18 Cheap Meals & Budget Recipes

So here is the thing. Healthy food doesn’t always have to break the bank, wouldn’t you agree? And to give you proof of that, I suggest that you just take a look at these 18 delicious cheap meals and pick the budget recipes that you like the most!

I bet that you have a couple of cheap meals ideas and budget recipes up your sleeve.

And who doesn’t?

I am also in for a good bargain, but only if that also equals good quality food.

Healthy Low Budget

But don’t get me wrong here.

Because fast food bargains and cheap meals don’t necessarily mean that your dinners also have to be unhealthy. I looked for some fast food research topics for this post.

I mean god almighty, when I was browsing the internet as a preparation before writing this blog post and looking for more inspiration, I was truly surprised.

There are quite a few highly delicious and even posh looking cheap meals to make on a budget!

Just think for yourself for a moment.

What is a cheap meals that you prepare at home most often?

Spaghetti

In my case I would have to say a classic pasta aglio olio e peperoncino.

You might have heard of that dish before. It is an Italian spaghetti dish that you can make with very little ingredients. Spaghetti of course and olive oil, garlic, dried red chili pepper and salt.

Yes, that is really it!

Nothing more.

Play and simple. And delicious.

Budget

I think that if you count how much that pasta meal costs per person, I would barely reach half a dollar if I take the prices in my local supermarket into account.

However I can’t eat that dish all week long, right.

I would be a walking garlic bulb.

And that is why I started to look for other cheap meals and budget recipes ideas that you might not necessarily think of straight away.

Jacked Potato

So what dishes did I come up with in the end?

I invite you to take a good look at my list of 18 cheap meals below and you will know what I mean.

And I especially like the sound of that jacked potato with tuna salad. It is an interesting recipe because I have to admit that I have all the necessary ingredients in my pantry and fridge at all times. So I should put that one on my to try list as soon as possible.

Classic Cheap Eats

Which cheap meals recipes do you prepare often at home?

I am sure that you can also sum up quite a few cheap classics.

Like rice and beans, or spaghetti meatballs, and another classic such as mac and cheese. I love them all. And yes, they are cheap but also delicious. Because that is the main thing for me.

Pasta, potatoes and rice are a blessing if you are cooking on a budget.

And so is chicken or turkey if we are talking about protein.

Supermarket Bargains

You know if I need to buy groceries to make dinner that very same day, then I always go hunt for reduced prices or meats on offer because their expiration date is closing in.

That way I am often able to cooking with lovely cuts of meat such as lush lamb chops or badass flank steaks.

Well I also wanted to include a steak budget recipe into this cheap meals list, but I wasn’t quite able to find one that I really liked.

I was more looking for a light and healthy recipe, like pan seared steak with a fresh tomato salad or mashed potatoes and buttered corn.

Chili Con Carne

I did find quite a lot of cheap meals with ground beef.

One classic I still included: chili con carneof course.

Ground Beef

So are you ready to get inspired then?

Let me prove to you that healthy food doesn’t necessarily have to break the bank. Just take a look at these 18 delicious cheap meals and pick the budget recipes that you like the most!

Click on the pictures and links below and you will immediately be redirected to the right page!

Enjoy!

Click on the pictures and links below and you will immediately be redirected to the right blog page!

1) Jacked Potato with Tuna Salad (Unilever Food Solutions)

Do you like baked potatoes?

Then you will love these jacked potatoes with tuna salad from Unilever Food Solutions!

This is how the guys behind it describe this baked potato recipe: “Just imagine a crispy roasted whole baked potato topped with a creamy tuna salad and fresh pickled onions. This is a creative twist on an English pub grub classic!”

And we could not agree more, right? This one looks amazing!

Thank you so much for this interesting cheap dinner idea!

2) Sausage & Prawn Jambalaya (Deliciouslyorkshire)

Have you ever made a jambalaya before?

It is basically a one pan rice meal. And I love the look of this sausage and prawn jambalaya from Deliciouslyorkshire!

The people behind it say this: “For a quick and easy Saturday supper with a good flavor kick, this sausage and prawn jambalaya with paprika chicken sausages will hit the spot between flavor and comfort food every single time. This is a delicious one pan meal!”

And that sounds absolutely amazing, thank you so much!

3) Classic Chili Con Carne with Ground Beef (Cheap Meals)

Allow me to sneak in one of my own cheap recipes here…

I have mentioned this one earlier here in this post: a classic chili con carne! And one of my all time favorite cheap meals. Just like many of you I am sure!

In my chili con carne version go just the basic ingredients, nothing fancy or expensive. Minced beef, canned tomatoes, cumin, dried chilli, black beans and bell pepper.

An easy peasy dinner and so simple to make!

4) One Pan Cheesy Chicken Broccoli & Rice (The Girl Who Ate Everything)

Christy Denney is the food blogger behind The Girl Who Ate Everything.

And there I stumbled upon another beauty: this next one pan cheesy chicken broccoli and rice!

Christy says:“This one pan cheesy chicken, broccoli and ricecontains very simple ingredients. This dish is perfect for a busy weeknight when things are hectic. Only one dish to clean for this satisfyingone-pandinnerrecipe.”

And we like the sound of that, thank you so much Christy!

5) Hot Ham & Pineapple Sliders (Kylee Cooks)

I have known Kylee for a while.

You might be familiar with her recipes from Kylee Cooks on social media. For this cheap meals and budget recipes blog post I was looking for good old comfort food. And that is exactly what I get here with Kylee’s hot ham and pineapple sliders!

She says: “These easy to make hot ham and cheese sliders(we say Hawaiian sliders in my house) are the perfect grub for parties. Make a double portion to feed a crowd!”

Thank you so much Kylee!

6) Skillet Shepherd’s Pie (Healthy Seasonal Recipes)

And I should of course also add a good old pie to this cheap meals roundup!

I found this beauty from Katie over at Healthy Seasonal Recipes, a skillet shepherd’s pie. Beef, potatoes, vegetables and cheese.

Yum!

Katie says: “This is ultimatecomfort food, my healthy skillet shepherd’s pie! It is packed with flavor, rich gravy, lean grass-fed beef and a bit of melted gooey cheese on top that makes it unbelievably irresistible!”

It sure looks and sounds absolutely delicious, thank you so much Katie!

7) Tex Mex Turkey Stuffed peppers (Home Chef)

And this next recipe is one from chef David Padilla over at Home Chef!

These lush looking tex mex turkey stuffed peppers are an eye catcher. He uses poblano peppers but if you can’t find those, I am sure that you can also use green bell peppers instead.

Chef Davis says: “These peppers are stuffed with turkey and corn, and topped with cheese and cilantro. It is a delicious and easy-to-make recipe!”

Thank you so much David!

8) Bangers & Mash with Onion Gravy (RecipeTin Eats)

Yes, I have to admit it.

I am a sucker for bangers and mash!

And of course this classic deserves another sweet spot here in my cheap meals roundup. I made this delight many times before. So I could have easily added one of my recipes here. However I decided that Nagie’s bangers and mash with onion gravy over at RecipeTin Eats would be perfect as well.

Nagie says: “Bangers and mash is one of the kings of comfort food. A splendid dinner recipe for a quick easy sausage meal with green peas or steamed vegetables, doused in homemade gravy.”

I am all ears, thank you so much Nagie!

9) Cauliflower & Chickpea Masala (Budget Bites)

And what if you feel like making an Eastern style dinner?

Could you do that on a budget?

Yes! Beth over at Budget Bites shows that with this savory looking cauliflower and chickpea masala curry. Oh look at that vibrant color, I can almost smell that curry sauce!

Beth says this about her masala curry: “This super easy and spiced cauliflower and chickpea masala curry is a family favorite! That creamy sauce is just out of this world that you can’t help but mopping up every last bit of it with some naan bread.”

Thank you so much Beth!

10) Bacon & Vegetable Frittata (Live Simply)

Another one pan meal, I love it!

Eggs, bacon, potatoes, mushrooms, peppers and cheese… What is not to love about this frittata!

I loved Kristin’s bacon and vegetable frittata the second that I saw it on her blog by the name ofLive Simply. Of course this treat needs a place in my cheap meals and budget recipes post!

Kristin says: “This is such asavory bacon, vegetable and mushroom frittata. This wholesome frittata can be served as a filling breakfast, lunch or dinner option. You can even prep this frittata in advance!”

Thank you so much Kristin!

11) Parsley Pesto Pasta with Tomatoes & Fried Eggs (Budget Bites)

Well I just realised that I haven’t included a pasta recipe here yet!

So what do you think about this parsley pesto pasta with tomatoes and fried eggs? I saw this recipe on Budget Bites as well, the same website where I found that cauliflower and chickpea masala curry I talked about earlier.

Chef Beth says: “This parsley pesto pasta is so vibrant and those blistered cherry tomatoes on top give this pasta meal an extra pop of color. Love the sweet finish that goes so well with the earthy garlic and parmesan cheese.”

No time to make parsley pesto?

I am sure that this meal also tastes great with a classic Italian basil pesto as well!

Thank you Beth!

12) One Pot Prawn & Noodle Stir Fry (Tesco Real Food)

Prawns, egg noodles, bokchoy and soy sauce is all you need!

And yes, I always have those ingredients in my fridge, freezer and pantry as well.

A lovely Asian style stir fry is always a lovely dinner idea, even if you are not looking for cheap meals or a budget bowl of food.

Credits for this one pot prawn and noodle stir fry go to Tesco Real Food.

Thank you so much for this awesome inspirational meal idea!

13) Fish Finger Tacos with Mango Relish (Will Cook For Smiles)

Can fish be part of a budget dinner meal?

Sure, if you choose wisely! What do you think about these fish finger tacos with mango relish then? Lyuba over at Will Cook For Smiles is the creator behind this lovely budget taco meal!

She says: “These crispy fish tacos are perfect in combination with that sweet and spicy relish. These tacos are made with fish fingers, cucumber mango relish, avocado and a creamy cilantro dressing.”

Still too many ingredients?

Then I would go for sliced cucumber and apple instead of the avocado and mango relish. And serve tartar sauce, plain and simple mayo or a sweet and spicy dipping sauce instead of the cilantro dressing.

Thank you so much Luyba!

14) Smokey Beans & Greens on Toast (Epicurious)

Beans on toast, but with a creative twist to it!

I am sure that you are familiar with the culinary website Epicurious. And that is exactly where I found these smokey beans and greens on toast.

Bread, bacon, greens and beans.

That sounds like a delicious meal to me!

Thank you so much Epicurious!

15) 15 Bean Soup with Ham (Cheap Meals)

Yes, here is another one of my very own cheap meals recipes!

What do you think about this 15 bean soup with shredded ham hock in it?

Ever since posting this recipe, it has become a huge success. People just seem to like the sound and the look of it. And that comes to no surprise.

Succulent pork meat in a thick bean soup, I mean it is absolutely to die for!

And also very easy to prepare.

Sure you can add any type of meat to it, preferably a cut that is perfect for braising.

Enjoy this one!

16) Ground Pork Stir Fry (Frugal Nutrition)

This next cheap meal recipe reminds me of a classic Thai basil pork dish!

And that is also why I instantly loved the sound of this ground pork stir fry that I found over at Frugal Nutrition. Credits for this creation go to Caitlin!

And this is what she says about this stir fry: “This flavorful and easy ground pork stir fry will surely become an family favorite at your dinner table! There are not a lot of ground pork stir fry recipes on the Internet, but I love this one!”

Thank you so much Caitlin!

17) Swedish Meatballs (Kitchen Nine)

Have we had meatballs here in this cheap meals roundup yet?

I think not!

So make way for these lush looking Swedish meatballs from Kitchen Nine. I love the simplicity of this classic. And the addition of pasta, which is a clever idea! Mashed potatoes would also be a great side dish here.

This cheap meals recipe makes meatballs from scratch, something I also like doing.

And that glossy creamy sauce on top looks smashing.

What a lovely meatball dinner, thank you so much!

18) Spiced Middle Eastern Lamb Patties with Pita & Yogurt (Epicurious)

And last but not least: our last cheap meals dinner that I want to show you!

I love these spiced Middle Eastern lamb patties with pita bread and yogurt sauce, another fabulous recipe from Epicurious.

Lamb meat, I can hear you say?

Lamb doesn’t have to be expensive, especially lamb mince.

The lamb mince that I find at my local Moroccan or Turkish butcher costs half the price of the mince at the grocery store.

Is the lamb mince where you live still too expensive? Then you can also use chicken mince or pork mince instead!