Budget Recipes Archives - Making Sense Of Cents

10 Quick and Easy One Pot Meals

August 26, 2019 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 8 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.

We split our time between a van and sailboat, so space is a major issue for us.

Our kitchen area is tiny, we have very limited counter space, and we just don’t have as many burners. Our cooking range is really small too, so we really can’t cook anything that takes more than one pot. Oh, and we don’t even have the storage space for tons of pots either.

I know that’s not the case for everyone, and one pan meals are still great options for anyone who lives in a traditional home – they simplify meal time!

So today, I have a great list of one pot meals for you to try. There are several vegetarian and vegan options, there are some delicious looking comfort food recipes, and a fun take on egg rolls. And more!

Personally, I’m really excited about the lemon spaghetti with spinach. The lemon seems like it will the dish taste refreshing and light, and adding spinach makes it a nice healthy meal.

These one pot recipes don’t require a ton of prep work either, and most of them only take around 30 minutes to cook. This makes them good for weeknight dinners, especially if you’re feeling busy and are tempted to go out to eat. [Read more…]

10 Easy and Delicious Camping Meal Recipes

June 10, 2019 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 7 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.

Camping is a great frugal activity to do with your family or friends. And with these 10 easy camping recipes, you’ll have a bunch of delicious and budget-friendly meal options.

I absolutely love camping, and making delicious meals while being outdoors.

These easy camping recipes are simple and have quick clean up and prep. And, this list has a ton of delicious and easy camping meals, from desserts to nachos.

What I love the most about these easy camping recipes is that you will end up with meals that are more interesting than what you may normally have. And, because you can prep some of these meals in advance, you can spend more time having fun while you’re camping. [Read more…]

10 Easy Freezer Meal Recipes

May 30, 2019 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 6 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.

On nights when you are busy, having a freezer meal ready to go is one of the best ways to feed you and your family. So, to help you get ready for your week, I have 10 easy freezer meal recipes for you to try, from breakfast burritos to meatless shepherd’s pie.

Freezer meals are simply meals you prep and cook in advance, stick in the freezer, and pull out to reheat when you need them. They are simple, healthy, and help you save money.

If you’ve never made freezer meals before, here are a few tips:

Batch cook several meals at once.
Label your meals with reheating directions.
Use freezer quality bags so your food doesn’t get freezer burn.
Make a list of what freezer meals you have and put it on your fridge or somewhere else that’s easy to see.

Trust me, these meals are nothing like the frozen dinners you would buy from the store – home cooked always tastes better (the from scratch Hot Pockets on this list look delicious!).

And, one of the best things about these easy freezer meal recipes is that you can save a lot of money on your monthly food budget. You will be less likely to get fast food or take out when you know that you have a delicious meal at home that you just need to pop in the oven or microwave. [Read more…]

13 Instantpot Thanksgiving Side Dishes

October 17, 2018 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 5 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.

My 10 Budget Recipes roundup proved to be popular, so I'm back at it again with 13 Instantpot Thanksgiving Side Dishes.

Thanksgiving isn't too far away, which means that you may be looking for some Instapot Thanksgiving side dishes.

I recently purchased my first Instapot, and will definitely be using it for Thanksgiving.

We've always had a slow cooker. I bought one about ten years ago for a whopping $14, and I've used it multiple times a week ever since.

I've definitely gotten a ton of value from that small purchase and decided to upgrade to an Instapot since my crockpot was falling apart.

If you're looking to get your own Instant Pot, I recommend checking out the one I purchased – Instant Pot 3 Qt 6-in-1 Multi- Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Sauté, Steamer, and Warmer.

If you want easy Instant Pot recipes that are budget friendly and delicious, don't worry, it is possible! The Instantpot Thanksgiving side dishes included in this roundup are affordable, easy, and you may already have many of the ingredients in your home! [Read more…]

10 Easy Fall Recipes – Best Fall Dinner Ideas For Your Meal Plan

September 5, 2018 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 9 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.

I can’t believe that fall is almost here! I love the summer months, and I find that I’m eating lighter, fresher meals when it’s hot outside. But, when the weather starts to cool down, I am in the mood to warm up with something that’s a little more hearty, while still being healthy and not breaking the budget.

A new season is a change in weather, but it also means there are new fruits and vegetables in season. Both of these are good reasons to add some new meals into your weekly meal plan.

My 10 Budget Recipes roundup proved to be popular, so I'm back at it again with 10 Easy Fall Recipes.

I absolutely love the fall months. The weather is cooler, leaves change colors, and more delicious fall comfort foods are being made.

While these easy fall recipes are great for weekly meals, many of them would make great leftovers to bring to work. They would also be easy and delicious meals for a dinner party with friends or for bringing to a potluck.

Doesn’t that sound great? A fall dinner party or potluck with friends would be a frugal way to have fun this fall. These easy fall recipes mean you don’t have to spend over your budget, whether it’s for entertaining or just trying to make your weekly meal plan. [Read more…]

10 Easy Instapot Recipes – My New Favorite Gadget!

August 3, 2018 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 21 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.

My 10 Budget Recipes roundup proved to be popular, so I'm back at it again with 10 Easy Instapot Recipes.

As you can probably guess, I finally purchased my first Instapot!

We've always had a slow cooker. I bought one about ten years ago for a whopping $14, and I've used it multiple times a week ever since.

I've definitely gotten a ton of value from that small purchase and decided to upgrade to an Instapot since my crockpot was falling apart.

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 easy Instapot recipes to add to your weekly meal plan, 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 a large amount of their food each month! [Read more…]

10 Delicious Summer Lunch Ideas

May 11, 2018 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 5 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.

Summer is right around the corner, which means it’s time for warmer weather, more outdoor activities, farmers markets, picnics, and more! When it’s cold outside, things like stews, soups, and other hearty meals sound good. But, in the summertime, it’s all about those fresh and easy to prepare meals for your summer lunch or dinner.

With fresh fruits and vegetables in season, the summer is a great time to take advantage of fresh produce. Who doesn’t love going to a farmer’s market and coming home with delicious fruits and vegetables to add to their meal plan?

Many of these recipes would be good for more than just summer lunches as they would make great light dinners too. Some of these recipes would be perfect dishes to bring to potlucks, easy things to prepare for picnics, or great things to prepare as a quick summer lunch before or after a hike.

Also, having a meal plan is an important step in keeping you on track with your budget. These summer lunch recipes won’t break your budget, and they can spruce up a boring weekly meal plan if you feel like you’re in a funk.

If you’re ready for summer like me, here are some tasty summer lunch ideas to get you in the mood for warmer weather by having new recipes to add to your weekly meal plan.

Other recipe roundups to check out:

Note: If you're looking for easy weekly meal plans that are 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.

10 Quick and Easy One Pot Meals

10 Easy and Delicious Camping Meal Recipes

10 Easy Freezer Meal Recipes

13 Instantpot Thanksgiving Side Dishes

10 Easy Fall Recipes – Best Fall Dinner Ideas For Your Meal Plan

10 Easy Instapot Recipes – My New Favorite Gadget!

10 Delicious Summer Lunch Ideas

Here are 10 summer lunch ideas.

[Read more…]

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