Are you looking for easy, budget-friendly, inexpensive meals for two packed with flavor? You are at the right place.
Eating well doesn’t have to break the bank, especially when you’re cooking for two.
With a little creativity and planning, you can make Inexpensive Dinners meals that are both affordable and satisfying.
If you’re looking to save money, reduce food waste, or simply enjoy cooking together, countless cheap family meal options can fit your budget without compromising on flavor or nutrition.
By focusing on seasonal ingredients, bulk purchases, and versatile recipes, you can create a variety of Easy Meals For Two.
One of the keys to making cheap meals is Frugal Meal Planning.
Plan your grocery shopping strategically. Look for sales and discounts at your local grocery store, and consider buying in bulk for items that you use frequently.
Choose recipes that use similar ingredients that can help minimize waste and maximize savings.
Cook larger portions to enjoy leftovers for lunch or dinner later in the week, making it even more economical.
With these tips in mind, you can make Easy Dinner For 2 make dining for two enjoyable and stress-free!
I have shared recipes for cheap pasta, stir-fries, soups, and quick skillet dinners, these cheap meals offer variety without the hefty price tag.
Here are some frugal meal planning tips based on the search results:
Frugal Meal Planning Tips
1- Take Inventory
Before planning your meals, check what you already have in your pantry, fridge, and freezer. This helps you avoid buying duplicates and allows you to plan meals around ingredients that need to be used up.
2- Plan Your Meals:
Create a weekly meal plan that incorporates a mix of proteins, vegetables, fruits, grains, and dairy. Look for recipes that use similar ingredients to minimize waste and maximize savings.
3- Make a Flexible Grocery List:
When creating your shopping list, keep it flexible. Instead of specifying exact items (e.g., “cod”), consider broader categories (e.g., “white fish”) to allow for price comparisons and better deals.
4- Buy in Bulk:
Purchasing staple items in bulk can save you money in the long run. Focus on non-perishable goods like grains, canned goods, and frozen foods that can be used across multiple meals.
5- Incorporate Vegetarian Meals:
Including one or more vegetarian meals in your weekly plan can significantly cut costs. Dishes like bean-based meals or vegetable stir-fries can be both nutritious and economical.
6- Utilize Seasonal Produce:
Buy fresh fruits and vegetables when they are in season as they tend to be cheaper and more flavorful. Farmers’ markets can be a great source for seasonal produce at lower prices.
7- Cook in Batches:
Prepare larger portions of meals that can be eaten throughout the week or frozen for later use. Soups, stews, and casseroles are excellent options for batch cooking.
8- Shop Smart:
Stick to your grocery list to avoid impulse purchases. Shopping around the perimeter of the store often leads you to fresh produce and whole foods while minimizing processed items.
9- Use Leftovers Wisely:
Plan meals that allow for leftovers to be repurposed into new dishes, reducing food waste and saving time on cooking.
10- Don’t Forget Snacks:
Include healthy snacks in your meal plan to prevent reaching for more expensive convenience foods when hunger strikes between meals.
25 Cheap Meals That Don’t Compromise on Flavor
Eating well on a budget is easier than you think. Our selection of 25 cheap meals for two ensures you can enjoy delicious, satisfying dishes without overspending.
1. Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
Source: gimmesomeoven
Classic Spaghetti Aglio e Olio is easy to make with just 4 simple ingredients (spaghetti, olive oil, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes), it comes together in 20 minutes, and it is always such a winner.
2. Easy Chicken Stir Fry Recipe
Source: momontimeout
This easy Chicken Stir Fry recipe is loaded with fresh veggies and the most delicious sauce made with honey, soy sauce, and toasted sesame oil! This healthy cheap meals recipe takes 20 minutes to make and will wow your family with it’s amazing flavor!
3. Vegetable Fried Rice
Source: budgetbytes
Fried rice is a take-out classic because it’s fast, easy, filling, delicious, and inexpensive, which is everything I want from a meal made at home, too! I love making vegetable fried rice at home because it’s an easy way to use up odds and ends in my fridge, it’s always satisfying, and it’s FAST.
4. Taco Night, Simplified
Source: alexandracooks
Taco night has evolved considerably since posting this recipe five years ago. Back then, I was grinding the chicken meat at home, grating the cheese by hand, mixing the taco spices, pickling the onions, and making the salsa.
5. Lentil Soup
Source: cookieandkate
Here it is. My lentil soup is made with mostly pantry ingredients but includes hearty greens and a squeeze of lemon for bright, fresh flavor. It’s seasoned with a few of my favorite spices and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
6. Eggplant Parmesan
Source: budgetbytes
I love a good veggie-packed dinner recipe, and this Eggplant Parmesan hits all the right notes. It’s a simple and classic recipe but oh-so-good! I layer slices of baked eggplant with homemade marinara and plenty of cheese to create the ultimate cheap meals comfort food.
7. Chickpea Salad
Source: inspiredtaste
I can’t get enough of this easy chickpea salad recipe with lemon and dill. I’ve been making this delicious salad with chickpeas for years and fall in love all over again every time I do.
8. Meal Prep Breakfast Burritos
Source: supperplate
At $2.00 a burrito, Meal Prep Breakfast Burritos are a cheap meals way to stock up your freezer for future meals! Breakfast Burritos are great for starting your morning. Plus they make a wonderful lunch and dinner!
9. Homemade Mac and Cheese
Source: budgetbytes
If there’s one recipe that all cooks need to have under their belt, it’s a classic homemade mac and cheese recipe. Like, nothing fancy or unique, just straight-up creamy, comforting, cheesy goodness! So that’s what I have for you today.
10. Stuffed Bell Peppers
Source: budgetbytes
Stuffed Bell Peppers have been a huge favorite of mine since my aunt first made them for me many many years ago. At the time it seemed like such an elaborate, fancy recipe, but who knew they were really this simple to make!
11. 10-Minute Quesadillas
Source: cookieandkate
It’s about time you met my go-to meal, the quesadilla. When I’m feeling too lazy to make a proper cheap meals, when my fridge is bare, when I come home from the grocery store hangry—I throw together a quesadilla in under ten minutes flat.
12. Quick and Easy Creamy Tomato – Basil Soup
Source: sharedappetite
We’ve been on this tomato soup binge recently. It’s quick. It’s easy. It’s no fuss, delicious, homey, make me forget about the frigid weather outside type of food. This creamy tomato – basil soup hits the spot, especially with a side of extra-gooey grilled cheese.
13. Easy Chicken Curry for Two
Source: bakingmischief
This Easy Chicken Curry is one of my family’s favorite quick weeknight meals. Just a bit spicy, with a fragrant, slightly sweet tomato base and big chunks of tender chicken breast throughout, it’s made with pantry staples and can be on your table in about 35 minutes.
14. One Pot Veggie Pasta
Source: budgetbytes
Here’s a quick little one pot pasta I’ve been making lately with my leftover veggies. You can literally add in whatever you have on hand and it creates a tasty one pot meal with tons of color, flavor, and texture.
15. Easy Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
Source: jocooks
I’m sure you all have your favorite recipes that you make often, if not on a weekly basis, mostly because you just love them so much and they’re easy. Well this is mine! It’s the easiest dish to put together and the flavors are out of this world.
16. Pita Pizza
Source: allrecipes
Pita pizza is always a favorite as an appetizer or light lunch. These mini pizzas are easy to make with any readily available ingredients. Blue cheese adds a unique flavor, and pita bread is the perfect crust.
17. Cabbage Stir Fry
Source: wellplated
In which an old ingredient learns new tricks: Cabbage Stir Fry. Thinly sliced cabbage sautéed with ground chicken (or with beef) and carrots in a light and flavorful Chinese-inspired stir fry sauce, this quick, healthy dinner will have you rethinking the possibilities of our friend, Mr. C.
18. Easy and Cheap Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe
Source: savingtalents
This delicious recipe for tuna noodle casserole is a cheap and easy dinner for a frugal family on a budget. It’s a quick meal that is affordable when you live a tight budget, and it tastes great!
19. Chili for Two
Source: yourhomebasedmom
This chili for two is thick, delicious and the perfect amount for two people.
20. Budget-Friendly Potato Soup Recipe
Source: juliapacheco
Cooking on a budget can be really hard. I get it. Somehow you’re through your grocery budget already and you have no food in the house. I’ve been there! Whenever I need to make a grocery run when I have a teeny tiny budget, I turn to a few of my favorite budget-friendly recipes. This cheap Potato Soup recipe is so easy and delicious and costs just a few dollars to make.
21. Easy Sausage and Peppers (One Pan)
Source: beatthebudget
Sausage and peppers in skillet = the easiest one pan meal. It’s a family favorite for a reason – it’s healthy, high in protein and loaded with flavour. Ideal for a light weeknight meal.
22. Veggie Chili on the Cheap
Source: veggie-quest
This thick and hearty veggie chili get creaminess from peanut butter and plant-strong protein from beans to power you through your day. Only $0.52 a bowl!
23. Stir Fry Noodles
Source: wellplated
The next time cooking dinner feels like a drag, make these Stir Fry Noodles. Whole grain noodles tossed with a heap of vegetables (whichever ones you have around) and your protein of choice (we used chicken) in a shortcut stir fry sauce, what we have here is a Class-A Weeknight Wonder.
24. Greek Salad with Chicken
Source: budgetbytes
I guess we’ve hit that time of the year where just I want to eat cold salads every day (Hi, summer!). So I decided to take one of my favorite pasta salads, Lemony Cucumber Couscous Salad, and transform it into a full meal.
25. Baked Ziti For Two
Source: thecountrycook
This Baked Ziti for Two recipe is everything you love about traditional ziti but in a smaller portion. Plus it’s ready in only 45 minutes!
