Frugal Meal Ideas for When You're Broke AF
Interesting, economical dishes for those on a budget:
Struggling to keep your grocery budget in check? You're not alone! Here are 27 cheap meal ideas for broke days.
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When I sat down to make my grocery list the other day, I had a hard time thinking of frugal recipes for my meal plan. With soaring grocery prices, it's becoming harder to stick within my budget every week.
We need to save as much money as possible this year, and groceries are a significant expense in the budget. But don't worry, there are still ways to save on groceries. It comes down to research and planning.
Here are some tips to help you save on groceries:
- Shop your pantry - Avoid making trips to the grocery store when you're starving, as you're likely to overspend due to impulse purchases. Instead, take a few minutes to look in your cupboards to see what you have on hand that you can turn into a meal.
- Learn to meal plan - Meal planning can save you hundreds each month by ensuring you know what to make every night and only paying for the necessary ingredients. To make this easier, use a family favorite meal printable and theme night dinners.
- Make a grocery list - Keep it simple and avoid all the sneaky spending traps grocery stores use to get you to spend more.
- Keep it simple - To cut your grocery bill, don't overcomplicate your meals. Choose recipes with simple ingredients.
Even more easy ways to stretch your budget:
- Frugal Pantry Staples for Easy Meals
- 4 Best Grocery Shopping Apps to Save Money
If you're feeling the pinch like I have, trying to prepare hearty, affordable meals for your family, here are 27 frugal meal ideas for your next meal plan:
Breakfast
- Breakfast Burritos
- Scramble one large egg in a bowl with shredded cheese and precooked bacon, microwave for 1 minute on high. In the last 10 seconds, lay a tortilla shell over the top. Once done, scoop the egg mixture into the flour tortilla and roll it up. Serve with salsa.
- Egg, Ham, and Cheese Crunchwrap
- Inspired by Taco Bell's breakfast crunch wrap, we love this hearty breakfast meal. Combine fluffy eggs, smoky ham, and gooey cheese in a flour tortilla, wrap it into a square, and cook on a skillet until golden brown.
- Pancakes or Waffles and Sausage
- Use this simple pancake recipe (Cookie and Kate) with pantry staples to make pancakes or waffles. Serve with sausage.
- Grilled Egg and Cheese Sandwich
- Experiment in the kitchen like my son did! Cook an egg, add it to two slices of bread, a couple slices of cheese, meat (optional), and cook in a skillet as you would a grilled cheese sandwich.
- Oatmeal
- Warm and delicious, oatmeal is a great budget-friendly breakfast option. I love this easy recipe (Cookie and Kate) because it doesn't come out mushy, and you can add any flavor or topping you like.
- Breakfast Casserole
- Here's a simple and inexpensive breakfast casserole recipe (Tastes Better From Scratch) to start your mornings off right.
Lunch
- Quesadillas
- Customize your lunch quesadillas with cheese, chicken, or veggies. They're quick, easy, and budget-friendly.
- Sandwiches
- Classic sandwich options like ham, turkey, peanut butter and jelly, egg salad, chicken salad, or tuna are all easy on the wallet.
- Wraps
- Spice up your sandwiches by making wraps instead. Fill them with meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions, and add your favorite sauce or relish.
- Leftovers
- Turn last night's dinner into a quick and easy lunch by using leftover ingredients for something else.
Dinner
- Goulash
- A classic comfort food, goulash is inexpensive, filling, and easy to prepare. Simply brown some ground beef, boil some macaroni, and mix it with your favorite sauce. Top with parmesan cheese.
- Chicken Casserole
- There's nothing more comforting on a cold night than a chicken casserole. Check out this chicken and stuffing casserole (The Seasoned Mom) recipe for a hearty, satisfying dinner.
- Breaded Chicken Tenders with Homemade Fries
- Use an air fryer for a healthier and quicker version of this family-friendly meal. Purchase frozen chicken breasts or tenderloins, season them, spray with olive oil, air fry at 390°, and enjoy with homemade fries.
- Crockpot Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
- Crockpot pulled chicken sandwiches are a satisfying and easy meal to prepare. Combine frozen chicken breasts, your choice of barbecue sauce, cook for 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low, serve on a bun with your favorite toppings.
- Chicken Alfredo Bake
- Use a rotisserie chicken to quickly prepare this budget-friendly meal. Preheat your oven to 350°, boil penne, add alfredo sauce, shredded rotisserie chicken, mozzarella, parmesan, and bake for 20-30 minutes.
- Taco Bake
- Easily prepare taco night with this simple 20-minute meal. Brown ground beef, add taco seasoning, layer tortilla chips, cheese, and your favorite taco toppings, and bake.
- Breakfast for Dinner
- Treat yourself to breakfast for dinner! Make eggs, pancakes, bacon, sausage, and hash browns for an affordable and filling meal.
- Meatloaf Muffins with Mashed Potatoes
- Make meatloaf even easier by turning it into muffins and baking for less time. Serve with mashed or baked potatoes and a vegetable.
- Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup
- This simple chicken soup recipe (Averie Cooks) is not only easy but budget-friendly.
- Pork Tenderloin with Rice
- Pork tenderloin is a great budget-friendly protein option. Serve it with rice and your choice of veggies for an easy dinner.
- Smoked Sausage, Potatoes, and Zucchini
- Prepare this easy, flavorful foil-pack dinner by combining smoked sausage, diced potatoes, zucchini, and your favorite spices. Bake at 425° for about 35 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
- Baked Penne with Pepperoni
- Pasta is a budget-friendly meal option, especially when you use this simple recipe for baked penne with pepperoni.
Stay tuned for more frugal meal ideas and hacks to save money on groceries. Sign up here to get updates and access my free resource library with meal planning printables.
- To manage your personal-finance better, consider learning budgeting techniques and implementing them into your lifestyle. This will help you save more money for essential expenses such as food-and-drink.
- To enhance your cooking skills and prepare delicious, budget-friendly meals, consider exploring various cooking recipes that focus on simple ingredients, like the ones found in this 'Frugal Meal Ideas' guide.
- In line with prioritizing your personal-finance, make sure to take advantage of opportunities to save money on groceries. Some methods include shopping your pantry, learning to meal plan, keeping it simple with recipes, and using grocery list apps.
