On A Budget, Yet Craving Something Good? Here Are Some Of The Best Easy Dinner Ideas
With grocery prices going up every day, it is natural that your monthly budget will exceed what you have thought. After figuring out a monthly budget, it is necessary that you make a list of cheap family meals and easy dinner ideas under $10 to get you through the month.
Your dinner ideas can be cheap, but they do not have to be boring. These easy dinner ideas under $10 are quite budget-friendly and flavorful. These are some of the top 10 affordable meals that can feed a family of four. Here are some of those meals listed.
18 Easy Dinner Ideas Under $10
It doesn’t matter if you are preparing a regular or celebratory meal. These easy dinner ideas will be your savior when you are running low on cash. These are going to get you an amazing meal without breaking the bank.
1. Spanish Rice Soup
This delectable Spanish Rice Soup is one of the most affordable recipes, costing just over three dollars. You can get some toppings like fresh herbs, sour cream, lime, cheese, and avocado with a little extra dollar.
Ingredients and Cost
Peppers and Frozen Onions: $1.38
Canned Corn: $0.50
Black Beans: $0.78
Spanish Rice: $1.26
Total: $3.92
2. Ramen Noodle Stir Fry With Vegetables
It is common for us to grab ramen when we are running low on budget. However, this noodle recipe is something that you have never prepared before. Ramen noodles stir fry is a delicious and flavorful meal and it is nothing like your college meals.
Ingredients and Cost
Stir-Fry Vegetables: $2.48
3 Packages of Noodles (Ramen): $1.08 each
Total: $3.56
3. Crescent Roll Sausage Egg Casserole
This budget-friendly recipe is a popular choice. Even though it is cheap, it tastes like a gourmet recipe. This is one of those easy dinner ideas for family members who love simple yet hearty meals with a lot of nutrition.
Ingredients and Cost
Crescent Rolls: $1.98
1/2 Package Sausage: $1.38
6 Eggs: $2.44
Total: $5.80
4. Chicken And Rice Casserole With Broccoli
While on a budget, you might think of cutting meat completely. However, you can have meat while saving money as well. You can prepare chicken casserole with canned chicken. Prepare a high-value meal on a low-cost budget.
Ingredients and Cost
Chicken Soup: $0.68
Mushroom Soup: $0.68
Wild Rice Mix: $1.22
Canned Chicken: $1.26
Frozen Broccoli: $0.98
Total: $4.82
5. Creamy Tomato Bacon Pasta
Pasta is everyone’s favorite. Moreover, this creamy tomato bacon pasta is cheap, but it tastes like something you would get in a high-end restaurant.
Ingredients and Cost
Pasta: $0.98
Diced Tomatoes: $0.88
Alfredo Sauce: $1.74
Bacon Bits: $1.70
Total: $5.30
6. Cheese Manicotti
Manicotti looks like a costly meal, but this easy cheese manicotti will be your favorite once you make it. You will not find a more delectable or budget-friendly meal. To keep the cost down, you can keep it vegetarian. And if you have the budget for adding meat to it, you can always make it innovative.
Ingredients and Cost
Manicotti Pasta: $1.68
Mozzarella Cheese: 1.00
Ricotta Cheese $2.48
Pasta Sauce: $1.18
Total: $6.34
7. White Bean And Spinach Soup
Eating cheap does not mean that you must make your meals poor. You can make sure that all your meals are filled with nutrients, including ingredients like spinach soup and white beans.
Ingredients and Cost
Onion: $0.55
Cannellini Beans: $0.78
Diced Tomatoes: $1.36
Frozen Spinach: $1.12
Total: $3.81
8. Black Bean Enchilada Casserole
If you want a nutritious meal for your family, this is your choice. This is the meal that is going to be easy on your pocket and would be a good source of fiber and protein. You can feed your whole family a fulfilling meal without costing a lot.
Ingredients and Cost
Pinto Beans: $0.78
Enchilada Sauce $1.54
Black Beans: $0.78
Corn Tortillas: $1.98
Canned Corn: $0.50
Total: $5.58
9. Lentil Spaghetti
Lentils are an easy and cheap way to innovate and add nutrition to any dish. You can just throw them in your spaghetti sauce. There is not much difference in the taste; it’s just that the meal becomes more nutritious and heartier. It is an amazing idea to feed your kid if they refuse proteins.
Ingredients and Cost
Lentils: $1.34
Spaghetti: $0.98
Pasta Sauce: $1.18
Squash and frozen Zucchini: $1.92
Total: $5.42
10. Rice And Red Beans
Red beans and rice are one of the easy dinner ideas you can prepare at a meager cost. This one is specifically prepared with rice mix and red beans, and you end up with a hearty, wholesome meal.
Ingredients and Cost
Kielbasa Sausage: $3.46
Rice mix and Zatarain’s red beans: $2.52
Total: $5.98
11. Sweet Corn Risotto
This is a meal best consumed fresh. However, if you want to store it, you can also do that in an airtight container. You can store it in a freezer for 4 days. But the texture does not hold well when you store it.
Ingredients and Cost
Corn cobs: $0.99
Small, sweet onion: $0.94
Salted butter: $0.42
Arborio rice: $2.28
White wine: $0.58
Vegetable broth: $1.45
Shredded parmesan cheese: $2.71
Total: $9.37
12. Grilled Vegetables
It’s summertime, and you are thinking about what to eat. Well, there is nothing better than a bowl of grilled vegetables. It might take some time to prepare, but nothing is lighter and more nutritious than grilled vegetables.
Ingredients and Cost
Mini bell peppers: $1.44
Red onion: $1.23
Zucchini: $0.93
Mushrooms: $1.04
Cherry tomatoes: $1.66
Sugar: $0.01
Steak seasoning: $0.12
Minced garlic: $0.05
Yellow squash: $0.89
Olive oil: $0.27
Total: $7.64
13. Grilled BBQ Chicken
There is nothing unlikable about a scrumptious portion of grilled BBQ chicken. If you are looking for easy dinner ideas for two, this serves the purpose. This sizzling, saucy chicken meal is an amazing, cheap dinner idea.
Ingredients and Cost
Chicken breasts: $8.03
Sea salt: $0.01
Smoked paprika: $016
Olive oil: $0.36
Black pepper: $0.11
BBQ sauce: $0.25
Brown sugar: $0.03
Total: 8.95
14. Grilled Salmon
This is a real treat, but you can also have it as a budget-friendly meal. You can prepare this meal and surprise your partner even when you want to save money.
Ingredients and Cost
Atlantic Salmon: $8.61
Lemon: $0.50
Vegetable Oil: $0.04
Sea Salt: $0.02
Black Pepper: $0.10
Total: $9.27
15. Watermelon Gazpacho
Chilled soup might not sound appealing. But this sweet and savory Watermelon Gazpacho will change your mind forever. Try this one, and your mind will be blown.
Ingredients and Cost
Sherry Vinegar: $0.69
Olive oil: $0.57
Salt: $0.01
Black pepper: $0.03
Watermelon: $2.34
Cucumber: $0.64
Bell pepper: $1.48
Roma tomatoes: $0.63
Red onion: $0.30
Jalapeno: $0.40
Basil: $0.89
Parsley: $0.12
Total: $8.10
16. Watermelon And Feta Salad
A tasty fruit salad with an amazing vinegar dressing is one of the best options for any summer meal. And that too at a meager cost. The sweet taste of watermelon combined with the saltiness of feta cheese is going to tease your tastebuds subtly.
Ingredients and Cost
White vinegar: $0.02
Olive oil: $0.34
Salt: $0.01
Black pepper: $0.08
Homemade balsamic glaze: $0.58
Watermelon: $1.98
Feta cheese: $2.88
Cucumber: $0.64
Red onion: $0.46
Fresh mint: $0.89
Fresh parsley: $0.16
Total: $8.04
17. Fried Green Tomatoes
Fry the green tomatoes in a tangy buttermilk batter, and the end result will blow your mind. The crispy batter creates a crunchy crust over the green tomatoes and makes a wholesome meal.
Ingredients and Cost
Green tomatoes: $3.49
All-purpose flour: $0.07
Cornmeal: $0.38
BBQ rub powder: $0.69
Salt: $0.02
Black pepper: $0.03
Buttermilk: $0.32
Eggs: $034
Canola oil: $1.23
Total: $6.57
18. Turkey Burger
Making a flavorful turkey burger might sound like a whole lot, but it is easy to create one. The combination of parmesan, panko, and soy sauce might sound strange, but the outcome is magical.
Ingredients and Cost
Turkey: $3.64
Soy sauce: $0.05
Parmesan: $1.23
Panko breadcrumbs: $0.42
Hamburger buns: $1.81
Total: $7.15
Wrapping Up!
Cooking on a shoestring budget might seem difficult, but it is not. You can prepare an amazing meal for your partner, your family, or just for yourself, and that can be exciting as well.
You can draw inspiration from these easy dinner ideas, or you can cook something on and maintain a budget. These meals are hearty, nutritious, and go easy on your pocket. You can prepare a gourmet meal for just a couple of dollars.
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