L
ast month’s roundup 10 Budget Recipes proved to be popular, so I’m back at it again with 10 Budget Lunch Ideas and Cheap Easy Meals You Should Try.
Food is one of the largest expenses a family can have each month, which is why I’m a big believer in and lover of weekly meal plans. If you are looking for some new budget lunch recipes to start making for you and/or your family, then you’ve come to the right place.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the average family of four spends around $700 to $1,000 a month on food. That’s a lot of money, especially considering that most families waste around a large amount of their food each month!
Related: Does bringing lunch to work actually save money?
If you want lunch recipes that are budget friendly and delicious, don’t worry, it is possible! The budget lunch ideas included in this lunch recipes roundup are affordable, easy, and you may already have many of the ingredients in your home!
I have all of these cheap lunch ideas recipes in my current meal plan, and I’m excited to make all of them.
Note: If you’re looking for easy weekly meal plans, full of budget recipes, I recommend $5 Meal Plan. $5 Meal Plan is a meal planning service that sends you a delicious meal plan and shopping list every week for just $5 a month.
Other helpful content to read:
- How I Make $1,500 A Month From Pinterest
- Ways To Make An Extra $1,000 A Month
- 12 Work From Home Jobs That Can Earn You $1,000+ Each Month
- 12 Easy Ways To Earn Free Amazon Gift Cards
- 30+ Ways To Save Money Each Month
Here are 10 budget lunch ideas and cheap meals you should try:
1. Crock Pot Chicken Caesar Sandwiches
2. Quinoa Salad Wraps
3. BBQ Chicken Pot Pie
4. Pasta Salad
5. Pepperoni Pizza Sliders
6. Easy Chicken Burritos
7. Vegan Taco Casserole
8. Quinoa Salad
9. Spanish-Style Vegan Lentil Stew
10. Easy Baked Chicken Parmesan For Two
What are your favorite budget lunch ideas right now? Share them in the comments below!
Tom Beem says
Good stuff here. But best of all is #3. I’d made this years ago for dinner, but sort of got away from it. This post is a great reminder. It also shows there is more to school lunches than PB&J. Cheers. Tom
Ms. Frugal Asian Finance says
Wow everything looks so delicious! I’m all for good food at a low price.
We usually cook Chinese food at home, so I haven’t tried any of the recipes above yet. It’s totally worth it to give it a shot though 🙂
DNN says
Back in the day, I used to eat Tuna fish sandwiches with a few Oranges and call it a day. That was when I was a supposed “vegetarian.” Now I’m striving to get back where I once was and eat smaller meals. 🙂
Budget Kitty says
Yum! These all look so good. The pepperoni will make a great snack during game time!
Jason@WinningPersonalFinance says
I love Quinoa salad. It looks awesome! I will try it out soon.
Mrs. Picky Pincher says
Thank you for sharing these! It’s refreshing to check out some recipes I haven’t heard of before. And how timely – I’m about to start making next week’s menu. 🙂
Jamie says
Yeah the crock pot chicken sandwiches look good
Sylvia says
I appreciate that you included vegetarian/vegan options since that’s the diet I follow. After reading a bunch of personal finance blogs, I’m thinking of relooking at my food expenses to see how much we actually spend on food and what we can do to reduce that expense. Thanks for sharing!
Accidental Fire says
I’ve been rocking a similar quinoa salad for years now. It sooo awesome and yes it’s pretty cheap. Also quinoa is very high in protein and healthier than most people realize.
giulia says
lovely ideas:D
Jason@Simple Man Money says
I like these ideas, especially for those times when a cold ham sandwich just doesn’t sound very appealing! I could eat on the BBQ pot pie for days – and I think even I could make it. Thanks for sharing the recipes.
Jason Butler says
The food looks good.There are a few recipes that I need to try.
Kristin @ The Wayward Home says
These are amazing! Thank you, Michelle. I’m always looking for easy and healthy food 🙂
Healing Tomato says
Thank you for including my recipe here. I am so delighted and all the other recipes look really good
Holly says
The easy chicken burritos look good. I really enjoy cold wraps and I’m usually tempted to buy them… forgetting how easy they would be to make at home… if I would make a point to buy the right ingredients!
Anna says
I’ve been experimenting with my new crockpot for the last few weeks. I really like the first dish.Going on the menu list for this weekend :).
Claire Onidi says
Hello Michelle,
Thinking about what food to serve daily is stressful! I love your list since they are creative and easy to make. The pasta salad really worked for me because it’s simply “toss and serve,” and what’s best about it is that the more it stays in the fridge, the tastier it becomes.