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28 dinners for less than $3 per meal

Bonus KitchenBy No Comments5 Mins Read

Dinner time doesn’t require you to spend a lot of money on the amazing taste. With a chef at home here, we’re all about restaurant quality recipes that you can easily make at home. With a few pantry staples and a bit of creativity, you can have a hearty meal on the table without spending more than $3 per serving. These recipes prove that affordability remains flavorful and stuffed, meaning family approved.

We talk about the comfortable food classics, one-bread wonders and cozy soups that make the whole house smell incredible without stretching your grocery budget too far. Whether you feed a loud person, cook for two or try to keep costs down for a large family, these meals are satisfying for everyone without breaking the bank.

1. Chicken and dumplings

This is all about the cozy atmosphere. There is tender chicken, fluffy dumplings and a rich soup that feels like home.Money Saving Tips: Use fine rotisserie chicken to stretch your meals. Often it’s cheaper per pound than any cut.

I’ll steal the recipe

Close-up of chicken pot pie casserole plating.Close-up of chicken pot pie casserole plating.

3. Chicken Pot Pie Casserole

All the goodness of the pot pie, but much easier. Creamy chicken topped with butter biscuitsMoney Saving Tips: Use frozen vegetables and remaining chicken to keep costs low and keep dinner stress-free.

Take a look at the recipe

Chicken noodles soup.Chicken noodles soup.

4. Chicken noodles soup

There’s nothing beat a big pot of chicken noodles soup, especially when it tastes like bowl comfort.Money Saving Tips: Frozen mixed vegetables work just like fresh ones, and they’re cheaper too.

I’ll take away the recipe

Close-up of cheeseburger casserole on a plate with fork.Close-up of cheeseburger casserole on a plate with fork.

5. Loaded cheeseburger casserole

Think of a cheeseburger night, but in the form of a casserole, there is no drive-thru. It’s meaty, cheap and totally weekday comfort food.Money Saving Tips: Exchange some of your beef for mushrooms or peppers, stretch your dollars and sneak the vegetables.

Drive-Thru to Recipes

Cheap meal plan

If planning dinner every night feels like a full-time job, we have you covered. Our cheap Eats Meal Plan removes all your guesses. We’re talking about ready-to-eat grocery list and menus that have finished for you, so you don’t need to think about what’s for dinner again. It’s budget-friendly, stress-free and makes weekday nights very easy.

A bowl of queso chicken and rice.A bowl of queso chicken and rice.

12. One pot queso chicken and rice

Cheap, creamy and full of flavours, this pot dinner is a perfect crowd delight.Money Saving Tips: Use store brand shredded cheese to keep your flavors bigger and lower costs.

Scoop up the recipe

Sloppy Jaws.Sloppy Jaws.

13. Sloppy Joe

Sweet, tangy and messy in the best way, these sloppy Joes are always a hit.Money Saving Tips: Skip the bread and serve it over rice for a cheaper twist.

Grab the recipe

I know how difficult it can be to come up with dinner ideas every night, especially when I’m trying to keep costs down. That’s why I love this kind of food. They are comforting, budget friendly, and no one at the table feels like a “cheap meal.” Get a full belly, a happy face, and more room on a grocery budget for fun like desserts or gorgeous coffee.

Creamy potato soup served in a white bowl.Creamy potato soup served in a white bowl.

14. Creamy potato soup

A rich, velvety potato soup with a taste that is like the pure comfort of a bowl.Money Saving Tips: Save time by leaving potato skins and get more nutrients.

Warm up with recipes

A wooden spoon filled with goulash held above a stock pot.A wooden spoon filled with goulash held above a stock pot.

15. American Goo Rush

This nostalgic pasta dish is perfect for feeding heartfelt, cocky, hungry families.Money Saving Tips: Buy pasta in bulk at the best prices and store in airtight containers.

I’ll make a recipe

A dish filled with cooked seasoned sausages and vegetables.A dish filled with cooked seasoned sausages and vegetables.

16. Sheet bread sausage and vegetables

A simple all-in-one dinner with roasted sausages and colorful vegetables that simplify cleanup.Money Saving Tips: Use vegetables that are on sale or are sold seasonally to keep costs down.

Slide to recipe

Close-up shot of Pasta e Fagiori.Close-up shot of Pasta e Fagiori.

17. Pasta e Fagiori

Hearty pasta and beans in a flavorful soup that feels like an Italian embrace in a bowl.Money Saving Tips: Dried beans are cheaper than canned food, and make a larger batch if you have time to soak.

Mix the recipe

Close-up of fried cabbage.Close-up of fried cabbage.

twenty four. Easy cabbage

Simple, buttery and surprisingly heartfelt cabbage is ready to be made and full of flavour.Money Saving Tips: Buy an entire head of cabbage instead of a pre-cut bag for massive savings.

Can be baked into recipes

A shot of creamy vegetable soup in a large pot.A shot of creamy vegetable soup in a large pot.

twenty five. Creamy vegetable soup

A cozy bowl of stuffing and simple creamy vegetable soup on your wallet.Money Saving Tips: Frozen mixed vegetables will be this budget-friendly and give you a wind to throw together.

Lather the recipe

Close-up view of a plate of hobo casserole.Close-up view of a plate of hobo casserole.

26. HoboCasserole

A layer of beef, potatoes and vegetables was baked for a heartfelt, unadorned dinner that feeds the crowd.Money Saving Tips: Replace fresh potatoes with frozen hash browns to save you preparation time and a small amount of cash.

I’ll dig up the recipe

A plate filled with Slovak Haluski, with a fork set on the plate.A plate filled with Slovak Haluski, with a fork set on the plate.

27. Halski

The buttery noodles thrown in sauteed cabbage fill this simple, Eastern European classic.Money Saving Tips: Cabbage is one of the cheapest vegetables of the year, so stock increases when it’s on sale.

Heading to the recipe

Hold the hand with the chopsticks and scoop out of the chicken char fried rice from the bowl.Hold the hand with the chopsticks and scoop out of the chicken char fried rice from the bowl.

28. Chicken fried rice

Better than takeaway and a great way to use up the rest of your rice, this bee rice is fast, filling and budget friendly.Money Saving Tips: You can make extra rice early in the week and turn leftovers into this simple dinner.

Towards the recipe

You don’t need to cook on a budget. With these 28 dinners you have a comfortable weekday favorite, and plenty of cozy meals to keep both your family and your wallet happy. Each recipe has proven to be able to offer something heartfelt and flavorful without spending more than $3 per serving.

And if you want to make life even easier, don’t forget to check out our cheap Eats diet plans. We have done all our thoughts for you. Each week comes with a grocery list and quick toss menu, so dinner feels more like a victory than a chore. Save this roundup on Pinterest or bookmark it later. Because these are recipes that come back over and over again.

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