10 Best Frugal Recipes

When it comes to being short on cash and still needing to eat, the 10 best frugal recipes can be a life saver. These frugal recipes cost very little to make yet will fill you up and please your taste buds.

1. Pasta and Pasta Sauce. One of the best frugal recipes to make involves just adding some pasta sauce to any type of pasta. Use whatever is in your refrigerator to add to the pasta dish. Ground beef, turkey, or chicken are great additions to pasta dishes, as well as zucchini, or finely chopped broccoli, celery, onions, or carrots.
2. Macaroni and Cheese. Choose the ultimate in comfort recipe with macaroni and cheese. Whether you choose to create it from scratch or get it out of a box, macaroni and cheese is one of the cheapest meals available. To get even more bang for your buck, mix in a can of tomatoes, tuna, or a few hot dogs.
3. Homemade Pizza. Pizza may be the best frugal recipe, if you make it yourself and don’t order out. Create the pizza dough from scratch and use cheap items such as onions as toppings. For an even more frugal recipe, leave off the cheese, those with dairy allergies do it all the time and it still tastes good.
4. Salads. Salads may not be the first or best frugal recipe to come to mind but they can be cheaper than you may think. Choose iceburg lettuce for the base and add in vegetables that are cheap such as, carrots and celery, and fresh vegetables that are on sale. Leave off the cheese and croutons and use simple homemade vinaigrettes or lemon juice as the salad dressing.
5. Sandwiches. Homemade bread makes for cheaper and healthier options for frugal sandwich recipes than anything you can purchase at the grocery store. Tuna, egg, or chicken salad sandwiches are easy to make and are very filling.
6. Soups. Soups are easy because you don’t even need a recipe to make them. Mix up a soup on your stove top, instead of pouring it out of a can. Soup can be made with as little as some vegetables and broth and can even be frozen to be enjoyed at a later time.
7. Shepards Pie. A basic shepards pie can have as little as hamburger, potatoes, and corn. Spice up this basic frugal recipe by adding other vegetables you may have in your kitchen such as onions, carrots, or celery.
8. Eggs and Potatoes. Breakfast can be one of the best frugal recipes. Make some fried potatoes and scramble some eggs in with it for a cheap and easy meal.
9. Whole Roasted Chicken. Spending money on a whole chicken may seem extravagant, but not if you think about all the frugal recipes that may come out of it. Roast the chicken and have a serving or two with a baked potato for dinner. Use the rest of the chicken for chicken salad sandwiches, add into soups, or throw on a homemade pizza. Keep the bones as well and use them for chicken stock for your frugal soups.
10. Rice and Beans. Get dinner on the table for little time and money with an easy rice and beans recipe. For even cheaper beans, make sure to purchase them dried instead of in a can.