10 Cheap Meals on a Budget

Cheap meals are hard to come by these days, but luckily, we found some excellent, inexpensive options for feeding yourself and your family on a budget.

With the prices of meat and other products on the rise, here are some cheap recipes that will help you save money and lower your grocery bills.

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Ham and Cheese Pinwheels

With just a few simple ingredients, these deli ham and cheese pinwheels make an easy lunch or snack. Everything bagel seasoning is optional but adds even more flavor.

Get the Recipe: Ham and Cheese Pinwheels

Slow Cooker Bean Soup

Bean soup in a white bowl with a spoon. — Photo Credit: Haute & Healthy Living

Beans are an inexpensive ingredient, plus you can make a big batch and enjoy leftovers for days. It’s made in the slow cooker for an easy meatless meal you can set and forget.

Since meat is pricey, having at least one dinner a week without it can save you money on groceries.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Bean Soup

Baked Oatmeal Cups

Cinnamon, apples, and oats are baked together to make these portable oatmeal cups.

Make a big batch so you always have a grab-and-go breakfast option instead of hitting up the costly drive-thru fast food line in the morning.

Get the Recipe: Baked Oatmeal Cups

Chorizo Rigatoni

Chorizo is one of the cheapest meats available and adds a little spice to any dish. This affordable dinner is ready in just 30 minutes.

Get the Recipe: Chorizo Rigatoni

Poor Man’s Stew

Bowl of stew with veggies. — Photo Credit: On My Kid’s Plate

There’s a reason it’s called poor man’s stew; it’s incredibly cheap to make, but at the same time, it still tastes great. It’s made with inexpensive ingredients like potatoes and veggies.

Get the Recipe: Poor Man’s Stew

Banana Pancakes

Banana flavored pancakes stacked on a plate. — Photo Credit: xoxoBella

Bananas, eggs, and oat flour are all you need to make these mouthwatering pancakes. They only take 10 minutes to make, so you’ll have a filling breakfast ready to enjoy in no time.

Get the Recipe: Banana Pancakes

Baked Ziti Casserole

Baked ziti pasta in a dish on the table. — Photo Credit: The Cookin’ Chicks

Made with only five ingredients, this creamy baked ziti casserole is made with ground beef and alfredo sauce.

Make this to feed your family, or if you’re cooking for one or two people, you’ll have plenty of leftovers for a couple more meals.

Get the Recipe: Baked Ziti Casserole

Kielbasa and Potatoes

This yummy recipe is a classic combination of kielbasa and potatoes and makes a satisfying dinner on busy weeknights.

Depending on the store you shop at and where you live, kielbasa sausage only costs $4 to $5, making it a cheap protein source.

Get the Recipe: Kielbasa and Potatoes

Tuna Salad

This tuna salad uses Greek yogurt instead of mayo and adds chickpeas for even more protein. Use this tuna salad to make sandwiches for lunch, or we also love Meredith’s idea of serving it over pasta for a budget-friendly dinner.

Stock up on canned tuna when it’s on sale and opt for the cheaper store-brand Greek yogurt.

Get the Recipe: Tuna Salad

Sweet Potato Hash

Made with cheap ingredients like sweet potatoes, breakfast sausage, and peppers, this filling breakfast can easily feed the entire family. Top it off with some eggs; you won’t be hungry until lunchtime.

(By the way, eggs are normally a budget-friendly option, but due to recent rising prices, you can either omit eggs from this dish altogether or use less than the recipe calls for.)

Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Hash