6 Cheap Family Dinners on a Budget (Week #54)
This has been a whirlwind week….between the crazy weather changes from 70 to 30 degrees, I somehow managed to injure my wrist as well! Woohoo for growing older! LOL
So, this week we are all about low energy meals for when you don’t really have the motivation to cook but you want to feed your family without resorting to takeout. These are also some of my favorite comfort meals as well!
Our budget this week was $60 and our total came out to $58.61 at the Super Walmart in Macedonia, Ohio. Make sure to check your pantry and freezer because I think you can easily get this total down some!
Cheap & Yummy Dinners this Week
Shopping List
If you want to see the full shopping list on Walmart in your area, all you have to do is click my Walmart Grocery list and change the zip code to your area. *This is an affiliate link, and I do make a small commission on any purchases, but at no additional cost to you!*
Please note, that every once in a while, an item that I pick turns out to be regional. This means that it may be a much higher price in some areas. Always double check the list and if you see an item that is much higher than it should be adjust accordingly.
Easy Recipes for Dinner
1. Shaky Drumsticks with Pineapple Rice and Brussel Sprouts
This is basically Shake and Bake! I love this flavor combo and it is versatile to different meats as well!
2. Sausage & Pepper Pasta
For those times you really want the sausage and onion flavor but not have a sandwich. This is also really good served over rice!
3. Caesar Chicken Sandwich with Sweet Potato Fries & Strawberries
I cannot explain exactly why serving strawberries with Caesar dressing anything works so well, but honestly it is amazing!
4. Creamy Chicken over Rice
This is another great one that works well over rice or even over toast/biscuits!
5. Bacon Spinach Calzones with Butter Noodles
You can easily use homemade dough for this as well, check out My Favorite Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe!
6. Cottage Pie Potatoes
If a twice baked potato and a Shepherd’s pie fell in love, these Cottage potatoes would be their kids!
Low-Cost Fruit Options to Add:
I am a huge fan of adding fruit to dinners. This small, yummy part helps kids know they will love at least something on their plate.
So, whenever I have a little wiggle room in my budget, I try to pick up 2-3 fruits to add to meals. Here are some good options that you can grab this week! (Try mixing fresh fruit and canned fruit together for some added variety)
It’s also been shown that most Americans don’t eat enough fruit and vegetables, so add some to your dinner! (Remember you don’t need a ton of fruit either, just a 1/4 to 1/2 a cup can help fill you up at mealtime.)
Free Printable PDF Version
This prints on standard paper sized 8.5 x 11 inches.
What about next week?
We put out a new meal plan every week! We have 3 ways to be notified of new menus:
*Join our Low Dough Facebook Page where we post new menus every Saturday and new meal ideas every Wednesday!
*Sign up for the weekly email newsletter on Fridays (early menu access)
Join our Facebook Group- Meal Planning for All (you can ask questions and get help planning your own menus)
Until next week, I hope you have a fabulous week!
