Weeknights are busy and budgets are tight. Recipes that call for a lot of fancy ingredients and require you to slave away in a hot kitchen for hours just ain’t gonna cut it.
But you don’t have to live on ramen noodles and cans of tuna just because you’re on a tight budget.
Easy, simple and budget-friendly is the name of the game! So if you’re looking for some quick meals to fill your family’s bellies without breaking the bank, try one of these 10 delicious, no-frills recipes.
Many enchilada recipes require too much prep time to be considered for a weeknight meal. But because the meat filling is already cooked, the prep time for this recipe is just 10 minutes! Substitute three cups diced Land O'Frost Premium Oven Roasted Chicken Breast for your usual ground beef, turkey or chicken for a deliciously easy weeknight dinner.
This creamy, crunchy dinner is made with just a few ingredients, including Land O’Frost Premium Honey Smoked Turkey Breast and Premium Old Fashioned Cooked Ham, chopped broccoli, mayo, Dijon mustard and a variety of dried spices. Spoon the whole mixture onto crescent roll dough, fold it up and bake it. Easy-peasy.
This recipe tastes like you slaved over a hot stove all day, but the pot basically does the work for you! Throw all of your ingredients — including fusilli pasta, a can of diced tomatoes, chopped onion, garlic, oil, fresh basil and other spices — into one pot over medium-high heat. Cook for 10-12 minutes, and then top with baby spinach and parmesan.
Simple mac ‘n’ cheese from scratch combines with taco-seasoned ground beef and an extra helping of cheese for an easy, cheesy meal. Serve with taco toppings like sour cream, salsa and guacamole for a savory feast the family will love.
This protein-loaded salad includes new potatoes, peas, hard-boiled eggs, olive oil, lemon juice, parmesan cheese and a few other seasonings. Healthy and easy, it takes only about 20 minutes of prep for an inexpensive, balanced meal.
This homemade pizza dough recipe doesn’t require the time to rise, which makes it perfect for a weeknight dinner. And its magic ingredient, Greek yogurt, packs healthy protein punch your growing kiddos need. Customize it with toppings your family will love, like marinara, mozzarella, Land O'Frost Breakfast Cuts and vegetables like mushrooms, green peppers and onion.
Save a few dollars on this recipe by making your own chili paste. Just blend together cumin, onion powder (or fresh onions), garlic, chili powder, oregano and cloves. Brush the paste over your boneless pork chops, cook them in a skillet with some fresh onion rings and serve with Spanish rice and seasoned black beans.
Craving Chinese? Try this recipe instead. Season one pound of ground sirloin with Asian flavors like soy sauce, brown sugar, dark sesame oil and chopped green onion. Mold into meatballs, brown them for a few minutes in a skillet and then bake them for 10 minutes. Serve with rice and steamed sugar-snap peas or green beans for a meal that rivals the best Chinese take-out in town.
Looking for a light meal? Mix these wide cooked noodles with peas, chopped radishes and shallots, fresh baby spinach and lots of other herbs and seasonings for a refreshing spring meal. Add a little dollop of skim ricotta cheese mixed with lemon zest, salt and pepper for an extra kick of flavor.
Marinate a thinly sliced red onion in a bowl of balsamic vinegar. Prepare whole wheat tortillas in a skillet, layering them with slices of Land O’Frost Premium Hickory Smoked Turkey Breast and grated sharp cheddar cheese. Top with marinated onions before folding, and you have an affordable, quick, flavorful dinner.
So rest assured — with just a little creativity and some basic, healthy ingredients, you can easily reduce your grocery spending without sacrificing your family’s appetite to spare your bank account.
