Feeding the family without blowing the grocery budget? It’s all about value. It’s not about buying the cheapest ingredients—it’s about making smart choices. A cut like brisket might not be the lowest-priced meat, but it goes a long way and delivers incredible flavour. The meals here focus on quality, versatility, and making ingredients stretch. Many are freezer-friendly, all are made with simple supermarket staples (no specialty store detours required), and every single one is big on flavour.
That’s why I’ve put together 10 budget-friendly family dinners that prove you don’t need a trolley full of expensive ingredients to make something amazing. We’re talking hearty comfort food, big flavours, and satisfying meals that keep both your family and your grocery bill happy.
Let’s eat well without the financial regret. Because dinner shouldn’t come with a side of budget anxiety.
Cottage Pie is my go-to dinner when I need something delicious, nourishing and comforting to serve the family at the end of a busy day. My version of this classic recipe is loaded with extra vegetables.
Beef Brisket Loaded Fries is a crowd-pleasing, comfort dish perfect for any day of the week! Tender, smoky honey BBQ shredded beef brisket over crispy homemade fries, topped with melty cheese and spring onion (scallion).
This Quick Creamy Miso Chicken Ramen is a flavour-packed and comforting dish perfect for busy weeknights. It’s made with economical minced (ground) chicken, a rich miso-flavoured broth, and is ready in just 20 minutes.
Chicken Meatball Parmigiana has all the flavours of a classic chicken parmigiana, but in a simple, oven-baked meatball dish! Juicy chicken meatballs are baked in a rich tomato sauce, covered with melty cheese and a crispy breadcrumb topping. It’s a crowd-pleasing, comforting dinner that’s perfect with crusty bread or a green salad.
This quick and easy stir-fry comes together in under 20 minutes with a flavour-packed sauce, tender chicken and fresh Thai basil. A drizzle of chilli oil vinegar at the end adds a little extra zing to these Drunken Noodles!
Fluffy mini pizzas made with a two-ingredient dough, topped with pepperoni and mozzarella – perfect for school lunches or quick meals. Ready in under 15 minutes!
A wholesome, comforting classic made easier and more economical. Roasted Garlic Butter Chicken uses thigh cutlets, rather than a whole chicken, but the result is still the satisfyingly tender, juicy roasted chicken with crispy golden skin that we all love.
This rich and comforting Coconut Dal is a simple, budget-friendly meal that’s packed with flavour, thanks to simple spices like turmeric and garam masala. Made with creamy coconut milk and lentils, it’s an ideal dish for busy weeknights.
Tender, juicy chicken strips are combined with a creamy, parmesan-laden sauce and pasta, then topped with a crispy panko crumb. Taking less than 30 minutes to make, this Creamy Parmesan Chicken Pasta is the ultimate comfort food for a hearty and family-friendly weeknight.
Minced (ground) chicken, broccolini (tender-stem broccoli), Thai basil and a few pantry staples come together in this Chicken and Thai Basil Noodle Stir-fry to create a delicious, quick and easy weeknight dinner.
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Sarah says:
How do I download recipes
Nicole says:
Hi Sarah, you can’t actually download the recipes but you can print them. If you click on the individual recipes you will see a “print recipe” button at the top. I hope this helps! Nic x