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If you’ve ever lived on this planet called earth, you’d agree that food, the one thing we need to survive, can often get a bit pricey.
And even though pockets can be a bit tight sometimes, getting good, nutritious food is still pretty important. And possible too.
If you’ve ever wondered how to spend less of food and still enjoy delicious meals, then you’re not alone.
Eating right on a budget doesn’t have to be such a difficult thing. With the right steps, you can enjoy good, delicious and even healthy recipes, without needing to break the bank.
In this post, I’ll share some tips to help you save money on food, as well as 45 yummy, dirt-cheap recipes for you to enjoy.
From breakfast, to lunch, to dinner, there’s something for every time of the day. These frugal tips and budget-friendly recipes will leave your tummy and wallet a lot fuller and happier.
Let’s get right into it.
Tips For Eating On A Budget
Here are some tips that’ll help you enjoy tasty meals even when you’re on a tight budget.
1) Plan Your Meals Ahead
Meal planning is worth every single hype it gets. If you’re working on a budget, planning what you want to eat ahead of time will make it easier to stick to that budget.
Firstly, it can help you avoid buying unnecessary food items you wouldn’t really need. By creating a meal plan and sticking to it, you’ll already know what you want to get before you walk in the store.
That way, it’ll be easier to avoid buying things impulsively, or buying things you won’t really need in the future.
2) Less Takeout, More Homecooking
We all know eating out can get expensive. A good way to keep more money in your wallet is to make your meals at home.
Don’t worry. You don’t need to be a MasterChef or anything. You’d actually be surprised how easy it is to make some of your favorite restaurant dishes at home. Not to mention cheaper too.
3) Buy In Bulk
A lot of food items get cheaper when they’re sold in bulk. And that’s something you want to be taking advantage of. Bulk buying can help you save more money on the long run since you spend less using the same amount of stuff.
When it comes to perishables, it’s important to note that some foods store better than others. Also, be sure to check expiry dates, to make sure you get stuff that won’t expire before you’re ready to consume them.
4) Reuse Leftovers
Food waste is an issue affecting a lot of homes today. Some people are rather quick to toss out leftovers, without realizing their full potential.
Leftovers can easily be repurposed to create some really tasty meals too. From leftover chicken or beef, to veggies, and more. They could be used in soups, salads, sandwiches and more.
And it’s way easier than you think. For example, here are 28 amazing leftover chicken recipes you’re going to want to try.
5) Take advantage of seasonal produce
It’s no news that a lot of food items tend to get cheaper when they’re in season. You certainly want to be taking advantage of these seasonal goodies.
Plus, a lot of these seasonal produce are also pretty versatile in the kitchen. So they can be used in a good variety of recipes without things getting boring.
Budget-friendly Breakfast recipes
1) Breakfast Tacos
Get the recipe at – Downshiftology
2) Quiche with Bacon and Spinach
Get the recipe at – The Food Charlatan
3) Basic Overnight Oats
Get the recipe at – Purely Kaylie
4) Savory Breakfast Bowl
Get the recipe at – Two Peas And Their Pod
5) Banana Smoothie
Get the recipe at – Fit Foodie Finds
Also See: 33 Healthy Smoothie Recipes That Taste Amazing
6) Quick and Easy Blueberry Muffins
Get the recipe at – Inspired Taste
7) 10-Minute Avocado Egg Toast
Get the recipe at – Run Lift Eat Repeat
8) Healthy Egg Muffin Cups
Get the recipe at – A Sassy Spoon
9) Healthy Homemade Granola
Get the recipe at – Joy Food Sunshine
10) Shakshuka
Get the recipe at – Sandra Valvassori
Also See: 30 Delicious High Protein Breakfast Ideas You Need To Try
11) Fluffy Banana Pancake
Get the recipe at – Del’s Cooking Twist
12) Cheesy Bacon And Egg Hash
Get the recipe at – Cafe Delites
13) Breakfast Burrito
Get the recipe at – Dinner At The Zoo
14) Freezer Breakfast Sandwiches
Get the recipe at – Tastes Better From Scratch
15) Easy Sausage Gravy
Get the recipe at – Southern Kissed
Also See: 20 Incredible Low Carb Breakfasts To Satisfy Your Cravings
Budget-Friendly Lunch Recipes
16) Easy Veggie Quesadillas
Get the recipe at – Gimme Some Oven
17) Chicken Burrito Bowl Meal Prep
Get the recipe at – Damn Delicious
18) Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Get the recipe at – One Lovely Life
19) BBQ Chicken Salad
Get the recipe at – Skinny Taste
20) Chicken Wraps
Get the recipe at – Simple Joy
Also See: 25 Healthy Meal Prep Lunches You Need In Your Life
21) Tuna Stuffed Avocado
Get the recipe at – Kalyn’s Kitchen
22) Ham and Cheese Pockets
23) Turkey Cheddar Lunch Roll Ups
Get the recipe at – Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog
24) 15-Minute Chicken Sausage Pasta Meal Prep Bowls
Get the recipe at – Smile Sandwich
25) Slow Cooker Vegetable Barley Soup
Get the recipe at – Cookin Canuck
Also See: 30 Cozy Soup Recipes That’ll Leave You Drooling
26) Mediterranean Flatbread pizza
Get the recipe at – Midwest Foodie
27) The BEST Egg Salad
Get the recipe at – The Recipe Critic
28) Vegetable Fried Rice
Get the recipe at – Budget Bytes
29) 15 Minute Black Bean and Spinach Burritos
Get the recipe at – Served From Scratch
30) Zucchini and Hummus Pita Sandwiches
Get the recipe at – Toaster Oven Love
Also See: 30 Mouthwatering Zucchini Recipes You’ve Got To Try
Budget-friendly dinner recipes
31) Stuffed Bell Peppers
Get the recipe at – A Pinch Of Healthy
32) Chicken Stir-Fry
Get the recipe at – Cooking Classy
33) White Cheddar Mac and Cheese with Chicken and Broccoli
Get the recipe at – Budget Bytes
34) Easy Crock Pot Chili
Get the recipe at – Spend With Pennies
35) Italian Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner
Get the recipe at – The Cookie Rookie
Also See: 16 Healthy Sheet Pan Dinners For Those Busy Weeknights
36) Easy Sloppy Joes
Get the recipe at – Eating On A Dime
37) 30 Minute Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake
Get the recipe at – Savvy Bites
38) Homemade Easy Chicken Pot Pie
Get the recipe at – Persnickety Plates
39) Chicken and Rice Bake
Get the recipe at – Yellow Bliss Road
40) Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Get the recipe at – Belle Of The Kitchen
Also See: 25 Tasty Sweet Potato Recipes You’re Going To Love
41) Parmesan Lemon Chicken and Rice Skillet
Get the recipe at – A Spicy Perspective
42) Creamy Ham Casserole
Get the recipe at – The Novice Chef
43) Easy Mushroom Stroganoff
Get the recipe at – Spend With Pennies
44) Beef And Cabbage Stir Fry
Get the recipe at – A Saucy Kitchen
45) Lemon Chicken White Bean Soup
