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UPDATED JANUARY 2020! I’ve combined all 9 weeks (and added a 10th week as a bonus) into one MEGA post so you no longer have to hunt down all the weeks! Here they all are with updated recipes. These are perfect for frugal meal planning on a budget!
I am super excited to provide you TEN weeks of easy meal planning using frugal recipes. I usually find that the best tasting recipes are the ones without complex ingredients and meticulous instructions. Nope! The best tasting ones usually just have a few ingredients and they don’t require you to spend an arm and a leg!
Contents hide
1 Reasons to Meal Plan with a Budget
2 Organizing Meal Plan Recipes
3 How To Use Weekly Frugal Meal Plans
4 FREE Tools to Meal Planning Success
5 Week One Meal Plans
6 Frugal Meal Planning Recipes Week Two
7 Week Three of Inexpensive Meals
8 Week Four of Frugal Meal Planning
9 Cheap Meal Planning Week Five
10 Week Six Frugal Meal Plans
11 Week 7 of Cheap Meals
12 Week 8 of Frugal Meal Plans
13 Frugal Meal Plans for Week 9
14 Week 10 of Frugal Meals
Where these meals REALLY stretch the dollar is in the amount that they make. I usually have enough for leftovers for the next day, which helps me save money.
Reasons to Meal Plan with a Budget
I always seem to overestimate how much time I’ll have to cook each night. In my head, I will stand in the kitchen, making a delicious meal while my son does his homework and the house is nice and peaceful. Notice that I said “in my head?” Reality is a lot different. I am always running him to sports, scouts or heading to the store for one thing or another. Needless to say, I don’t have a lot of extra time to make dinners, so I have to be smart.
That is where frugal meal planning comes in.
- Meal Planning Save Time. Instead of frantically putting together meals each night, I spend Sunday morning putting a list together of the meals I want to make for the week. I then go to the grocery store, prep as much as I can and get myself ready for the week’s meals.
- Meal Planning Saves Money. Before I started meal planning, I would pick up convenience food at the store or just order take-out. Those costs added up really fast and my wallet was not happy with me. Planning ahead lets me find recipes that are tasty and won’t break the bank.
- Leftovers. Even with a teenage boy, I end up with leftovers from dinners. I pack them into meal prep containers and send them with my husband for his lunch. Winner winner!
- Meal Planning Reduces Waste. No matter how hard I tried, I ended up throwing away groceries that I wasn’t able to use. It was my Saturday-Refrigerator-Clean-Out-Day. Everything I threw out was money I wasted. Yikes! With frugal meal planning, I got much better at using everything I bought and eliminating the waste. Woohoo!
Organizing Meal Plan Recipes
I’ll call out the nights on the meal plan that fit into a category (e.g. Meatless Meal, One Pan Meal, etc.). You can just pick and choose from those if you’re using this as a starting point for your own meal planning.
I know you guys are interested in serving tasty dinners without totally blowing your budgets even though you don’t always have the time to cook!
That’s why in each frugal weekly meal plan, you’ll find the following:
- One Slow Cooker recipe
- One Pan/ Oven-Baked /Skillet meal
- One Meatless recipe
- One meal that is ready in 30 minutes or less
- As a whole, the meal plan will be frugal. Great food doesn’t need to cost a lot!
At least two nights a week, you will get a break in the kitchen, but you’re family will still gett a home-cooked meal on the table.
Also – remember to scroll down to the end of the post for the free printable meal planner!
How To Use Weekly Frugal Meal Plans
Before you jump in, there are a few tried and true things that will make this successful. Jump over to Six Kitchen Printables! These are also new and combine EVERYTHING you need to get a jumpstart into meal planning.
- Print off the Pantry Inventory and assess what foods you have. Write it all down. Do not trust that you will remember everything you have stocked in your pantry. I use this as a checklist to make sure that I don’t duplicate anything at the store.
- The Freezer Inventory provides a thorough listing of what you have in the freezer already. My favorite meal is a free meal! Use one that you already cooked.
- Print the Refrigerator Inventory and give a good cleaning of the fridge and see what is good/not good and start from scratch.
- The Weekly Menu Planner is a nice printable that provides space to write out what is on the menu for the week. We have a few different ones on the blog, so you can check them out here and here if you don’t like the blue that matches the Six Kitchen Printable set. I wouldn’t suggest you print off the Monthly Menu Planner until you have conquered a weekly one yet. Just go one week at a time until you know what you can do!
- Now look through the ten weeks provided and come up with a match of seven dinners that can match your planned week’s schedule. Don’t be overly adventurous the first week. Stick to things that sound like they are easy for you and your family. Remember, you are stretching yourself here and trying something new. I want you to succeed at this and the best way to do that is to take it one step at a time.
- Take the Weekly Menu Planner and sit with your personal planner or calendar on your phone. Spend 10 minutes and look over what the next week has coming up. You are trying to make a match between how much time you will have to prepare each meal. Is it crazy soccer week? Then, maybe pull all the slow cooker recipes and use those. Do you have time on Sunday to do a pretty good meal prep? Then use that time to prep a couple of sheet pan meals to toss in the oven in between getting home and getting back out the door.
Out of any tip/trick, this is the most crucial! If you don’t do this, you will buy food you don’t have time to make and you’ll end up in the drive thru line. I’ve been there and done it enough times to tell you that you need to match your personal home planner to the menu planner FIRST!
FREE Tools to Meal Planning Success
I love free printables. I use them all the time. I put together this short list of the best tools that will help you organize your cooking life. Give them a shot. I promise you that they will make a big difference, especially if you have a busy lifestyle.
- Printable Menu Planner
- Printable Weekly Menu Planner Pink
- Printable Shopping List
- Printable Planner (if you don’t use one already, print one off here)
- Printable Blank Calendar (if you don’t use one, print one off here)
- Printable Pantry Inventory
- Printable Freezer Inventory
- Printable Kitchen/Jar/Pantry Labels (coming soon)
- Printable Editable Freezer Labels
- Kitchen Conversion Printable (coming soon)
Week One Meal Plans
List of Frugal Meal Plans for the First Week. Sheet pan recipe, casseroles, one-pan recipes, and so much more. I wanted to create a variety of recipes that can fuel you and satisfy you.
One Dish Ranch Chicken Veggie Bake
Photo Credit:www.persnicketyplates.com
Boneless Chicken Breasts, Green Beans and Potatoes are the main ingredients in this one dish meal. She uses a bit of ranch dressing mix to the chicken, and it makes this an inexpensive and delicious meal.
Minestrone Soup Recipe
Canned Beans, tomatoes, a few fresh veggies and pasta makes this an extremely cost-conscious vegetarian meal that is amazing! I cooked this on the stovetop, but most of it can easily be made in a slow cooker.
20 Minute Black Beans Recipe
The only real cost in this black beans recipe is the cost of the beans and maybe the green chilis. It is a delicious and filling vegetarian meal than can be made in 20 minutes. It is perfect for a Meatless Monday.
Stuffed Pepper Casserole
Photo Credit:lmld.org
I love casseroles, especially when they make enough for leftovers! This recipe is perfect for meal prepping as well and most of the steps can be accomplished the day before. Just pop it into the oven to bake this delicious casserole.
Paleo One Pan Italian Chicken
Photo Credit:www.mysuburbankitchen.com
This is another one pan chicken meal that can be made in 30 minutes or less. The fire roasted tomatoes and the seasoning on the chicken breast pair perfectly. Best of all, it is easy to scale this recipe to make more or less depending on what you need.
Easy One Pot Chicken Stroganoff Recipe
Photo Credit:www.clarkscondensed.com
This 30 minute, one-skillet recipe is so creamy and delicious. I thought replacing the beef with chicken would be strange, but it was awesome! Seriously, we ate this so fast that we made it again the next night!
Spaghetti with Peppers and Onions - A Deliciously Easy Spaghetti Recipe
Photo Credit:www.mysuburbankitchen.com
This vegetarian frugal dinner is so good that you won't miss the meat. The recipe is packed full of meal prep tips including how she prepares the veggies earlier in the week.
Three Ingredient White Pizza Flatbread
Photo Credit:www.mamalovesfood.com
This is an easy vegetarian meal that only has 3 ingredients. It is that meal you whip up when you realize that you ran out of time and don't want to eat out. Save the money and make this super simple meal.
Frugal Meal Planning Recipes Week Two
The second week of inexpensive recipes will help you save money on your grocery bill. Plus you have a variety of recipes to pick from that use minimal ingredients.
10 Minute Taco Soup – And Freeze the leftovers!!!!
Photo Credit:www.ourthriftyideas.com
I am a huge fan of meals that don't take a long time to make, and this 10 minute meal is no exception. Made in one pan, this taco soup is frugal, fast, and fantastic! It is in our weekly dinner rotation. Check out the tips on how to freeze leftovers and you will stretch this inexpensive meal even farther.
Extra Gooey Mac and Cheese Recipe
This is a 30 minute meal for those nights when you need a bit of creamy comfort food. With just a few ingredients, this is great to make in just a few minutes while only spending a couple of dollars.
Slow Cooker Apple Balsamic Chicken
Photo Credit:www.savoryexperiments.com
This is a Crock Pot recipe with boneless skinless chicken breasts and some amazing balsamic vinegar. The flavors in this one makes your house smell amazing (and it tastes just as good!). Pair it with rice made in your Instant Pot, and you'll have an almost-hands-off meal!
Italian Stuffed Peppers - Like Mother Like Daughter
Photo Credit:lmld.org
The rice and ground turkey work perfectly in a delicious twist on an extremely inexpensive meal. I always make a couple of extra stuffed peppers to freeze and serve in lunches the next week.
Chile Relleno Monte Cristo
Photo Credit:www.savoryexperiments.com
I used to make grilled cheese sandwiches because they were cheap and filled me up. This sandwich uses delicious chiles for a phenomenal twist on my favorite sandwich. I wish I had this recipe years ago!
Skillet Pizza Potatoes
Photo Credit:www.tastesoflizzyt.com
I've made pizza on portobello mushrooms, and I've even grilled it. But, I've never thought about making a pizza on chopped potatoes. They are browned using coconut oil and then topped with your favorite pizza toppings. Amazing and frugal!
Vegetable Lo Mein
Photo Credit:www.housewifeeclectic.com
This is another super easy vegetarian recipe that is easy on your grocery budget. Soy sauce and sesame oil provide that amazing oriental flavor.
Week Three of Inexpensive Meals
This is the third week of inexpensive meals that will stretch your grocery budget. You will find slow cooker recipes, soup, a refreshing pasta salad, and more.
3 Ingredient Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken {WW 0 Blue + Purple, 5 Green Points, Gluten Free}
Three ingredients is all it takes to make this slow cooker salsa chicken recipe. Best of all, you can freeze the lefovers to use in tacos, enchiladas, burritos, or even right out of the bowl.
Best Chicken Taco Stuffed Avocado Recipe
Using the salsa chicken from the previous recipe. I made some stuffed avocados to serve for dinner over Cinco de Mayo. Who says celebrating has to cost a lot of money?
Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Photo Credit:thelovenerds.com
This slow cooker recipe is a Panera copycat and tastes amazing! It looks as good as it tastes. This is one you'll want to keep in your dinner line up.
Shaved Zucchini Salad with Lemon Chive Dressing
Photo Credit:www.savoryexperiments.com
For those nights when you want something a little lighter, try this vegetarian recipe. The crunchy toast ramen noodles are ingenious and makes the salad a lot more fun!
Barbecue Cheddar Crescent Baskets
Photo Credit:www.mamalovesfood.com
Simple is the key to success with this 30 minute meal. Hopefully, you have some leftover chicken to add to this crescent roll basket because it will help the grocery budget big time! The BBQ sauce adds a lot of flavor and the chicken and cheese will keep your energy up!
Cucumber and Tomato Bowtie Pasta Salad Recipe
Photo Credit:www.hoteatsandcoolreads.com
For a lighter dinner, try this pasta salad recipe. She uses bowtie pasta, but I had some extra penne pasta, so I saved a few dollars and used that instead. I had leftover tomatoes and cucumbers, so this meal came together for just a few cents!
Honey Balsamic Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies
Who doesn't love an entire meal made on a single sheet pan? This has a sweet-tangy flavor and I used leftover potatos and carrots, so the only extra cost from my budget was the chicken!
Week Four of Frugal Meal Planning
For week four, we'll add in a few extra recipes that will keep your grocery bill light. You don't have to sacrifice flavor to save money with this meal plan.
Beef and Kale Soup Recipe
A one pot, 30 minute soup recipe is my kind of recipe! Everything in this recipe is light and tasty. You'll have enough left over for lunch the next day.
One Pan Cranberry Chicken Thighs Recipe
This one skillet meal uses a preheated cast iron skillet to get the chicken crispy and delicious. The fresh cranberries added a phenomenal tart flavor to this easy, inexpensive fall dish.
Rainbow Sheet Pan Pizza
Making homemade pizza to celebrate the end of the workweek is our fun family tradition. I had some unused peppers from the week and turned this into a vegetarian pizza that was out of this world!
Baked Chicken Enchiladas
Photo Credit:www.savoryexperiments.com
The thing I love about recipes like enchiladas is that I can repurpose leftovers from the week. I had a few extra chicken breasts, shredded them and used them in this recipe. I feel like a million bucks when I can reuse leftovers in another dish!
Lentils with Brown Rice & Veggies
Photo Credit:www.persnicketyplates.com
I love the hearty taste of the lentils and freshness of the cucumbers in this dish. I used the rice from my pantry to save money, but if you are in a rush, spend the extra money to make the 3 minute rice.
Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe
Photo Credit:www.hoteatsandcoolreads.com
This is the world's easiest dump and go slow cooker recipe. It is easy to throw this on in the morning and have it ready for dinner. I served mine on a bun with mustard, and it was divine!
Pepperoni Calzones
Photo Credit:www.tastesoflizzyt.com
I cheated and used my bread machine, but tried this for our Pizza Night. The best thing about this recipe is everyone can make the filling their own. My husband loves black olives and loaded his up. I made mine more of a meat-lovers. Mix it up and turn it into a fun, inexpensive treat for your family.
Cheap Meal Planning Week Five
I hope by now your grocery budget has thanked you for meal planning with inexpensive dinners! The fun continues this week with more frugal fun!
Tuna Casserole - Like mother Like Daughter
Photo Credit:lmld.org
Tuna casserole is a classic! I got a great deal on tuna at Costco and was looking for some opportunities to use it in this meal planning series. I bet you have an extra can or two in your pantry too. Put it to good use in this baked casserole dish.
One Pot Chicken and Kale
Photo Credit:www.mysuburbankitchen.com
This one pot meal took me just over half an hour to cook fully. Almost a 30 minute meal! I had some extra veggies in the fridge and added them so they didn't go to waste. There is no added herbs or spices, and the clean taste of the chicken and veggies were the stars of the show.
How to Make the Easiest Crock Pot Black Bean Soup {WW 6 Green, 1 Green + Purple Pts, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten Free}
This easy, dump and go vegan recipe works so well with freshly steamed rice. During the last few minutes, I make a batch of rice in the Instant Pot and serve the black beans over it. It is so good!
Zucchini Taco Boats
Photo Credit:www.persnicketyplates.com
Zucchinis are one of the least expensive vegetables at my farmer's market in the late summer and fall. I can't help but load up and am then always struggling to find uses for them. So much for my meal planning prowess, right? These taco boats definitely helped use my last batch. I froze the leftovers for lunches and they reheated just perfectly!
15 Minute Ground Beef and Bean Tostadas Recipe
Photo Credit:www.hoteatsandcoolreads.com
15 minutes is all it took me to make this frugal recipe. Seriously, can you beat that? Don't tell my family, but this is another recipe where I use my unused beef, shredded chicken and beans. What they don't know won't hurt them, right? It definitely helps my wallet and eliminates waste!
One Skillet Mediterranean Chicken
Photo Credit:www.tastesoflizzyt.com
This one pan chicken came together very easily right at 30 minutes and I served it with brown rice. I replaced the black olives with pitted kalamata olives (definitely not cheap, but they were left over from a friend's party, and I needed to use them). It's gorgeous too - but the flavor will keep me coming back.
How to Make Freezer Friendly Spinach Lasagna Rolls Recipe {WW7 Green, 6 Blue/Purple Points, Vegetarian}
This vegetarian meal is extremely cheap and it makes a lot. The cheese and pasta fills you up and there was plenty left over for lunches.
Week Six Frugal Meal Plans
Another collection of frugal meal plans to help you save money. I have a meatless recipe which is great for spending less on meals. The chicken taco salad is so delicious.
Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Rice Skillet Recipe
Photo Credit:www.hoteatsandcoolreads.com
This is a perfect dish when you have some leftover ham. Add a little broccoli and cheese, and it is a fantastic and frugal skillet meal.
Butternut Squash Pasta - Like Mother Like Daughter
Photo Credit:lmld.org
This vegan dish uses butternut squash instead of tomatoes for the sauce. Trust me, the sweet squash flavor totally makes this dish. The almond milk made the sauce a bit creamy, and it lasted for several meals.
Chicken Taco Salad with Jalapeno Avocado Salad Dressing
Photo Credit:thelovenerds.com
This recipe stretches leftover chicken a long ways. I even used ground beef with taco seasoning when I didn't have any chicken left over. I also used a catalina dressing just because I had some still in the fridge. Whatever it takes to make a meal more frugal, right?
One Dish Skillet Chicken Enchiladas
Photo Credit:www.clarkscondensed.com
One skillet, 30 minute meal that uses leftover corn tortillas. Now, that's what I am talking about! My whole family loves this recipe, and I very seldom have enough for leftovers.
Chicken, Tomato and Sweet Potato Curry Recipe
Photo Credit:www.hoteatsandcoolreads.com
The sweet potato and chicken breast are the basis of this dish. The only thing you'll probably need ot buy is a curry sauce. Like the author, I prefer the one from Trader Joe's. This dish works perfectly over rice.
Slow Cooker Chicken and Potatoes with Green Beans
Photo Credit:www.persnicketyplates.com
This is another great dump and go recipe. I usually have a few extra minutes in the morning, which is the time I use to prep the evening's meal in a crock pot.
How to Make the Best Slow Cooker Vegetarian Taco Soup Freezer Friendly {WW 5 Green, 1 Blue+Purple Points, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten Free}
It's amazing how a few cans of beans, corn and tomatoes can make an amazing vegan dinner. A few hours in the slow cooker and this taco soup will keep you warm and happy!
Week 7 of Cheap Meals
Week Seven of inexpensive recipes that will help you save money in your kitchen. You can pick and choose which of these inexpensive recipes you would like, or make them all!
Weeknight Meals: Lemon Paprika Chicken - My Suburban Kitchen
Photo Credit:www.mysuburbankitchen.com
The smoked paprika really makes this recipe pop with flavor. I had some in my cupboard and don't use it as often as I want. This is an extremely fast meal to get to the table and saves a few dollars.
Baked Tomatoes Parmesan with Basil-Zucchini Pasta • Food, Folks and Fun
Photo Credit:foodfolksandfun.net
This recipe is best with fresh tomatoes from the garden or farmer's market. It is light and refreshing and I made a few extra parm tomatoes for lunches.
Mexican Stuffed Peppers Recipe {WW 5 points, Vegetarian, Gluten Free}
I enjoyed the stuffed peppers the other week that I decided to make a Mexican version. It is amazing how changing the seasoning totally changes the entire recipe.
{{30 Minute}} Skillet Lasagna
Photo Credit:www.clarkscondensed.com
I have a real weakness for Italian food, but don't always have the time to make it. Fortunately, this recipe cuts down the time and only dirties one dish! Best of all, the ingredients are easy and inexpensive. This is a hearty dish that lasted us for two days!
Black Bean Sweet Potato Tacos - Like Mother Like Daughter
Photo Credit:lmld.org
I had several extra sweet potatoes and jumped at the chance to make this vegetarian taco dish. I sprinkled the potatoes with some taco seasoning I had in the cabinet, but you sure don't need to. I am almost done using the sweet potatoes now!https://www.mamalovesfood.com/slow-cooker-split-pea-soup/
Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup in the Crock Pot
Photo Credit:www.mamalovesfood.com
This slow cooker soup takes the whole day to cook, and that is just perfect! You need dried split peas (which is super inexpensive) and some ham hocks from the butcher. When I go home, and this was almost fully cooked, my house smelled amazing! I couldn't wait to dive in and I sure wasn't disappointed.
Week 8 of Frugal Meal Plans
Hawaiian BBQ Chicken over Rice - Like Mother Like Daughter
Photo Credit:lmld.org
The only thing I had to buy for this Hawaiian BBQ chicken was teriyaki sauce. I had all the other ingredients which made this an extremely economical slow cooker recipe. It tasted great and I had a lot for leftovers!
Thai Sweet Potato Nachos - My Suburban Kitchen
Photo Credit:www.mysuburbankitchen.com
A few more sweet potatoes and I whipped up these awesome nachos! All I needed to buy for this one was the peanut sauce. If you haven't tried Thai seasonings, this is the one to start with. You can easily make it vegetarian (like I did) by leaving out the chicken.
Beefy Tomato Macaroni Soup Recipe
Photo Credit:www.hoteatsandcoolreads.com
My last recipe was Thai and this recipe is Italian. I'm a world traveler this week! But seriously, this is a hearty soup that only took me about 30 minutes to make. I meal prepped cooking the hamburger and boiling the pasta, so I spent most of the time waiting for the broth to boil.
One Pot Chicken & Vegetable Curry
Photo Credit:www.mamalovesfood.com
Ha! A One Pot meal where I can use my leftover vegetables! This recipe made a TON! Seriously. I had several days of leftovers. Best of all, I was trying to figure out what to do with my extra cauliflower and carrots, so I added them to this recipe. Perfect for reducing spoilage and saving money.
One Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls Recipe – a quick & easy one pot Mexican meal that feeds a crowd.
Photo Credit:foodfolksandfun.net
This is a fantastic one pot meal where I used more of my Costco haul of chicken breasts. I just bought some dark San Antonio Chili Powder and was excited to find a recipe where I could use it. This was perfect! Best of all, I had all the ingredients already, and didn't need to buy anything extra.
Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas
Photo Credit:lmld.org
Oh - Just - YUM!! the sweet honey and tart lime really make this dish pop with flavor. I used half and half instead of heavy cream (just to avoid having to make an extra trip to the store) and I couldn't tell the difference. This was my Mexican kick for the week.
Three Ingredient Spicy Ranch Slow Cooker Chicken
Photo Credit:www.persnicketyplates.com
This is my slow cooker recipe for the week. It used a spicy ranch dressing mix which I haven't used before. There were only three ingredients and was A+ in the crock pot. I paired it with leftover veggies from the night before.
Frugal Meal Plans for Week 9
Chicken Lime Tortilla Soup
Photo Credit:www.housewifeeclectic.com
I was super excited to try this recipe as I was fighting a cold and some nice hot soup sounded just perfect! Oh, who am I kidding? I would do anything to use these tortilla strips. They just scream FUN! Fortunately, the soup had just enough kick to it and I froze the leftovers.
Spicy Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burger
Photo Credit:www.clarkscondensed.com
I was really cravign a burger, but we had been eating so well and didn't want to go get a fast food grease-trap. Instead, I found this sweet potato and black bean burger. Wow, was it great! Best of all, we got our burger fix, but didn't have all that grease.
Delicious Avocado Turkey Burgers
Photo Credit:thelovenerds.com
The weather was GREAT and we wanted to grill. I loved the burgers from last night and wanted to try another recipe while we sat outside grilling. This used a rip avocado and ground turkey and worked perfectly on the grill. I could not have been any happier!
Loaded Potato Soup | Mama Loves Food
Photo Credit:www.mamalovesfood.com
This potato soup is made in a slow cooker and is absolutely amazing. It made so much that we froze half of it. I skipped the bacon on top, as I didn't want to buy some just for this recipe, but next time, I will definitely add some. I used fresh chives from my garden and it really added a great flavor.
Broccoli Cheddar Quiche
Photo Credit:foodfolksandfun.net
I really didn't think of making a quiche for dinner, but when I saw that the cost per serving was $0.56, I figured it was time to give it a try. I guess I am used to having eggs for breakfast, but this was awesome! We will definitely be eating this super economical meal for dinners in the future.
One Pot Chicken Enchilada Pasta - LMLDFood
Photo Credit:lmld.org
Pasta is my comfort food. Fortunately, it is really inexpensive, so I was thrilled to find this one pot enchilada pasta. A little Mexican and a little Italian - sounded perfect to me! Best of all, I made this in less than 30 minutes. In hindsight, I should have precooked the chicken the night before to save even more time.
Week 10 of Frugal Meals
Mushroom Garlic Quinoa Recipe
Photo Credit:www.hoteatsandcoolreads.com
I am usually a rice, pasta or potato person, but my husband had some quinoa at a work function and thought I'd like it. I finally gave in and found this one pot vegetarian meal, and boy, am I glad I did. This cooked up in no time flat and a little quinoa ended up going a long way. I'll definitely use this again to mix and match my leftover veggies.
Crockpot Salsa Chicken Tacos
Photo Credit:www.ourthriftyideas.com
My day was going to be really busy and I planned to make a slow cooker meal. With only two ingredients cooked in the crockpot, this was a recipe made for days like this. When I got home, it was a "serve yourself" meal and everyone grabbed a plate to make the tacos how they wanted. We all need breaks!
One Skillet Chicken Pot Pie
Photo Credit:tastesofhomemade.com
I haven't found a good chicken pot pie recipe in years and had a real craving for it. I had to buy the biscuits, but figured it would be well worth the cost. Fortunately, it was! I thought we'd have leftovers, but everyone came back for seconds and we finished the whole dish.
Gluten-Free Pasta e fa*gioli (Vegan, Allergy-Free) | Pasta & Bean Soup
Photo Credit:strengthandsunshine.com
After eating so much last night, I wanted something a little lighter. This gluten free pasta and bean soup hit the spot! This recipe came together super fast. I spent more time waiting for it to come to a boil than all the other steps combined.
Kielbasa and Peppers with Pasta Alfredo
Photo Credit:bunnyswarmoven.net
I was initially drawn to the kielbasa and peppers, but the super simple alfredo recipe won me over. It was just three ingredients and didn't leave me feeling like I ate a brick. It was light and just flat out delicious. I'll be making that frugal recipe again soon.
Dairy-Free Pizza Chicken Bake (Gluten-Free, Allergy-Free, Keto)
Photo Credit:strengthandsunshine.com
Homemade pizza sauce and simple chicken bake? Heck yeah! This gluten free recipe is just way too easy and the leftovers were awesome for my husband's lunches. He said they reheated awesome.
Use this free printable meal planner to plan the week’s meals!
When you are ready for more ideas outside of this MEGA LIST, here are a few frugal dinner ideas to fulfill your cravings!
20 Slow Cooker Freezer Meals these are tried and true recipes from fellow bloggers that have been around FOREVER! This means fans love them and they work!
20 Breakfast Freezer Meals this is one of my all time favorite posts! Breakfasts are hard as we all wake up and do not want to deal with the day. These recipes allow you to pull breakfast together on the previous weekend and then just do a quick GRAB and GO and get out the door.
Freezer Pasta Meals for 24 Cents most likely my second favorite post! I love that for less than a quarter, you can make a meal! We all need cheap eats like this in our life!
19 Creative Black Bean Dinner Ideas-this is a great tool to have in your toolbox if you are trying to eat frugally! Black beans are heart and filling so to use those in your recipes when one can is under $1, this is a true win for your budget.
Ginny
Hi!
Ginny Collins is a passionate foodie and recipe creator of Savor and Savvy and Kitchenlaughter. Indoors she focuses on easy, quick recipes for busy families and kitchen basics. Outdoors, she focuses on backyard grilling and smoking to bring family and friends together. She is a lifelong learner who is always taking cooking classes on her travels overseas and stateside. Her work has been featured on MSN, Parade, Fox News, Yahoo, Cosmopolitan, Elle, and many local news outlets. She lives in Florida where you will find her outside on the water in her kayak, riding her bike on trails, and planning her next overseas adventure.
savorandsavvy.com/about-me/
