Where To Find Cheap, Easy Recipes To Feed Your Family
The cost of food is skyrocketing and it’s not going to come down any time soon; in fact, it will continue to rise. According to the USDA, all food prices are predicted to increase 7.1%, and food-at-home prices are predicted to rise 8.0%.
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The pressure to save on food is heavier than ever, especially as a recession looms and mass layoffs spread. Consumers must know not only the best ways to save on groceries but also where to go online to find affordable, satisfying recipes.
These are some of the best sites to head to for cheap, easy recipes to feed your family. Also see creative breakfast recipes that will save you money.
Budget Bytes
“Budget Bytes has been one of my go-tos for years, especially when I was still in college and couldn’t stomach the idea of another pack of 10-cent ramen,” said Julie Ramhold, consumer analyst with DealNews.com. “One thing I really love about this site is that they provide a total cost for each recipe but also a breakdown on cost per serving.”
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Here are some tasty recipes you can find on Budget Bytes:
- Pasta with Sausage and Peppers, which costs $7.56 total, or $1.93 per serving.
- Turkey Pinwheels, which costs $9.91 total, or $2.48 per serving.
- Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip, which costs $9.35 total, or $1.17 per serving.
- Air Fryer Chicken Thighs, which cost $6.86 total, or $1.72 serving.
- Spinach Tortellini Skillet, which costs $9.11 total, or $2.78 serving
- Valentine’s Day Cookies, which cost $7.37 total, or $0.61 per serving.
$5 Dinners
“Not only does this site offer an index of affordable recipes across a variety of meals, but there are also meal plans available for purchase,” Ramhold said. “Given that the focus is $5 meals, it’s a safe bet that you can expect that to be the average cost for the most part. The recipe index is free and there are tutorials for different cooking and prep methods on the site as well.”
Here are some great recipes you can find on this site, all of which can be made for around $5 or less:
- Cheeseburger ‘n Fries Kebabs
- Grilled Salsa Chicken
- Butternut Squash Chili
- Allergy-free Roasted Potato Chunks
- Guacamole with Street Corn
- Blueberry Crumble Bars
Eat Smart
Margaret Stone founded Eat Smart, a coaching company, to help people feel amazing in their own skin through clean eating that happens to be affordable. On Eat Smart, you’ll find a ton of recipes that are healthy, flavorful and cost-effective. Here are some of the top recipes on the site and how much they cost to make, roughly, in Stone’s estimate.
- No Dairy Coconut Macaroons: $3.66
- No Rice Cucumber Salmon: $8
- Sage and Cider Chicken: $9
- Crispy Baked Fries: $1
- Egg Roll in a Bowl: $9
Bayev’s Ktchn
Few people can relate to just how tough times can get than those living in war-torn Ukraine right now, and Alex Bayev, a Ukrainian chef and food blogger, is one such person.
“The economic situation here [is] far from the best,” Bayev told GOBankingRates. “Lately I’ve been trying to focus on budget [recipes] to help families save money on their food expenses, while still being able to enjoy delicious and nutritious meals.” Bayev shared some top concoctions from Bayev’s Ktchn, all of which can be made affordably in the United States:
- Frittata with Zucchini: $8 for 4 servings
- White Onion Soup: $7.50 for 8 servings
- Tart Vaudoise: $5 for 8 servings
- Greek Fava: $5 for 4 servings
- Zucchini Cheese Pie: $7 for 4 servings
- Caramelized Onions: $3.50 for 4 servings
Joshua Weissman
“The name [Joshua Weissman] may sound familiar: He has a ton of different recipes, including fun things like making homemade Snickers bars or restaurant favorites at home,” Ramhold said. “However, he also has a section of recipes of those on a budget and include things like burrito bowls, meal prep, takeout, burgers and more. He also has an entire playlist on YouTube of the ‘But Cheaper’ recipes he’s concocted.”
You can find a ton of super affordable recipes on Weissman’s site, including:
- $3 Healthy Burrito Bowl
- $3 Breakfast Sandwich Meal
- $3 Dim Sum Meal
- $3 Chinese Takeout Meal
- $3 Chicken and Waffles
Plantbased on a Budget
“There are plenty of people who want to eat a plant-based diet, but on a budget it can be difficult,” Ramhold said. “The good news is this site has a ton of vegan recipes to help you build out your repertoire.
“Unfortunately there’s no price breakdown, but the ingredients largely seem to be easy to find, and some may even be pantry staples for your household already. The recipes are also highly informative, with FAQs included for making adjustments or tweaking ingredients, and the recipes can be easily scaled up if you need to make more.”
Here are some delicious sounding recipes from this site:
- Vegan Tofu Scramble with Veggies
- One-Pan Root Vegetable Hash
- Vegan Sweet Potato Salad
- Cauliflower Tacos
- Vegan Tofu Larb Salad
- Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
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