favorite budget friendly meals. And yes, I have eaten and enjoyed every single one of these.

When it comes to budget friendly meals, you have your go-to’s like pasta, rice and beans, eggs and pancakes (eh, maybe not eggs right now). I love variety when it comes to dinners (unlike my children) so I am always looking for ways to mix up flavors and recipes. When planning out meals for the week, I try to use recipes that share ingredients, especially if I’m buying fresh vegetables. It is annoying to buy a bunch of celery for 2 stalks or a giant head of cabbage for 1 cup chopped. Another way to use up all your ingredients is to double and triple the recipe you are buying for. There are a few salads I love, but they call for a 1/2 red bell pepper, 1 Tbsp fresh mint, or 1/2 can coconut milk. It can ready add up price wise to buy these specific ingredients for one night’s meal. Make extra and either freeze the leftovers or enjoy for multiple lunches and dinners.

Never forget that the freezer is your friend. I recently stocked up on chicken thighs that were $.99 lb and divided the large package up into smaller meal portions and froze in freezer bags. I also check out my meat sections clearance area where I can find really good deals on meats that are expiring in a day or two. They go straight to the freezer when I get home.

If you want to stay extra budget friendly, look to adapt recipes to what’s in your fridge. A recipe calls for kale? That leftover spinach in your fridge will do the trick. No quinoa on hand? Rice, farro, barley or small pasta like pastina or orzo is a perfect swap. Canned crushed or diced tomatoes are an easy and fast substitute for the real thing, especially if you live in an area where really yummy, affordable fresh tomatoes are hard to come by. Sour cream and Plain yogurt are interchangeable in a recipe. There are so many ways to be creative in the kitchen to enable you to cook with ingredients you already have, helping you stay more on budget.

Chilaquiles Casserole – Eating Well

This version of Chilaquiles Casserole from Eating Well is a favorite of my husband. It’s so simple to make on a weeknight. A cans of black beans, green chiles, and enchilada sauce are layered with frozen corn and tortillas. Eating well makes it extra healthy by adding grated zucchini as well.

Simple Ribollita – Bon Appétite

Ribollita is a humble Tuscan peasant soup, but we all know that these type comforting meals are really what you crave. Especially good on cold nights, this soup is like a warm hug and transports you back to memories of your mom cooking with love for your family. Ribollita is amazing because it uses not only cheap and leftover vegetables, but leftover bread to thicken the soup. Get creative if need be. Leftover hamburger buns or the heels of your weekly loaf of bread can find new life. There are many variations and preparations for Ribollita. I find the Bon Appétite version to be very straight forward. Others, like David Rocco’s version call for mashing some of the beans for extra texture and throwing in some pancetta. I do highly recommend the pancetta or bacon if available.

Quinoa and Black Beans – AllRecipes

This Quinoa and Black Bean recipe is originally marked as a side dish. However, it is so filling that it can easily be transformed into the main course. Add a protein of your choice or keep as is. Quinoa, black beans, frozen corn, spices, and broth come together create an quick, delicious, and budget friendly meal.

Orzo Salad – Love and Lemons

A good orzo salad, especially on a hot summer day is hard to beat. Packed with garbanzo beans and arugula (or spinach), it’s as good for you as it is pretty. This version from Love and Lemons is so delicious and a crowd pleaser. I received this recipe after attending a party where it was raved about. Now I get the rave reviews when I serve it. I personally leave out the red onion – no thanks. This salad makes a lot, so definitely a budget friendly meal.

Stuffed Zucchini Boats – Skinny Taste

Zucchini boats are a recipe that you can get super creative with and mix and match to your taste and ingredients. I prefer an enchilada stuffed boat such as from Skinny Taste, but you could do sloppy joe inspired or stir fry inspired. The sky’s the limit. I like to make sure mine is stuffed with at least one protein (beans, meat or quinoa), rice, veggies and topped off with a sauce.

Super Sloppy Joes – Rachael Ray

A childhood favorite gets a little more adult with Rachael Ray’s Super Sloppy Joes. No instant sauce packets here. Canned tomato sauce, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and spices come together to create a flavorful sauce that is no where near the school cafeteria.

Weeknight Enchilada Casserole

My Weeknight Enchilada Casserole is quick to put together and uses leftover chicken, black beans, quinoa, enchilada sauce, tortillas, and cheese. Add in a veggie like corn or zucchini for extra vitamins.

Coconut Lentil Curry – The Endless Meal

Lentils, coconut milk, tomatoes, and spices are what’s needed for this warm and filling dinner. This curry from The Endless Meal also cooks in a slow cooker, so another win! Serve over rice and dinner is served.

Baked Falafel – How Sweet Eats

I love Falafel and I love this version too from How Sweet Eats because it’s baked instead of fried. This would also work in an air fryer. I like making this a full meal by putting the falafels in a pita, naan, or other flatbread with some roasted red pepper hummus and adding some slaw or other greens on top. So good! If you want an extra time saver, the Trader Joes frozen falafels are delicious and heat up in your air fryer in minutes.

Clean Out the Fridge Soup

At least once a month I make what I like to call Clean Out the Fridge Soup. I rummage through my veggie drawers and pantry and see what produce, grains, and beans I can throw together. Sometimes I make dumplings to simmer on top like my Veggie Packed Chicken and Dumplings. It’s really simple. Sauté your veggies in butter or olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, paprika (really whatever spices you like). Add your broth of choice. Choose a bean, lentil, or split peas. Add a grain like elbow macaroni, orzo, farro, quinoa, pastina. Let simmer until ready. Such an easy way to make your ingredients go far for a healthy and filling meal.