Tired of yet another weeknight meal of easy chicken cutlets or bland meatloaf? We agree. It can be tough to come up with out-of-the-box dinner recipes within a frugal budget that the whole family can enjoy. After all, who can afford to splurge on fancy-pants ingredients such as fish sauce or crème fraiche just to make a weeknight dinner recipe that isn’t boring? CafeMom has rounded up 40 cheap and easy dinner ideas and recipes that are both kid-friendly and delicious, guaranteed. We’ve included some vegetarian and paleo dishes and even several budget dinner ideas for picky kids who refuse to eat anything but pizza, chicken tenders, and hot dogs. Most of these recipes are easy to make with simple ingredients that won’t break the bank: from classic English muffin pizza bagels that everyone loved as a kid and Buffalo chicken quesadillas made with wholesale club rotisserie chicken, to healthier fare such as chicken lettuce wraps and a spaghetti squash skillet. Keep scrolling to get ideas for unique dinner ideas that are perfect for the family on a budget, including one-pot meals, classic casseroles, slow cooker fare, and more.
