62 Cheap Family Meals

Need a heaping helping of cheap family meals? No problem. These cheap meals for large families will keep their stomachs and your wallet full!

62 Cheap Family Meals

Feeding a family on a budget seems like a daunting task but with a little culinary creativity and some savvy shopping it can be done! (No, really, I promise.)

I’ve been serving up tasty cheap (and easy) family meals for a while now, and I assure you that I’m not Julia Child. Honestly, far from it. However, I do have a few secret weapons up my sleeve that make the whole experience a little less intimidating. For example, one way to cook up cheap meals for large families is to use meatless meals. Yep, going meatless just one or two days a week will really stretch your budget. Here are some more grocery shopping secrets that’ll help you tackle cheap family meals.

If you’ve got the savvy shopping part covered but could still use a little culinary inspiration, I’ve got you covered. Below are my favorite cheap recipes for families. Among these tasty, budget-friendly dishes, you’ll find a little something for everyone including great cheap meals for large families and cheap healthy meals for college students.

So… let’s dig in, shall we? 🙂

1. Easy Breakfast Casserole (Freebie Finding Mom) – Start your family off on the right foot with this high protein, low carb cheap family meal. Tip: You can make this dish even healthier by using turkey sausage.

2. Easy Breakfast Pizza (Freebie Finding Mom) – Who says you can’t have pizza for breakfast? This filling dish is a perfect example of cheap meals for large families. You can typically find coupons for refrigerated biscuit dough and by leaving out the meat, you’ll make this dish even more affordable!

3. Mexican Quinoa (Freebie Finding Mom) – Okay, this cheap healthy meal for college students probably couldn’t be made in a dorm room but since you can freeze and reheat later, you could easily make it in mom and dad’s kitchen, take it back to the campus, and freeze it for later. Bonus: If you make it in your parents house they have to do the dishes, right? 😉

4. Chickpea Sweet Potato Peanut Curry (Rhian’s Recipes) – Even if you’re on a special diet, there are plenty of cheap recipes for families. This particular recipe is both vegan and gluten-free.

5. Buffalo Chicken Tater Tot Casserole (Dancing Through the Rain) – Who says cheap family meals have to be boring? Kick things up a notch with this yummy buffalo chicken casserole. Concerned it might be too spicy for little mouths? Cut the amount of hot sauce in half.

6. Bacon Mac & Cheese (Dancing Through the Rain) – I don’t know that I would call this an inexpensive meal for large groups because the mom in me demands that there be a vegetable for it to be a meal. However, it’s definitely an inexpensive side dish that’ll feed a crowd. This cheesy dish calls for only approximately 5 minutes of active time so it’s great when you need a quick option.

7. Taco Salad With Fritos (Dancing Through the Rain) – Looking for impressive cheap meals for large groups? Look no further! This colorful taco salad is almost too pretty to eat…almost.

8. Old Fashioned Goulash (Dancing Through the Rain) – This cheap family dinner gives you plenty of bang for your buck. The ingredients (ex. pasta) are quite filling so you can be sure everyone will get enough to eat. Tip: Opt for whole wheat pasta to make this dish healthier and more filling (more fiber).

9. Macaroni Pizza Casserole (Anne’s Entitled Life) – You just know anything with the words “macaroni” and “pizza” in the name is going to be amazing, am I right? This isn’t just a cheap meal for family dinners, it’s delicious comfort food that is sure to bring the whole family together.

10. Hearty Italian Baked Ziti (Anne’s Entitled Life) – This hearty Italian recipe is sure to be a family fav! Tip: When it comes to cheap family meals, most Italian dishes are a great fit because pastas tend to be pretty frugal and many Italian recipes can be made without meat.

11. Chicken Spaghetti Casserole (Anne’s Entitled Life) – Chicken and spaghetti may not sound like an obvious pairing but (at least in this recipe) it really is a match made in heaven. Find more cheap meals for large families here.

12. One-Pot Wonder Chicken With Mushroom Rice (My Gorgeous Recipes) – One pot meals, like this cheap healthy meal for college students, can be a life saver when you’re a newly established cook with limited dishes and cooking space…or when you’re a busy mom who doesn’t want to spend the whole night doing dishes!

13. Best Spaghetti and Meatballs (My Gorgeous Recipes) – Here’s an oldie but a goodie! Sometimes simple cheap recipes for families are the best.

14. Hamburger Casserole (Baking with Mom) – Making a 9×13 pan of this cheesy casserole will only cost you about $8. Not too bad, right? Bonus: If there are leftovers from this tasty inexpensive meal for large groups they reheat quite well.

15. One Dish Chili Noodles (Baking with Mom) – In southern Ohio, they have something called Cincinnati chili and it’s often served over spaghetti noodles. I know, I know, it sounds downright bizarre, but don’t knock it till you try it. This cheap family meal recipe isn’t quite Cincinnati chili, but it’s a similar concept. Consider topping with shredded cheddar cheese, it’s a delicious addition!

16. Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole (Wholesome Yum) – This is one of my fav cheap meals for large groups, and what’s not to love? It’s low carb, gluten-free, takes only about 30 minutes, and sounds kinda fancy all while being yummy!