Save money on these cheap meal ideas!
Simple & Frugal meals that will save you money on groceries.
Since inflation is out of control, it's getting harder and harder to put meals on the table. I figured now would be a good time to do a post about frugal meal ideas. We've all been trying to save a little money on groceries lately right?
When I first became a homemaker, I had to learn very quickly how to stretch our budget. I left my job without any preparation or savings (which I wouldn't recommend), but since I made that decision, it has given me the opportunity to develop as many homemaking skills as possible. One of the most crucial skills I have developed is cooking, meal planning, and baking.
Meal planning is an important skill that helps you to prepare, be self sufficient, stock a pantry, and most importantly stretch that household budget.
Before I go over some of my favorite frugal meals. I think it's important to address some simple tips on how you can reduce your spending at the grocery store so you can stretch your budget.
So here are some of my most effective tips for saving money on groceries.
Tip 1
STRETCH YOUR MEALS
Plan meals that can stretch out over time.
It's important to be able to make due, one great way is to learn to make multiple meals out of one set of ingredients. For example, homemade baked chicken can be stretched into at least 2 meals, like a yummy chicken soup or chicken sandwiches. I prefer to bake the whole chicken, then on the next day break up the leftover meat and have enough to make a filling soup. I use the leftover bits ( bones and cartilage) to make homemade bone broth. The soup made from the leftover chicken can last a couple days. From one meal you can create up to 3 days worth of food for your family.
Tip 2
DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON “BUDGET BUSTERS”
Things like highly processed foods, ice cream, sodas, snacks or chips. These items not only get used up very quickly, but they also suck up our budget and leave us dissatisfied. A bag of chips in my house has maybe a couple days of life in it ( if we have some self control). These foods also lack the nutrients needed to actually nourish your family. They are empty foods, filled with processed ingredients that do more harm than good. Swap these out for longer lasting healthy alternatives.
Tip 3
IF YOU CAN MAKE IT YOURSELF, SKIP BUYING IT
When you learn to cook from scratch you can save yourself SO much money, especially on items like baked goods, bread, bagels, biscuits and pancakes. But also on things like marinara & pasta sauce, gravies and seasonings, bbq sauce, and even teriyaki. ALL of these can be made relatively easy at home, & for much cheaper.
Okay now that that's out of the way. Here are some of my favorite simple and frugal meal options that don't break the bank. Most of these meals are easy and you’ve probably made them before.
Note: I will not be giving in depth recipes for each meal, this purely a list of meal ideas that are cost effective. I will list some of the ingredients needed, but you can find very simple in depth recipes for all of these meals online.
Dinners:
Hamburger or beef Stew
Made with broth, tomato paste, and ground beef or your choice of beef cut, along with veggies of your choice.
As well as Italian seasoning, minced garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.
The great thing about this meal is that it can be thrown in a crock pot and left to simmer all day, perfect for those busy days.
Baked Turmeric Chicken thighs
This is a staple meal in my home, as it's SO easy and quick.
Chicken thighs are also a very cheap cut of meat that provide a lot of nutrients.
All you need are some chicken thighs (bone in or out, your preference), and your choice of veggies. I use potatoes and carrots because it's cheap but you can swap out for any veggie you like. Season with turmeric, fresh cut garlic, your choice of herbs, salt and pepper to taste.
This meal is one of my go to’s when I don't know what to make. It is so simple to throw in a casserole pan and bake.
Baked whole chicken
Everyone loves baked chicken. It's super simple and can be stretched for days! I wait till the chicken is on sale and usually buy two. I bake my chicken with butter, garlic and herbs. You have a couple options for the side, you can bake some potatoes and carrots in the dish with the chicken, or you can boil some potatoes and mash them, at least that's what I prefer but you can always get creative with your sides.
Don't forget to use the chicken juice to make some delicious chicken gravy.
I always use leftover baked chicken to make chicken soup, and the bones to make some nutrient dense bone broth.
Which leads me to the next meal, you guessed it..
Chicken soup
Take some of that leftover chicken, and make some soup! You can create your own broth using the bones like i mentioned above or or buy some broth as It's pretty cheap. Add your leftover chicken, or you can buy some chicken breasts (your choice). I love chicken soup especially on cold rainy days, it's also a meal that usually yields a couple days worth of leftovers.
You can do this meal on its own, or alongside a grilled cheese, my favorite is chicken soup in the crock pot, paired with some homemade bread it’s so satisfying and truly is a comfort food.
Penne and Spinach Pasta
This meal is easy and cost effective. Ground beef is one of the cheapest ways to get some meat in your diet. I prefer Italian sausage, neither will break the bank.
It's Super simple to cook up! Just get you some Italian sausage or ground beef, cook that up & while that's cooking boil some penne, add pasta sauce to your meat as well as a small bit of cream cheese to add a nice creamy texture to the sauce. Last minute plop your spinach into your meat sauce, it will cook pretty fast.
Then add your drained penne into the sauce and boom, easy meal.
This is another meal that I go to when I have limited time to cook dinner, but still want something filling and nourishing.
Fajitas or tacos
I love fajitas, a simple chicken fajita with some bell peppers is becoming one of my favorite meals. Honestly I forgot fajitas were a thing, until I got super burnt out on tacos, and remembered that there were other options.
All you need is flour or corn tortillas, chicken, peppers and onion, and some cheese. Take some chicken breast, boil in a pot until fully cooked and shreddable. Shred chicken, add fajita seasoning
(homemade or store bought). Cut up peppers and onions, cook on med in a frying pan with a dash of olive oil.
Meatloaf and mash potatoes
There are many wonderful meatloaf recipes. I prefer simply throwing together some ground beef, bread crumbs, an egg, and some milk , as well as some seasonings to make a yummy meatloaf. The great thing about meat loaf is that you can stretch it for leftovers. Me and my husband have even made meatloaf sandwiches the next day, yum.
Stir fry (with rice or noodles)
Stir fry is a great, easy meal. It can be thrown together rather quickly, and use up whatever you have on hand. You can use beef, or chicken (I prefer chicken) , your choice of veggies, & stir fry noodles or rice. The reason I love this meal is because you can cook it for the purpose of using up some veggies before they get wasted. Any meal that prevents waste is good in my book.
BBQ Chicken legs
Chicken legs are often one of the cheapest meat cuts you can buy. A large bag or package can feed the whole family, you can pair with any side you like, from potatoes and corn to a quick and easy pasta salad or mac n’ cheese. The great thing about this meal is that, all you need is chicken legs and some BBQ sauce ( which you can make at home, if you wish) & whatever side you have in your pantry to have a full meal for your family
If you're looking for some meal ideas that are for breakfast rather than dinner check out the quick list below
Omelets
another meal that you can throw together with just some eggs and whatever veggies you need to use up. I love mushroom, ham, and spinach omelet *chefs kiss*
Pancakes
pancake mix is cheap, but you can also throw the mix together at home for even cheaper! It's filling and can be paired with bacon or sausage or stand alone as a great breakfast choice.
Grilled cheese’s
Cheap and easy, you can also pair with tomato soup for a full meal, me and my husband love to make ham and cheese grilled cheese sandwiches, with creamy tomato soup on the side as a dinner or lunch option.
Biscuits and gravy
One of my favorite meals is biscuits and gravy, you can make the biscuits and the gravy homemade, or buy from the store, add a fried egg, and some sausage and you have a really filling & delicious comfort food choice.
I hope this list gives you some ideas on what you can whip up for your family during these trying times.
Go easy on yourself, inflation is making budget friendly meals more difficult for all of us.
Just know that every time you feed yourself and your family, you are making a difference in their health and in their life
Cooking, filling and nourishing meals is almost a lost art, & doing it cheaply in these times is almost unheard of, so be proud of yourself and the work that you accomplish in the kitchen.
