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25 Cheap Meals for Large Families Under $10

Introduction

Feeding a large family on a budget doesn’t mean sacrificing taste or nutrition. Enjoy stress-free weeknight dinners and satisfying homemade meals—even on a tight budget! These 25 cheap meals for large families under $10 make meal planning simple, delicious, and affordable, offering plenty of taste and variety without breaking the bank.

Why These Budget Meals Are a Game Changer

Busy families need recipes that are filling, crowd-pleasing, and gentle on the wallet. Each recipe in this collection uses affordable pantry staples and stretches proteins and produce in creative ways, ensuring there are leftovers for lunch boxes and everyone leaves the table satisfied. Plus, they’re easy to scale up or down, depending on your household size.

Delicious and Affordable Family Dinners

Here’s a roundup of 25 wallet-friendly recipes, each with a simple ingredients list and straightforward instructions. From hearty casseroles to satisfying soups, these dishes will help you serve wholesome meals with minimal expense.

Ingredients

**1. One-Pot Spaghetti**

Pasta, ground turkey or beef, canned tomatoes, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper

**2. Sheet Pan Chicken and Vegetables**

Chicken thighs or drumsticks, carrots, potatoes, olive oil, salt, pepper, Italian herbs

**3. Bean & Cheese Burritos**

Tortillas, canned beans, cheese, salsa

**4. Vegetable Stir Fry with Rice**

Mixed frozen vegetables, rice, soy sauce, garlic, ginger

**5. Tuna Noodle Casserole**

Egg noodles, canned tuna, peas, cream of mushroom soup, milk, breadcrumbs

**6. Sloppy Joes**

Ground beef or turkey, burger buns, canned tomato sauce, onion, Worcestershire sauce

**7. Hearty Lentil Soup**

Lentils, carrot, celery, onion, garlic, vegetable broth, bay leaf

**8. BBQ Chicken Drumsticks**

Chicken drumsticks, BBQ sauce, rice or cornbread

**9. Pancake Breakfast-for-Dinner**

Flour, eggs, milk, baking powder, syrup, optional fruit

**10. Sausage and Potato Skillet**

Potatoes, smoked sausage, onion, bell pepper, garlic, olive oil

**11. Cheesy Baked Ziti**

Ziti pasta, mozzarella cheese, pasta sauce, ricotta or cottage cheese

**12. Chicken and Rice Bake**

Chicken thighs, rice, chicken broth, peas, onion, seasonings

**13. Chili**

Ground beef or turkey, beans, tomato sauce, chili powder, onion, bell pepper

**14. Egg Fried Rice**

Day-old rice, eggs, green onion, frozen peas, soy sauce

**15. Bean Chili Mac**

Elbow macaroni, canned beans, diced tomatoes, chili powder, cheese

**16. Vegetable Frittata**

Eggs, potatoes, spinach or kale, onion, cheese

**17. Baked Potato Bar**

Russet potatoes, cheese, steamed broccoli, sour cream

**18. Ham and Cheese Sliders**

Slider rolls, deli ham, cheese, butter, mustard

**19. Chicken Quesadillas**

Tortillas, cooked chicken, cheese, salsa

**20. Classic Goulash**

Elbow macaroni, ground beef, diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning

**21. Stuffed Bell Peppers**

Bell peppers, rice, ground turkey or beef, tomato sauce, cheese

**22. Minestrone Soup**

Mixed vegetables, canned tomatoes, pasta, beans, vegetable broth

**23. Homemade Pizza**

Pizza dough, tomato sauce, cheese, assorted toppings

**24. Sausage & White Bean Stew**

Smoked sausage, canned white beans, diced tomatoes, spinach

**25. Black Bean Tacos**

Taco shells, black beans, lettuce, salsa, cheese

💡Meal Planning Tip: Save your favorite recipes for automatic shopping list creation. Ingredients will be sorted by section, making grocery trips faster and more organized—just what busy families need!

Instructions

Select a recipe based on your family’s preferences and grocery store sales.
Gather all necessary ingredients and preheat your oven or prepare your stove as needed.
Follow the simple step-by-step instructions included with each recipe—most are one-pan or one-pot meals, perfect for busy nights.
Serve immediately, and enjoy leftovers for lunch the next day.
Repeat for different meals throughout the week to keep things interesting and budget-friendly.

Weekly Meal Planning

Meal planning for a large family doesn’t have to be stressful. Save and schedule multiple meals from this list to effortlessly build out your week’s menu, while CookifyAI aggregates all the needed ingredients into a single, smart list.

**Planning Benefits:**
– No more forgotten items or aisle backtracking—CookifyAI organizes your list by grocery categories.
– Calculates exact quantities when recipes overlap (so you buy just enough rice or beans for all planned meals).
– Makes scaling recipes up or down for your exact household size a breeze.
– Saves you time and money, helping you avoid impulse buys.

Pro tip: As you plan for the week, schedule recipes and auto-generate your shopping list to make family meals even more efficient and affordable.

Cook and Prep Times

Prep Time: 10–15 minutes per recipe
Cook Time: 20–40 minutes per recipe
Total Time: Most recipes are ready in 30–50 minutes, perfect for busy family schedules

With these 25 cheap meals for large families under $10, you’ll discover just how easy and budget-friendly it can be to feed a crowd with delicious, homemade food!