Looking for some easy family dinner ideas that are also cheap and won’t break the budget? When it seems like there’s nothing to cook, look in your pantry and see if you can whip up one of these simple ideas!
Need more dinner ideas? Check out this list of easy pantry recipes to make when your kitchen cupboards are bare.
In a Facebook post a couple years back, I asked our Facebook followers what meal they would make if they had $20, two hours, and six people to feed.
There were a couple thousand comments from people offering up SO many great ideas! And I thought it would be fun to gather some of those ideas into one comprehensive list.
Next time you find yourself in a bind on a weekday night wondering what to cook, I hope this list can serve as inspiration for cheap family dinner ideas to make really easily.
Easy Family Dinner Ideas On A Budget
{Thank you to all of our readers for providing many of these ideas on Facebook!}
Pasta
1. Spaghetti
There are endless options here — ranging from fancy homemade sauce to simple jarred sauce you already have on hand.
I love pasta because it can fit just about any budget or preference. You can make it vegetarian, with ground beef, or even with ground turkey or pork.
You can also add lots of mix-ins and toppings — like onions, canned tomatoes, spices, and cheese!
2. Lasagna
In addition to traditional spaghetti dishes, lasagna is always a fun mix-up! We love this lasagna casserole, and these mini lasagnas are super easy to make ahead of time!
This is a fun variation on spaghetti! It’s similar to lasagna in taste, but cheaper to make and quicker to assemble.
4. Mac and Cheese
This is such a simple, kid-friendly, easy family dinner idea! This is our favorite mac & cheese recipe, hands down!
This seems like a fun pasta dish that’s a little different from the norm.
Mexican
6. Rice and Beans
You can never go wrong with this frugal classic — and there are so many possible variations!
Add cheese, sour cream, and avocado on top. Mix in a little bit of ground beef or turket kielbasa if you want. Try different kinds of beans, like red, pinto, black, or garbanzo. You could even try your hand at making homemade refried beans.
If you want to make it even more budget-friendly, dried beans are even cheaper. Just be sure to make them ahead of time to save on time!
7. Tacos, Burritos, or Fajitas
There are so many variations with these! Use roasted veggies, grilled chicken, or even have fish tacos! Serve them in corn shells or flour tortillas with all the fixings. Or serve them over bed of lettuce.
Sometimes we even keep it really simple at our house and make Bean & Cheese Burritos!
8. Taco Salad
Similar to above, you can just serve everything over a bed of lettuce! We call this Build Your Own Haystacks in our family.
This twist on a taco recipe is sure to be a hit and it’s freezer-friendly!
10. Quesadillas
Cheese or veggie quesadillas are so easy to throw together — often with ingredients you already have on hand.
11. Enchiladas
This is another great classic that is super easy to make on a budget!
Soups & Chilis
12. Chili
This is a really versatile option with lots of possibilities, depending on what you have on hand.
You can make it vegetarian just with beans and vegetables that are in season and on sale. Or you can add ground beef, pork, or turkey.
For a really simple and foolproof chili recipe, try this Chili Chowder. It pairs well with Honey Cornbread!
13. Jambalaya
14. Chicken Noodle Soup
This one is such a classic, easy family dinner idea. For a twist, we LOVE this Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Tortellini Soup! It’s SO yummy and simple to make.
15. Chicken Tortilla Soup
16. Corn or Potato Chowder
This one is so easy to make and so versatile!
This is such a frugal and delicious meal. It’s also great served with some crushed tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, and sliced avocado. If you have a family who isn’t really into meatless meals, you could add some cooked chopped chicken.
This soup is inexpensive and feeds a crowd, and you might already have everything on hand to make it! It’s also really flexible. Depending on what we have on hand, I’ll use ground turkey, beef, or venison. Sausage would work well, too. Add some fresh bread and a tossed salad, and you have a company-ready meal!
Growing up, this was a staple recipe in my family. And now my family loves it, too!
Chicken
21. Rotisserie Chicken
Rotisserie chicken is such a great base that can be used in so many different ways, especially when you find one on sale at the grocery store! I’ve seen SO many creative ways to stretch one rotisserie chicken to last five meals for an entire family!
You can try different flavors, depending on what your family prefers or what your taste buds are craving. You could even add it to pasta, vegetables, and alfredo sauce for a yummy chicken alfredo dish!
22. Baked Chicken
If you don’t want to buy a rotisserie chicken, try your own marinated chicken recipe! Need some ideas? Try this Oven Fried Chicken, this super easy Make-Ahead Marinated Chicken Recipe, or this Italian Lemon Chicken. Add sides to make it a complete meal.
23. Chicken and Dumplings
24. Chicken Caprese with Angel Hair Pasta
This one is really delicious and seems fancier than it actually is! Just Google “chicken caprese” to find a good recipe!
25. Sweet and Sour Chicken with Rice
This one is a great twist on traditional chicken recipes.
Beef and Pork
26. Pork Chops
If you catch the sales right, pork chops can be a very economical meal. Grill them or cook them on the stove, then serve with the sides of your choice.
27. Pulled Pork Sandwiches
28. Meatloaf
29. Beef Stew with Potatoes & Carrots
30. Shepherd’s Pie
31. Meatballs
These Barbecued Meatballs are one of our favorites recipes!
32. Hamburgers and French Fries
This one requires a bit of prep work, but the ingredient list is super short and it’s a frugal recipe. And it really sticks to your ribs and keeps you full for a long time — perfect for growing boys!
34. Beef Stroganoff
This recipe is SO easy, frugal, and versatile. You can use any kind of leftover meat, or substitute chopped cooked vegetables for a vegetarian version. Feel free to mix up the cheeses, or add extra milk and eggs to stretch it a little further.
Casseroles
Casserole options are endless and make great cheap family dinner ideas! You can often throw something together with canned goods you have on hand. Here are a few ideas…
This casserole is delicious, filling, frugal, and so freezer-friendly! We’ve made it over the years countless times.
This one is really easy and also freezer-friendly. This recipe was adapted from our family favorite Southwest Roll-Ups.
These pot pies are great to make ahead of time for when you need a quick dinner! These can be reheated in the oven or microwave and are very portable! Also, feel free to experiment with different vegetables or meat in the filling!
Pizza
39. Pizza Salad
Grab a baked Asiago cheese pizza crust (or any pizza crust for that matter). Mix up your favorite salad fixings and toss in Caesar dressing. Cut pizza into slices and then add the salad on top. Yum!
40. Homemade Pizza
Homemade pizza is always an easy, frugal option, too! You could even try grilled pizza!
This recipe comes from my great-grandmother. It’s an easy, kid-friendly, all-in-one dish.
Try this for a fun twist on pizza and spaghetti! Kids especially love it!
Breakfast for Dinner
Breakfast foods are always quick and easy family dinner ideas, depending on what you have on hand.
43. Biscuits and gravy
44. Cereal & Milk
When all else fails, grab a bowl of cereal for dinner! No cooking required!
45. Oatmeal
Oatmeal is always a really filling, frugal option. We especially love Baked Oatmeal topped with fruit!
These recipes feel fancy, but you often already have everything you have on hand to make them! You can serve them as-is or with eggs, bacon, and fruit.
This is such a quick and easy recipe. It’s one we’ve been making for years!
This is another super simple, filling recipe.
Wraps, Pockets, and Roll-Ups
We love roll-ups and pockets in our house, because they’re SO easy to make ahead of time and they make for really cheap family dinner ideas!
This one is so inexpensive and freezes really well!
The rich, creamy filling makes these pockets so delicious and filling.
I concocted this recipe years ago and it as a huge hit!
This is a recipe we used to make ALL the time back in Jesse’s law school days.
Other Super Easy Family Dinner Ideas
53. Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup
This one is SO frugal and easy! Just bake up the potatoes and use whatever toppings you have on hand — cheeses, bacon, green onions, salt/pepper, sour cream, butter, etc.
There are endless options with this one, too! Just use whatever greens, fresh veggies, leftover meats, and toppings you have on hand!
Looking for more help?
If you’re trying to save money on groceries, be sure to sign up for my FREE cheat sheet that teaches you 10 Easy Ways to Cut Your Grocery Bill By $50.
And many of these articles offer practical tips and more recipe ideas:
You can also check out this Facebook post for a plethora of additional ideas, sample menu plans, and tips!
Do you have any other cheap and easy family dinner ideas? Let us know in the comments!
