Food Archives - Making Sense Of Cents

10 Budget Friendly Meals (Easy, Delicious, & Affordable Recipes!)

Last Updated: January 2, 2023 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 3 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.

Are you looking for delicious and easy budget friendly meals?

Finding affordable meal options can be a huge help when you’re trying to save money.

Because the cost of food has gone up so much in the past couple of years, nearly everyone can benefit from having ideas for recipes for budget friendly meals.

In fact, food prices have gone up by over 11% in the past year, but there are still ways to eat delicious food without going over budget.

In today’s post, I have ten recipes that will help you save money as you prepare tasty meals for you, you and your partner, or your family.

The recipes in this post are for all different tastes and diet types. There are vegetarian options, gluten-free meals, kid-friendly meals, and more. [Read more…]

15 Delicious, Easy Freezer Meals For New Moms & Dads

Last Updated: August 1, 2022 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 3 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.

Are you looking for easy freezer meals for new moms and dads?

Having a baby is an exciting time, but between feeding and sleeping schedules, it’s hard to find time to make sure that you are well-fed and rested too.

That’s why having some easy meals on hand is one of the best things you can do for yourself.

I recently had my first child, and a month before my due date, I made sure to start thinking about meal planning. So many of my friends and bloggers I follow mentioned how helpful it was to start meal prepping for those first few weeks, and I took their advice.

The problem is that living on a boat means we have a very small amount of fridge and freezer space available, so carefully planning and prepping in advance was especially important!

I knew that I wanted to eliminate as much stress as possible once the baby came, and looking for easy freezer meals for new moms and parents helped me eliminate some of that stress.

Because I spent so much time researching different meals and freezer snacks for new moms, I decided to put together a list of the best ones I found.

My daughter is now 6 months old, and the meals I am sharing with you today were a huge help during those first couple of months.

Wes and I were learning how to take care of her and adjust to having a baby and having these meals all ready to go in the freezer meant we stayed fed.

Here are some of my favorite recipes on this list:

Freezer Oatmeal Cups – These are great for breakfast or snacks, and you can use almost any fresh or dried fruit you have. Plus, if you are breastfeeding, I’ve read that oatmeal can boost milk production.
Make-Ahead Mexican Lasagna – This combines two of my favorite types of foods: Mexican and pasta. You can also get a lot of leftovers out of this recipe.
Freezer Breakfast Sandwiches – This simple breakfast sandwich recipe can easily be made vegetarian, and the sandwiches heat up quickly in the microwave. And, this is a great one-hand meal while you’re holding your baby.

Those are just a few of the recipes I’m sharing with you today.

All of the easy freezer meals for new moms and dads on this list are easy to prepare, delicious, and turn out great once you reheat them. [Read more…]

14 Cheap Easy Meals On A Budget To Try Tonight

Last Updated: July 18, 2022 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.

Are you looking for recipes that will help you make cheap, easy meals on a budget? Look no further!

Today, I’m sharing 14 recipes for delicious, home-cooked, and flavor-packed recipes that are cheap and easy to make.

As you may know, I’m a new mom. Finding meals that are easy to make is a must these days. I am fortunate to have a flexible work schedule that allows me to work when I want, but I’m usually so tired when it comes to dinner time. I need something easy to cook!

But, easy meals don’t have to be bland or boring, and they definitely don’t need to be expensive. That’s why I was so excited to put together this list of recipes for cheap, easy meals on a budget.

I’ve tried several of these recipes already, and my favorites so far are:

Vegan Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole – This is a healthy one-pot meal that’s so easy to prep and cook. If you’re not vegan, this would be great with real cheese.
One Dish Chili Noodles – So simple and easy, and beans are always one of the cheapest things. This flavorful meal is filling and delicious.
Slow Cooker Jalapeno Popper Chicken – I love spicy food, and I definitely added more jalapenos to this one, haha! This recipe is also low-carb and keto-friendly.
5 Ingredient Baked Apricot Chicken – I wasn’t sure about apricots and chicken, but this is so good and easy. This would be delicious over rice.

If you’re trying to save money on groceries right now, you can add one or two of these into your rotation each week.

To save even more money, look through grocery store fliers and coupons before you plan your meals for the week. Because the recipes in this article are already cheap, easy meals on a budget, you can save even more with a sale or coupons.

You’ve already gotten an idea of the kinds of recipes I’m sharing with your today, and they are great for busy parents, new moms, college students, or anyone who is trying to stick to a grocery budget.

Food costs have gone up significantly this year, and these recipes will give you lots of options to save.

And, as I said earlier, easy meals don’t need to be flavorless or boring. I was shocked by how much flavor was packed into these recipes.

These meals were also easy enough to prep and make while taking care of a new baby – that’s a big deal for me these days. [Read more…]

10 Delicious Thanksgiving Desserts – New Twists On Your Favorite Recipes

Last Updated: July 18, 2022 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 3 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.

Are you looking for delicious Thanksgiving desserts that will stand out this year?

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays of the year. I love seeing family, but I also love the food, and especially the desserts.

People who know me know I have a sweet tooth, and Thanksgiving desserts are some of my favorite sweets. It’s the fall flavors, warm spices, and richness of these desserts that makes me so happy.

Thanksgiving is a very special holiday for me because we often celebrate it with Wes’s family. There are nearly 100 of them gathered to eat and spend the day together, and 100 people means there is a lot of food (I won’t be attending this year, though, as I’ll be about 36 weeks pregnant and over 15 hours away).

Everyone brings a dish or two, and some people go all out with their Thanksgiving desserts. There are pies, cakes, cookies, cupcakes, candies, and more.

Thinking about all of those delicious desserts got me thinking about trying some new recipes for this Thanksgiving. I love traditional Thanksgiving desserts, but I also enjoy putting a new spin on classic recipes.

The ideas on the list do just that – give you all of the flavors you love about Thanksgiving, while doing it in a new and exciting way. [Read more…]

12 Warm & Cozy Fall Dinner Ideas That You Will Love

Last Updated: September 19, 2022 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 2 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.

Are you looking to try some delicious fall dinner ideas?

The air is getting cooler, and the leaves are starting to change colors, which means fall is here.

There are so many things I love about fall, like the way the air smells and back-to-school shopping as a kid. But I also love eating fall food.

I eat soups and stews more often and having hearty but healthy dinners. There are also so many delicious fall flavors that I love cooking with.

If you’re like me, you love fall food, but sometimes it’s hard to find new fall dinner ideas. It’s just so easy to keep making the same recipes over and over again.

I know I sometimes find myself in a cooking rut, but there’s nothing like a new season to inspire you to try new recipes.

To help you find some delicious dinners for this fall, I’ve put together a list of some of my new favorite recipes and ones I can’t wait to try. This list has recipes for all kinds of diets and cooking preferences, from vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and family-friendly options. [Read more…]

17 Summer Dinner Ideas That Are Quick, Light, & Delicious

Last Updated: March 5, 2022 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.

Are you looking for new and delicious summer dinner ideas?

I love cooking in the summer because there are so many fresh fruits and vegetables to add to your meals. The summer is also a great time to get together with friends and have dinner on the patio or at a park.

The summer is the perfect opportunity to try different recipes because of all of the in-season produce.

But, it’s also so hot outside that you may want to find lighter recipes to help you beat the heat while also eating a satisfying meal.

In this post, the recipes you’re going to learn about take advantage of fresh ingredients and are perfect easy dinners for the summer months.

Any of these recipes would make great meals to serve at a summer dinner party with friends or family.

I’ve already tried a few of these recipes, and one of my favorites is the Baja fish tacos because I needed to find new ways to use up all of the fish Wes was catching on the boat. I can’t even count the number of times we made these. [Read more…]

How To Meal Prep On A Budget: 10 Great Recipes To Try

Last Updated: March 3, 2021 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 3 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.

Would you like to learn how to meal prep on a budget?

Planning healthy and satisfying meals week after week can get exhausting.

Having a family, a full-time job, a side hustle, etc. makes it even more challenging to cook during the week.

I know I have fallen into that rut before, and many times I would end up eating something unhealthy or spending more money on takeout or restaurant food.

If you do that too many times a week, you can end up easily spending an extra hundred dollars or more on food each week. And, even though we all know it’s more expensive to go out to eat, making dinner at home can feel like a lot of extra work.

That is what I love about meal prepping – you do all of the work in advance. You can spend one afternoon or evening cooking your meals, then you divide them into containers, and they are ready to go for the week. [Read more…]