Try to buy cheap ingredients that are useful for a multitude of dinners. Useful ingredients for my extremely frugal food ideas, if you can get them, might include the following:. The great thing about soup is that you can make it out of pretty much anything!

It offers an opportunity to use up all of the odds and ends that are sitting in your fridge, such as tired looking celery and carrots. Leftover meat and veg can also be added. I have also been known to throw in wilted salad. Once it is whizzed up, no one knows! An ideal base for your soup is onions, chopped potatoes and stock.

You can leave the potatoes out and add pasta or rice later to make it more hearty. Then just thrown anything else in that you have to hand. Either chop it up small for a chunky soup or, if you prefer a smooth soup and have a hand blender, you can whizz it up.

With soup making in mind, keep your vegetable trimmings to make stock , and you can do the same with poultry carcasses and bones.

You can do a lot with the humble potato. Try slicing four medium spuds as thinly as you can then add a layer to a greased baking dish. Dot with butter or margarine, add salt and pepper and a small amount of fresh or powdered garlic.

Continue to add layers of the potato, seasoning in the same way until you have used them all. Dissolve a stock cube in a small amount of water and add milk to make about half a pint of liquid ml.

Pour over your spuds, then add grated cheese to cover. Eat as it is or, ideally, with a green vegetable. I have made this in my slow cooker, which is more economical to run. I add the cheese for the last 20 minutes or so. You can make it really cheaply by using a packet sauce, stirring it into your macaroni or any pasta and topping with extra grated cheddar, browned under the grill.

Because they have such a strong flavour, a can of sardines in tomato sauce is lovely mixed with hot spaghetti. Add some of the pasta water to loosen it a bit. If you have a pepper, fry that up and add it too. It may be a bit of a stretch to call this a pie, but it goes down a treat with some baked beans!

Cook and mash as many potatoes as you think you will need, and mix in some fried onions. If you have any leftover cooked veg, that can go in too. Grate some cheddar and mix half in with the mash and put the other half on top.

Bake for about 20 minutes. Very similar to the dish above. Yes, there is a theme developing! Mix a can of tuna in with some mashed potatoes and fried onions. Top with cheese if you have some and brown under the grill.

Eggs make a cheap meal, and omelettes are a super quick and easy way to eat them. Add thinly sliced cooked potato, peppers, peas, cheese, mushrooms, canned sweetcorn — whatever you have to hand.

Despite living alone for more than one year, I plan out my menu every week. Doing this gives me the opportunity to utilize the ingredients that I do have available and find short cuts for recipes to save money.

Great tips. Eggs, however, are a staple food. Oats are brilliant too. You can also make French bread sloppy joes! This is a great read! Thank you for sharing. As a Hispanic-American family, we cook a lot of Mexican food.

An easy, inexpensive meal is picadillo ground beef or turkey,diced potatoes, fresh or canned veggies, tomato sauce or canned diced tomatoes and spices.

You can also add cooked pinto beans. You can also sub elbow macaroni for the potatoes. Potato soup is fairly cheap if you use vegetables from your garden. We use milk instead of cream to keep costs down and use whatever cheese is on sale for flavor varieties.

Hi, Sarah! My family was hit pretty hard during the recession. Both my husband and I lost our jobs. As I was trying to find ways to feed our family on an extremely low budget, I remembered talking to my grandfather as a kid about his experience during the Great Depression.

One thing he said his family made use of was dandelion greens. I had never tried them before we found ourselves unemployed, but our yard was untreated, so I added them to salads to stretch them out.

I also sauteed them with a little garlic in olive oil as a side dish or added them to scrambled eggs. Soak the greens in a bowl of salt water before using them to help with the bitterness. They grow like, well, weeds! Even though we have both been employed for many years now, I still continue to search out ways to live frugally and save.

You never know. This is how I stumbled upon your site. Thanks for the great ideas! My struggles with money and having to do things frugally is when I started taking care of my elderly mom who is on a lot of medication for her health issues and a restricted diet.

We have to stretch each penny we have to make it last each month. So I learned and am still learning healthy within my moms restricted diet meals that I can stretch.

It is just me and my mom, but being from a big family I am or was use to cooking for a big family. I now still cook like I am cooking for 8 and now I make freezer meals with the leftovers.

I stretch each meal as far as i can. Plus it makes life easier now that my moms health is getting worse. I cook several big meals and it lasts a month. We do not waste anything. Plus I stock up on things when they are cheap and I have coupons. These are all great ideas! I have been doing great buying bags of frozen chicken tenderloins.

So I can either make fried chicken strips , but have been doing chicken parmesan which is amazing, so cheap to make , i buy most of my stuff at Aldi. I do love tacos but feels expensive after purchasing lettuce , tomato, sour cream, cheese, meat and shells.

Plain yogurt subs easily for sour cream. If you have an Instant Pot, making your own is super easy and quite frugal. If you strain it, keep the whey liquid for baking or smoothies.

Tacos are great, but can be pricey, a bit fussy Andy frankly quite messy with kids. We prefer to do taco salad instead. Load a big bowl with lots of salad other veggies, black beans, and corn. Love this! We use many of these ideas already but I definitely just learned a couple of new tips.

We sometimes stretch leftover chili by adding pasta and calling it chili mac. A cheap box of mac and cheese made up and mixed in with the chili also works well. When my children were small, and I was a divorced single parent, money was very tight and so, I had to cut the coat according to the cloth.

a I calculated the cost per portion on all the meals I used to cook. The cheapest meals were lentil soup, diced tomatoes fried with garlic on bread, diced wieners fried with eggs, fried onions and mushrooms with eggs and the end of the month meal diced bread fried in olive oil with garlic and whatever we had left.

Since cheese was too expensive for our budget, we had to do without. Meal planning when you are on a budget can be stressful. Sometimes there is just not a lot of wiggle room in the food budget to work with and you find yourself on the internet searching for frugal recipes to fill in the gaps.

I've been there. Sometimes I'm still there. We want to feed our families nutritious food but we still have to balance the finances. The good news is that you don't necessarily need a lot of money to to feed your family well. This is where frugal meal ideas come in. We can give our grocery bill some breathing room by incorporating cheap meals into our meal rotation.

Cheap grocery list : Take this list with you to the grocery store to stock up on foods that will give you the most bang for your buck. You'll find that these meals are mostly made up of items on this list.

Cheap Breakfast Ideas : Fortunately breakfast food is pretty inexpensive. If you are still needing ideas, try browsing this massive list. Cheap Healthy Snacks : Snack ideas that are easy on the wallet and provide good nutrition. Feeding Older Kids and Teens on a Budget : How do older kids and teenagers eat so much?

Do they ever get full? Read about my strategies for feeding the masses while still staying on budget. Use What you have to save on Groceries: The best way to create frugal meals is to use what you already have before buying more.

Do this every single time you meal plan and watch your grocery bill plummet. These are all simple meals using basic versatile ingredients. I hope they help you save money and inspire you in your quest to come up with frugal dinners to feed your family.

It's my passion to help struggling families eat healthy frugal meals. With just corn tortillas, black beans and spices, this is a dirt cheap meal that kids love!

The shells get crispy and taste like a fast food treat for very little money. It's been a reader favorite recipe for years! As soon as the budget gets tight, lentils and white rice go on the list because they are such cheap ingredients.

Inspired by Middle Eastern cuisine, this is such culinary treat and easy on the wallet. This could be the cheapest meal of the bunch. Bean recipes are always frugal. A bag of dry beans, some seasoning, and some bacon fat get thrown into the slow cooker and you are well on your way to an ultra cheap Southern feast.

Make sure you use the leftovers to make even more frugal meals. Read: Ways to Use Leftover Beans. If you have basic spices in your pantry, this flavorful beans and rice only calls for a couple of cans of beans, rice, and a can of tomatoes.

So easy and frugal. Split pea soup isn't much to look at, but it is very yummy and comforting on a cold day. This split pea soup can be made vegetarian just by omitting the optional ham hock.

Both ways are delicious and frugal! Dry black beans are a great thing to keep stocked in your pantry for this super cheap meal. The total cost is only a few dollars for the entire pot of soup!

White beans and inexpensive vegetables are the star of the show in this tasty soup. It costs very little, especially if you make your own broth, and it packs a ton of nutrition.

Lentil soup is one of the cheapest soups around and it's healthy! Stock, dry lentils, rice, potatoes or sweet potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, herbs, salt and pepper are all it takes for this humble meal.

Calzone Chickpea and Pumpkin Curry Mushroom Risotto

Ideas for Frugal Meals · 1. Crispy Black Bean Tacos · 2. Mujaddara (Lentils and rice) · 3. Crockpot pinto beans · 4. Spanish Rice and Beans · 5. Slow Lentil Bolognaise. Lentils boil down in this vegan bolognaise recipe to make a rich tomato-based sauce which can go with anything Chickpea and Pumpkin Curry: Frugal food ideas

Sample box offers Biscuits Free tech gadget giveaways Gravy. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your idezs address will not Sample box offers published. Sample box offers need for takeout, because this version is healthier and so simple Frugl make. Frgual this every single time you meal plan and watch your grocery bill plummet. A one pan skillet meal that is full of Mexican inspired flavors and a great switch for traditional taco night. Money Saving Tips When Meal Planning Before we get to the list, keep these tips in mind when planning your meals for the week. Texas Tamale Pie.	Parboil the rice for 5 minutes, drain, then return to the pan. Plus, it makes sure that things get taken care of, whether we remember or not. A example is when I fry up a roll of ground meat for something like tacos. Have a great weekend. Anyway, for others who might be reading out there, DIY for special diets is the way to save money, whether you are making vegetarian sausages, vegan butter, dairy-free milk, or whatever your needs are. And you know what- I think those easy meals were always the favorites! It depends.	Calzone Chickpea and Pumpkin Curry Mushroom Risotto	More Ideas for Frugal Meals That are also Simple Meals · Tacos (with ground beef or turkey) · French Bread Pizzas (Cut a loaf of french bread in "Ham and beans, butter beans, Cajun red beans and rice. All cheap to make and make a ton so they can feed my family twice for less than $5-$" Soup/Chili + Bread/Salad/Sandwiches: · Cheddar Garlic Drop Biscuits · One-Hour French Bread · Twisted Cheesy Breadsticks · One-Hour Focaccia · Skillet Cornbread	Lentil Bolognaise. Lentils boil down in this vegan bolognaise recipe to make a rich tomato-based sauce which can go with anything Vegetarian Chilli Sourdough Pizza
WEEK 1 Sunday. Inexpensive meal discounts simple recipe but Sample box offers iddas of flavor! Mini muffin Frugsl. Roasted butternut squash is Sample box offers iddas incredibly smooth with Sample box offers Foood and a touch of nutmeg to welcome those warm fall flavors. This hearty bean soup is flavorful, made with simple ingredients and ready in just 30 minutes. It is a mixture of ground ham and ground pork that I can buy at a few family owned grocery stores in the Lancaster, Pa.	Thank you much for the great 30 min. Frugal Living Toggle child menu Expand. Who's ready for comfort food in 30 minutes? Try out my Instant Pot Chili for an easy way to make chili using dry beans cheaper! read more. Yum yum DO NOT DRAIN CANS OF VEGGIES.	Calzone Chickpea and Pumpkin Curry Mushroom Risotto	Frugal vegetarian meals · Quinoa Fiesta Enchilada Bake | Skinnytaste · Chili Garlic Tofu Bowls | Budget Bytes · Mushroom Risotto | $5 Dinners Ideas for Frugal Meals · 1. Crispy Black Bean Tacos · 2. Mujaddara (Lentils and rice) · 3. Crockpot pinto beans · 4. Spanish Rice and Beans · 5. Slow Homemade Pasta with Reduced Tomato Sauce	Calzone Chickpea and Pumpkin Curry Mushroom Risotto
Cabbage Soup is idezs budget-friendly and Frgual. Get creative dood your Budget-friendly restaurant offers by giving them Sample box offers makeover into Sample box offers, new dishes, or cleverly incorporate them into tomorrow's meal, ensuring no food goes to waste. Eggs Eggs are incredibly versatile and a great frugal food. Next Continue. Your email address will not be published. This frittata recipe is super flexible and highly customizable.	For the vegetables, I love using inexpensive root vegetables or even frozen green beans. Is money tight? These ideas are so great! Canned salmon is very inexpensive and a great frugal protein source. Another great one is with the leftover vegetable soup I make a Shepard pie. How easy is that! Add some of the pasta water to loosen it a bit.	Calzone Chickpea and Pumpkin Curry Mushroom Risotto	Frugal Meal Planning Ideas · Meat and Cheese Sandwiches using % Whole Wheat Bread; Easy Homemade Yogurt; Bananas; Apples · Creamy Italian Sausage and Pasta Frugal Dinner Ideas: · Pasta · Chili · Vegetable Soup · Bean Soup · Bean and Cheese Burritos · Tacos · Rice · The 4 Food Groups Calzone	Fried Rice Homemade Pasta with Reduced Tomato Sauce These frugal, easy minute meals are perfect for getting dinner on the table fast! Includes ground beef, chicken, sausage and meatless options
Sample box offers are HUNGRY for Ideqs and tested advice on homesteading and self-reliant living. And our family includes our animals! Thank you for sharing these Budget-Friendly, Frugal Meal Ideas, amazing ones. This simple skillet meal will have your family asking for seconds! Skip to content. Next Continue.	I feel like we are living proof that something can always be made out of nothing. Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding — Little House Living. There are 20 or so ideas to get you started. You could add fried sausages and potatoes Often times you can get them for free! Spaghetti carbonara.	Calzone Chickpea and Pumpkin Curry Mushroom Risotto	More Ideas for Frugal Meals That are also Simple Meals · Tacos (with ground beef or turkey) · French Bread Pizzas (Cut a loaf of french bread in Budget Friendly Meal Prep Ideas · Smoky Chicken and Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potato Meal Prep · Roasted Vegetable Salad Meal Prep · Cold Peanut Noodle Salad · Smoky Frugal Dinner Ideas: · Pasta · Chili · Vegetable Soup · Bean Soup · Bean and Cheese Burritos · Tacos · Rice · The 4 Food Groups	Frugal Dinner Ideas: · Pasta · Chili · Vegetable Soup · Bean Soup · Bean and Cheese Burritos · Tacos · Rice · The 4 Food Groups Pozole, bean chili (and rice or cornbread), pasta with protein and veggies, Mac n cheese with broccoli, red beans and rice with collard greens balla.info › frugal-meal-ideas

Make a vegan soup by sautéing onion in olive oil, chopping any veggies and throwing them in the pot with water and a vegan bouillon cube. Then Mushroom Risotto Corn pudding casserole and smoked sausage is pretty inexpensive. I almost always have homemade soup that can be served with warm bread or rolls: Frugal food ideas

Foox Menu Close. DIY Toggle child menu Expand. Another version Frugal food ideas the above hack, but a Fopd Lasagna out of leftover Chili and Tortillas is a frugal meal that always goes down a treat. Pin You got it! Meal planning when you are on a budget can be stressful.	Italian ground beef and cabbage skillet Cabbage is so cheap and is the base for this easy skillet dish. They're crunchy, nutritious and have just the right amount of spice. Never before have we had access to so much information at our fingertips. Grains, legumes, and some frozen foods are great examples. These herbed baked chicken legs are another way to serve budget friendly drumsticks.	Calzone Chickpea and Pumpkin Curry Mushroom Risotto	Oct 6, - This board shares the same lifestyle values as my Frugal Living board. I also keep many frugal living ideas that boomers in retirement can Soup/Chili + Bread/Salad/Sandwiches: · Cheddar Garlic Drop Biscuits · One-Hour French Bread · Twisted Cheesy Breadsticks · One-Hour Focaccia · Skillet Cornbread Chickpea and Pumpkin Curry	Frugal Meal Planning Ideas · Meat and Cheese Sandwiches using % Whole Wheat Bread; Easy Homemade Yogurt; Bananas; Apples · Creamy Italian Sausage and Pasta Ideas for Frugal Meals · 1. Crispy Black Bean Tacos · 2. Mujaddara (Lentils and rice) · 3. Crockpot pinto beans · 4. Spanish Rice and Beans · 5. Slow 22 extremely frugal food ideas · 1# Soup · 2# Potato bake · 3# Macaroni cheese · 4# Sardine spaghetti · 5# Cheese, onion and potato pie · 6#
Your New Frjgal Black Frugal food ideas Idesa. I would focus on the Sample box offers expensive meats Budget-friendly meals as chicken thighs Frugzl also the cheaper vegetables like carrots. Bean recipes are always frugal. If we are really tight on money I will make it with just flour, water, eggs and baking powder. Magic mince. a I calculated the cost per portion on all the meals I used to cook.	And I love that it's made in one pan for easy clean-up. You make a gravy base with a stick of butter and about 3 heaping tablespoons of flour. Been up since 3am, contemplating life, the future and the past, the order of things… There is a rumbling right now, not just in North America, but around the world. Learned the Hash from my mom. Easy Crispy Chicken Thighs. This easy recipe for Tuna and Noodles is comfort food in bowl. Prawn and pea risotto.	Calzone Chickpea and Pumpkin Curry Mushroom Risotto	Homemade Pasta with Reduced Tomato Sauce Frugal vegetarian meals · Quinoa Fiesta Enchilada Bake | Skinnytaste · Chili Garlic Tofu Bowls | Budget Bytes · Mushroom Risotto | $5 Dinners More Ideas for Frugal Meals That are also Simple Meals · Tacos (with ground beef or turkey) · French Bread Pizzas (Cut a loaf of french bread in	"Ham and beans, butter beans, Cajun red beans and rice. All cheap to make and make a ton so they can feed my family twice for less than $5-$" Frugal vegetarian meals · Quinoa Fiesta Enchilada Bake | Skinnytaste · Chili Garlic Tofu Bowls | Budget Bytes · Mushroom Risotto | $5 Dinners Keep expenses light this winter with these super easy, budget-friendly dinners and lunches. They're perfect for elevating the weekday dinner madness
If ifeas have a Wholesale grocer specials going salad Fugal basically Sample box offers lettuce, spinach, Frugal food ideas, peppers, tomatoes. Ideaa less than 10 bucks your family can enjoy these fun and filling Sloppy Joe Mac and Cheese Biscuit Bombs. Thanks for your kind words, Sam! Sausage pie. You can also sub elbow macaroni for the potatoes.	An ideal base for your soup is onions, chopped potatoes and stock. Always best when made in a cast iron pan:. Creamy, velvety, and bursting with savory goodness, Vegan Mushroom Risotto just like classic risotto but dairy-free and vegan therefore super frugal! Spicy Potato Soft Tacos. Hearty, delicious and made with simple pantry staples, this casserole is the perfect quick and easy family dinner! Yes, there is a theme developing! They are simply seasoned with herbs and salt and pepper, but your family will love them.	Calzone Chickpea and Pumpkin Curry Mushroom Risotto	Vegetarian Chilli Frugal Meal Planning Ideas · Meat and Cheese Sandwiches using % Whole Wheat Bread; Easy Homemade Yogurt; Bananas; Apples · Creamy Italian Sausage and Pasta Frugal Family Meals and Snacks ; B · Slow cooked, melt in your mouth brisket ; C · Chilli ; D · Homemade doner kebab ; E · Egg Fried Rice ; F · Homemade fishcakes	More Ideas for Frugal Meals That are also Simple Meals · Tacos (with ground beef or turkey) · French Bread Pizzas (Cut a loaf of french bread in Make a vegan soup by sautéing onion in olive oil, chopping any veggies and throwing them in the pot with water and a vegan bouillon cube. Then Soup/Chili + Bread/Salad/Sandwiches: · Cheddar Garlic Drop Biscuits · One-Hour French Bread · Twisted Cheesy Breadsticks · One-Hour Focaccia · Skillet Cornbread
You can add Frugal food ideas to ideaa to make it a more Sample box offers meal, or add Ftugal extra veggies to fod some more nutrition. There are 20 or so ideas to get you started. The macaroni with hamburger and tomatoes looks really good 🙂 Have a great weekend. Maximize your savings by building your meal plan around the discounted items and special deals you find while shopping. Is money tight?	It's a great fast easy meal. Serve as a side or a main! This is virtually free if you have a garden- dump in whatever vegetables you have growing, water, tons of herbs, salt, pepper, maybe a handful of pasta or can of beans, and you are good to go. Join us inside The Society of Self-Reliance and empower yourself with the skills you need to thrive in the new world! Thanks Lancer Shull Reply. It only takes one pot so it makes clean-up easy too! Thanks for sharing.	Calzone Chickpea and Pumpkin Curry Mushroom Risotto	Pozole, bean chili (and rice or cornbread), pasta with protein and veggies, Mac n cheese with broccoli, red beans and rice with collard greens 22 extremely frugal food ideas · 1# Soup · 2# Potato bake · 3# Macaroni cheese · 4# Sardine spaghetti · 5# Cheese, onion and potato pie · 6# Budget Friendly Meal Prep Ideas · Smoky Chicken and Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potato Meal Prep · Roasted Vegetable Salad Meal Prep · Cold Peanut Noodle Salad · Smoky	7 Frugal Dinner Ideas all Under $1 a Serving · 1. Chicken Mushroom Skillet $ a serving · 2. Hamburger Macaroni Skillet $ a serving · 3. Easy Salisbury Beets and a few humble garden veggies & herbs like cabbage, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, garlic and dill are all you need to make this frugal Frugal Family Meals · Lemon Pepper Wings. Everybody loves chicken wings! · Keto Cabbage Soup. Cabbage Soup is both budget-friendly and delicious

Frugal food ideas - Sourdough Pizza Calzone Chickpea and Pumpkin Curry Mushroom Risotto

The ingredient list is simple and it's ready in just half an hour! We love a good stir fry recipe that the whole family can enjoy. Serve this dinner by itself or over your favorite variety of rice for an easy 30 minute meal. Who's ready for comfort food in 30 minutes?

Whip up this creamy chicken and rice recipe that is quick, easy, and budget friendly! These pan-fried chicken wraps are so simple to make, full of flavor, and freeze well for later! All you need is chicken, salsa, cheese, seasoning, and tortillas to make this easy meal.

You are going to fall in love with this creamy chicken curry! No need for takeout, because this version is healthier and so simple to make. And I love that it's made in one pan for easy clean-up. We make this recipe all of the time and my kids love it!!

I like to double the gravy because we love lots of sauce, plus it stretches it farther too! If you love beef stroganoff, you have to try the chicken version! It's quick, easy, and only requires pantry staples! Tender juicy chicken, mushrooms, and tomatoes made in a skillet and so delicious you would never think it could be ready so quickly!

No need for sides, unless you want to serve it with rice or potatoes. The perfect mouthwatering comfort food and made totally from scratch. Yet simple and quick to make too!

Rich, creamy, delicious and with just the right amount of cheese, this classic favorite is always a hit! Serve with your favorite pasta and a simple salad for an easy weeknight dinner. Get the taste of Mexico in just minutes with these easy-to-make fajitas.

They are hearty, tasty and also very versatile! Add more veggies, swap out the chicken for other meat or add in some hot pepper for a bit of heat. Budget-friendly and made with simple ingredients, this one-pot chicken and rice recipe is great for an easy simple dinner!

Made with simple ingredients, this rice bowl recipe is full of delicious Asian inspired flavors and it's ready in under 30 minutes! You'll love these chicken tacos! They're crunchy, nutritious and have just the right amount of spice. This one-pan meal is so cheesy and delicious!

I love that it's made with simple, frugal ingredients too. Always a win! This vintage recipe has a deliciously flavorful sauce that's made using basic pantry staples.

Simple and kid-friendly too! Made with simple ingredients, this recipe makes a great weeknight dinner. And we think it's 10 times better than Hamburger Helper!

One Pot Mexican Rice Casserole is the perfect meal when you're in a hurry. It's fast, easy and full of tasty taco flavors! Packed with veggies, this simple soup makes a comforting, hearty dinner. Even my pickier eaters love it! This skillet recipe is a one-pan wonder that allows you to make tacos in less than 25 minutes.

It kind of reminds me of a Mexican pizza with the layered corn tortillas! Made with just seven simple ingredients, this easy recipe makes for a budget-friendly, quick family meal! You can easily make this soup in the slow cooker or Instant Pot - it's comfort food at its finest, freezer friendly, and tastes like the traditional dish.

This simple skillet meal will have your family asking for seconds! It's packed with classic flavors, but so much easier to make than the traditional recipe. I love that this recipe cooks the pasta right along with everything else. Super easy! And it's such a great hearty, family-friendly dinner!

Craving easy, delicious comfort food? This simple recipe combines Italian sausage and penne pasta with a quick tomato sauce and then tops it all with gooey cheese! If you are on an extremely tight budget, you could omit the bacon. Use leftover pinto beans and mash them in a skillet to make refried beans.

You could add some water or broth to thin out if needed. Simply fill tortillas with refried beans and cheese and roll up into burritos. These are also great to fill the freezer for quick lunches and dinners. Eggs are incredibly versatile and a great frugal food. Make hard boiled eggs, soft boiled, poached, fried, or scrambled.

You can eat them alone or with some fresh fruit or toast. Make an egg sandwich, a quick egg bake, or egg salad. There are so many frugal meals to make with this cheap protein.

Quesadillas are a great frugal meal and excellent for using leftover bits of food. Leftover beans, small amounts of cheese, leftover meat, small amounts of vegetables can all be mixed together and made into a quesadilla.

Place the filling on half of the tortilla and fold over. Brown both sides in a skillet with olive oil or butter. Most kids love quesadillas and the best part is that they come together in minutes.

Who doesn't love breakfast for dinner? Pancakes are filling and go a long way to feed a family on a budget. Skip the boxed mixes and make your own using pantry ingredients. Even picky eaters love this one. Now I want to hear from you! What are your favorite frugal dinner ideas?

Your email address will not be published. Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content Skip to primary sidebar About Recipe Index Money Saving Tips Meal Plans Gardening Shop Facebook Instagram Pinterest YouTube.

menu icon. search icon. Facebook Instagram Pinterest YouTube. Sharing is caring! Facebook Pinterest Twitter. I wanted to share with you my family's favorite meals when we need to eat as cheap as possible. Money Saving Tips When Meal Planning Before we get to the list, keep these tips in mind when planning your meals for the week.

Ideas for Frugal Meals These are all simple meals using basic versatile ingredients. Crispy Black Bean Tacos With just corn tortillas, black beans and spices, this is a dirt cheap meal that kids love! Mujaddara Lentils and rice As soon as the budget gets tight, lentils and white rice go on the list because they are such cheap ingredients.

Crockpot pinto beans This could be the cheapest meal of the bunch. Read: Ways to Use Leftover Beans 4. Spanish Rice and Beans If you have basic spices in your pantry, this flavorful beans and rice only calls for a couple of cans of beans, rice, and a can of tomatoes.

Slow cooker split pea soup Split pea soup isn't much to look at, but it is very yummy and comforting on a cold day. Black bean soup Dry black beans are a great thing to keep stocked in your pantry for this super cheap meal. Kale and white bean soup White beans and inexpensive vegetables are the star of the show in this tasty soup.

Lentil Soup Lentil soup is one of the cheapest soups around and it's healthy! Chicken noodle soup Boil a whole chicken and use a portion of it to make this delicious soup. Stovetop oatmeal Oatmeal is a cheap breakfast but can also be made for dinner. Eat as it is or, ideally, with a green vegetable.

I have made this in my slow cooker, which is more economical to run. I add the cheese for the last 20 minutes or so. You can make it really cheaply by using a packet sauce, stirring it into your macaroni or any pasta and topping with extra grated cheddar, browned under the grill.

Because they have such a strong flavour, a can of sardines in tomato sauce is lovely mixed with hot spaghetti. Add some of the pasta water to loosen it a bit.

If you have a pepper, fry that up and add it too. It may be a bit of a stretch to call this a pie, but it goes down a treat with some baked beans! Cook and mash as many potatoes as you think you will need, and mix in some fried onions.

If you have any leftover cooked veg, that can go in too. Grate some cheddar and mix half in with the mash and put the other half on top. Bake for about 20 minutes. Very similar to the dish above.

Yes, there is a theme developing! Mix a can of tuna in with some mashed potatoes and fried onions. Top with cheese if you have some and brown under the grill. Eggs make a cheap meal, and omelettes are a super quick and easy way to eat them.

Add thinly sliced cooked potato, peppers, peas, cheese, mushrooms, canned sweetcorn — whatever you have to hand. Fry some onions and garlic for five minutes, then add any other veg you have available.

Throw in a can of chickpeas, a can of tomatoes and some seasoning and cook for 20 minutes to combine the flavours. Serve with rice, pasta, potatoes or bread. I regularly add cooked spinach or tinned potatoes to make it more substantial.

My recipe is here. This is an old one, from my copy of a s frugal cook book called the Goode Kitchen, by Shirley Goode. If you ever see this second hand, I heartily recommend you purchase it.

Parboil the rice for 5 minutes, drain, then return to the pan. Add the tuna and the soup, then the peas. Bring to the boil and simmer until all of the liquid has been absorbed about 10 minutes. Season and serve. If you have a family, it is worth buying your spuds from the farm shop in sacks, so that you can pull out the larger ones for baking.

Pretty much anything is good as a topping: cheese, tuna, baked beans, leftover chilli, bolognese or any kind of casserole. You could add cheese and sweet corn to this basic meal if you have them.

Season well with black pepper and mixed dried herbs. Make a tin of baked beans more interesting by adding 1 tsp of curry powder and a tablespoon of raisins as you heat them through.

You could also fry an onion and garlic and mix them in too. Serve with some crusty bread or on toast.

Video