5 Frugal Meal Ideas for the Family

5 Frugal Meal Ideas for the Family

Do you have a family to feed with a smaller food budget? It is entirely possible to feed your family filling, healthy, and affordable meals no matter what your budget is. Here are some frugal meal ideas for your family.

1. Use a Whole Chicken or Turkey

Instead of getting individual chicken breasts or thighs, consider purchasing an entire chicken or turkey. They tend to be less expensive as a whole bird, and it is more than enough to feed your entire family. You will save the most money by purchasing them from the meat section of your grocery store, then roasting it yourself. However, you can also get a cooked rotisserie chicken if you are short on time> It is still going to be more cost-effective than most other packaged foods.

2. Make a Casserole

Another great option for making healthy meals for your family on a budget is with casseroles. So many ingredients that go in casseroles are budget-friendly, like rice, beans, frozen veggies, eggs, and many more. Casseroles are very budget-friendly, since you control what ingredients are used to make them. Often times, this means rice, a cream-based soup or cheese, some veggies, and lean protein like chicken, tuna, or turkey. 

3. Breakfast for Dinner

It will probably come as no surprise to you to find out breakfast foods are often less expensive and easier to cook than those traditionally made for dinner. Every once in a while, it can be worth it to save some money by skipping the burgers or chicken, and going for a simple breakfast for dinner option.

This can be pancakes or waffles, eggs with bacon and potatoes, an egg scramble, and so many great options that are easy to make and will make your kids happy.

4. You Can Make From Scratch

As you begin putting meals and snacks together, think of packaged foods that you could easily make yourself. While it is a little more work, you definitely save more money doing it this way. Some foods that you can make from scratch with just a little more effort include granola, protein balls, hummus, applesauce, and nut butters. 

5. Chili and Soup

Lastly, you can’t go wrong with chili and soup. It helps you use up all those veggies that you won’t use before they go bad, and can be close to free if you have a veggie garden in your backyard. Chili is just a mixture of tomatoes, different beans, and seasonings which is very budget-friendly as well.