10 Budget Friendly Meals (Easy, Delicious, & Affordable Recipes!)

Last Updated: January 2, 2023 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner – 2 Comments

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10 Best Budget Friendly Meals

Are you looking for delicious and easy budget friendly meals?

Finding affordable meal options can be a huge help when you’re trying to save money.

Because the cost of food has gone up so much in the past couple of years, nearly everyone can benefit from having ideas for recipes for budget friendly meals.

In fact, food prices have gone up by over 11% in the past year, but there are still ways to eat delicious food without going over budget.

In today’s post, I have ten recipes that will help you save money as you prepare tasty meals for you, you and your partner, or your family.

The recipes in this post are for all different tastes and diet types. There are vegetarian options, gluten-free meals, kid-friendly meals, and more.

I am so excited about the recipes I’m sharing with you today, and here are some of the ones I know you’ll love:

Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowl – You can top these burrito bowls with everything from avocados, sour cream, cilantro, tomatoes, green onions, and more. Use whatever you have in the fridge to make this even more budget friendly.
Pan-Fried Sesame Garlic Tofu – If you’ve always wanted to try tofu, this is a great beginner recipe. It’s delicious over rice and with some frozen or fresh vegetables.
Sweet Potato Black Bean Quesadillas – This vegan meal will make you forget about meat. For anyone who isn’t vegan, you can easily substitute regular cheese.
Creamy Sausage Pasta – This recipe feels fancy, but it’s very affordable. You can leave the sausage out to make it vegetarian, and I love to make it spicy with red pepper flakes.

Whether you are trying to get a handle on your food budget, fight inflation, or looking for new dinner ideas, these budget friendly meals are great additions to your meal plan.

Besides trying any of the budget friendly recipes in this post, there are other ways to save money on food.

Here are a few other great tips for reducing your food costs:

Always shop with a list and meal plan. This way you can plan your meals based on what is on sale at the store and never buy something unless you really need it.
Eat less meat. Meat is often one of the most expensive parts of a meal, and going vegetarian for just a couple of meals a week can help you save money.
Buy in bulk. If you can afford to buy in bulk, you can reduce your per item costs.
Repurpose your meals. I love doing things like roasting a chicken for one meal and planning to use the leftovers for another meal. You can do the same with roasted vegetables, rice, beans, and more.

I hope you enjoy these budget friendly meals! Sharing easy and delicious recipes is something I love doing, and you can find more in the following posts: