Budget-Friendly Meal Ideas for 2 Adults & 1 Toddler: Quick, Easy Recipes with Leftovers

[rachelcgv]

I cook boneless chicken, breasts or thighs in the airfryer use on Caesar salad for dinner on hot days, wraps for lunch, or just chicken with potatoes and a veggie for dinner. If I have it cooked and in the fridge super easy and versatile and if you use it in salads and chicken salad a little goes a long ways.

 

[amelia1234]

Lots of pasta beans potatoes n rice

 

[harvest28]

Breakfast casserole, very good and goes a long way.

 

[dashnenez]

I’ve been stuck on homemade hot pockets but I make a large one that feeds at least 4 to 6 people depending on their appetite and if you have a side. At my discount grocery outlet they have the refrigerated canned French bread for $1.49 atm and they alway have a selection of sandwich meats and cheeses cheap as well. So I spay a cookie sheet and unroll the French bread and flatten it out some. I spray it with butter. Then do a lite sprinkle of onion and garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Then I do a lite layer of cheese followed by meat of choice then another layer of cheese. I gently lift one side to the middle long ways and then the other to meet it and pinch the seems together. Then fold the ends up and pinch them together. Preheat and bake according to bread package. Allow to rest when done the cut into pieces. Depending on what meat you use you can dip it in different sauces like pizza sauce, ranch, etc.

 

[dashnenez]

I almost forgot after pinching the seams closed I turn it over to bake seam side down. I then score it about 5 times and spray butter on it and do a lite sprinkle of onion and garlic powder and Italian seasoning as well.

 

[rachel07]

Meat loaf, it makes great sandwiches. Salsbury steak, augratin potatoes, they are good cold. Dirty. Rice, chicken casserole

 

[easymak777]

Chili, tacos, spaghetti, get a big pack of ground beef and divide it into baggies, freeze and use in these meals

 

[angelist]

Cheeseburger soup
1 lb cooked taco meat or seasoned burger 2 cans cheddar cheese sauce 1 can nacho cheese sauce whatever spices you like whatever burger toppings you like cook in crockpot on low for 3 hours

 

[johnwhite209]

18 pack of great value Toquitos (4.98)
1 Jar of great value salsa con queso (2.17)
1 can of corn, drained (.64)
1 ca black beans (.78)
1/4 of a bag of great value frozen peppers and onions (2.58)
shredded cheese, sour cream and salsa (optional)
Add 3/4 of the jar of cheese, peppers and onions, drained corn and beans to casserole dish and stir. Then add a layer of Toquitos and the rest of the cheese. You can add the optional ingredients except for sour cream and bake @350° for 20-30 minutes. Serve with sour cream and salsa
This can made in double batch and frozen for later also.

 

[shawpedro5]

Pizza pasta with garlic bread/ homemade pizza make the crust from scratch google recipe I have to every time lol but I can feed my self and three teenage boys for about $10 easy to reheat for lunch. Chicken spaghetti, beef tips and rice noodles or mashed potatoes with a green veggie ( I buy a cheap steak or roast and cut into small pieces and make my own tips) cheap cuts work great. Homemade hash: 1 lb ground beef
6 med potatoes peeled and diced really small
1 can corn
1/4 c worstishire
Salt and pepper to your liking
Brown beef and drain, add potatoes, corn juice and all and 1 can water, and worstishire in skillet cover and cook till water is gone and potatoes are falling apart tender. This is a family favorite and it’s cheap easy and makes a lot

 

[faithwillhaveit]

@shawpedro5 I want to make this hash your talking about. Do I add any seasonings? I'm having a hard time imaging it but it sounds so good and easy.

 

[shawpedro5]

Tina Bullers I season with salt and pepper while it cooks and the worstishire. Also you can cook a small chopped onion with the ground beef. I love it but can’t do it now cause I have a kid with a onion allergy.

 

[power111]

French onion chops
Chicken pot pie
Spaghetti
Meatloaf
Peppersteak
Stir fry
Sweddish meatballs
I google whatever i want to cook and look at a few recipes and throw together my version. Usually recipes are very close.

 

[power111]

Best thing i have found with a family of 9 is pot pies, casserole stir fry anything i chop the meat in i can use less meat. If i make fried chops i need 15 -18 chops if i make pork stir fry i can get away with 7 or 8 giving me an extra meal with the meat. I buy in bulk and seperate my meats too. Instant rice is convienant but long grain is a fraction of the price. Its cheaper to make things from scratch but it takes more time. I buy off brands as well ( except mac n cheese and a few other things)
I google alot of things i have a taste for. Then find a few recipes ( the basics are usually the same) then i tweak it to what we like, or have on hand.) So far the only thing i have complaints on is when a specific kid doesnt like a certain veggie. I know its not a recipe but doing things this way has drastically helped with food budgeting and still getting to eat a variety of meals.

 

[wibble]

I added frozen broccoli the last 15 minutes of baking and served over ramen

 

[redeemedbyjesus]

Sloppy joes, spaghetti, meat loaf , tacos , hot dogs , grilled cheese, chicken Alfredo

 

[hilgard]

Breakfast for dinner or lunch. French toast Eggs. Bacon or sausage.

 

[aquahemo]

Pasta Salad

 

[lullabies]

Chicken sh@t casserole. Cook chix anyway u want. Sautee some onion in butter and add 2Tbs of flour. Stir well until a gravy forms. Add 1 can of corn or peas well drained. Add chicken back to mixture. Top with store bought biscuits and bake according to the recipe. Dinner is served.

 

[lullabies]

After Sauteeing add 1 can chix broth and stir until a gravy forms!