Frugal Dinner Recipes

General Budget Tips

Regardless of which frugal dinner recipes you choose, keep in mind the following tips:

• Reduce the amount of meat included in your favorite recipes or plan one or two vegetarian meals each week. Meat is very expensive, but most Americans already consume much more protein than what is truly necessary.
• Remember that frozen fruits and vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh produce, but significantly cheaper.
• Sign up for The Grocery Game or start clipping coupons to reduce your weekly shopping bill.
• Plan ahead. Even though it can be somewhat time consuming at first, making a meal plan for your family is a great way to save money on your grocery bill.
• Use leftovers to your advantage. If you have a limited amount of time available for meal preparation, make double batches of your favorite recipes and freeze the leftovers for use at a later date.

Frugal Dinner Ideas

Although it may be tempting to order takeout or pop in a frozen pizza at the end of the day, a homecooked meal is better for both your budget and your health. Frugal dinner options can include pasta, soup, casseroles, and breakfast for dinner.

Pasta

As any college student can attest, pasta is the key component in many frugal dinner recipes. It’s cheap, filling, and easy to prepare even if your culinary skills are somewhat limited. In fact, most pasta dishes are only slightly more difficult than boiling water.

Popular frugal pasta meals include:

• Baked macaroni and cheese
• Lasagna
• Tuna casserole
• Peas with noodles

Soup

Homemade soup makes a wonderful frugal meal for cold winter months and is easy to pack in lunches for school or work. When you make your own soup, you also avoid the high sodium content of most canned soups.

Inexpensive soup recipes include:

• Potato soup
• Vegetable soup
• Beef soup
• Onion soup

Casseroles

Casseroles are popular dinner choice for busy cooks since they can be easily prepared ahead. In fact, preparing and freezing several casseroles at one time is a great way to create your own alternative to expensive convenience foods.

If you’re looking for frugal casserole recipes, consider the following:

• Tater tot casserole
• Scalloped ham and potatoes
• Mixed vegetable soufflé
• Broccoli and rice

Slow Cooker Meals

Using a countertop slow cooker, commonly called a Crockpot, tenderizes lesser cuts of meat and provides a variety of extendable meal options, especially for large families. With a little preparation in the morning, you can come home to a simmering, delicious dish after work.

Try these slow-cooker staples:

• BBQ Chicken
• Ratatouille
• Lasagna

Breakfast for Dinner

Families with small children know that breakfast for dinner is guaranteed to be a hit. This easy and inexpensive meal solution is fun because children love the idea that they’re eating their morning meal at an unexpected time of day. If you’re normally too busy for more than a bowl of cold cereal in the morning, having breakfast for dinner also gives you a chance to enjoy a slightly more elaborate meal.

Breakfast for dinner options include:

• Pancakes
• French toast
• Waffles
• Muffins
• Eggs

Additional Resources for Finding Frugal Dinner Recipes

While looking up frugal dinner recipes online is certainly convenient, having access to a few good cookbooks is a necessity for any budget-savvy chef. Here are a few titles to consider:

• Cheap. Fast. Good!
• Dining on a Dime Cook Book: 1,000 Money Saving Recipes and Tips
• The Student Cookbook: 200 Cheap and Easy Recipes for Food, Drinks, and Snacks
• Cheap & Easy: A Cookbook for Girls on the Go
• Vegan with a Vengeance: Over 150 Delicious, Cheap, Animal-Free Recipes that Rock