Low-cost meals

This is taken from the book, Happily Frugal. In chapter 12, I teach about feeding a family frugally. Check out that book here and get your copy today.

Here is a list of low budget foods. Take what you like and make a monthly menu for your household.  
 
BEVERAGES

• Water  
• Tea from bags or loose tea
• Powdered lemonade
• Flavor packets to add to water
• Hot chocolate
• Coffee
• Homemade iced coffee  
• Fruit smoothies from homegrown berries

 
BREAKFAST

• Eggs  
• Oatmeal from steel cut oats or packaged instant oatmeal
• Cream of wheat
• Pancakes
• Waffles
• French toast
• Biscuits and gravy
• Breakfast potato dish
• Cereal
• Sides
  • Fruit
  • Toast and butter, jelly, or jam
  • Biscuits
  • Hash browns   
  • Muffins
  • Bagels
  • Occasional sweet treats such as doughnuts, cinnamon rolls, scones, or pastries

 
SNACKS

• Bananas
• Apples
• Oranges
• Kiwis
• Watermelon
• Cantaloupe
• Grapes
• Blueberries
• Strawberries
• Raisins
• Dehydrated fruit from the garden
• Sliced tomato
• Cherry tomatoes
• Sweet peppers
• Dill pickles
• Cucumbers dipped in ranch
• Carrots dipped in ranch
• Celery and peanut butter
• Apple cinnamon chips
• Sweet potato chips
• Potato chips
• Tortilla chips and dip
  
• Nachos and cheese
• Mozzarella sticks
• Taquitos
  
• Quesadillas
• Pretzels
• Nuts such as honey roasted peanuts
• Trail mix
• Crackers and peanut butter
• Cheese and crackers
• Graham crackers
• Fruit and grain bars
• Granola bars
• Toast with jelly or jam or preserves
• Bread and butter
• Hard boiled eggs
• Pizza rolls
• Pin rolls (homemade)
• Yogurt

 
LUNCH (higher carb meals)
Casseroles, sandwiches, subs, pizza, pasta

• Sandwiches
  • Peanut butter sandwich
  • Grilled cheese   
  • Chicken patty sandwiches
  • Turkey dogs or hot dogs
  • BLT (bacon, lettuce, and tomato on bread with mayo)
  • Tuna sandwich
  • Lunch meat sandwich 
  • Lunch meat sub
  • Sloppy joes
  • Burgers
• Pasta
  • Macaroni and cheese
  • Goulash   
  • Chili mac  
  • Tuna noodles
  • Chicken and broccoli alfredo
  • Spaghetti (use kidney beans instead of meat)
  • Spaghettios 
  • Ravioli
  • Any pastas that don’t require meat or expensive cheese
• Casseroles
  • Pot pie casserole
  • Chicken and dumplings casserole
  • Casserole dish of potatoes, carrots, chicken, and cream of soup
  • Pantry dump casserole – canned veggies, canned cream of soups, topped with biscuit mix
  • Spanish rice casserole
  • Chicken and flavored rice casserole
  • Cheesy potato and green beans casserole
• Pot pies
• Pizza

 
DINNER (lower carb meals)
Salads, soups, stews, chili, stir fry, tacos, burritos, fajitas, wraps, chicken, fish 

• Salad
• Tomato soup
• Potato and broccoli soup
• Chicken noodle soup
• Chicken and veggies soup
• Veggie soup
• Veggie stew (potatoes, carrots, green beans, corn)
• Chicken and dumplings 
• Cabbage rolls with turkey sausage
• Chili
• Chicken stir fry (chicken, veggies, peppers)
• Stuffed green peppers
• Potatoes and hash
• Tacos – use potatoes instead of meat
• Burritos
• Veggie fajitas (peppers, tomatoes, sauce, in a wrap)
• Chicken fajitas
• Turkey wrap
• Fried chicken
• Chicken strips
• Baked chicken (lots of recipes that fit a low budget)
• Country fried chicken topped with white gravy
• Chicken nuggets
• Filet of fish

 
SIDE DISHES

• Mashed potatoes  
• Baked potatoes
• Fries
• Potato wedges
• Hash browns
• Tater tots
• Baked sweet potatoes
• Sweet potato fries
• Yams
• Carrots
• Peas
• Green beans
• Corn
• Broccoli
• Brussel sprouts  
• Fried squash
• Butternut squash fries
• Roasted butternut squash
• Fried tomatoes
• Baked or fried apples
• Applesauce
• Baked beans
• Rice: white, brown, or Spanish rice (all are very cheap)
• Packages of flavored rice
• Fried rice with vegetables
• Stuffing
• Cornbread
• Deviled eggs
• Onion rings
• Coleslaw
• Macaroni salad
• Potato salad
• Egg salad
• Garlic bread
• Rolls
• Biscuits
• Bread and butter
• Fish sticks
• Mozzarella sticks

 
DESSERT  

• Popcorn
• Cake  
• Dump cake
• Cupcakes
• Muffin bread  
• Homemade funnel cake
• Bread pudding  
• Brownies  
• Pudding
• Gelatin dessert  
• Pumpkin pie parfait
• Cookies
• Pie
• Apple crumble
• Peach cobbler
• Blueberry buckle
• Ice cream
• Frozen yogurt
• Frozen pudding
• Buckeyes
• Peanut butter fudge
• Puppy chow
• Smores
• Smores in a pan
• Rice Krispie treats
• Potato candy
• Caramel apples

What are some low-cost meals you have in your family? Comment below.