12 Inexpensive Dinners Your Family Will Love

Stretching your grocery money can be hard to do with the way food prices are increasing. But there are some dishes that are actually family favorites and they don't cost that much to make.

1. Cabbage, Potato, and Sausage Soup

Soup is one of the easiest things to make because you can throw in anything you like and blend it to make a pureed soup.  Now that the temperatures are coming down, I like to make a little heartier soup with leftover vegetables, tomato sauce, and pasta or rice.

I really like combining cabbage and potato, throwing in carrots, onion, and garlic for flavor. To make it a little more filling, I fry up some sausages and slice them in or brown a bit of ground beef for added flavor.  And I always, always make a pan of cornbread to go with it as well. But feel free to adjust this according to your flavor and what your family likes.

 

recipe for Clean Out The Fridge Vegetable Soup

2. Chicken Kiev

If you love meat dishes, chicken is about as affordable as it gets. We don’t eat meat a lot, but when we do, it’s often chicken. Chicken Kiev is a simple dish and buying chicken in bulk saves on your budget.

Mix butter with herbs of your choice and slice a pocket in the chicken to insert it. The butter keeps the chicken from drying out. When you bread the chicken, instead of rubbing it with eggs, mix in some mayonnaise (yes, really). It makes my cleanup a whole lot quicker and easier, and you won’t taste the difference in the finished dish.

recipe for Savory Chicken Saute

3. Mushrooms and Ramen Noodles

Noodles are my go-to affordable and easy dinner when I’m not really feeling like cooking. At all. It’s so simple, the noodles just need a couple of minutes to prepare, and you can add in any veggies that you like. 

I love to stir-fry some mushrooms with the ramen flavor packet and add them to the noodles. I often add an egg for flavor, a little soy sauce, some spice, and any leftover veggies that I have in my fridge. It’s quick, easy, and tasty. 

4. Pasta Carbonara

Pasta carbonara but without all the fancy ingredients. If you don’t like butchered Italian recipes, I suggest you stop reading here. I love making pasta carbonara with just bacon and Parmesan. When Parmesan isn’t available or not currently on sale, consider grated cheddar. 

For all the eggs going into the carbonara, I like to separate the whites and yolks and use the whites later in an omelet. That way, you’re not wasting food and keeping the costs to a minimum. 

5. Egg Sandwich

I love a sandwich for dinner, but it has to be a baguette or something similar. I cut the baguette in half, put some butter on it, and put it in the broiler or toaster until crispy. 

You can really use what you have in your fridge for toppings. Deli ham, turkey, or other lunch meats that you enjoy can be used. Fry the eggs, add salt and pepper, and you have a great dinner sandwich. On, maybe a slice of cheese too.

recipe for Fried Egg Sandwich

6. Crispy Chicken Thighs

I love cooking chicken thighs because the dark meat is juicy and flavorful. You can season them with anything you like. I like to add granulated garlic, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.

When you’re done with that, mix in olive oil and some flour. If you want to coat them equally, I like to toss everything into a resealable bag and shake until they’re fully coated. If you have an air fryer, cook the thighs in it until crispy or put them in the oven.

recipe for Southern Fried Chicken

7. Mac and Cheese

Mac and cheese is a classic and has to be included here. It’s quick, cheap, and tasty. Now that fall is officially here, it’s comfort food that you need in your life. 

Just boil some elbow macaroni, and when that’s done, melt in some butter and mix in cheddar or a combination of Velvetta and American cheese slices (or any other cheese that you have in your fridge). Add a little milk to make it extra creamy, and season with salt and pepper. I love to garnish it with a little chopped chives, throw in some breadcrumbs, or add extra cheese.

recipe for Three Cheese Baked Macaroni And Cheese -Moosewood Recipe

8. Gnocchi With Spinach

Depending on where you live, you may want to make your own gnocchi or just buy it pre-made. Where I live, gnocchi is $2 a box, but I have a friend who lives in a rural area where it costs $6 per box. She’s making her gnocchi from potatoes and flour, and she swears it’s not that hard. 

I like throwing in frozen spinach and cream or getting one of those creamy spinach packets. Top it off with shredded mozzarella or cheddar, and you’re good to go.

9. Tamale Pie

Tamale pie is such a great comfort food. You first make a layer of ground beef or turkey mixed with veggies that you like. I like to add garlic (always), onion, bell pepper, corn, and some type of enchilada sauce. For a little spice, don’t forget to mix in chili powder or hot sauce.

When you’ve prepared that layer, you add an extra layer of cornbread on top of it. The great thing is that you can all put it in one dish, and it doesn’t take that long to clean up.

recipe for Tortilla Casserole

10. Bacon Vegetable Fried Rice

Fried rice is one of those dishes that's hard not to love because you can make it with almost anything in the fridge. Make sure to add some garlic and spice to the dish, and throw in the veggies you want to add. I like to add broccoli or carrots, for example, and scallions of course. Leftover rice works best for this because cold rice fries better. 

Stir it all up, and add some soy sauce, eggs, and even bacon on that night when you need your salt fix. This one pan dish is budget friendly and always a hit with the kids.

11. Tuna Salad and Chicken Salad

Tuna and chicken salads are easy to make, not too expensive, and very filling. I like to add two cans of tuna, parsley, dill, scallions, and cornichons plus the mayo or salad dressing. For chicken salad, I like a rotisserie chicken from the local grocery. The chicken goes a long way and is often good for at least two meals.

To make the salad go further I sometimes add pasta, olives, lettuce or arugula, and some type of cheese. Mix it all together, put some salt and pepper on, and you’re golden.

recipe for Basic Chicken Salad

12. Bagel Pizza

I feel that take-out pizza has become increasingly overpriced, so I’d rather not spend $20 on something I can make for $5 and is healthier. I like to make bagel pizzas because I usually have bagels on hand. 

Take a bagel, put on some tomato sauce and cheese, and add your favorite toppings. My favorite options are pepperoni, sausage, veggies, black or green olives, and mushrooms. Toast them in the oven, and you have a cute pizza that’s super tasty and fun.