With grocery prices increasing, I’ve been a little more strategic lately about what I add to my grocery haul. While I’m known to sneak a few treats in here and there (I love a sweet baked good), I try to stick strictly to my list so I don’t go over my weekly grocery budget. That means I’m always on the hunt for low-cost family recipes that help me stretch my dollar and get me through the week—without having to spend extra on takeout.
If you’re feeling like your grocery bills are high, you’re not alone. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the price of groceries is nearly three percent higher than it was in April 2025. Here, I’m sharing a well-rounded list of low-cost family recipes for busy weeknights: pasta recipes, slow-cooker meals, vegetarian dishes, breakfast options, and make-ahead freezer meals that are delicious and won’t break the bank. Keep scrolling for 31 low-cost recipes to make for your family this week.
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What Makes a Great Low-Cost Family Recipe?
What makes a recipe ‘low-cost’ for families, exactly? There are a few things I consider when deciding if a recipe is going to save me money:
Uses pantry staples
The first thing I look at in a recipe is the ingredients. While some lists look daunting, I cross off the ingredients I already have in my refrigerator and pantry. Having pantry staples like dry spices, rice, pasta, canned tomatoes, oils, butter, cheese, and frozen veggies already available usually shortens what I need to buy at the grocery store for the week.
Requires minimal ingredients
Besides accounting for the pantry staples I already have on hand, if a recipe calls for fewer than 10 ingredients, it will likely be added to my weekly meal rotation. With fewer ingredients, I know I won’t be racking up my grocery bill to feed my entire family.
Meal feeds multiple people
With two growing kiddos who love food (and snacks) just as much as I do, it’s a must that a dish can feed my family of four. Casserole dishes, pastas, and one-pan meals are perfect for feeding growing kids. And if it’s an easy dish to make, most of the time, I double the recipe for leftovers.
Can be made ahead or frozen
If I’m the queen of anything, I’m the queen of leftovers. While I love to cook, sometimes I just don’t have the time. Being able to store extra food in the freezer for a later time is a mom hack I love. This tactic especially comes in handy if your family hates eating the same dish over and over every night. Just store a dish for a later time when the kids are craving that certain meal! Plus, it beats having to head to the store and buy all the same ingredients again.
Tips for Making Family Meals More Affordable
There are other ways to make meals more affordable, too. When heading to your local grocer, consider shopping for seasonal produce, repurposing leftovers, and buying store-brand products when possible.
Shop seasonal produce
Depending on where you live, cook meals with produce that is in season. Summer recipes incorporate bell peppers, corn, tomatoes, green beans, and berries. Springtime meals calls for dishes with asparagus, lettuce, peas, rhubarb, and apricots. And I love fall recipes because that means apple pies, dishes with squash, and Brussels sprouts.
Repurpose leftovers
Repurposing leftovers is a great way to stretch your ingredients (and dollar). If your kids are anything like mine, eating the same chicken three days in a row is usually met with groans. That’s why I love turning leftover chicken into chicken quesadillas or tossing it into some type of pasta dish. This way, your kids’ tummies are happy, and food isn’t going to waste.
Buy store-brand products when possible
Have you ever stood in the grocery aisle trying to decide between a name-brand or store-brand product? According to Consumer Reports, private-label or retail-brand products are 25 to 30 percent lower than name-brand products. With that said, opting for store-brand products at checkout is the way to go.
Low-Cost Family Recipes for Busy Weeknights
1. Turkey Taco Skillet
This turkey taco skillet is perfect if you’re looking for an option that doesn’t involve red meat. It’s packed with so much flavor and is made with turkey, rice, beans, peppers, tomatoes, and taco seasoning.
2. Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies
Not only is this a low-cost option, but it’s a low-lift recipe, too. Throw all your ingredients—baby potatoes, broccoli, green beans, sausage, oil, and seasoning—onto a sheet pan and let the oven do all the cooking for you.
3. Sloppy Joes
Growing up, Sloppy Joes were a staple in my household. If you’re looking for a homemade recipe, the kids will love this one from Kristine’s Kitchen. Plus, it’s the perfect dish to save as leftovers.
4. Tuna Casserole
A tuna casserole is a ‘90s nostalgic dish that still holds up today. Ali’s recipe from Gimme Some Oven is made with a creamy garlic-herb sauce, lots of veggies, and cheese!
5. Chicken Fried Rice
My kids love having chicken fried rice during the week. What I love about a fried rice dish is how easy it is to swap out the protein. If you’re not feeling chicken this week, substitute it with beef or shrimp, or make it vegetarian.
Low-Cost Pasta Meals
6. Baked Ziti
While spaghetti is an easy, low-cost option, so is baked ziti. My kids call it “fancy pasta” because of how it’s presented in a casserole dish. But it’s also because the mozzarella and ricotta cheese give it that extra flavor.
7. Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
If you’re looking for a classic Italian dish, make Spaghetti Aglio e Olio, which means “spaghetti with garlic and oil.” It’s such an easy dish to whip up in 20 minutes with ingredients you already have in your pantry: spaghetti, salt, garlic, black and red pepper, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and lemon juice.
8. Creamy Pasta Primavera
Another pasta option loaded with veggies that your kids will love without having to skimp on nutritious veggies. It’s a great spring or summertime dinner, but my family loves this all year round.
9. Hidden Veggie Mac & Cheese
For picky eaters, sometimes hiding veggies in your kid’s favorite dish is the only way to get them to eat their greens. Your kids would never guess that this mac and cheese has loads of cauliflower in it.
10. Lasagna Soup
Lasagna as soup? Why not? It’s an easy one-pot meal that’s perfect if your family is really craving soup one night.
Low-Cost Slow-Cooker Meals
11. Easy Slow Cooker Chili
Chili is the perfect dish to serve all year round. Make it in the fall when the weather is cooler or cook it for your next cookout. Whatever the season, it’s sure to be a hit!
12. Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Crunch Slaw
If you need a crowd-pleasing dish, look no further than pulled pork sandwiches. This highly rated pulled pork recipe gets my family’s stamp of approval, and the slaw gives it an extra punch of flavor and crunch.
13. Chunky Lentil and Vegetable Soup
When it comes to soups, you won’t want to skip out on this lentil and vegetable soup. Not only is it easy to make, but it has so much nutrition in it with all the veggies it calls for. It tastes like you’ve been cooking this dish all day, when in fact, it only takes 35 minutes to make.
14. Crockpot Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup
If you have leftover chicken, repurpose it into chicken tortilla soup. While this recipe is called “spicy” chicken tortilla soup, you can always leave out the jalapeños for a no-spice option.
15. One-Pot Burrito Bowl
For busy weeknights, cook a one-pot burrito bowl. With over 300+ five-star reviews, this dish will surely be a hit with the entire family.
Low-Cost Vegetarian Meals
16. Black Bean Quesadilla
My kids love a cheesy quesadilla, and adding veggies and black beans is one way to boost their veggie, fiber, and protein intake. With fewer than 10 ingredients, it’s a great low-cost option.
17. Chickpea Curry with Spinach Rice
There is so much flavor in this creamy chickpea curry dish. Serve it with a side of cucumber salad, and you’ll be met with nothing but “yum!”
18. Veggie Fried Rice
A delicious dish that can be made in 15 minutes? Yes, please. While this meal only calls for veggies, you can easily add any source of protein for your meat-loving family members.
19. Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Not only is this dish filling, but it’s delicious, too. It’s made with sweet potatoes, of course, quinoa, a yellow onion, a red bell pepper, Greek yogurt, and more!
20. Air Fryer Cauliflower Wings
Whether you’re looking for a main dish or something to snack on, your family won’t be disappointed with air fryer cauliflower wings. It’s drenched in BBQ (or Buffalo sauce) and has the perfect crisp to it on the outside. Serve it with a side of celery and ranch.
Low-Cost Breakfast Dishes
21. Sheet Pan Pancakes
Trust me, you’ll want to try these easy sheet pan pancakes, especially if you’re not in the mood to stand over the stove on a busy morning. Whisk all of your ingredients together and pop them into the oven, and you’ll have the fluffiest pancakes in under 20 minutes.
22. Breakfast Skillet
Your kiddos will be asking for you to make this breakfast skillet every week. It’s loaded with potatoes, eggs, bacon, sausage, and, of course, cheese!
23. Baked Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole
My family loves French toast, and if you’ve never made it as a casserole, now is your time. This recipe is stuffed with sweet cream cheese and a brown sugar crumble on top. Need I say more?
24. Veggie Omelet
Sometimes my kids aren’t in the mood for plain eggs in the morning. So, making a veggie omelet is a fun way to spice things up for breakfast. The best part is that an omelet is easily customizable, so if your kids aren’t fans of an ingredient, substitute it for something else or omit it altogether.
25. Easy Homemade Breakfast Burritos
This recipe had me at “bacon.” Who needs to go out for breakfast when you can make a restaurant-style burrito right at home? It’s made with bacon, eggs, roasted potatoes, chipotle salsa, avocado, and sour cream. The best part? You can easily freeze extra burritos to save for later.
Low-Cost Make-Ahead Freezer Meals
26. Meatballs
Make meatballs for spaghetti, meatball sub sandwiches, or as a standalone dish. While the list of ingredients may seem like a lot, you probably have most of them in your pantry already. The flavor of this dish is to die for, and the five-star reviews prove it.
27. Chicken Enchiladas
Need another dish that can easily be saved in the freezer? Then make the author of Gimme Some Oven’s all-time favorite chicken enchiladas. Its filling is made with sautéed chicken, green chiles, onions, beans, and shredded cheese. Delish!
28. Freezer Breakfast Sandwiches
Need a make-ahead breakfast option that’s easy to grab on-the-go? Then put together breakfast sandwiches that are easy to heat up right before you walk out the door.
29. Chicken Noodle Soup
Having chicken noodle soup on hand is perfect for cold days, sick days, or days when your family is craving their favorite soup. Store it in the freezer for up to two to three months.
30. Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
If your kiddos are big-time fans of chicken tenders, then you’ll want to save this recipe. It’s coated with crispy breadcrumbs and made with only four ingredients! It’s one of my go-to low-cost family recipes I always have on my weekly rotation.
31. Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
For the days you just don’t want to cook, make a one-pot cheesy chicken broccoli rice casserole ahead of time. Your future self will be thanking you when your only step for dinner prep is preheating the oven.
FAQs
What is the cheapest meal to feed a family?
Some of the cheapest meals that are under $10 include spaghetti, fried rice, and baked ziti.
How can I reduce my grocery bill without sacrificing nutrition?
A few ways to save money without sacrificing nutrition are by buying store-brand products and by using frozen produce.
What pantry staples are best for budget cooking?
Pantry staples best for budget cooking include dry spices, rice, pasta, canned tomatoes, and oil.
How do I meal plan on a tight budget?
Before finalizing your meals for the week, scan your pantry for items you already have. This shortens your grocery list. Also consider opting for store-brand products and clipping coupons.
What are the best low-cost proteins for families?
The best low-cost proteins are beans or lentils, canned tuna and salmon, ground turkey and ground chicken, and eggs.
Patty Schepel, Associate Editor
As the Associate Editor, Patty works with The Everymom’s team on pitches, creating original articles, updating existing content, photo sourcing, writing shopping product descriptions, editing freelance articles, and more. With Patty’s passion for writing, experience as a mother of two, and expertise as a pediatric nurse, she brings a thoughtful and informative perspective to The Everymom.
