Dinner for Less
Looking for budget friendly meals that will help you stretch your dwindling dollars? This page is dedicated to help you find great tasting recipes that won't break the bank along with tips and ideas that will really help you cut your grocery bills while still eating good every night.
Find Money saving recipe links, an entire "shopping list" of money saving tips, reader recommended super saving sites and more.
While here have some interactive fun by sharing your best ideas for saving money at the grocery store. Speak your mind. Add your comments. Take a few polls. Share the links to your favorite money savings sites and recipes.
Help me make this page work better for everyone by sharing your insight. Together we can cut back and save even more on groceries.
Photo appears courtesy of Royalty free stock photography for websites, PowerPoint, newletters, forums, blogs, schools and homework - FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Less Expensive Meat
Using less expensive cuts or better yet cutting back on meat can really help you save money on your grocery bill.
Beside that, cutting back on the amount of meat used in your recipes will both save you money and produce healthier meals for your family.
Budget Friendly Meals from Kraft.com
- Cheesy Beef & Veggie Pasta
- Cheesy Beef & Veggie Pasta recipe from Kraft.com
- America's Favorite Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- America's Favorite Grilled Cheese Sandwich recipe from Kraft.com
- Fiesta Meatloaf
- Fiesta Meatloaf Recipe from Kraft.com
Slow Cooking to Save Money
To Save Money
"You'll save money without sacrificing quality by buying less-expensive cuts of meat. Slow-cooking (also called braising) budget cuts in a bit of liquid results in deliciously tender and flavorful meat. To prevent moisture from evaporating, resist the urge to lift the lid during cooking. When a meat fork can be inserted and pulled out of the thickest part without resistance, it's done."
Source
Take a look at one of these slow cookers. Think of it as an investment towards future savings.
Slow Cooker Recipe Sites
- Crockpot Recipes - More than 1400 Crockpot Recipes for the Crock Pot or Slow Cooker
- The crockpot recipes index has over 1400 recipes for appetizers, beef, ground beef, chicken and turkey, pork, desserts, vegetables. Also dessert and cheesecake recipes for the Crock Pot or slow cooker.
- Slow cooker Recipes from Allrecipes.com
- Recipes for Slow Cooking Main dishes from Allrecipes.com
- Quick-and-Easy-Crock-Pot-Recipes. Easy recipes for crockpot slowcooking
- Quick and Easy Crock Pot Recipes for any meal. Find the perfect crock pot recipe. Learn more about CrockPot Recipes, Crock Pots and Crock Pot Cooking.
Already Own One
Coupons
Coupons are a great way to save money on your family's meals as long as you only clip and use the ones that go to things you normally would buy.
Using coupons to buy things you don't really need will only end up costing you more at the cash register.
Organize Your Coupons
A handy coupon organizer will pay itself off in a very short time.
Coupon Organizer - Red QCO 3714
This coupon organizer is conveniently sized to hold more than 100 coupons, as well as shipping...
The organizer has 2 vinyl pockets, 7 accordion file pockets with index tabs, and 36 adhesive...
The coupon organizer stays securely closed with a magnetic snap closure.
Deluxe Coupon Organizer II
80 Categories preprinted and alphabetized on the coupno spread sheet. More than any other organizer.
Makes couponing simple and fun
Most categories and capacity. Measures 13X6X3-1/2
Comes with special 12 month coupon expiration calendars that eliminate expired coupons!
Do You Do It?
Never Shop Hungry
Eat something before you head out to the grocery store. Shopping hungry is a sure fire way to increase your food bill.
Budget Friendly Recipe Sites
- Cooking on a Budget?? Try our FREE quick and easy FRUGAL RECIPES!
- BetterBudgeting.com Frugal Recipe List
- 8 Budget Friendly Recipes
- 8 Budget Friendly Recipes
Creating meals on a budget doesn't have to be difficult. - CheapCooking.com: Cheap recipes, easy recipes, chicken recipes
- Free recipes and money-saving tips to cut your food bill. Chicken recipes, pasta recipes, soup recipes, and many more easy recipes--all cheap recipes to save you money. Read free articles on meal planning, shopping tips, pantry organization, using your freezer to save money, and a cost-per-serving c
- Frugal Dinner Recipes - LoveToKnow Save
- Frugal Dinner Recipes From LoveToKnow Save Frugal dinner recipes are a great tool for keeping your grocery budget under control. Whether you're cooking for your entire family or making meals for one, having access to a stash of quick and easy meal ideas is an essential part of frug
- Cooks.com - Recipes - Cheap Dinner
- Cheap Dinner Recipes from Cooks.com
- SavingDinner.com
- SavingDinner.com - bringing families back to the dinnertable with healthy menu plans, grocery shopping lists and recipes.
Living on a Dime
Check out this excellent series of ebooks to help you save on just about everything including food.Living on a Dime - Making the Most of What You Have Click Here!
Leftovers
The most remarkable thing about my mother is that for thirty years she served the family nothing but leftovers. The original meal has never been found.
Calvin Trillin (1935 - )
Add Your Favorite Inexpensive Meal Recipes Here
The Best Budget Friendly Meals on the Web
Please share the links to any really delicious inexpensive meal recipes that you have found online.
Bacon And Mushroom Spaghetti Sauce
My recipe for Bacon and Mushroom Spaghetti Sauce w more...2 points
Quick Salad Recipes - Meals In Minutes
Quick and healthy budget friendly recipes with me more...1 point
Breakfast Recipes
Enjoy a scrumptious breakfast meal with these reci more...1 point
Easy CrockPot Recipes - Free Crockpot Cooking Recipes
Recipes, Ideas, Tips and More1 point
Our Favorite Quesadilla
We love quesadillas in our house, although they ar more...1 point
About Big Sur
The Big Sur Bakery is located on Highway 1 just so more...1 point
Big Sur Bakery
The Big Sur Bakery and Restaurant serves up classi more...1 point
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe and more Cheap Dinner Recipes
Here's a budget dinner party menu and recipes that more...0 points
WHAT TO DO WITH LEFTOVERS?
There are 3 schools of thought on what to do with more...0 points
http://www.cheapfamilymeals.info
Your one stop resource for cheap family meal ideas more...0 points
Chicken and Mushrooms Recipe with Chicken Breasts - Chicken and Mushrooms in Crockpot or Slow Cooker
Chicken and mushrooms recipe with green onions. Se more...0 points
Breakfast Recipes
Enjoy a scrumptious breakfast meal with these reci more...0 points
Cook Once - Eat Twice
Eating left-overs can help you save money. If your family doesn't like left-overs, disguise them so that they think it's a whole new meal.
Best Recipes for Leftovers
- Leftover Turkey, Leftover Chicken, Leftover Recipes - LeftOverChef.com - Home
- Do you have too many leftovers? Turkey Leftovers, Chicken Leftovers and more? We have recipes that use them as ingredients! Search by what you already have in your home.
- Recipes for Leftovers
- Don't toss your leftovers! Wonderful meals can be made with these recipes for leftover potatoes, ham, turkey, chicken, spaghetti and almost everything else.
- Top Picks: Favorite Recipes for Leftovers
- Here are some of my favorite recipes for using leftovers.
- Barbecue Leftovers - Store and reheat leftover barbecue for a second perfect meal
- Piles of barbecue can leave you with piles of leftovers. Don't dry out your hard work in the microwave. Take care and you can find that these wonderful piles of meat in the refrigerator can be used for lots of things, and that you can heat it up almost as good as the day you smoked it.
Be Aware
Before heading out for groceries always check the sale flyers to see which store is offering the best deals.
Due to the high price of gas I feel it's best to pick one store instead of shopping around unless of course the opposing stores are nearby.
Eat Cheap for a Week
From ivillage.com
by Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross, authors of Desperation Dinners!
When life veers to the edge, we need more than one way to get a meal on the table quickly. When you've grown tired of cooking and weary of take-out, leftovers start to look a lot better, especially those that disguise themselves as something else.
Take our recipe for Two-for-One Noodles. It's ricotta noodles the first night, but later in the week, the leftovers become Mock Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna. Both of these recipes take just 20 minutes, start to finish. Likewise, make a big batch of Asian Rice Pilaf, and the leftovers can be whipped into Two-for-One Rice Salad with minimal work a few days later. Our recipes for Brunch Rice Burritos and Mediterranean Rice with Pita Points turn big batches of leftover rice into practically instant dinners.
Continue reading and find the great recipes here:
- A Week's Worth of Desperate Dinner Recipes
- A week's worth of recipes from Desperation Dinners!
Split the Bill
Buying groceries at those warehouse shopping clubs really can save you money but sometimes those packages are just too much to handle.
Shop with a friend and split the bill to reap the big club savings without having to buy a year's worth of canned peas all at once.
How to Save on Groceries and Food
Save Money on Groceries
Be sure to visit all of these sites. Each has several ideas and information to help you get the most out of your weekly grocery shopping.
- How To Save Money On Food - Coupon tricks, dining out, bulk food discounts...
- How To Save Money On Food Coupons, Dining Out, etc.
- Ways to Save Money on Monthly Food Bill
- Ways to save money on monthly food bill; ways to get out of debt.
- Save Money on Food - Kiplinger.com
- You gotta eat. The trick is to satisfy the hunger without starving your wallet.According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the average American family of four spends $8,513 per year on groceries -- that's $709 per month! And many of us blow
- An Ode to the Inexpensive Bean
- A personal finance blog focusing on ordinary people dealing with unprecedented levels of debt.
- 27 Ways To Save Money On Food | The Frugal Law Student
- 27 Ways To Save Money On Food
If you're new here, you may want to learn what this site is about or check out the most popular articles. If you like what you see, m - How to Save Money on Groceries | Kitchen Parade
- Fresh seasonal recipes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Cooked and written by a home cook in a home kitchen. All recipes tested with tips and nutrition analysis.
- 25 Ways to Save Money on Food at Milk&Honey Farm
- 25 or more ways to save money on food while still eating healthy.
- How to Save Money on Food - wikiHow
- wikiHow article about How to Save Money on Food.
- MONEY Magazine: Shave $150 a week off your grocery bill - Jan. 9, 2006
- My daughter Julia and her friend Chelsea were eating pancakes at the kitchen counter one recent morning when the doorbell rang. It was the man from Peapod, an online grocery store, with my food for the week.
- 10 Ways to Save Money on Food Shopping
- With the cost of food rising, we're all looking for ways to trim our grocery bills. WebMD asked some experts for tips and strategies on how to save money on food shopping while still eating healthfully.
- Save Money on Food with the Sixty Minute Plan %u221E Get Rich Slowly
- Save Money on Food with the Sixty Minute PlanWednesday, 30th April 2008 (by J.D.)
Shop Seasonally
Fresh fruits and vegetables are much cheaper when they are in season. Stock up and save by using your freezer.
For out-of-season goodies you can save money by buying frozen or canned items.
Inexpensive Gourmet
- Cheap Recipes at Epicurious.com
- Easy Quick and Cheap Dinner recipes from Epicurious.com
Buy in Bulk
Buying non-perishables in bulk can save you money but you need to plan this and purchase these items slowly, over time. If you try to buy too many items in bulk at one time it will cost you a fortune.
And don't even try this with snack food. Having the same snack every day gets boring quick.
Ramen Noodle Recipes
Take Ramen Noodles to the next level by trying one of the recipes found at Budget101.com.
- Dirt Cheap Ramen Noodle Recipes
- Need a dirt cheap meal that will feed a family? Try our delicious Excellent Fast Cheap Easy Ramen Noodle Recipes
How Do You Do It
Give me a great money saving tip.
What is your best tip for saving money at the grocery store? How do you save on supper and still feed your family well? Please share your ideas here.
Don't forget to vote for your favorite tip. You'll need to refresh the page to make your vote stick!
Eat Out Less Often
We used to got out to eat at least once a week but more...3 points
Plan Leftovers
I cook a little extra then plan it for a leftover. more...3 points
Use Coupons with Sales
I try to use coupons with sales items when possibl more...3 points
Pick what is in season
Watch for specials when they do arrive and can any more...2 points
Make dinner menus & grocery lists
Plan a menu for a week and make out a grocery list more...1 point
Don't grocery shop when you're hungry.
This is an old chestnut, but true for me. I alway more...1 point
"Roast" My Own Rotisserie Chicken
I love those deli chickens, but instead I buy whol more...0 points
Use The Farmers Market
Your local Farmers Market often has fruit and vege more...0 points
Choose Your Grocery Store
Some food items are cheaper at one store than anot more...0 points
Remember to freeze
If there is only a dab of several items after a me more...0 points
Do the work yourself!
Buy prepared foods costs more. Even when it comes more...0 points
Grow you own!
Vegetables can be expensive but not if you grow yo more...0 points
Eat More Pasta
Eating more pasta is an easy way to increase the grocery savings while still feeding your family delicious dinners.
Pasta Every Day for a Year
Pasta Cookbook
The Big Book of Pasta: 365 Quick and Versatile Recipes
Amazon Price: $19.95 (as of 11/10/2009)![]()
From smooth, creamy pappardelle with salmon and saffron sauce to tangy tagliatelle with chicken, lemon, and basil; from hearty, comforting pancetta and mushroom carbonara to fiery penne with anchovies, olives, and chili, these pasta dishes are absolutely intoxicating. Serving up both traditional and innovative recipes, this superb and expansive collection features 365 easy to make meals, all flavorful and with dozens of tempting variations. See how to whip up your own fresh pasta and an array of basic sauces, as well as pasta-based soups, meat, fish, and vegetarian feasts. There's something wonderful to cover everyday lunches, snacks, and dinners, as well as more elaborate preparations for entertaining and special occasions.
Macaroni and Cheese Recipes
Affordable Comfort Food
- Macaroni and Cheese - Comfort Food for the Soul
- Recipes and tips for making a Southern favorite, macaroni and cheese. Several macaroni and cheese recipes include classic mac and cheese and casseroles with meat and other ingredients.
- Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe : Alton Brown : Food Network
- Baked macaroni and cheese recipe
- Macaroni and Cheese recipe
- Make macaroni and cheese. Free macaroni and cheese recipe. Fast and easy mac & cheese for the whole family
- Macaroni And Cheese - The Web's Largest Macaroni And Cheese Recipes Collection
- Got Macaroni And Cheese? You do now. You've just entered the macaroni and cheese place to be on the internet. Here you can find a whole bowl full of great macaroni and cheese recipes. Find regular cheesy mac and cheese recipes, or spicy chili cheese and mac recipes, and loads more great recipes.
Make a List
This is probably the most important tip I will give you and also the hardest one to follow.
Plan your meals.
Make a grocery list.
And then stick to it!
Do not add any extras.
Do not impulse shop!
Menu in a Box
100 Day Meal Planning Kit
Menu In A Box 100 Day Meal Planning Kit. The Menu In A Box 100 Day Meal Planning Kit Is A Pdf Downloadable E-book Product That Includes 20 Weeks - Of Shopping Lists, Recipes, Great Time Saving, Budget & Organizational Tips. Everything You Need To Organize, Shop And Cook Smart! Click Here! How to Save on Groceries
- How to Save on Groceries Five Ways
- How to Save on Groceries Five Ways. With just a few simple suggestions you can easily save hundreds of dollars a year on groceries...
Budget Friendly Cakes
For Any Occasion
Dream Cakes Made Easy, makes it simple for you to bake on a budget! And, the ingredients and utensils used in these recipes are affordable for all.
You'll feel like a top-notch cake decorator and your guests will never know how little it actually cost you to prepare beautifully designed and decorated cakes for any occasion.
Take a look, you won't be disappointed.
Click Here!
Budget Friendly Meals Guestbook
Thank you for visiting!
Please leave your comments and suggestions for saving even more money on dinner here.
OhMe wrote...
Oh me, Robin. I was checking out the top lenses in the food category and it seems that your lenses keep popping up. You really have some wonderful food lenses.
Artemus-Gordon wrote...
You do not have to spend a fortune on your food, and yet you can still eat good healthy foods. Thanks for these tips, ideas, and links.
MsSnow4a wrote...
Super lens, RMS, I am always into saving money. Thanks for sharing :)
BevsPaper wrote...
Great lens! That "Eat Pasta Every Day of the Year" sounds intriguing to me...I believe I could do it.
poddys wrote...
Lots of good ideas. I have to plan to eat cheaply, and between Walmart and the Farmers Market I do pretty well, mostly buying fresh produce and almost nothing pre-prepared.
kjcandles wrote...
Some good tips here. I especially liked the quote from Calvin Trillin, ha ha.
cookiefan wrote...
What a great compendium of useful budget friendly cooking information. Have added to my favorites.
Tipi wrote...
Great tips! ... and I love your Best Panini Sandwich Recipes lens!!! :D
Susie
Ecolicious wrote...
Great tips. Just wondering....organic food is more expensive but I really believe it is important for the health of my family. Other than buying locally do you have any organic money saving tips?
only1bub wrote...
Great lens! I'm building one right now on "Living off Ground Beef for a Week" - meals to save money. Will definetly have to lensroll to you when it's ready! I'm all about saving money and I've made a pricebook since last fall to help with that.
Temp_Girl wrote...
I'm a comfort food/casserole gal myself, so a lot of the things that I make are naturally gonna be very cheap to begin with. Learning the art of making the Big Casserole (with leftovers for the next couple of days) is key!
kiwisoutback wrote...
I spend a ton on groceries, these tips are well worth reading! My wife is big on coupons, so I'll have to forward this to her. Great work!
Swisstoons wrote...
Lots more useful information, here. I think you must've created this one with freelance cartoonists in mind, Robin. I have been, of necessity, on a budget for as long as I can remember :) This is another natural for lensrolling to my Laftovers lens.
Also for 5-ing and favoriting.
wayfarer wrote...
Excellent advice! Using the slow cooker myself this week to make some meals and lunches. 5 stars!
Damian Browning-Smith wrote
This lens is an amazing directory for buying food if you're on a budget. I especially liked your little post-it notes with the tips in them. I follow these tips every time I go out.
Several other websites that are also helpful are http://steakmeatsushi.com and http://eatsushi.com. Steakmeatsushi.com is a relatively new site that provides low prices for seafood, steak, and sushi. Eatsushi is older and larger, and it provides massive information and videos pertaining to sushi.
enslavedbyfaeries wrote...
Great tips for us all to think about these days. I've been making an extra effort to make lists and plan meals before I go grocery shopping to save myself from going back mid-week for ingredients I forgot the first time around. It's amazing how fast the grocery bills add up.
KarateKatGraphics wrote...
I agree with the earlier post about online shopping, because it does prevent impulse buys. Although the prices aren't so great around here. Wonderful info and very timely--5*****
Celticozarkian wrote...
I love using coupons, and I shop at a store with a loyalty card. We do a meal plan and cook enough chicken to use for several different meals. Great lens! 5 stars!!!
Jodi_k wrote...
I shop through an online grocer. The prices are often lower, and no impulse buying.
poutine wrote...
I find that the best way to save money on grocery is to
do homecooking and shopping only once a week with
a list.
Poutine
BethErickson wrote...
Very nice idea! Very good source of info. 5* stars for a job well done!
By the way, I favorited your lens.
Please have a visit at my lens. I'm sure you'll find interesting topics in there.
James43302 wrote...
Great ideas on your lens! I gave you 5 stars and favorited it. I really like the roman noodle and mac & cheese recipe websites.
Treasures-By-Brenda wrote...
Do the work yourself! It does take a bit more time but when someone else greats the cheese or makes the meatballs, you pay a lot more. Also, in the produce section buy regular carrots and cut them up yourself -- this is way less expensive and safer. Read about baby carrots on my page and you will have two reasons to buy 'regular' carrots.
Brenda
24websurf wrote...
Excellent ! Thank you for the info! Welcome to "How Do You Save?" Thanks for joining!
seedplanter wrote...
This is a lensroll! I am going to send the link to friends, too, because everyone is trying to cut expenses these days. Thanks for the work you put into gathering all this good info! (And YES, I love using my slow cooker this time of year, especially.)
RyanRE wrote...
I was looking for the Ramen Noodles. That is the classic budget food. When I go to Costco in the fall, see College freshman load them up by the case. Nice work on this lens, everybody likes a cheep meal :)
machelle wrote...
Check out cheapfamilymeals.info!! Your one stop resource for cheap family meal ideas, quick and easy recipe's, and low budget menu's.
Try my $5.00 or less meal menu's!!
TheNewGreenWayToHealthyLiving wrote...
Another great lens! A huge fan of coupons!! Use these everyday!!
CherylK wrote...
This is an excellent lens! I'm adding it to my favs, for sure. Good job, as usual!
seedplanter wrote...
With prices so high these days, thanks to the oil fiasco, I appreciate lenses like yours. Any way I can save money is a good thing. 5 ***** Fave.
alicesy wrote...
Excellent Lens. I like the quality insight you have provided here about Budget Friendly Meals. Keep up the good work.
Please check out my Police Jobs Blog.
BABYKITTY wrote...
Very good lens with a lot of good link sites!
5 stars and have lensrolled you to my lens http://www.squidoo.com/use_leftovers.
Keep up the great work!
alicesy wrote...
Excellent Lens. I like the quality insight you have provided here about Budget Friendly Meals. Keep up the good work.
Please check out my Police Jobs Blog.
thrivingmom wrote...
5 stars. I lensrolled you on my Stretch that Dollar lens. Nice lens you have here.
anilg wrote...
Nice lens with lots of useful information. If you are willing to make money online, then please visit my lens
poddys wrote...
Great lens, 5 stars. It's not easy to eat healthy and cheap at the same time. Takes a lot of planning to do that sometimes.
dyllen wrote...
Glad to have your great lens in our group! Welcome to the 'Soups - Great Food - Recipes and Chefs' Group
( http://www.squidoo.com/groups/soups )
5 stars for your great lens!
dyllen wrote...
Especially in these times or rising prices, your frugal lens would be a super addition to the 'Soups - Great Food - Recipes and Chefs' Group
( http://www.squidoo.com/groups/soups )
Please consider adding it, we would be pleased to welcome you!
chef_filipina wrote...
Very informative.
Great lens. Rated it 5 stars.
Feel free to visit Filipino Food Recipes.
fgsloan wrote...
Thank You - what a wonderful job you have done! We are always on the look out for easy and cheap meal ideas.
May I also suggest as a great source of crock pot recipes - http://www.a-crock-cook.com - all home cooked and delicious.
Thanks for a great Squidoo.
About the Author - rms
About the Author of Budget Friendly Meals
My Bio
Hi! I'm Robin, one of Squidoo.com's Giant Squid Community Organizers and the Squid Citizen, Giant Squid Mentor which means I'm ready, willing and able to answer any and all questions about the elite group of Squidoo writers known as the Giant Squid Lensmasters.
I write The Giant Squid Community Showcase, where the Giant Organizers feature, the best and most helpful lenses made by the Giant Squids.
I also enjoy cooking and finding new recipes. If you're like me be sure to check out my Cabaret Squidoo Best Recipe Blog where I feature the best recipes from the pages of Squidoo.
Check out these great lenses...
-
- Best Panini Sandwich Recipes
Two slices of of Italian bread stuffed with delicious goodies such as mozzarella, tomatoes, prosciutto, fresh basil, roasted red peppers, or whatever else makes you happy. Brush with extra virigin olive oil, then press between the hot plates of a pan... view lens -
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It's true. Squidoo is a great place to create web pages for free. But did you know that part of the magic of Squidoo also comes from the membership? Since Squidoo started in the fall of 2006, our lensmasters have continued to create great lenses and... view lens -
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Tangerine is by far this year's juiciest color. Learn how to accessorize using this happy color as a bold fashion statement. Find out who looks best wearing tangerine and which colors to best match this delightfully delicious color with. Shop for t... view lens -
- Giant Squid Community Organizer
Whether you are new to Giant Squidom, an old pro, or a Giant Squid Hopeful, I'm here to help! I'm RMS (aka Robin) and I'm proud to be a part of a wonderful team of lensmasters, the Giant Squid Community Organizers. Please feel free to use this lens... view lens -
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I am a grown woman and yet I am so excited about the new Beatles Rock Band game that I could burst. Finally a video game where the entire family can sit down... well... stand up?... PLAY!... and enjoy... TOGETHER! Everyone knows and LOVES the Beatles... view lens
by rms
I love good food and finding new recipes. Don't you?
You'll find more of my favorite recipes at my Squidoo recipe collection blog Cabaret Squidoo


