Stuffed shells may sound like a project, but this version cuts down on the labor by turning it into a one-pan, stovetop-only version with mushrooms and spinach. Not to be mistaken with the equally enjoyable grilled cheese , grilling cheese—such as Halloumi, bread cheese, or paneer—turns this black lentil salad into a super-satisfying meal.

If a New Orleans—style muffuletta and a Philadelphia-style pork and broccoli rabe sandwich had a baby, it would be this cheese and garlicky—and vegetarian—sandwich. This cream yet completely vegan sauce gets its oomph from a couple of pantry heroes: jarred roasted red peppers and canned white beans.

The old-school Italian classic is as satisfying as it is simple. This versatile dish can be served as a side or a main. Just combine roasted poblano chiles, cubed boiled potatoes, onions, and crema, and grab some tortillas for that carb-on-carb action.

In this economy, who has time to form perfectly round meatballs? These pan-seared beauties cut down on the cost by using just egg for the binding, while also by giving canned salmon center stage. This garlicky Filipino classic is a great way to start your morning.

This Dutch baby is dressed to impress—covered in baked apples and cheddar cheese. These chicken meatballs get extra flavors from scallions, garlic, ginger, and hawaij, a Yemeni spice mixture. Chances are good you have a box of whole wheat pasta hiding somewhere in the back of the pantry.

This recipe was made for those forgotten noodles. Broccoli, capers, and anchovies are a great match for the wholesome pasta. The addition of potatoes turns this herby frittata into a filling meal.

But it doesn't end there. Go ahead and fill this frittata with two cups of any leftover cooked vegetables you have in the fridge. This is a great recipe to have in your back pocket for those times when you're just not ready to go to the store again.

These salmon burgers rely on canned salmon—an affordable pantry staple—and roasted red pepper mayo to keep cost low without compromising flavor.

Thinking about dessert? Check out our pastry chef's guide to low-cost baking. Bursting with juicy peaches and tomatoes, this summer salad becomes budget-dinner-worthy thanks to crisped bacon and bread charred in the rendered fat.

These three-ingredient wings require little more than chicken, hot sauce, and butter—plus a few staples oil, salt, and pepper that are likely already in your pantry. The key to great flavor here is that the chicken is marinated after grilling, not before. The bigger the beans the better in this saucy Greek-inspired dish.

Sop up that tomatoey sauce with some crusty bread and call it a meal on the cheap. The secret to this smoky, melt-in-your-mouth eggplant is cooking it in the dying embers of a charcoal grill or charred on the grates of your grill.

Back away from the potato ricer. These gnocchi rely on instant potatoes to cut down the time and cost. Curly kale does double duty in this dish, both mixed in with the noodles and served over the top as crispy chips. The simple salad becomes much less basic when you add tuna, blanched green beans, and basil dressing.

Sure, pasta with a side salad makes for a well balanced dinner, but how about pasta in a salad? Saucy butter beans swimming in caramelized red onions and piquillo peppers.

Consider making a big batch to have around for easy lunches. The baked macaroni and cheese you know and love gets a spicy upgrade with broccoli rabe and a whole tablespoon of crushed red pepper.

Like a cozy blanket in meal form, these chicken thighs get tucked into a Caribbean-inspired sauce made with coconut milk simmered with onions, garlic, and chiles. Like many great budget meals, this makes a terrific lunch or dinner. Looking for more budget-friendly recipes and cooking tips? Check out The Smart Cook , our section focused on making the most of every dollar in the kitchen.

Kendra Vaculin. Berna Anat. Anna Stockwell. Cheryl Day. Joe Sevier. The Smart Cook Linkbanner Make a Food Budget. Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova. Get This Recipe. Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich.

Photo and Food Styling by Anna Stockwell. Cost based on a broccoli and chicken with rice stir fry. Would be less expensive without the meat. You can make plain scrambled eggs for any meal of the day. You can also add in things like chopped veggies, salsa , or herbs to make them feel a little more special.

Omelets are a go-to breakfast in our home. We use 2 eggs per person and toss in any chopped veggies or leftover meat we have in the fridge or from the garden.

Cost will go up slightly for add-ins but can still be very cheap if you use leftover scraps from other meals. A basic spaghetti pasta meal would be similar to the Goulash recipe posted above but with a slightly different flavor and faster to make.

You can use my Quick Spaghetti Sauce recipe without the meat for a homemade pasta sauce. Works especially good if you have some tomatoes in your garden! Otherwise, you can make a very fast recipe by cooking up your pasta and adding a store-bought spaghetti sauce. The cheapest way to make pancakes is with a homemade pancake mix.

We make pancakes at least once a week at home and usually top them with some kind of home-canned fruit. Pancakes can also make a great snack. Just make extras and freeze them to pull out when you need them. Cost with homemade pancake mix.

The cost may vary based on your mix price and if you add any toppings. For a little fuller meal, we like to serve this with Homemade Canned Tomato Soup. You can also make homemade bread. I asked the Little House Living readers what their go-to quick and super cheap meals in their homes were.

I wanted to share these with you as well so you can have a larger variety to choose from! Sloppy Joes! Easy white chicken lasagna soup with bow tie pasta. Boil several chicken breasts in broth. Add 2 large carrots sliced 1 med.

Stovetop Cassoulet with Italian sausage, white kidney beans, onion, celery, carrots, and tomatoes. Hamburger and gravy over toast, egg sammies, hamburger patties browned then cooked more in stewed tomatoes served with plain rice and spinach.

Mix it up. Form mini meatloaves. They actually make a decent microwaved meatloaf. We eat a lot of tacos made from whatever leftovers we have. Chef salad with bread. Hash with eggs. Grilled cheese, BLTs. Cook ground beef and drain! Once the gravy has thickened, pour the gravy over the cooked ground chuck and simmer for 10 minutes!

Finally, make your instant mash potatoes and pour the ground chuck over the potatoes! Baked chicken and roasted veggies, just pop a pan in the oven for 30 minutes after seasoning and drizzling in olive oil. Homemade hamburger helper is quick and easy.

This sounds so simple and crazy but my husband loves loves loves it: cut up a green cabbage into bite-sized pieces or a little larger and a large onion and add a tablespoon full or to desired taste of minced garlic from a jar. Boil to desired tenderness. Add in the meat and some V-8 juice then whatever other veggies you like if you want carrots are good Season with Himalayan salt or regular salt, pepper, whatever you like.

Mix bread crumbs, shredded parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Dip chicken in preferred liquid milk, water or egg. Coat with flour mixture. Place in foil-lined the baking dish. Pour half a cube of melted butter a whole cube is the best over the chicken.

Sprinkle any leftover flour mix on chicken. Bake at for about 20min or until the thickest part reaches degrees. Cheese fondue. I got this from a Cookbook for Two from when I got married 48 years ago.

It starts with cheddar cheese soup and cheddar or Swiss cheese. You can add wine, beer, or apple juice. If I have onions or scallions, I add a little of that.

You might want to add a very little hot sauce to give a subtle kick. If you are looking for a few cookbooks to add to your collection that features cheap and frugal meals, here are some that I would recommend:.

Although ground beef has gone way up in price, if you have some available for you to use, you may also want to check out these Frugal Ground Beef recipes. While the list is a little outdated for pricing, there are still some great ideas on there if you need even more.

If you are looking for still more, you can check out my Frugal Go-To recipes here. Did you enjoy this article and find it helpful? Share it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and through Email using the sharing buttons!

Merissa has been blogging about and living the simple life since and has internationally published 2 books on the topic. You can send her a message any time from the Contact Page.

This article on the Cheapest Meals was originally posted on Little House Living in September It has been updated as of March Support Little House Living by Sharing This. Your email address will not be published.

Chicken broth and homemade dumplings, soup style. Boil broth. Mix flour and eggs. Roll and cut and drop into boiling broth. Add veggies as you have them. Put in mason jars and freeze and reheat in crockpot. My 5 sons made me learn to cook with economy.

One favorite recipe is from the Frugal Gourmet, Jeff Smith. Cuban Black bean soup. Serve with sour cream and chopped tomatoes and shredded cheese and cilantro.

Serve with corn bread for a complete protein. Next meal off left overs are burritioes or nachos! Fried potatoes with cut up hot dogs was my kids favorite growing up! Add in a little leftover meat, or an egg, or drain much of the broth for something else and melt in a slice of American cheese.

so I look for sales and buy beans, rice and other foods in bulk when I can. May all beings be healthy and have nutritious food to eat. Simple sammy includes, bread and ripe tomatoes: Toast two pieces of bread, then butter and add some mayonaisse. Slice a ripe tomato, and add slices to toast.

Salt and pepper.

I chose to use the cheapest available products. I was shocked at the results! Of course, your results will vary depending on the specific recipe you choose to make. Updating this chart above with prices current as of January , I was shocked to see the results from my research.

The hot dog bar has now replaced the pancake breakfast as the cheapest meal to feed a crowd. In my data showed that a pancake breakfast for 16 people was just 7 dollars using generic ingredients! The results of this chart update were appalling to me. Inflation is a real buzzkill for sure, and something I am definitely keeping my eye on the next time I have a crowd to feed!

Good luck and I hope your next gathering is cheap yet fantastic! Skip to content. Post has been updated to reflect January prices. If you want to learn from my mistakes then read on :0 Feeding a crowd on a budget is easy when each guest or family brings a dish to share, instead of committing to feed everyone yourself.

What is the Best Way to Feed A Lot of People? Choose a recipe that can be scaled up without having to cook or bake more batches. This idea works great as a potluck too.

Make as much food ahead of time as you can. Chose a recipe that can be scaled without having to cook or bake in batches Stews, soups, pasta, and salads are excellent for this.

Croc Pot Hot Chocolate. Previous Previous. Next Continue. Similar Posts. Home Cook Bake Hispanic Features Toggle child menu Expand. Toggle Menu Close. Search for: Search. Cost can vary depending on how fancy you get- here I included the basics: cheese, onion, chili with beans, ketchup, mustard, bbq sauce.

Baked potato Bar. Pasta Salad. Eckrich Deli ham, Frigo mozzarella cheese sticks sliced to replace cheese balls, Great value dressing.

Chili with Beans. Though steak and shrimp taste great, they're typically a splurge. But that doesn't mean meals have to taste boring!

These tasty, cheap, budget-friendly recipes are short on ingredient costs, but long on flavor. They lean on low-cost ingredients, such as canned fish and ground beef , as well as pantry staples like flour, butter, and basic vegetables.

Add a few to your weeknight rotation. You'll be glad you did! It's hard to beat a Crock Pot for turning inexpensive ingredients into a heavenly meal.

Chicken thighs work best in this dish, dark meat especially, but nearly any chicken can work. Skip the wine if you need to replace it with stock , but don't use cooking wine, or anything you wouldn't drink. Get the recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup.

This simple vegetable soup is surprisingly sustaining. With beans and broccolini, tomato and quinoa, it'll make a belly-filling bowl that can power you through an afternoon, or quench a serious dinner hunger. Get the recipe for Vegetable Soup.

Nothing beats mac and cheese for filling bellies! What makes this extra easy is that the macaroni cooks right in the sauce. So you don't have to boil it ahead of time! Get the recipe for Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese.

Puff pastry makes this extra-yummy pot pie both simple and delicious! Get the recipe for Chicken Pot Pie. Serve this staple-filled soup with good, crusty bread for a simple, effective, and delicious meal.

Get the recipe for Slow Cooker Potato Soup. Perhaps the only thing more warming and delicious than chicken soup on a cold day is chicken and dumplings.

Get the recipe for Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings. This fast stovetop recipe skips roasting, but is steeped in flavor. And with just a few ingredients mostly squash , it's easy on the wallet! You can skip the brandy and use a little more cider to save some cost.

Get the recipe for One-Pot Butternut Squash Soup. Some chicken cutlets and pantry staples — and plenty of Parmesan, of course — can quickly turn into this family favorite.

Get the recipe for Chicken Parmesan. The underrated tuna melt, that staple of diners and lunch plates everywhere, deserves to be making a big time comeback. You probably have most of the ingredients in your fridge right now. What are you waiting for?

Get the recipe for Tuna Melt. If you're looking for a way to use ground beef in a spicy, simple dinner that'll make the whole family happy, then you've just found your recipe for tonight! Get the recipe for Tamale Pie. This ground beef enchilada dinner is especially a winner.

A little taco seasoning, some corn tortillas, a can of enchilada sauce, cover it with cheese and boom! You've got a powerhouse meal for four or for two, with leftovers ready to go. Get the recipe for Beef Enchiladas. Want to make your whole family feel taken care of? Treat them to a baked pasta dish.

You can pick from three yummy options, including Fettuccine Alfredo, Five Cheese Ziti al Forno, and Spaghetti with Meat Sauce. These entrées are prepared, packaged, and chilled, making them ready to take home — perfect for dinner that night or lunch the next day!

Frosty with any purchase through the end of It resets every hour after being claimed, so you could be looking at a whole lot of Frosties in !

Plus with a Frosty Jr. Einstein Bros. Bagels has a new and exciting offer for Schmear Society Rewards Members can participate in the new Unlimited Free Coffee Program. That means any time you place an order online or through the app, you can score a FREE hot or iced coffee excluding cold brew of any size with any purchase!

To redeem your reward, order online or through the app. Not part of the Schmear Society Rewards program? Any purchase will unlock the reward for the next calendar month.

You can choose from a medium 1-topping pizza, a selection of melts, 8-piece breaded boneless wings, a double order of breadsticks, cheese sticks, and their new chocolate donut bites! Plus this deal is available for takeout or delivery!

Note that participation may vary by location. One of our favorites is the hot dog and drink combo. Get the recipe for Beef Enchiladas. Want to make your whole family feel taken care of? Treat them to a baked pasta dish. It's easy, it's cheap, and it's super filling.

Get the recipe for Classic Stuffed Shells. Who's in the mood for a minute dinner? Besides gnocchi and frozen spinach, all you need for this meal is some cream, some cheese, and a few pantry spices.

Get the recipe for Gnocchi with Creamed Spinach. Tuna salad has been the centerpiece of a number of cheap and easy snack dinners in our household. Add some crackers, some cheese, a little fresh fruit, and you've got a meal! Get the recipe for Tuna Salad. Broken noodles simmer in a tomato broth with sausage and spinach, capped off with a big dollop of blended cheese.

Get the recipe for Lasagna Soup. An easy way to save on dinner costs? Have breakfast for dinner. This simple but delicious mix of eggs, tortillas, and sausage is a fun way to go all out while still saving some cash. Get the recipe for Migas with Chorizo. If you're craving a tasty pasta dish that's a little more grown-up than jarred red sauce, give this dish a whirl.

We're pretty sure it'll become a regular part of your dinner plans. Get the recipe for Salmon and Creamed Spinach Fettuccini. We always seem to have the makings for tuna salad around, and elbow macaroni is not expensive.

So when we're on a budget, this tuna mac makes a dinner that's fun, filling, and fast. Get the recipe for Classic Tuna Macaroni Salad. Is there a more classic cheap dinner than mac 'n cheese? Especially because this recipe shows you how to cook the pasta and make the sauce all in the same pot, no draining required!

Get the recipe for Easy-Peasy Stovetop Mac 'n Cheesy. Known around the Upper Midwest as "hot dish," this pure comfort-food classic is easy, inexpensive, and plate-lickingly good.

This dish just feels like home. It gives you everything you want in a meal: the healthiness of vegetables, the protein of chicken, and the delightful texture of a biscuit.

This recipe takes less than half an hour to make. So what are you waiting for? Get rid of that idea in your head that cooking seafood is hard! It's that easy! Recipe: One-Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta. This dish is so delicious, you won't believe it only calls for a handful of ingredients.

The secret is pairing pesto with mozzarella cheese — it's always a crowd pleaser. This recipe makes 4 servings, so you can have it as leftovers, invite friends over, or eat it all — we wouldn't blame you.

Recipe: Pesto Chicken Bake. Great news! This dish is super easy and quick! to make. You probably already have all of the ingredients on hand and it takes less than 20 minutes to make. With this cheesy pasta dish, you'll be cheesin' in no time. Recipe: Easy Chicken Alfredo Penne.

Who doesn't like fried rice? With brown rice, peas, carrots, eggs and scallions, this dish is a classic. This veggie fried rice is also a great call if you get home hungry — Instant Pot to the rescue!

Recipe: Healthier Veggie Fried Rice. Let's just face the facts: quinoa in salad is elite. This salad is a vegetarian's dream, with a refreshing combo of cucumbers, tomatoes, spinach.

Top it all off with a lemony dressing to really seal the deal. Recipe: Avocado Quinoa Power Salad. Stir-fry is always a good idea. This recipe is flexible, since we all know stir-fry can be made with everything and the kitchen sink and still taste delicious!

You can even switch out the rice for noodles for a change in texture. This recipe is easy and delicious — and, even better, you can swap out some of the vegetables for ones already in your fridge. If you have tofu, dijon, and something green, you are most of the way there.

Get scrambling! Recipe: Tofu Scramble. It only takes 15 minutes to whip up this simple-but-satisfying masterpiece. Plus, the whole recipe only requires one pan. So not only will cooking be easy, but so will clean up!

Recipe: Cheese Tortellini in Creamy Marinara. Craving sushi but don't want to go out? We got you. Even better, the recipe is flexible, so you can swap out the veggies or protein for whatever you happen to have on hand. Recipe: Sushi Bowl. The recipe calls for a mixture of kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans, but of course you can swap in whatever canned beans or grains that are already in your kitchen.

Recipe: Vegan 3-Bean Chili. Recipe: Egg Pizza With Scallions. This hearty chickpea masala is the perfect recipe for vegetarians and can be prepared spicy or mild, depending on your taste. The recipe calls for a splash of heavy cream, but you can use coconut milk to keep it vegan.

Recipe: Cauliflower and Chickpea Masala. This easy, kid-friendly dish starts with crescent roll dough on the bottom, then it's loaded with ground beef, cheese, and any of your favorite taco toppings.

Recipe: Taco Pizza. This recipe uses baby kale to stuff the toast cups, but feel free to use spinach or arugula if kale isn't your favorite. Recipe: Bacon and Egg Toast Cups. Feel free to use any hearty veggies you have on hand in place of the beets and radishes.

Brussels sprouts, diced sweet potatoes, and carrots would all work well. Recipe: Baked Eggs With Roasted Vegetables. This creamy mac 'n' cheese is loaded with all kinds of good stuff, like white cheddar, broccoli, and seared chicken. Leave out the chicken. Broccoli isn't your favorite?

Feel free to substitute it with whatever vegetables you have on hand. Recipe: White Cheddar Mac 'n' Cheese With Chicken and Broccoli.

This baby is everything you love about caprese and grilled cheese crammed into one delicious sandwich. Serve it with salad or soup, and you've got yourself a dinner that's both fancy and budget-friendly.

Recipe: Caprese Grilled Cheese.