Easy and Cheap Family Meals Under $10

Introduction

Feeding your whole family on a tight budget doesn’t mean sacrificing taste or nutrition. With a few clever choices, you can make satisfying, crowd-pleasing dishes for less than $10. These easy and cheap family meals maximize flavor with pantry staples, simple prep, and budget-friendly ingredients—perfect for busy weeknights or when you need dinner fast.

Why These Meals Are Family Favorites

These recipes are a hit because they deliver on all fronts: they’re quick to prepare, require minimal ingredients, and cater to a variety of tastes and diets. Whether you’re prepping for picky eaters or need something hearty that fills everyone up, these dishes are sure to please without breaking the bank. Plus, they make weeknight dinner planning a breeze!

Featured Recipe: Cheesy One-Pan Chicken and Rice

A classic favorite, this meal combines tender chicken, fluffy rice, veggies, and melty cheese for a dish that’s creamy, satisfying, and ready in 30 minutes. It uses affordable ingredients and just one pan, saving you both time and cleanup—what’s not to love?

What You’ll Need: Pantry-Friendly and Affordable

One of the keys to keeping family meals under $10 is relying on items you may already have at home, such as rice and canned vegetables, and purchasing value-pack proteins. Here’s what you’ll need for this Cheesy One-Pan Chicken and Rice:

💡Meal Planning Tip: Save this recipe to automatically generate a smart, organized shopping list—no more hunting through aisles or forgetting ingredients. Perfect for keeping your weekly meal plan on budget and on track!

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Add diced onion and garlic; sauté for 2-3 minutes until onions are softened and fragrant.
2. Add the diced chicken, season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is browned on all sides (no need to cook through completely).
3. Stir in the uncooked rice, canned tomatoes (with juice), mixed vegetables, and water or broth. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low.
4. Cover and simmer for 18-20 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked and liquid absorbed. Stir occasionally and add a splash more water if needed.
5. Once rice is cooked, sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over the top. Cover for 2 minutes to allow cheese to melt. Serve hot and enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

This dish is packed with flavor all on its own, but you can stretch it further by serving with a side salad or a few slices of crusty bread. For added protein and nutrition, toss in a drained can of beans or extra veggies. Leftovers reheat well, making this meal even more budget-friendly for lunches the next day.

Nutritional Information and Serving Size

This recipe serves 4 generously, with approximately 450-500 calories per serving. It offers a balanced meal of protein, carbohydrates, and vegetables, ideal for the whole family.

Easy and Cheap Meals Recap

With just a handful of simple, low-cost ingredients, you can turn out satisfying meals that everyone looks forward to. This Cheesy One-Pan Chicken and Rice is just one example; consider adapting by using lentils, beans, or whatever vegetables you have on hand to create countless budget-friendly variations.

Weekly Meal Planning

Sticking to your budget is easy when you plan ahead. Save and schedule this recipe as part of your weekly meal plan to automatically consolidate ingredients, eliminate doubling up on groceries, and keep overall costs low!

**Planning Benefits:**

– Automatically adds all recipe ingredients to an organized shopping list
– Groups items by grocery store section for faster shopping
– Helps avoid duplicate purchases and food waste
– Makes it easy to track your meal costs for each week

Pro tip: When planning several budget meals, schedule recipes together to see overlapping ingredients and maximize your savings. For example, buy larger rice or cheese packs to use in several meals, reducing cost per serving.

Cook and Prep Times

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

With meals like these, feeding your family well for less is not only possible—it’s delicious and simple, too!