20 budget friendly dinner ideas

20 Cheap Dinner Ideas for Family

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Is weekly meal planning a challenge for you? Do you find your schedule too busy for meal planning and then you end up going through a drive-thru for dinner? Me, too. That’s why I love these cheap dinner ideas for family you can make at home tonight.

Meal planning requires thinking ahead. I usually find myself too busy to think that far ahead. I usually have several potential meal options I can prepare. But most days it’s not until sometime between breakfast and lunch, I start to think about dinner ideas for tonight. . 

Deciding on tonight’s dinner usually starts with a few questions like, what do I have at home in the pantry? What will the kids eat? What can I make that will be a cheap dinner idea for the family?

Does this happen to you, too?

Busy moms need easy meal ideas.  I found these 20 cheap and easy dinner ideas you can make tonight. These recipes are cheap meals on a budget you can have ready to eat in 30 minutes or less.

Cheap dinner ideas for family

The 20 dinner ideas for tonight shared below are from some amazing food bloggers. They shared their best kid-friendly recipes moms can make on busy weeknights.

These recipes are great for making your own monthly meal plan, too. If you don’t have it, grab the Smart Mom Meal Planner and use these recipes for a weekly or monthly meal plan. Having a written meal plan is the best way to avoid going to drive-thru for a last-minute dinner.

Note: For your convenience, this post includes affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I will receive a commission. Read my full disclosure policy here.

The first section of recipes below includes skillet recipes or one-pan recipes. I love one-pan recipes because since few pots means less mess to clean up after dinner. 

My favorite pan for one skill recipes is a 12-inch Cuisinart Deep Fry Pan with Cover like this one

I also like Lodge Cast Iron Skillets.  My grandmother always cooked with iron skillets. I have 3 cast iron skillets myself. Cast iron skillets are great because they can be used on the stovetop, in the oven and they work with induction stovetops.

Easy Skillet Recipes

Taco Spaghetti by Smart Mom Smart Ideas

Easy Chicken Parmesan Meal by What’s Working Here

Tuscan Chicken Skillet by Girl with an Iron Skillet

Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Crispy Skin by Delightful Plate Asian Flavor and Beyond

Pizza Pasta by Baking Beauty

Homemade Hamburger Helper by The Anthony Kitchen

One-Pot Chicken Broccoli Pasta by Kitchen Sanctuary 

One-Pot Stuffed Pepper Casserole by Chocolate with Grace 

Quick Salads, Casseroles and More…

Dorito Taco Salad with Catalina by Julia’s Simply Southern

Homemade Chicken Green Bean Casserole by Equipping Godly Women

Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas by Amanda’s Cookin

Tater Tot Pizza Casserole by Freezer Meals 101

Easy Crockpot Potato Soup by Kim and Kalee 

Mexican Street Tacos by Sorey Fitness

Hawaiian Hot Dogs by Your Ultimate Menu 

Crazy Good Bang Bang Shrimp {Bonefish Grill} by This Old Gal

Mac & Cheese with Tomatoes by Food Meanderings 

Light & Easy Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff by Atta Girl Says

Baked Ziti with Turkey & Veggies by Fun Money Mom 

Sausage Stuffed Shells by Sizzling Eats 

Need more dinner ideas? Try these recipes and meal plans.

How does a complete ready to use 4-week meal plan sound?

No time to finish a weekly meal plan? Get your copy of The Smart Mom Guide to Easy Dinners Bundle and solve your dinner dilemma.

This 4-week meal plan gives you easy dinner ideas and recipes for 4 weeks of meals. After you complete the 4 week rotation you can start over or mix and match the meals your family liked best.

The Smart Mom Guide to Easy Dinner bundle includes:

  • 4 week ready to use meal plan with recipes
  • Meal planning calendars so you can mix and match recipes and add your favorites
  • Planning for lunches, dinners and school lunch
  • Likes and dislikes pages so you always have a go-to list of favorite dinners
  • Picky- eaters? You’ll love these kid-friendly recipes 
  • Additional 20 Instant Pot/Slow Cooker recipes 

 

Smart mom guide to easy dinners

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Cheap meal on a budget

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