Feeding my family on a budget is basically all I do. Every single day I’m either thinking of a new thing to make for super cheap or how to use up all of the leftover ingredients in my pantry to make something for nothing!
I think that most moms on a budget are the same way!
There are definitely some meals that we make in our house on repeat. First, because we love to eat them. Second, because they are extremely affordable!
I always think through the cost of a meal before I plan it. If it’s going to be too high, I will cut it from our plan in a second.
Here are some of our absolute favorite family meals that also happen to be super easy on the grocery budget!
Chicken and Rice
If there is a way to make chicken and rice together, you can bet that we have had it (and loved it) in this house. It all started with a super simple recipe that involved chicken and rice soup when we were newlyweds! From there it has expanded to casseroles, skillets, stir fry’s, instant pot recipes, you name it. My all time favorite way to make chicken and rice (and the way my kiddos eat up first and second helpings) is this recipe!
This creamy parmesan chicken and rice is seriously my favorite meal that I make. An added bonus, it’s SO cheap. If you buy chicken on sale, you can be out the door for under $5 on this recipe. Seriously. It reminds me of something I would have in a restaurant, and it’s ridiculously easy.
The leftovers are JUST AS GOOD as the original too. If I would have known about this before I was married, I would have probably just had it on repeat every single day. It’s that good.
Chicken: $1.99
Rice: $0.50
Chicken Broth: $0.50
Parmesan Cheese: $0.40
Heavy Cream: $0.30
Total: $3.69/meal
or
$0.92/person!
Beef and Brown Gravy
Chicken and rice is to me what brown gravy beef is to my husband. This has been his favorite meal for his entire life, and lucky for me it’s SO easy to make. Seriously, a packet of brown gravy mix, any kind of steak (we like to use cubed steak because it’s the most cost effective) and rice! That’s it. It’s so yummy and definitely comfort food.
My kiddos eat it UP too. We always serve it with green beans (also SUPER cheap) and it’s a delicious and nutritious meal!
If you can get your beef on sale you can make it for under $5 too!
Cubed Steak: $4.78
Brown Gravy: $0.30
Rice: $0.50
Green Beans: $0.50
Total: $6.08/meal
or
$1.52/person!
Tacos
This one is a no-brainer! Who doesn’t love a taco night? But here is my secret to making tacos super affordable because meat prices are SKY HIGH… beans!
We do 2 cans of black beans to one pound of ground beef, but find what ratio you prefer. Seasoned exactly like the meat with taco seasoning it’s delicious and nutritious! It makes tacos stretch into two meals instead of one… or taco salads for lunches!
So yummy and easy on the budget.
Ground Beef: $3.20
Taco Seasoning: $0.38
Black Beans: $1.08
Tortillas: $1.48
Cheese: $0.68
Total: $6.82/meal
or
$1.70/person
Chili
For chili my secret to making it affordable again is beans!
Here I do two cans of chili beans, and two cans of black beans to one pound of ground meat (we like to use turkey!). It really stretches the chili and is SO yummy. You can stretch it even further by using pasta to make chili mac or corn chips to make chili bowls!
Ground Turkey: $1.82
Chili Seasoning: $0.58
Chili Beans(2): $1.08
Black Beans(2): $1.08
Total: $4.56/meal
or
$1.14/person
(with PLENTY of leftovers!)
Taco Soup
This one is SO easy. Taco soup can be made in a million ways, but we prefer to make it with chicken and rice. Super yummy on a cold day, and also great to have leftover!
Chicken: $1.99
Taco Seasoning: $0.38
Corn: $0.54
Black Beans: $0.54
Tomato Sauce: $0.20
Chicken Broth: $0.50
Rice: $0.50
Total: $4.65/meal
or
$1.16/person
Eating and cooking at home really is the cheapest and healthiest way to feed your family! It also doesn’t have to be hard.
I remember being absolutely terrified at the idea of having to figure out how to feed my family (before I had one). Now I’ve just taken it one step at a time and learned a lot along the way. It really doesn’t have to be overwhelming! You can make a ton of easy and cheap meals and then add one new idea a week or a month!
Whatever your season of life allows you to do without stretching you too thin is the way to go.
You’re doing a great job!