25 Best Budget-Friendly Healthy Recipes

If you’ve been following our series all week, The Nourished Grocery Budget, then you may already have some solid ideas.  We’ve already covered creating a system that works, 8 pitfalls that lead people to overspend on real food, and even how to make snacks and treats on a budget.

For some people, the biggest hurdle is this: which recipes are really budget-friendly?

Not everyone is up for creating food at random out of whatever they have on hand.  They don’t know how to buy a few staples and just see what happens.  They need a solid plan in place.  (And that’s completely okay.)

For those of you who need a plan, I want to share some of my favorite budget-friendly recipes.  They’re recipes that are often quick and easy, and recipes which are customizable and versatile.  Plus, of course, healthy and delicious!

Choose your favorites and add them to your repertoire!

Budget-Friendly Healthy Recipes

Dinners

Beef and Liver Stew — Promise you can’t taste the liver!  It increases the nutrient density while bringing the cost down, since organ meats are typically cheaper than muscle meats.

Cauliflower Mac’n’Cheese — A great way to add veggies to a kid-favorite, found in Super Charged Food for Kids.

Baked Potato Soup — A simple favorite.  Keep it simple, or dress it up with delicious toppings like bacon and cheese.

Slow Cooker Taco Soup — A frugal family favorite, found in Costco Slow Cooker Freezer Meals. (Saves you time, too!)

Crock Pot Bean Soup — A new twist on beans that makes them extra delicious.

Slow Cooker Mexican Corn and Potato Chowder — A hearty and frugal soup that’s perfect for cooler days, found in Frugal Real Food Meal Plans.

Salmon Noodle Casserole — A more-nourishing twist on a classic favorite, which is frugal because it uses canned salmon.

Cheesy Mexican Lentil Macaroni — A nourishing twist on a classic, found in Frugal Real Food Meal Plans.

Lunches

Pita Pizzas — One of our favorite lunches.  Pitas are super frugal because they contain only flour, water, salt, and yeast (mostly).  We make them in big batches and freeze.  Top them with sauce, cheese, veggies, or whatever you like.  They’re really quick to make, too!

Arroz Imperial — A simple cheesy chicken and rice dish from Cuba, try using less chicken to make it even more frugal!  Found in Not Just Tacos.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup — Everyone cheers when they see this one coming, and it’s quick to make!

Almost-Scratch Chicken and Dumplings — This one comes together for a quick lunch (plus leftovers).  It’s found in Easy Oven-Free Dinners.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup — A creamy, veggie and rice-heavy favorite.  Frugal veggies and brown rice lower the cost (check Trader Joe’s for the cheapest wild rice, if you have one).

Pigs in a Blanket — One of our favorite lunches!  They’re great hot or cold and they can go with you.  Choose nitrate-free hot dogs.

Chicken, Spinach and Strawberry Salad — This one’s frugal because strawberry season is rapidly approaching (and may even be here in some areas).  Swap strawberries out for mandarin oranges sections in the winter.

Soaked Granola — Make your own granola for a simple breakfast or lunch.  Serve with plain or lightly sweetened yogurt (we like to make our own and add a touch of honey or maple syrup).

Breakfasts and Snacks

Chocolate pudding — Look for sales on this pudding’s secret healthy ingredient to create a nutrient-dense and frugal snack.

Eggs Deluxe or “Hash” — A simple framework recipe found in The Healthy Breakfast Book, which teaches you to use the ingredients you have on hand to make a frugal, hearty, egg-based breakfast.

Soaked Pancakes — One of my family’s favorites, a batch can stretch a long way and are easy to freeze and toast for later.  Soaking increases the nutrition.

Sunshine Cinnamon Surprise Pancakes — A nourishing, yummy recipe found in The Healthy Breakfast Book, which sneaks some frugal veggies into breakfast!

Healthy Breakfast Hash — Try this simple potato-and-meat favorite that’s simple to prepare for a hearty breakfast.

Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins — These muffins are gluten-free and fairly frugal given this consideration.  They’re found in Gluten Free and Grain Free Breads, Batters, and Doughs.

Avocado Blueberry Smoothie — Look for sale or seasonal ingredients for this one.  Feel free to swap out the blueberries for whatever berries you find on sale.

Breakfast Burritos — A simple, freezable breakfast option, found in DIY Breakfast Station.  Try using these soaked tortillas or these grain-free tortillas to make them.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies — These cookies are prepped ahead of time and baked as-needed for “always fresh” cookies!  Found in No-Cook Freezer Meals.

What are your favorite budget-friendly healthy recipes?

SaveSave