Dining Well on a Dime: 10 Dinner ideas on a budget
With the way inflation rates are rising worldwide, it seems that the time is not that far when hearty steak dinners and fancy meals will become a thing of the past.
However, with some creativity and willingness to learn, you can easily prepare dinner on a budget. Did you know that there are restaurants that charge you up to 300% markup on the dishes that they make?
All of what you see in restaurants and diners started as inexpensive dinner ideas that went through minor tweaks to give it the bistro touch.
There are numerous dinner ideas on a budget you can find on the internet, with detailed instructions to help you prepare them.
Not only that, but you can avail of massive discounts available on coupon websites like ClothingRIC to ensure that you get the best ingredients.
That being said, we have prepared a list of 10 easy cheap dinner ideas that will taste like a five-star meal while only requiring a fraction of that to be spent.
Easy Cheap Dinner Ideas
Tuna Melt
Easy to prepare and incredibly delicious, let’s kick this list off with a budget-friendly quick meal classic, the tuna melt, which is one of the more easy budget meals out there. All you need is bread, some canned tuna, and salt and pepper for seasoning, it's as easy as that.
If you want to chef it up and have a fancy dinner on a budget, consider getting some chips from the store to serve it with your tuna melt.
The lazy lasagne
You can now experience the best Italy offers without having it cost an arm and a leg. The lazy lasagne is worthy of the title and perfect for anyone who does not have the patience nor the money to get a list of ingredients and prepare an entire lasagne.
Just get frozen ravioli from your nearest market, place it in a baking dish and layer it with pasta sauce and cheese and put it in the oven, Viola! For a healthy kick, you can also prepare a side of sauteed veggies to go with your budget lasagne.
Crockpot chicken tacos
Instead of purchasing tacos from your nearest taco truck and putting a dent in your funds, why not prepare them at home at more than half the price? And the best part is that you can add as much protein and cheese without worrying about any extra charges!
Prepare some cheesy shredded chicken by slow cooking it in the crockpot, and it's done! Serve the cheesy goodness in some flour tortillas or enjoy it with some rice on the side for an easy dinner on a budget.
Easy Meatloaf
Easy to make, packed with protein and one of the best dinner ideas on a budget, you can never go wrong with meatloaf. Even if you are not a fan of the dish, you should definitely try this as it will change your mind.
When mincing your beef, mix it with boxed stuffing and add vegetables as a garnish to create this wonderful, budget-friendly concoction. Pair your meatloaf with a side of mashed potatoes for the true comfort food experience.
Chicken and Zucchini casserole
Casseroles and a tight budget go hand in hand, and this rendition of an age-old classic is something you should definitely give a try if moths are coming out of your wallet and you want to have a healthy dinner on a budget.
Zucchini and chicken sound like a lackluster combination, but the end result will catch you off guard. The zucchini adds different layers of flavor to the chicken casserole that you would not expect from such a simple dish.
Toast mini pizzas
If you just want a small snack to munch on while passing by the kitchen to satisfy your cheesy cravings, then you should give garlic toast mini pizzas a try.
It might sound crazy, but toasts make for a great base to prepare your pizzas. Simply spread some marinara sauce on some bread, put some cheese along with capsicum, garlic powder, and protein on top, bake in the oven and your batch of cheesy mini treats is done!
Tater tot cheese casserole
Another casserole dish, the cheesy tater tot casserole is perfect for anyone craving something heavy and creamy.
Prepare a normal beef or chicken cheese casserole and top it with tater tots to add a crunchy texture to them. Not only is this mouth-watering dish straightforward, but it is one of the better dinner ideas on a budget because of the ingredients and how inexpensive they are.
Corn dog muffins
This entree is for everyone like me who does not have the time to prep, cook and plate an entire meal and are simply looking for a budget-friendly meal that fills their stomach.
Get some frozen sausages, some cornbread mix, and simply place the batter within muffin moldings. After that, place a sausage in between and after some baking, you have a creative dinner on a budget.
Lazy Shepherd's pie
Skip all the tedious prep and ingredient expenses with the lazy shepherd’s pie. All you need is minced beef, some canned veggies, and a working oven to prepare a shepherd’s pie without splitting any hairs.
Loaded baked potatoes
To end this list, we have the epitome of hearty, budget-friendly meals, the baked potato. To prepare this dish, just slice up a potato halfway through, bake it in the oven, and load it to your heart’s desire to end up with a filling meal on a budget.
Final Words
When talking about low-budget meals, the first thing that comes to everyone’s mind is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or some pop tarts for dinner. However, if you are creative enough, you can treat yourself to a hearty dinner even when on a budget. Moreover, You can always look for discounts on food and drinks to save money on your supper every day.
Even though there are many dinner ideas on a budget out there, these are some of the most delicious, innovative, inexpensive, and affordable meals that would leave your tastebuds begging for more!
