Cozy, Budget Friendly Meals
For this month’s budget friendly meals, let’s get cozy! As soon as the weather starts to change, my meal plans for the week adjust as well. In my house, fall and winter are filled with warm, hearty meals that leaves everyone feeling full and satisfied. The recipes below not only fit the theme but are also kind on the wallet as we enter the holiday season.
A few things to keep in mind – where you shop will play a role in the cost of ingredients. Some of the ingredients in recipes are pantry staples, so if don’t already have an ingredient, that will increase the cost slightly. The recipes below provide five dinner meal ideas for an average family of four for less than $100. Let’s get started!
MEAL ONE:
Honey Garlic Beef Sandwiches
Total: $20.17
All I can say is YUM! I made this recipe last night and it was so delicious. My fiancé is already asking for us to make it again! My favorite part is being able to crockpot the beef and prep the vegetables in the afternoon, so dinner was ready to go at the end of the day. I did a quick pickling of the carrots and cucumber, which added an extra layer of flavor and zing to the recipe. You could also serve this as a bowl with rice as another option!
MEAL TWO:
Oven “Fried” Pork Chop with Skillet Cinnamon Apples
Total: $19.33
This is a great example of keeping dinners simple but balanced! Pork chops for protein, green beans for the vegetable, and skillet apples for the carbohydrate. I used “no salt added” canned green beans to keep it easy and added plenty of black pepper and other seasonings to give them flavor without extra sodium. The skillet apples are a delicious, sticky treat that pairs well. https://simple-veganista.com/healthy-skillet-cinnamon-apples/#tasty-recipes-11463-jump-target
MEAL THREE:
Healthy
Fried Rice
Total: $12.24
To save money, I’ve been working on finding recipes that are copycats to mine and my fiancé’s favorite meals to order out! Fried rice and stir fry meals are always at the top of our list, so when I found this one, I was excited to give it a try. I used regular, low-sodium soy sauce instead of coconut aminos. Coconut aminos are made from the sap of a coconut palm tree, which is then fermented with salt to create a savory sauce. It can be used in place of soy sauce, if desired. You could always add more vegetables to this recipe, like broccoli, mushrooms, or squash. Enjoy!
MEAL FOUR:
Easy Cheeseburger Soup
Total: $15.00
Soup season is here! Shake up your go-to soup recipes with this one, which tastes just like a cheeseburger. I used ground turkey in place of beef, but you could use lean ground beef as well. Adding pickles may sound weird, but it enhances the cheeseburger flavor and adds a nice zest!
MEAL FIVE:
One Pot Gnocchi Spinach and Chicken
Total: $19.89
Gnocchi, pronounced “noh-kee”, is an Italian dumpling made from potatoes. When cooked, it has a similar texture to pasta, but doughier. It’s soft and almost melts in your mouth when eaten. Just like pasta, it doesn’t have much flavor when eaten by itself, but that means it’s able to take on the flavors of whatever it’s cooked in. In this recipe, it creates a delicious, creamy, and perfect comfort food dinner for everyone to enjoy. I would use low-fat milk or a milk alternative instead of whole milk to keep saturated fat in check.